A study of non-linearity in rainfall-runoff response using 120 UK catchments

Mathias, Simon A.; McIntyre, Neil; Oughton, Rachel H.

doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.06.039

Cited by 21 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…ratio which supresses the proportional strength of multi-annual NAO-like signals (Meinke et al, 2005;Brown, 2018). A parallel can be drawn here with hydrological pathway influence on streamflow, as surface pathways more closely reflect rainfall variability and subsurface pathways more closely reflect groundwater variability (Ockenden and Chappell, 2011;Kamruzzaman et al, 2014;Mathias et al, 2016;Gnann et al, 2019).…”

Section: Hydrological Drivers For Signal Strengthsmentioning

confidence: 77%

Exploring the role of hydrological pathways in modulating North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) teleconnection periodicities from UK rainfall to streamflow

Rust

Cuthbert

Bloomfield

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Abstract. An understanding of multi-annual behaviour in streamflow allows for better estimation of the risks associated with hydrological extremes. This is can enable improved preparedness for streamflow-dependant services such as freshwater ecology, drinking water supply and agriculture. Recently, efforts have focused on detecting relationships between long-term hydrological behaviour and oscillatory climate systems (such as the NAO). For instance, the approximate 7-year periodicity of the NAO has been detected in groundwater level records in the North Atlantic region, providing a degree of forecasting for future water resource extremes due to their repeating, periodic nature. However, the extent to which these 7-year NAO-like signals are propagated to streamflow, and the catchment processes that modulate this propagation, are currently unknown. Here, we show statistically significant evidence that these 7-year periodicities are present in streamflow (and associated catchment rainfall), by applying multi-resolution analysis to a large dataset of streamflow and associated catchment rainfall across the UK. Our results provide new evidence for spatial patterns of NAO periodicities in UK rainfall with areas of greatest NAO signal found in south west England, South Wales, Northern Ireland and central Scotland, and that NAO-like periodicities account for a greater proportion of streamflow variability in these areas. Furthermore, we show that subsurface pathway contribution, as characterised by the Baseflow Index (BFI), and the response times of subsurface pathways, as characterised by Groundwater response Time (GRT), are influential factors for streamflow sensitivity to these NAO-like cycles. Our results provide critical process understanding for the screening and use of streamflow teleconnections for the improving the practice and policy of long-term streamflow resource management.

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Section: Hydrological Drivers For Signal Strengthsmentioning

confidence: 77%

Exploring the role of hydrological pathways in modulating North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) teleconnection periodicities from UK rainfall to streamflow

Rust

Cuthbert

Bloomfield

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…Independently operating institutions at the local level commonly hold individual goals (Butler and Pidgeon, 2011;Measham et al, 2011), which may be distinct from the collective flood risk mitigation goal. Given their orientation and obligations toward voters and taxpayers, governing organizations are commonly driven by a desire for continued local economic (re)development (Molotch, 1999) as well as preoccupied with concerns around "blame" and "credit" for social outcomes (Leong and Howlett, 2017).…”

Section: Perceptions Of Flooding Expertise and Social Network Of Promentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges to implementing bottom-up flood risk decision analysis frameworks: how strong are social networks of flooding professionals?

Knighton

Tsuda

Elliott

et al. 2018

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Recent developments in bottom-up vulnerability-based decision analysis frameworks present promising opportunities for flood practitioners to simplify complex decisions regarding risk mitigation and climate adaptation. This family of methodologies relies on strong social networks among flood practitioners and the public to support careful definition of stakeholder-relevant thresholds and vulnerabilities to hazards. In parallel, flood researchers are directly considering distinct atmospheric mechanisms that induce flooding to readily incorporate information on future climate projections. We perform a case study of flood professionals actively engaged in flood risk mitigation within Tompkins County, New York, USA, a community dealing with moderate flooding, to gage how much variance exists among professionals from the perspective of establishing a bottom-up flood mitigation study from an atmospheric perspective. Results of this case study indicate disagreement among flooding professionals as to which socioeconomic losses constitute a flood, disagreement on anticipated community needs, weak understanding of climate–weather–flood linkages, and some disagreement on community perceptions of climate adaptation. In aggregate, the knowledge base of the Tompkins County flood practitioners provides a well-defined picture of community vulnerability and perceptions. Our research supports the growing evidence that collaborative interdisciplinary flood mitigation work could reduce risk, and potentially better support the implementation of emerging bottom-up decision analysis frameworks for flood mitigation and climate adaptation.

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“…The fact that rainfall determines runoff is a well known by the scientific community (Chen et al, 2016;Mathias et al, 2016). However, there are other factors than also affect runoff generation such as vegetation cover (Sharpley, 1985;Pardini et al, 2017).…”

Section: Rainfall-runoff Relationship and Runoff Initiation Thresholdsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pinus halepensis M. versus Quercus ilex subsp. Rotundifolia L. runoff and soil erosion at pedon scale under natural rainfall in Eastern Spain three decades after a forest fire

Cerdà

Lucas‐Borja

Úbeda

et al. 2017

Forest Ecology and Management

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Afforestation aims to recover the vegetation cover, and restore natural ecosystems. The plant species selected for restoration will determine species richness and the fate of the ecosystem. Research focussing on the impact of vegetation recovery on soil quality are abundant, especially on fire affected land and where rehabilitation, afforestation and restoration projects were carried out. However, little is known about how different plants species affect soil erosion and water losses, which are key factors that will impact the fate of the afforested land. Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis M.) is the species commonly used for afforestation in the Mediterranean and is very successful when natural recovery takes place, however, the original forests were composed of Holm oaks (Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia L.). There is little information about the hydrological and erosional impact of this change of vegetation cover stimulated by a millennia old forest use in the Mediterranean, and a century old afforestation policies and natural recovery as a consequence of land abandonment. To get insights in the effect of plant species on runoff generation and soil erosion, individual trees should be selected. Plots of 1 m 2 are necessary to identify homogeneous patches, and were installed under Aleppo pine (4 plots) and Holm oaks (4 plots) in a 30 (34)-years old plant cover recovered after a forest fire that took place in 1979. A raingauge was installed in the study site to characterize the rainfall. The soil erosion plots were built with metal borders and each plot drained to a collector (gutter) and a 60 L container to store the surface runoff. Runoff was measured after each rainfall event and sediment concentration was determined by desiccation. Results show that Aleppo pine covered soils yield six times more runoff (232 mm, 8.31%) than Holm oaks (40 mm, 1.4%) during the experimental period of 2010-2014, when rainfall amount 2,721.1 mm. Runoff sediment concentration was higher in the Aleppo pine plots (4.9 g l À1) than in the Holm oaks plots (2.6 g l À1). Soil erosion rate was ten times higher in Aleppo pine (2.6 Mg ha À1 y À1) than in Holm oaks (0.26 Mg ha À1 y À1).

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A study of non-linearity in rainfall-runoff response using 120 UK catchments

Cited by 21 publications

References 22 publications

Exploring the role of hydrological pathways in modulating North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) teleconnection periodicities from UK rainfall to streamflow

Exploring the role of hydrological pathways in modulating North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) teleconnection periodicities from UK rainfall to streamflow

Challenges to implementing bottom-up flood risk decision analysis frameworks: how strong are social networks of flooding professionals?

Pinus halepensis M. versus Quercus ilex subsp. Rotundifolia L. runoff and soil erosion at pedon scale under natural rainfall in Eastern Spain three decades after a forest fire

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