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Brixenbach research catchment: Quantification of runoff process proportions in a small Alpine catchment depending on soil moisture states and precipitation characteristics
Author(s) -
Meißl Gertraud,
Geitner Clemens,
Batliner Andreas,
Klebinder Klaus,
Kohl Bernhard,
Markart Gerhard
Publication year - 2021
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.14186
Subject(s) - surface runoff , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , infiltration (hvac) , precipitation , drainage basin , catchment hydrology , subsurface flow , dominance (genetics) , hydrogeology , soil science , groundwater , geology , geography , ecology , geotechnical engineering , cartography , meteorology , biology , biochemistry , chemistry , gene
The Brixenbach valley is a small Alpine torrent catchment (9.2 km 2 , 820–1950 m a.s.l., 47.45°, 12.26°) in Tyrol, Austria. Intensive hydrological research in the catchment since more than 12 years, including a hydrogeological survey, pedological and land use mapping, measurements of precipitation, runoff, soil moisture and infiltration as well as the conduction of rainfall simulations, has contributed to understand the hydrological response of the catchment, its subcatchments and specific sites. The paper presents a synthesis of the research in form of runoff process maps for different soil moisture states and precipitation characteristics, derived with the aid of a newly developed Soil‐hydrological model. These maps clearly visualize the differing runoff reaction of different subcatchments. The pasture dominated areas produce high surface flow rates during short precipitation events (1 h, 86 mm) with high rainfall intensity, whilst the forested areas often develop shallow subsurface flow. Dry preconditions lead to a slight reduction of surface flow, long rainfall events (24 h, 170 mm) to a dominance of deep subsurface flow and percolation.