Melting Alpine Water Towers Aggravate Downstream Low Flows: A Stress‐Test Storyline Approach

Tiel, Marit Van; Weiler, Markus; Freudiger, Daphné; Moretti, Greta; Kohn, Irene; Gerlinger, Kai; Stahl, Kerstin

doi:10.1029/2022ef003408

Cited by 9 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 105 publications

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“…The operation of storage reservoirs for hydropower generation has the potential to strongly impact streamflow seasonality along the Rhine (e.g., Rottler et al, 2020). Particularly for low flow analysis, the consideration of reservoir operations is indispensable (van Tiel et al, 2023). Another possible explanation for weaker model performance at the Upper Rhine gauges might be the relatively coarse model resolution of 5 km used to model high Alpine snow and hydrological processes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rhine flood stories: Spatio‐temporal analysis of historic and projected flood genesis in the Rhine River basin

Rottler

Bronstert

Bürger

et al. 2023

Hydrological Processes

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The genesis of floods in large river basins often is complex. Streamflow originating from precipitation and snowmelt and different tributaries can superimpose and cause high water levels, threatening cities and communities along the riverbanks. For better understanding the mechanisms (origin and composition) of flood events in large and complex basins, we capture and share the story behind major historic and projected streamflow peaks in the Rhine River basin. Our analysis is based on hydrological simulations with the mesoscale Hydrological Model forced with both meteorological observations and an ensemble of climate projections. The spatio-temporal analysis of the flood events includes the assessment and mapping of antecedent liquid precipitation, snow cover changes, generated and routed runoff, areal extents of events, and the above-average runoff from major sub-basins up to 10 days before a streamflow peak. We introduce and assess the analytical setup by presenting the flood genesis of the two well-known Rhine floods that occurred in January 1995 and May 1999. We share our extensive collection of event-based Rhine River flood genesis, which can be used in-and outside the scientific community to explore the complexity and diversity of historic and projected flood genesis in the Rhine basin. An interactive webbased viewer provides easy access to all major historic and projected streamflow peaks at four locations along the Rhine. The comparison of peak flow genesis depending on different warming levels elucidates the role of changes in snow cover and precipitation characteristics in the (pre-)Alps for flood hazards along the entire channel of the Rhine. Furthermore, our results suggest a positive correlation between flood magnitudes and areal extents of an event. Further hydro-climatological research is required to improve the understanding of the climatic impact on the Rhine and beyond.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rhine flood stories: Spatio‐temporal analysis of historic and projected flood genesis in the Rhine River basin

Rottler

Bronstert

Bürger

et al. 2023

Hydrological Processes

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A new flow path: eDNA connecting hydrology and biology

URycki,

Kirtane,

Aronoff

et al. 2024

WIREs Water

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Environmental DNA (eDNA) has revolutionized ecological research, particularly for biodiversity assessment in various environments, most notably aquatic media. Environmental DNA analysis allows for non‐invasive and rapid species detection across multiple taxonomic groups within a single sample, making it especially useful for identifying rare or invasive species. Due to dynamic hydrological processes, eDNA samples from running waters may represent biodiversity from broad contributing areas, which is convenient from a biomonitoring perspective but also challenging, as hydrological knowledge is required for meaningful biological interpretation. Hydrologists could also benefit from eDNA to address unsolved questions, particularly concerning water movement through catchments. While naturally occurring abiotic tracers have advanced our understanding of water age distribution in catchments, for example, current geochemical tracers cannot fully elucidate the timing and flow paths of water through landscapes. Conversely, biological tracers, owing to their immense diversity and interactions with the environment, could offer more detailed information on the sources and flow paths of water to the stream. The informational capacity of eDNA as a tracer, however, is determined by the ability to interpret the complex biological heterogeneity at a study site, which arguably requires both biological and hydrological expertise. As eDNA data has become increasingly available as part of biomonitoring campaigns, we argue that accompanying eDNA surveys with hydrological observations could enhance our understanding of both biological and hydrological processes; we identify opportunities, challenges, and needs for further interdisciplinary collaboration; and we highlight eDNA's potential as a bridge between hydrology and biology, which could foster both domains.This article is categorized under: Science of Water > Hydrological Processes Science of Water > Methods Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems

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Sensitivity of montane grassland water fluxes to warming and elevated CO2 from local to catchment scale: A case study from the Austrian Alps

Vremec,

Burek,

Guillaumot

et al. 2024

Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies

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Melting Alpine Water Towers Aggravate Downstream Low Flows: A Stress‐Test Storyline Approach

Abstract: Extreme low flow situations, caused by meteorological droughts and heatwaves and their consequent development into hydrological droughts, lead to a range of negative impacts (e.g.,

Cited by 9 publications

References 105 publications

Rhine flood stories: Spatio‐temporal analysis of historic and projected flood genesis in the Rhine River basin

Rhine flood stories: Spatio‐temporal analysis of historic and projected flood genesis in the Rhine River basin

A new flow path: eDNA connecting hydrology and biology

Sensitivity of montane grassland water fluxes to warming and elevated CO2 from local to catchment scale: A case study from the Austrian Alps

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