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Interpreting characteristic drainage timescale variability across Kilombero Valley, Tanzania
Author(s) -
Lyon Steve W.,
Koutsouris Alexander,
Scheibler Friedemann,
Jarsjö Jerker,
Mbanguka Rene,
Tumbo Madaka,
Robert Keven K.,
Sharma Asha N.,
Velde Ype
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
hydrological processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.222
H-Index - 161
eISSN - 1099-1085
pISSN - 0885-6087
DOI - 10.1002/hyp.10304
Subject(s) - evapotranspiration , hydrology (agriculture) , streamflow , drainage , environmental science , moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer , aquifer , discharge , drainage basin , climatology , geology , groundwater , geography , ecology , satellite , geotechnical engineering , cartography , aerospace engineering , engineering , biology
We explore seasonal variability and spatiotemporal patterns in characteristic drainage timescale ( K ) estimated from river discharge records across the Kilombero Valley in central Tanzania. K values were determined using streamflow recession analysis with a Brutsaert–Nieber solution to the linearized Boussinesq equation. Estimated K values were variable, comparing between wet and dry seasons for the relatively small catchments draining upland positions. For the larger catchments draining through valley bottoms, K values were typically longer and more consistent across seasons. Variations in K were compared with long‐term averaged, Moderate‐resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer‐derived monthly evapotranspiration. Although the variations in K were potentially related to evapotranspiration, the influence of data quality and analysis procedure could not be discounted. As such, even though recession analysis offers a potential approach to explore aquifer release timescales and thereby gain insight to a region's hydrology to inform water resources management, care must be taken when interpreting spatiotemporal shifts in K in connection with process representation in regions like the Kilombero Valley. © 2014 The Authors. Hydrological Processes published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.