Spatial Patterns and Drivers of Nonperennial Flow Regimes in the Contiguous United States

Abstract Over half of global rivers and streams lack perennial flow, and understanding the distribution and drivers of their flow regimes is critical for understanding their hydrologic, biogeochemical, and ecological functions. We analyzed nonperennial flow regimes using 540 U.S. Geological Survey w...

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Main Authors: John C. Hammond, Margaret Zimmer, Margaret Shanafield, Kendra Kaiser, Sarah E. Godsey, Meryl C. Mims, Samuel C. Zipper, Ryan M. Burrows, Stephanie K. Kampf, Walter Dodds, C. Nathan Jones, Corey A. Krabbenhoft, Kate S. Boersma, Thibault Datry, Julian D. Olden, George H. Allen, Adam N. Price, Katie Costigan, Rebecca Hale, Adam S. Ward, Daniel C. Allen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL090794
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author John C. Hammond
Margaret Zimmer
Margaret Shanafield
Kendra Kaiser
Sarah E. Godsey
Meryl C. Mims
Samuel C. Zipper
Ryan M. Burrows
Stephanie K. Kampf
Walter Dodds
C. Nathan Jones
Corey A. Krabbenhoft
Kate S. Boersma
Thibault Datry
Julian D. Olden
George H. Allen
Adam N. Price
Katie Costigan
Rebecca Hale
Adam S. Ward
Daniel C. Allen
author_facet John C. Hammond
Margaret Zimmer
Margaret Shanafield
Kendra Kaiser
Sarah E. Godsey
Meryl C. Mims
Samuel C. Zipper
Ryan M. Burrows
Stephanie K. Kampf
Walter Dodds
C. Nathan Jones
Corey A. Krabbenhoft
Kate S. Boersma
Thibault Datry
Julian D. Olden
George H. Allen
Adam N. Price
Katie Costigan
Rebecca Hale
Adam S. Ward
Daniel C. Allen
author_sort John C. Hammond
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Over half of global rivers and streams lack perennial flow, and understanding the distribution and drivers of their flow regimes is critical for understanding their hydrologic, biogeochemical, and ecological functions. We analyzed nonperennial flow regimes using 540 U.S. Geological Survey watersheds across the contiguous United States from 1979 to 2018. Multivariate analyses revealed regional differences in no‐flow fraction, date of first no flow, and duration of the dry‐down period, with further divergence between natural and human‐altered watersheds. Aridity was a primary driver of no‐flow metrics at the continental scale, while unique combinations of climatic, physiographic and anthropogenic drivers emerged at regional scales. Dry‐down duration showed stronger associations with nonclimate drivers compared to no‐flow fraction and timing. Although the sparse distribution of nonperennial gages limits our understanding of such streams, the watersheds examined here suggest the important role of aridity and land cover change in modulating future stream drying.
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spelling doaj-art-6df24c4cc49a448f8976fef08093a3382025-08-20T03:07:23ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072021-01-01482n/an/a10.1029/2020GL090794Spatial Patterns and Drivers of Nonperennial Flow Regimes in the Contiguous United StatesJohn C. Hammond0Margaret Zimmer1Margaret Shanafield2Kendra Kaiser3Sarah E. Godsey4Meryl C. Mims5Samuel C. Zipper6Ryan M. Burrows7Stephanie K. Kampf8Walter Dodds9C. Nathan Jones10Corey A. Krabbenhoft11Kate S. Boersma12Thibault Datry13Julian D. Olden14George H. Allen15Adam N. Price16Katie Costigan17Rebecca Hale18Adam S. Ward19Daniel C. Allen20U.S. Geological Survey MD‐DE‐DC Water Science Center Baltimore MD USAEarth and Planetary Sciences University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USACollege of Science and Engineering Flinders University Adelaide AustraliaGeosciences Department Boise State University Boise ID USADepartment of Geosciences Idaho State University Pocatello ID USADepartment of Biological Sciences Virginia Tech Blacksburg VA USAKansas Geological Survey University of Kansas Lawrence KS USASchool of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne Burnley Campus Victoria AustraliaDepartment of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Colorado State University Fort Collins CO USADivision of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan KS USADepartment of Biological Sciences University of Alabama Tuscaloosa AL USACollege of Arts and Sciences and Research and Education in Energy Environment and Water (RENEW) Institute University at Buffalo Buffalo NY USADepartment of Biology University of San Diego San Diego CA USACentre de Lyon‐Villeurbanne Villeurbanne CEDEX FranceSchool of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences University of Washington Seattle WA USADepartment of Geography Texas A&M University College Station TX USAEarth and Planetary Sciences University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USASchool of Geosciences University of Louisiana Lafayette LA USADepartment of Biological Sciences Idaho State University Pocatello ID USAO'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs Indiana University Bloomington IN USADepartment of Biology University of Oklahoma Norman OK USAAbstract Over half of global rivers and streams lack perennial flow, and understanding the distribution and drivers of their flow regimes is critical for understanding their hydrologic, biogeochemical, and ecological functions. We analyzed nonperennial flow regimes using 540 U.S. Geological Survey watersheds across the contiguous United States from 1979 to 2018. Multivariate analyses revealed regional differences in no‐flow fraction, date of first no flow, and duration of the dry‐down period, with further divergence between natural and human‐altered watersheds. Aridity was a primary driver of no‐flow metrics at the continental scale, while unique combinations of climatic, physiographic and anthropogenic drivers emerged at regional scales. Dry‐down duration showed stronger associations with nonclimate drivers compared to no‐flow fraction and timing. Although the sparse distribution of nonperennial gages limits our understanding of such streams, the watersheds examined here suggest the important role of aridity and land cover change in modulating future stream drying.https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL090794dryingflow regimehuman influenceintermittentnonperennialstreamflow
spellingShingle John C. Hammond
Margaret Zimmer
Margaret Shanafield
Kendra Kaiser
Sarah E. Godsey
Meryl C. Mims
Samuel C. Zipper
Ryan M. Burrows
Stephanie K. Kampf
Walter Dodds
C. Nathan Jones
Corey A. Krabbenhoft
Kate S. Boersma
Thibault Datry
Julian D. Olden
George H. Allen
Adam N. Price
Katie Costigan
Rebecca Hale
Adam S. Ward
Daniel C. Allen
Spatial Patterns and Drivers of Nonperennial Flow Regimes in the Contiguous United States
Geophysical Research Letters
drying
flow regime
human influence
intermittent
nonperennial
streamflow
title Spatial Patterns and Drivers of Nonperennial Flow Regimes in the Contiguous United States
title_full Spatial Patterns and Drivers of Nonperennial Flow Regimes in the Contiguous United States
title_fullStr Spatial Patterns and Drivers of Nonperennial Flow Regimes in the Contiguous United States
title_full_unstemmed Spatial Patterns and Drivers of Nonperennial Flow Regimes in the Contiguous United States
title_short Spatial Patterns and Drivers of Nonperennial Flow Regimes in the Contiguous United States
title_sort spatial patterns and drivers of nonperennial flow regimes in the contiguous united states
topic drying
flow regime
human influence
intermittent
nonperennial
streamflow
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL090794
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