Regional patterns in hydrologic response, a new three-component metric for hydrograph analysis and implications for ecohydrology, Northwest Volcanic Aquifer Study Area, USA

Curtis, Jennifer A.; Burns, Erick R.; Sando, Roy

doi:10.1016/j.ejrh.2020.100698

Regional patterns in hydrologic response, a new three-component metric for hydrograph analysis and implications for ecohydrology, Northwest Volcanic Aquifer Study Area, USA

Journal Article · Fri Jun 12 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Journal of Hydrology. Regional Studies

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2020.100698· OSTI ID:1799276

Curtis, Jennifer A. ^[1]; Burns, Erick R. ^[2]; Sando, Roy ^[3]

U.S. Geological Survey, Eureka, CA (United States); OSTI
U.S. Geological Survey, Portland, OR (United States)
U.S. Geological Survey, Helena, MT (United States)

Spatial patterns of hydrologic response were examined for the Northwest Volcanic Aquifer Study Area (NVASA). The utility of established hydrograph-separation methods for assessing hydrologic response in permeable volcanic terranes was assessed and a new three-component metric for hydrograph analysis was developed. The new metric, which partitions streamflow into subcomponents defined by the timescales of hydrologic response (e.g., fast-runoff, intermediate-interflow and slow-baseflow), was used to gain a fundamental understanding of the regional hydrology, investigate sub-regional differences, influencing factors, and ecohydrological implications. The combined effects of NVASA’s physiography, climate and geology create a strongly coupled surface-groundwater system that produces copious baseflow and limited quantities of runoff and interflow. Patterns of hydrologic response are influenced by the type and rate of precipitation and permeability of the underlying geology. Under variable precipitation conditions the hydrologic response of volcanic terranes with similar permeability and subsurface-storage capacity can be significantly different. From a water management and ecohydrology perspective, understanding regional patterns of hydrologic response and sub-regional differences is fundamental. Results indicate that minimum-flow methods provide the most conservative estimate of baseflow and may be the most robust for filtering out snowmelt bias in baseflow estimates. Baseflow contributes ~75% of the perennial streamflow across the NVASA and represents a critical component of the regional water supply that provides critical cold-water habitat.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: US Geological Survey, Reston, VA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Geothermal Technologies Office

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0007169

OSTI ID:: 1799276

Journal Information:: Journal of Hydrology. Regional Studies, Journal Name: Journal of Hydrology. Regional Studies Vol. 30; ISSN 2214-5818

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Northwest Volcanic Aquifer
baseflow
groundwater-dependent ecosystem
hydrograph separation
hydrologic response
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Regional patterns in hydrologic response, a new three-component metric for hydrograph analysis and implications for ecohydrology, Northwest Volcanic Aquifer Study Area, USA

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