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The importance of snowmelt spatiotemporal variability for isotope-based hydrograph separation in a high-elevation catchment

Schmieder, Jan; Hanzer, Florian; Marke, Thomas; Garvelmann, Jakob 1; Warscher, Michael 1; Kunstmann, Harald 1; Strasser, Ulrich
1 Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung – Atmosphärische Umweltforschung (IMK-IFU), Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)

Abstract:

Seasonal snow cover is an important temporary water storage in high-elevation regions. Especially in remote areas, the available data are often insufficient to accurately quantify snowmelt contributions to streamflow. The limited knowledge about the spatiotemporal variability of the snowmelt isotopic composition, as well as pronounced spatial variation in snowmelt rates, leads to high uncertainties in applying the isotope-based hydrograph separation method. The stable isotopic signatures of snowmelt water samples collected during two spring 2014 snowmelt events at a north- and a south-facing slope were volume weighted with snowmelt rates derived from a distributed physicsbased snow model in order to transfer the measured plotscale isotopic composition of snowmelt to the catchment scale. The observed δ$^{18}$O values and modeled snowmelt rates showed distinct inter- and intra-event variations, as well as marked differences between north- and south-facing slopes. Accounting for these differences, two-component isotopic hydrograph separation revealed snowmelt contributions to streamflow of 35±3 and 75±14% for the early and peak melt season, respectively. ... mehr


Volltext §
DOI: 10.5445/IR/1000064207
Originalveröffentlichung
DOI: 10.5194/hess-20-5015-2016
Scopus
Zitationen: 48
Web of Science
Zitationen: 50
Dimensions
Zitationen: 54
Cover der Publikation
Zugehörige Institution(en) am KIT Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung – Atmosphärische Umweltforschung (IMK-IFU)
KIT-Zentrum Klima und Umwelt (ZKU)
Publikationstyp Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Publikationsjahr 2016
Sprache Englisch
Identifikator ISSN: 1027-5606, 1607-7938
urn:nbn:de:swb:90-642077
KITopen-ID: 1000064207
HGF-Programm 12.02.03 (POF III, LK 01) Regional Climate-and Water Cycle Variab.
Erschienen in Hydrology and earth system sciences
Verlag Copernicus Publications
Band 20
Heft 12
Seiten 5015-5033
Nachgewiesen in Dimensions
Web of Science
Scopus
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