Year: 2019
Type: peer-review
Abstract: Hydrograph separation and hydrological processesThe separation of streamflow in two components -the slow and the quick one, or more precisely the delayed and the non-delayed one -is artificial: there is generally a wider C1 HESSD Interactive commentPrinter-friendly version Discussion paper range of hydrological processes at stake that have different response times to hydroclimatic events.Having said that, it is still possible to set up an arbitrary barrier between the not too delayed components of streamflow and the delayed enough components.But attributing the flow component to an explicit physical process seems to be risky with a conceptual separation method like the one we present in the manuscript.Pr.Cartwright highlights that we define baseflow as the groundwater component of streamflow and quick flow as the surface runoff component.This distinction is improper and partial, we agree that it is an oversimplification of the system.Ideally, we should take into account various intermediate stores of water, for which we do not want to make hypotheses about their water residence time.Anyhow, process interpretation of a conceptual separation method is hazardous practice -this was highlighted too by the interactive discussion with Pr.Beven.In the revised version of the article, after explaining the various types of water sources and their response behaviour, we will define baseflow as the sum of delayed streamflow components, whatever source they are from.The interest of this component is that it bears inter-annual memory of a catchment.
Author: Antoine Pelletier
Language: English
Subfield: Water Science and Technology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,725
OpenAlex ID: W4234635963