Groundwater-surface water interactions across scales in a boreal landscape investigated using a numerical modelling approach

TY - JOUR

T1 - Groundwater-surface water interactions across scales in a boreal landscape investigated using a numerical modelling approach

AU - Jutebring Sterte, Elin

AU - Johansson, Emma

AU - Sjöberg, Ylva

AU - Huseby Karlsen, Reinert

AU - Laudon, Hjalmar

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - Groundwater and surface-water interactions are regulated by catchment characteristics and complex inter- and intra-annual variations in climatic conditions that are not yet fully understood. Our objective was to investigate the influence of catchment characteristics and freeze-thaw processes on surface and groundwater interactions in a boreal landscape, the Krycklan catchment in Sweden. We used a numerical modelling approach and sub-catchment evaluation method to identify and evaluate fundamental catchment characteristics and processes. The model reproduced observed stream discharge patterns of the 14 sub-catchments and the dynamics of the 15 groundwater wells with an average accumulated discharge error of 1% (15% standard deviation) and an average groundwater-level mean error of 0.1 m (0.23 m standard deviation). We show how peatland characteristics dampen the effect of intense rain, and how soil freeze-thaw processes regulate surface and groundwater partitioning during snowmelt. With these results, we demonstrate the importance of defining, understanding and quantifying the role of landscape heterogeneity and sub-catchment characteristics for accurately representing catchment hydrological functioning.

AB - Groundwater and surface-water interactions are regulated by catchment characteristics and complex inter- and intra-annual variations in climatic conditions that are not yet fully understood. Our objective was to investigate the influence of catchment characteristics and freeze-thaw processes on surface and groundwater interactions in a boreal landscape, the Krycklan catchment in Sweden. We used a numerical modelling approach and sub-catchment evaluation method to identify and evaluate fundamental catchment characteristics and processes. The model reproduced observed stream discharge patterns of the 14 sub-catchments and the dynamics of the 15 groundwater wells with an average accumulated discharge error of 1% (15% standard deviation) and an average groundwater-level mean error of 0.1 m (0.23 m standard deviation). We show how peatland characteristics dampen the effect of intense rain, and how soil freeze-thaw processes regulate surface and groundwater partitioning during snowmelt. With these results, we demonstrate the importance of defining, understanding and quantifying the role of landscape heterogeneity and sub-catchment characteristics for accurately representing catchment hydrological functioning.

KW - Catchment

KW - Krycklan

KW - MIKE SHE

KW - Runoff generation

KW - Soil frost

KW - Water balance

U2 - 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.03.011

DO - 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.03.011

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85043981516

SN - 0022-1694

VL - 560

SP - 184

EP - 201

JO - Journal of Hydrology

JF - Journal of Hydrology

ER -