Assessment of the Timing of Daily Peak Streamflow during the Melt Season in a Snow-Dominated Watershed

Abstract Previous studies have shown that gauge-observed daily streamflow peak times (DPTs) during spring snowmelt can exhibit distinct temporal shifts through the season. These shifts have been attributed to three processes: 1) melt flux translation through the snowpack or percolation, 2) surface and subsurface flow of melt from the base of snowpacks to streams, and 3) translation of water flux in the streams to stream gauging stations. The goal of this study is to evaluate and quantify how these processes affect observed DPTs variations at the Reynolds Mountain East (RME) research catchment in southwest Idaho, United States. To accomplish this goal, DPTs were simulated for the RME catchment over a period of 25 water years using a modified snowmelt model, iSnobal, and a hydrology model, the Penn State Integrated Hydrologic Model (PIHM). The influence of each controlling process was then evaluated by simulating the DPT with and without the process under consideration. Both intra- and interseasonal variability in DPTs were evaluated. Results indicate that the magnitude of DPTs is dominantly influenced by subsurface flow, whereas the temporal shifts within a season are primarily controlled by percolation through snow. In addition to the three processes previously identified in the literature, processes governing the snowpack ripening time are identified as additionally influencing DPT variability. Results also indicate that the relative dominance of each control varies through the melt season and between wet and dry years. The results could be used for supporting DPTs prediction efforts and for prioritization of observables for DPT determination.

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A high-resolution simulation of groundwater and surface water over most of the continental US with the integrated hydrologic model ParFlow v3

Geoscientific Model Development ◽

10.5194/gmd-8-923-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 923-937 ◽

Cited By ~ 108

Author(s):

R. M. Maxwell ◽

L. E. Condon ◽

S. J. Kollet

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Large Scale ◽

Numerical Models ◽

Subsurface Flow ◽

Hydrologic Model ◽

Grand Challenge ◽

Flow Equations ◽

Continental Scale ◽

Integrated Hydrologic Model ◽

Surface And Subsurface Flow

Abstract. Interactions between surface and groundwater systems are well-established theoretically and observationally. While numerical models that solve both surface and subsurface flow equations in a single framework (matrix) are increasingly being applied, computational limitations have restricted their use to local and regional studies. Regional or watershed-scale simulations have been effective tools for understanding hydrologic processes; however, there are still many questions, such as the adaptation of water resources to anthropogenic stressors and climate variability, that can only be answered across large spatial extents at high resolution. In response to this grand challenge in hydrology, we present the results of a parallel, integrated hydrologic model simulating surface and subsurface flow at high spatial resolution (1 km) over much of continental North America (~ 6.3 M km2). These simulations provide integrated predictions of hydrologic states and fluxes, namely, water table depth and streamflow, at very large scale and high resolution. The physics-based modeling approach used here requires limited parameterizations and relies only on more fundamental inputs such as topography, hydrogeologic properties and climate forcing. Results are compared to observations and provide mechanistic insight into hydrologic process interaction. This study demonstrates both the feasibility of continental-scale integrated models and their utility for improving our understanding of large-scale hydrologic systems; the combination of high resolution and large spatial extent facilitates analysis of scaling relationships using model outputs.

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Simulation of groundwater and surface water over the continental US using a hyperresolution, integrated hydrologic model

Geoscientific Model Development Discussions ◽

10.5194/gmdd-7-7317-2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 7 (6) ◽

