Stream flow characterization and feature detection using a discrete wavelet transform

• Published in: Hydrological processes 1998-02, Vol.12 (2), p.233-249
• Main Authors: Smith, Laurence C., Turcotte, Donald L., Isacks, Bryan L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Freshwater; hydroclimatic regions; Hydrology; Hydrology. Hydrogeology; stream flow variability; wavelet spectral analyses
• ISSN: 0885-6087; 1099-1085
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1085(199802)12:2<233::AID-HYP573>3.0.CO;2-3

An exploration of the wavelet transform as applied to daily river discharge records demonstrates its strong potential for quantifying stream flow variability. Both periodic and non‐periodic features are detected equally, and their locations in time preserved. Wavelet scalograms often reveal structures that are obscure in raw discharge data. Integration of transform magnitude vectors over time yields wavelet spectra that reflect the characteristic time‐scales of a river's flow, which in turn are controlled by the hydroclimatic regime. For example, snowmelt rivers in Colorado possess maximum wavelet spectral energy at time‐scales on the order of 4 months owing to sustained high summer flows; Hawaiian streams display high energies at time‐scales of a few days, reflecting the domination of brief rainstorm events. Wavelet spectral analyses of daily discharge records for 91 rivers in the US and on tropical islands indicate that this is a simple and robust way to characterize stream flow variability. Wavelet spectral shape is controlled by the distribution of event time‐scales, which in turn reflects the timing, variability and often the mechanism of water delivery to the river. Five hydroclimatic regions, listed here in order of decreasing seasonality and increasing pulsatory nature, are described from the wavelet spectral analysis: (a) western snowmelt, (b) north‐eastern snowmelt, (c) mid‐central humid, (d) south‐western arid and (e) ‘rainstorm island’. Spectral shape is qualitatively diagnostic for three of these regions. While more work is needed to establish the use of wavelets for hydrograph analysis, our results suggest that river flows may be effectively classified into distinct hydroclimatic categories using this approach. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.