Runoff generation in ephemeral streams of the Virgin Islands: The case of Salt River, St. Croix
Study region: The island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Lesser Antilles. Study focus: Small islands worldwide have limited water resources and an increased need to understand the mechanisms underlying island water budgets, but they also usually lack adequate data. Our study focused on the...
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825001971 |
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| author | David A. Hensley Thorsten Knappenberger Brittany V. Lancellotti Eve Brantley Joey N. Shaw Mariana Dobre James R. Lindner |
| author_facet | David A. Hensley Thorsten Knappenberger Brittany V. Lancellotti Eve Brantley Joey N. Shaw Mariana Dobre James R. Lindner |
| author_sort | David A. Hensley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Study region: The island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Lesser Antilles. Study focus: Small islands worldwide have limited water resources and an increased need to understand the mechanisms underlying island water budgets, but they also usually lack adequate data. Our study focused on the Salt River watershed on the island of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, which is an ephemeral stream network comprising both volcanic and carbonate hydrogeology. We used hydrometeorological and soil moisture data at upstream and downstream sites (chosen by geospatial topographic and soil information) to characterize thresholds for runoff generation and to analyze the disrupted connectivity of the ephemeral stream network. New hydrological insights for the region: We found evidence of runoff thresholds, which align with work in similar catchments elsewhere. Connectivity from headwaters to lowland areas was uncommon, and saturation-excess overland flows and subsurface stormflow appeared to dominate runoff events. The upstream subcatchment (with volcanic hydrogeology) was much more responsive (runoff coefficient = 0.237) than the entire catchment (with partly carbonate hydrogeology; runoff coefficient = 0.086). The transition between these hydrogeologic zones may disrupt connectivity and play an important role in aquifer recharge, while buffering the marine environment from water quality problems. For resource managers, this study offers the possibility of identifying sensitive groundwater recharge zones, and provides insight into the frequency of ridge-to-reef flow events. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fff240c7e2e04f3bb52b5763ee05c32a |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2214-5818 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies |
| spelling | doaj-art-fff240c7e2e04f3bb52b5763ee05c32a2025-08-20T03:13:04ZengElsevierJournal of Hydrology: Regional Studies2214-58182025-06-015910237210.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102372Runoff generation in ephemeral streams of the Virgin Islands: The case of Salt River, St. CroixDavid A. Hensley0Thorsten Knappenberger1Brittany V. Lancellotti2Eve Brantley3Joey N. Shaw4Mariana Dobre5James R. Lindner6University of the Virgin Islands, School of Agriculture, Agricultural Experiment Station, RR1 10000, Kingshill, St. Croix 00850, Virgin Islands (U.S.); Auburn University, Department of Crop, Soil & Environmental Sciences, 201 Funchess Hall, Auburn, AL 36489, USA; University of the Virgin Islands, VI-EPSCoR, RR1 10000, Kingshill, St. Croix 00850, Virgin Islands (U.S.); Corresponding author at: University of the Virgin Islands, School of Agriculture, Agricultural Experiment Station, RR1 10000, Kingshill, St. Croix 00850, Virgin Islands (U.S.)Auburn University, Department of Crop, Soil & Environmental Sciences, 201 Funchess Hall, Auburn, AL 36489, USAUniversity of the Virgin Islands, VI-EPSCoR, RR1 10000, Kingshill, St. Croix 00850, Virgin Islands (U.S.)Auburn University, Department of Crop, Soil & Environmental Sciences, 201 Funchess Hall, Auburn, AL 36489, USAAuburn University, Department of Crop, Soil & Environmental Sciences, 201 Funchess Hall, Auburn, AL 36489, USAUniversity of Idaho, Department of Soil and Water Systems, 875 Perimeter Drive MS 2060, Moscow, ID 83844, USAAuburn University, Department of Curriculum and Teaching, 5058 Haley Center, Auburn, AL 36489, USAStudy region: The island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Lesser Antilles. Study focus: Small islands worldwide have limited water resources and an increased need to understand the mechanisms underlying island water budgets, but they also usually lack adequate data. Our study focused on the Salt River watershed on the island of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, which is an ephemeral stream network comprising both volcanic and carbonate hydrogeology. We used hydrometeorological and soil moisture data at upstream and downstream sites (chosen by geospatial topographic and soil information) to characterize thresholds for runoff generation and to analyze the disrupted connectivity of the ephemeral stream network. New hydrological insights for the region: We found evidence of runoff thresholds, which align with work in similar catchments elsewhere. Connectivity from headwaters to lowland areas was uncommon, and saturation-excess overland flows and subsurface stormflow appeared to dominate runoff events. The upstream subcatchment (with volcanic hydrogeology) was much more responsive (runoff coefficient = 0.237) than the entire catchment (with partly carbonate hydrogeology; runoff coefficient = 0.086). The transition between these hydrogeologic zones may disrupt connectivity and play an important role in aquifer recharge, while buffering the marine environment from water quality problems. For resource managers, this study offers the possibility of identifying sensitive groundwater recharge zones, and provides insight into the frequency of ridge-to-reef flow events.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825001971Island hydrologyStreamflowConnectivityWatershedRidge to reefCaribbean |
| spellingShingle | David A. Hensley Thorsten Knappenberger Brittany V. Lancellotti Eve Brantley Joey N. Shaw Mariana Dobre James R. Lindner Runoff generation in ephemeral streams of the Virgin Islands: The case of Salt River, St. Croix Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies Island hydrology Streamflow Connectivity Watershed Ridge to reef Caribbean |
| title | Runoff generation in ephemeral streams of the Virgin Islands: The case of Salt River, St. Croix |
| title_full | Runoff generation in ephemeral streams of the Virgin Islands: The case of Salt River, St. Croix |
| title_fullStr | Runoff generation in ephemeral streams of the Virgin Islands: The case of Salt River, St. Croix |
| title_full_unstemmed | Runoff generation in ephemeral streams of the Virgin Islands: The case of Salt River, St. Croix |
| title_short | Runoff generation in ephemeral streams of the Virgin Islands: The case of Salt River, St. Croix |
| title_sort | runoff generation in ephemeral streams of the virgin islands the case of salt river st croix |
| topic | Island hydrology Streamflow Connectivity Watershed Ridge to reef Caribbean |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825001971 |
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