pp. 7317-7349 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

R. M. Maxwell ◽

L. E. Condon ◽

S. J. Kollet

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Large Scale ◽

Numerical Models ◽

Subsurface Flow ◽

Hydrologic Model ◽

Grand Challenge ◽

Flow Equations ◽

Continental Scale ◽

Integrated Hydrologic Model ◽

Surface And Subsurface Flow

Abstract. Interactions between surface and groundwater systems are well-established theoretically and observationally. While numerical models that solve both surface and subsurface flow equations in a single framework (matrix) are increasingly being applied, computational limitations have restricted their use to local and regional studies. Regional or watershed, scale simulations have been effective tools in understanding hydrologic processes, however there are still many questions, such as the adaptation of water resources to anthropogenic stressors and climate variability, that need to be answered across large spatial extents at high resolution. In response to this "grand challenge" in hydrology, we present the results of a parallel, integrated hydrologic model simulating surface and subsurface flow at high spatial resolution (1 km) over much of continental North America (~ 6 300 000 or 6.3 million km2). These simulations provide predictions of hydrologic states and fluxes, namely water table depth and streamflow, at unprecedented scale and resolution. The physically-based modeling approach used here requires limited parameterizations and relies only on more fundamental inputs, such as topography, hydrogeologic properties and climate forcing. Results are compared to observations and provide mechanistic insight into hydrologic process interaction. This study demonstrates both the feasibility of continental scale integrated models and their utility for improving our understanding of large-scale hydrologic systems; the combination of high resolution and large spatial extent facilitates novel analysis of scaling relationships using model outputs.

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Simulating Coupled Surface-Subsurface Flows with ParFlow v3.5.0: Capabilities, applications, and ongoing developmentof an open-source, massively parallel, integrated hydrologic model

10.5194/gmd-2019-190 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Benjamin N. O. Kuffour ◽

Nicholas B. Engdahl ◽

Carol S. Woodward ◽

Laura E. Condon ◽

Stefan Kollet ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Open Source ◽

Land Surface ◽

Subsurface Flow ◽

Hydrologic Model ◽

Time Step ◽

The Core ◽

Simulation Engine ◽

Common Land Model ◽

Subsurface Flows ◽

Integrated Hydrologic Model

Abstract. Surface and subsurface flow constitute a naturally linked hydrologic continuum that has not traditionally been simulated in an integrated fashion. Recognizing the interactions between these systems has encouraged the development of integrated hydrologic models (IHMs) capable of treating surface and subsurface systems as a single integrated resource. IHMs is dynamically evolving with improvement in technology and the extent of their current capabilities are often only known to the developers and not general users. This article provides an overview of the core functionality, capability, applications, and ongoing development of one open-source IHM, ParFlow. ParFlow is a parallel, integrated, hydrologic model that simulates surface and subsurface flows. ParFlow solves Richards’ equation for three-dimensional variably saturated groundwater flow and the two-dimensional kinematic wave approximation of the shallow water equations for overland flow. The model employs a conservative centered finite difference scheme and a conservative finite volume method for subsurface flow and transport, respectively. ParFlow uses multigrid preconditioned Krylov and Newton-Krylov methods to solve the linear and nonlinear systems within each time step of the flow simulations. The code has demonstrated very efficient parallel solution capabilities. ParFlow has been coupled to geochemical reaction, land surface (e.g. Common Land Model), and atmospheric models to study the interactions among the subsurface, land surface, and the atmosphere systems across different spatial scales. This overview focuses on the current capabilities of the code, the core simulation engine, and the primary couplings of the subsurface model to other codes, taking a high-level perspective.

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Simulating coupled surface–subsurface flows with ParFlow v3.5.0: capabilities, applications, and ongoing development of an open-source, massively parallel, integrated hydrologic model

Geoscientific Model Development ◽

10.5194/gmd-13-1373-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 1373-1397 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Benjamin N. O. Kuffour ◽

