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Hydrological dynamics of snowmelt induced streamflow in a high mountain catchment of the Pyrenees under contrasted snow accumulation and duration years
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  • Ignacio Lopez-Moreno,
  • Jesus Revuelto,
  • E. González-Alonso,
  • Eñaut Izagirre,
  • F. Rojas-Heredia,
  • Deschamps-Berger C.,
  • Bonsoms J,
  • Jérôme Latron
Ignacio Lopez-Moreno
Instituto Pirenaico de Ecologia

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Jesus Revuelto
Instituto Pirenaico de Ecologia
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E. González-Alonso
Instituto Pirenaico de Ecologia
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Eñaut Izagirre
University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU
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F. Rojas-Heredia
Instituto Pirenaico de Ecologia
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Deschamps-Berger C.
Instituto Pirenaico de Ecologia
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Bonsoms J
University of Barcelona
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Jérôme Latron
Geosciences Barcelona
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Abstract

Snowmelt drives a large portion of streamflow in many mountain areas of the world. However, the water pathways since snow melts until water reaches the streams, and its associated transit time is still largely unknown. Such processes are important for drawing conclusions about the hydrological role of the upstream snowpack after melting. This work analyzes for first time the influence of snowmelt on spring streamflow in years of different snow accumulation and duration, in an alpine catchment of the central Spanish Pyrenees. A multi-approach research was performed, by combining the analysis of climatic, snow, streamflow, piezometric levels, water temperature, electrical conductivity and isotopic (δ 18O) data. Results show that snow played a preeminent role on the hydrological response of the catchment during spring. Liquid precipitation during the melting period also determined the shape of the spring hydrographs. When snow cover disappeared from the catchment, soil water storage and streamflow showed a sharp decline. Consequently, streamflow electrical conductivity, temperature and δ 18O showed a marked tipping point towards higher values. The fast hydrological response of the catchment to snow and meteorological fluctuations, as well as the marked diel fluctuations of streamflow δ 18O during the melting period, strongly suggests soil storage was small, leading to short meltwater transit times. As a consequence of this hydrological behavior, independently of the amount of snow accumulated and of melting date, summer streamflow remained always low, with small runoff peaks driven by rainfall events. The expected reduction of snow accumulation and duration in the area in a next future will bring an earlier snowmelt and rise of stream water temperature. However, given the low storage capacity of the catchment and the contribution of rainfall events to spring runoff, the annual water balance and the runoff seasonality of the catchment would not change drastically.
28 Sep 2023Submitted to Hydrological Processes
28 Sep 2023Submission Checks Completed
28 Sep 2023Assigned to Editor
28 Sep 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
29 Sep 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
05 Nov 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
24 Jan 20241st Revision Received
24 Jan 2024Submission Checks Completed
24 Jan 2024Assigned to Editor
24 Jan 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
29 Jan 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
27 Feb 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
29 Feb 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
05 Mar 20242nd Revision Received
06 Mar 2024Submission Checks Completed
06 Mar 2024Assigned to Editor
06 Mar 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
06 Mar 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
06 Mar 2024Editorial Decision: Accept