Nauditt, A., Soulsby, C., Birkel, C., Rusman, A., Schueth, C., Ribbe, L., Alvarez, P. and Kretschmer, N. (2017). Using synoptic tracer surveys to assess runoff sources in an Andean headwater catchment in central Chile. Environ. Monit. Assess., 189 (9). DORDRECHT: SPRINGER. ISSN 1573-2959
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
Headwater catchments in the Andes provide critical sources of water for downstream areas with large agricultural communities dependent upon irrigation. Data from such remote headwater catchments are sparse, and there is limited understanding of their hydrological function to guide sustainable water management. Here, we present the findings of repeat synoptic tracer surveys as rapid appraisal tools to understand dominant hydrological flow paths in the semi-arid Rio Grande basin, a 572-km(2) headwater tributary of the 11,696-km(2) Limari basin in central Chile. Stable isotopes in stream water show a typical altitudinal effect, with downstream enrichment in delta H-2 and delta O-18 ratios. Seasonal signals are displayed in the isotopic composition of the springtime melting season water line with a steeper gradient, whilst evaporative effects are represented by lower seasonal gradients for autumn and summer. Concentrations of solutes indexed by electrical conductivity indicate that there are limited contributions of deeper mineralised groundwater to streamflow and that weathering rates vary in the different sub-catchments. Although simplistic, the insights gained from the study could be used to inform the structure and parameterisation of rainfall runoff models to provide seasonal discharge predictions as an evidence base for decision making in local water management.
| Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| URN: | urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-219870 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10661-017-6149-2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | Environ. Monit. Assess. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Volume: | 189 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number: | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date: | 2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publisher: | SPRINGER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of Publication: | DORDRECHT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ISSN: | 1573-2959 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Language: | English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Faculty: | Unspecified | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Divisions: | Unspecified | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Subjects: | no entry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Refereed: | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| URI: | http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/21987 |
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