Importance of snowmelt contribution to seasonal runoff and summer low flows in Czechia

The streamflow seasonality in mountain catchments is often influenced by snow. However, a shift from snowfall to rain is expected in the future. Consequently, a decrease in snow storage and earlier snowmelt is predicted, which will cause changes not only in seasonal runoff distribution in snow-domin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hydrology and earth system sciences 2020-07, Vol.24 (7), p.3475-3491
Main Authors: Jenicek, Michal, Ledvinka, Ondrej
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Annual runoff
Annual variations
Atmospheric precipitations
Base flow
Catchment area
Catchment models
Catchment runoff
Catchments
Climate change
Comparative analysis
Computer simulation
Daily runoff
Drought
Drought periods
Evapotranspiration
Groundwater
Groundwater recharge
Groundwater runoff
Groundwater storage
Hydrology
Influence
Interannual variability
Low flow
Mountains
Precipitation
Rain
Rainfall
Runoff
Runoff distribution
Seasonal distribution
Seasonal variations
Seasonality
Snow
Snow storage
Snow-water equivalent
Snowfall
Snowmelt
Snowmelt runoff
Snowpack
Stream discharge
Stream flow
Streamflow
Studies
Summer
Summer precipitation
Water balance
Water balance (Hydrology)
Water shortages
Water supply
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Summary:The streamflow seasonality in mountain catchments is often influenced by snow. However, a shift from snowfall to rain is expected in the future. Consequently, a decrease in snow storage and earlier snowmelt is predicted, which will cause changes not only in seasonal runoff distribution in snow-dominated catchments, but it may also affect the total annual runoff. The objectives of this study were to quantify (1) how inter-annual variations in snow storages affect spring and summer runoff, including summer low flows, and (2) the importance of snowmelt in generating runoff compared to rainfall. The snow storage, groundwater recharge and streamflow were simulated for 59 mountain catchments in Czechia in the period from 1980 to 2014 using a bucket-type catchment model. The model output was evaluated against observed daily runoff and snow water equivalent. Hypothetical scenarios were performed, which allowed for analysing the effect of inter-annual variations in snow storage on seasonal runoff separately from other components of the water balance.
ISSN:1607-7938
1027-5606
1607-7938
DOI:10.5194/hess-24-3475-2020