Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the role of spring catchment water storage on the evolution of low flows in central European mountainous catchments. The study analysed 58 catchments for which catchment storage, represented by snow, soil water and groundwater storages, was determined by the HBV hydrological model over a 35-year period. The spring catchment storage was related to several streamflow indices describing low flow periods using the mutual information criterion. The mean runoff in the summer and autumn periods was mostly related to rainfall sums from the respective season. The median relative contribution of rainfall to the total mutual information value was 48.4% in summer, and 44.2% in autumn period, respectively. The relative contribution of soil water and groundwater storages was approximately 25% for each of the components. In contrast, the minimum runoff, its duration and deficit runoff volume, were equally related to both catchment storage and seasonal rainfall, especially in the autumn period.
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Data Availability
The HBV model outputs were published as an open dataset (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3894699).
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Acknowledgements
Support from the Czech Science Foundation (18-06217Y) and institutional support from the Czech Academy of Sciences (RVO 67985874) are gratefully acknowledged. Meteorological and hydrological data for the calibration of the HBV model were obtained from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute and prepared by Ondrej Ledvinka. Many thanks are due to Tracy Ewen for English corrections.
Funding
Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (18-06217Y) and institutional support from the Czech Academy of Sciences (RVO 67985874).
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VŠ and MJ initiated the study. VŠ, MJ, JH developed the methodology. MJ performed hydrological modelling and JH was responsible for statistical analyses. NZ processed output data from the hydrological model. VŠ prepared the manuscript with contributions of MJ and JH.
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Highlights
∙ Catchment storage most considerably affected by elevation
∙ Mean runoff in summer and autumn periods is determined by rainfall amounts
∙ Low flow indices are equally influenced by rainfall and catchment water storage
∙ Catchments storage is more important for low flows in autumn period
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Šípek, V., Jenicek, M., Hnilica, J. et al. Catchment Storage and its Influence on Summer Low Flows in Central European Mountainous Catchments. Water Resour Manage 35, 2829–2843 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-021-02871-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-021-02871-x