Nicholas B. Engdahl ◽

Carol S. Woodward ◽

Laura E. Condon ◽

Stefan Kollet ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Open Source ◽

Land Surface ◽

Subsurface Flow ◽

Hydrologic Model ◽

The Core ◽

Simulation Engine ◽

Common Land Model ◽

Subsurface Flows ◽

Ongoing Development ◽

Integrated Hydrologic Model

Abstract. Surface flow and subsurface flow constitute a naturally linked hydrologic continuum that has not traditionally been simulated in an integrated fashion. Recognizing the interactions between these systems has encouraged the development of integrated hydrologic models (IHMs) capable of treating surface and subsurface systems as a single integrated resource. IHMs are dynamically evolving with improvements in technology, and the extent of their current capabilities are often only known to the developers and not general users. This article provides an overview of the core functionality, capability, applications, and ongoing development of one open-source IHM, ParFlow. ParFlow is a parallel, integrated, hydrologic model that simulates surface and subsurface flows. ParFlow solves the Richards equation for three-dimensional variably saturated groundwater flow and the two-dimensional kinematic wave approximation of the shallow water equations for overland flow. The model employs a conservative centered finite-difference scheme and a conservative finite-volume method for subsurface flow and transport, respectively. ParFlow uses multigrid-preconditioned Krylov and Newton–Krylov methods to solve the linear and nonlinear systems within each time step of the flow simulations. The code has demonstrated very efficient parallel solution capabilities. ParFlow has been coupled to geochemical reaction, land surface (e.g., the Common Land Model), and atmospheric models to study the interactions among the subsurface, land surface, and atmosphere systems across different spatial scales. This overview focuses on the current capabilities of the code, the core simulation engine, and the primary couplings of the subsurface model to other codes, taking a high-level perspective.

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Separating storm-hydrographs from small drainage-areas into surface- and subsurface-flow

Transactions American Geophysical Union ◽

10.1029/tr022i003p00863 ◽

1941 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 863 ◽

Cited By ~ 77

Author(s):

C. R. Hursh ◽

E. F. Brater

Keyword(s):

Subsurface Flow ◽

Surface And Subsurface Flow

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Modelling vadose zone moisture dynamics in shallow water table settings with the Integrated Hydrologic Model: field-scale testing and application

Water and Environment Journal ◽

10.1111/j.1747-6593.2009.00166.x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 9-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Jing Zhang ◽

Mark A. Ross ◽

Jeffrey S. Geurink ◽

Huili Gong

Keyword(s):

Shallow Water ◽

Water Table ◽

Vadose Zone ◽

Hydrologic Model ◽

Field Scale ◽

Shallow Water Table ◽

Model Field ◽

Integrated Hydrologic Model ◽

Moisture Dynamics

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Surface and subsurface contributions to the build-up of forces on bed particles

Journal of Fluid Mechanics ◽

10.1017/jfm.2018.522 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 851 ◽

pp. 558-572 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Alessandro Leonardi ◽

D. Pokrajac ◽

F. Roman ◽

F. Zanello ◽

V. Armenio

Keyword(s):

Mutual Influence ◽

Subsurface Flow ◽

Porous Wall ◽

Industrial Applications ◽

Solid Particles ◽

Free Flow ◽

Spherical Particles ◽

Large Eddy ◽

Lift Forces ◽

Surface And Subsurface Flow

In nature and in many industrial applications, the boundary of a channel flow is made of solid particles which form a porous wall, so that there is a mutual influence between the free flow and the subsurface flow developing inside the pores. While the influence of the porous wall on the free flow has been well studied, less well characterized is the subsurface flow, due to the practical difficulties in gathering information in the small spaces given by the pores. It is also not clear whether the subsurface flow can host turbulent events able to contribute significantly to the build-up of forces on the particles, potentially leading to their dislodgement. Through large eddy simulations, we investigate the interface between a free flow and a bed composed of spherical particles in a cubic arrangement. The communication between surface and subsurface flow is in this case enhanced, with relatively strong turbulent events happening also inside the pores. After comparing the simulation results with a previous experimental work from a similar setting, the forces experienced by the boundary particles are analysed. While it remains true that the lift forces are largely dependent on the structure of the free flow, turbulence inside the pores can also give a significant contribution. Pressure inside the pores is weakly correlated to the pressure in the free flow, and strong peaks above and below a particle can happen independently. Ignoring the porous layer below the particle from the computations leads then in this case to an underestimation of the lift forces.

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