Fast response of groundwater to heavy rainfall

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

Groundwater recharge by precipitation is often assumed by practitioners as well as scientists to be a slow process of filtration through layers of uniform texture analogous to Darcy's law. In most basins, however, rainwater also finds its way through macropores and preferential pathways to the shallow unconfined aquifers within hours of falling. Recharge phases may extend over several days, increasing groundwater levels, stored volume and hence baseflows into adjoining rivers. In this study, groundwater recharge and storage are computed from baseflow as separated with a nonlinear reservoir algorithm from time series of daily flows at gauging stations in northern Germany. Results are compared to groundwater level fluctuation in the catchments and to daily seepage rates measured in a lysimeter station. Peak times of the fast transfer of rain water through the vadose zone are generally the same. However, while recharge from baseflow ends when baseflow assumes its typical recession, the attenuation of lysimeter seepage may last much longer. The volume of lysimeter seepage is generally higher than the recharge in catchments due not only to different vegetation but also to rim effects impeding direct runoff. Furthermore, the lysimeter walls allow vertical fluxes only. Without further evidence or improved devices, lysimeter seepage should therefore not be indicated as groundwater recharge for the site or catchment. Findings also indicate that the shape of derived recharge unit responses is practically time invariant but with a strong seasonal variation in the recharge-rainfall ratio of precipitation events.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Hydrology
Volume571
Pages (from-to)837-842
Number of pages6
ISSN0022-1694
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.04.2019

Recently viewed

Publications

  1. Control of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors for Track Applications
  2. Fatigue crack propagation in AA5083 structures additively manufactured via multi-layer friction surfacing
  3. Kultur als Materialität oder Material – Diskurstheorie oder Diskursanalyse?
  4. Schulleistung in Diskussion
  5. Recognizing Guarantees and Assurances of Non-Repetition
  6. Die Bedeutung der Zeit
  7. University-linked programmes for sustainable entrepreneurship and regional development
  8. Mindsets and reflection in teacher education for inclusive language classrooms
  9. The influence of balanced and imbalanced resource supply on biodiversity-functioning relationship across ecosystems
  10. Nutzen – Nutzung - Nutzer_innen
  11. Uncertainty, Pluralism, and the Knowledge-based Theory of the Firm
  12. Lexical markers of common grounds
  13. Vorstellungen über null und Null
  14. Identitäten im Netz
  15. Formulating and solving integrated order batching and routing in multi-depot AGV-assisted mixed-shelves warehouses
  16. Performance pay sensitivity: Do top management incentives align with shareholder value creation?
  17. The Invisualities of Capture in Amazon’s Logistical Operations
  18. Learning spaces in multi-stakeholder initiatives
  19. Perceptions of science, science communication, and climate change attitudes in 68 countries - the TISP dataset
  20. Intellectual Property and Intra-Community Trade
  21. Handling Cytostatic Drugs
  22. Tree diversity and nectar composition affect arthropod visitors on extrafloral nectaries in a diversity experiment
  23. Introduction: Manufacturing as a challenge in Industry 4.0 process
  24. Determinants of mandatory goodwill disclosure
  25. Where there is no World and no Epoch
  26. The efficiency of German public theaters: a stochastic frontier analysis approach
  27. Variational Pragmatics
  28. Employing complementary multivariate methods for a designed nontarget LC-HRMS screening of a wastewater-influenced river
  29. Towards greener and sustainable ionic liquids using naturally occurring and nature-inspired pyridinium structures