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Continuous estimation of baseflow in snowmelt‐dominated streams and rivers in the U pper C olorado R iver B asin: A chemical hydrograph separation approach
Author(s) -
Miller Matthew P.,
Susong David D.,
Shope Christopher L.,
Heilweil Victor M.,
Stolp Bernard J.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1002/2013wr014939
Subject(s) - baseflow , hydrograph , snowmelt , streams , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , streamflow , drainage basin , discharge , hydrological modelling , snow , geology , meteorology , geography , climatology , computer network , cartography , geotechnical engineering , computer science
Effective science‐based management of water resources in large basins requires a qualitative understanding of hydrologic conditions and quantitative measures of the various components of the water budget, including difficult to measure components such as baseflow discharge to streams. Using widely available discharge and continuously collected specific conductance (SC) data, we adapted and applied a long established chemical hydrograph separation approach to quantify daily and representative annual baseflow discharge at 14 streams and rivers at large spatial (> 1000 km 2 watersheds) and temporal (up to 37 years) scales in the Upper Colorado River Basin. On average, annual baseflow was 21–58% of annual stream discharge, 13–45% of discharge during snowmelt, and 40–86% of discharge during low‐flow conditions. Results suggest that reservoirs may act to store baseflow discharged to the stream during snowmelt and release that baseflow during low‐flow conditions, and that irrigation return flows may contribute to increases in fall baseflow in heavily irrigated watersheds. The chemical hydrograph separation approach, and associated conceptual model defined here provide a basis for the identification of land use, management, and climate effects on baseflow.