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Evaluating wetland flow regulating functions using discharge time‐series
Author(s) -
Smakhtin V. U.,
Batchelor A. L.
Publication year - 2004
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.5555
Subject(s) - series (stratigraphy) , wetland , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , flow (mathematics) , time series , computer science , geology , statistics , mathematics , ecology , geotechnical engineering , biology , paleontology , geometry
This paper describes a parsimonious approach for the evaluation of wetland hydrological functions, based on continuous observed streamflow records and flow duration curves. The functions evaluated are baseflow maintenance and flood attenuation, jointly referred to as ‘flow regulation’. The first step in this evaluation is to establish a reference hydrological condition. This condition is defined in terms of mean daily and instantaneous daily maximum flow time‐series and their corresponding duration curves, assuming that there is no wetland in the catchment. Further steps include calculating the changes of various flow percentiles, caused by the presence of a wetland, detailed hydrograph analysis, baseflow analysis and analysis of changes in characteristics of continuous flow events above and below specified threshold discharges. The method is illustrated using the observed streamflow data in the catchment of the Rustenburg wetland in South Africa. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.