How Alluvial Storage Controls Spatiotemporal Water Balance Partitioning in Intermittent and Ephemeral Stream Systems
Abstract The hydrological dynamics of intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES) impacts the availability of water to riparian ecosystems, the height of downstream runoff peaks, and the replenishment of groundwater systems. Despite its significance, the influence of superficial geology on IRES...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Water Resources Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024WR037256 |
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| author | E. Zarate M. S. Andersen G. C. Rau R. I. Acworth H. Rutlidge A. M. MacDonald M. O. Cuthbert |
| author_facet | E. Zarate M. S. Andersen G. C. Rau R. I. Acworth H. Rutlidge A. M. MacDonald M. O. Cuthbert |
| author_sort | E. Zarate |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The hydrological dynamics of intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES) impacts the availability of water to riparian ecosystems, the height of downstream runoff peaks, and the replenishment of groundwater systems. Despite its significance, the influence of superficial geology on IRES flow processes remains an area of limited understanding. Here we first present a comprehensive data set encompassing streamflow and groundwater levels from an intermittent stream situated in New South Wales, Australia. We then use targeted geophysical investigations to show how the configurations of superficial geology control the streamflow and groundwater responses. The analysis reveals that periods of stable stream stage consistently occur after episodic surges in streamflow, followed by recession and channel desiccation. The duration of the stable phases exhibits an upstream‐to‐downstream pattern, reaching a maximum of 44 ± 3 days upstream and then abruptly declining further downstream. There is remarkable consistency in the duration of these stable flow periods, irrespective of the size of preceding streamflow peaks. We propose two primary controls of this behavior: (a) variability in permeability contrasts between channel alluvium and surrounding geological deposits, and (b) longitudinal fluctuations in the volume of the recent channel alluvial reservoir. The interplay of these controls generates a “goldilocks zone,” which optimizes riparian water availability and the potential for groundwater recharge in IRES landscapes. These geological controls may reflect a continuum present in other dryland catchments with widespread implications for groundwater recharge and stream classification based on flow occurrence and duration. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-66cf2cb354f347e2a2d48b517e113aec |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0043-1397 1944-7973 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water Resources Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-66cf2cb354f347e2a2d48b517e113aec2025-08-20T03:31:00ZengWileyWater Resources Research0043-13971944-79732025-04-01614n/an/a10.1029/2024WR037256How Alluvial Storage Controls Spatiotemporal Water Balance Partitioning in Intermittent and Ephemeral Stream SystemsE. Zarate0M. S. Andersen1G. C. Rau2R. I. Acworth3H. Rutlidge4A. M. MacDonald5M. O. Cuthbert6School of Earth & Environmental Sciences Cardiff University Cardiff UKSchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney NSW AustraliaNational Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT) Bedford Park SA AustraliaSchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney NSW AustraliaSchool of Chemical Engineering The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney NSW AustraliaBritish Geological Survey Lyell Centre Edinburgh UKSchool of Earth & Environmental Sciences Cardiff University Cardiff UKAbstract The hydrological dynamics of intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES) impacts the availability of water to riparian ecosystems, the height of downstream runoff peaks, and the replenishment of groundwater systems. Despite its significance, the influence of superficial geology on IRES flow processes remains an area of limited understanding. Here we first present a comprehensive data set encompassing streamflow and groundwater levels from an intermittent stream situated in New South Wales, Australia. We then use targeted geophysical investigations to show how the configurations of superficial geology control the streamflow and groundwater responses. The analysis reveals that periods of stable stream stage consistently occur after episodic surges in streamflow, followed by recession and channel desiccation. The duration of the stable phases exhibits an upstream‐to‐downstream pattern, reaching a maximum of 44 ± 3 days upstream and then abruptly declining further downstream. There is remarkable consistency in the duration of these stable flow periods, irrespective of the size of preceding streamflow peaks. We propose two primary controls of this behavior: (a) variability in permeability contrasts between channel alluvium and surrounding geological deposits, and (b) longitudinal fluctuations in the volume of the recent channel alluvial reservoir. The interplay of these controls generates a “goldilocks zone,” which optimizes riparian water availability and the potential for groundwater recharge in IRES landscapes. These geological controls may reflect a continuum present in other dryland catchments with widespread implications for groundwater recharge and stream classification based on flow occurrence and duration.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024WR037256intermittent streamsephemeral streamsgroundwater rechargeripariansemi‐aridsurface water—groundwater interactions |
| spellingShingle | E. Zarate M. S. Andersen G. C. Rau R. I. Acworth H. Rutlidge A. M. MacDonald M. O. Cuthbert How Alluvial Storage Controls Spatiotemporal Water Balance Partitioning in Intermittent and Ephemeral Stream Systems Water Resources Research intermittent streams ephemeral streams groundwater recharge riparian semi‐arid surface water—groundwater interactions |
| title | How Alluvial Storage Controls Spatiotemporal Water Balance Partitioning in Intermittent and Ephemeral Stream Systems |
| title_full | How Alluvial Storage Controls Spatiotemporal Water Balance Partitioning in Intermittent and Ephemeral Stream Systems |
| title_fullStr | How Alluvial Storage Controls Spatiotemporal Water Balance Partitioning in Intermittent and Ephemeral Stream Systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | How Alluvial Storage Controls Spatiotemporal Water Balance Partitioning in Intermittent and Ephemeral Stream Systems |
| title_short | How Alluvial Storage Controls Spatiotemporal Water Balance Partitioning in Intermittent and Ephemeral Stream Systems |
| title_sort | how alluvial storage controls spatiotemporal water balance partitioning in intermittent and ephemeral stream systems |
| topic | intermittent streams ephemeral streams groundwater recharge riparian semi‐arid surface water—groundwater interactions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024WR037256 |
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