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Probabilistic characterization of base flows in river basins: Roles of soil, vegetation, and geomorphology

Publication ,  Journal Article
Botter, G; Porporato, A; Daly, E; Rodriguez-Iturbe, I; Rinaldo, A
Published in: Water Resources Research
June 1, 2007

[1] In this paper we extend previous mathematical results on the probabilistic modeling of base flows driven by spatial and temporal fluctuations of soil moisture and affected by intermittent rainfall forcings and by heterogeneous transport, soil, and vegetation properties. Rainfall is modeled as a zero-dimensional marked Poisson process with exponentially distributed intensity, and various descriptors of spatial heterogeneity are used. The master equation for the probability distribution (pdf) of the base flow (here epitomized by the mean daily flow rate in suitably sized catchments) and its moment-generating function are derived by coupling soil moisture balances with a traveltime formulation of transport. Exact solutions for the flow moments are derived in the following cases: (1) two tributary areas in parallel, (2) the rigorous extension to N subbasins, and (3) a simplified geomorphic arrangement of subbasins. Base flow statistics obtained by naive spatial averages of heterogeneous properties exhibit the same mean of the exact solution but may significantly overestimate higher-order moments. Relatively wet climate conditions seem to enhance the effects of the heterogeneity of soil, vegetation, transport, and geomorphic properties, particularly for low-stage flow regimes. The probabilistic structure of the base flow is explicitly linked to relevant climatic and geomorphologic features in addition to the spatial distribution of soil and vegetation properties, with possible ecohydrological implications on long-term water and nutrient mass balances in river basins. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Water Resources Research

DOI

ISSN

0043-1397

Publication Date

June 1, 2007

Volume

43

Issue

6

Related Subject Headings

  • Environmental Engineering
  • 4011 Environmental engineering
  • 4005 Civil engineering
  • 3707 Hydrology
  • 0907 Environmental Engineering
  • 0905 Civil Engineering
  • 0406 Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience
 

Citation

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Botter, G., Porporato, A., Daly, E., Rodriguez-Iturbe, I., & Rinaldo, A. (2007). Probabilistic characterization of base flows in river basins: Roles of soil, vegetation, and geomorphology. Water Resources Research, 43(6). https://doi.org/10.1029/2006WR005397
Botter, G., A. Porporato, E. Daly, I. Rodriguez-Iturbe, and A. Rinaldo. “Probabilistic characterization of base flows in river basins: Roles of soil, vegetation, and geomorphology.” Water Resources Research 43, no. 6 (June 1, 2007). https://doi.org/10.1029/2006WR005397.
Botter G, Porporato A, Daly E, Rodriguez-Iturbe I, Rinaldo A. Probabilistic characterization of base flows in river basins: Roles of soil, vegetation, and geomorphology. Water Resources Research. 2007 Jun 1;43(6).
Botter, G., et al. “Probabilistic characterization of base flows in river basins: Roles of soil, vegetation, and geomorphology.” Water Resources Research, vol. 43, no. 6, June 2007. Scopus, doi:10.1029/2006WR005397.
Botter G, Porporato A, Daly E, Rodriguez-Iturbe I, Rinaldo A. Probabilistic characterization of base flows in river basins: Roles of soil, vegetation, and geomorphology. Water Resources Research. 2007 Jun 1;43(6).
Journal cover image

Published In

Water Resources Research

DOI

ISSN

0043-1397

Publication Date

June 1, 2007

Volume

43

Issue

6

Related Subject Headings

  • Environmental Engineering
  • 4011 Environmental engineering
  • 4005 Civil engineering
  • 3707 Hydrology
  • 0907 Environmental Engineering
  • 0905 Civil Engineering
  • 0406 Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience