Catchment processes can amplify the effect of increasing rainfall variability
By filtering the incoming climate signal when producing streamflow, river basins can attenuate—or amplify—projected increases in rainfall variability. A common perception is that river systems dampen rainfall variability by averaging spatial and temporal variations in their watersheds. However, by a...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac153e |
| _version_ | 1797747622512951296 |
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| author | Marc F Müller Kevin R Roche David N Dralle |
| author_facet | Marc F Müller Kevin R Roche David N Dralle |
| author_sort | Marc F Müller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | By filtering the incoming climate signal when producing streamflow, river basins can attenuate—or amplify—projected increases in rainfall variability. A common perception is that river systems dampen rainfall variability by averaging spatial and temporal variations in their watersheds. However, by analyzing 671 watersheds throughout the United States, we find that many catchments actually amplify the coefficient of variation of rainfall, and that these catchments also likely amplify changes in rainfall variability. Based on catchment-scale water balance principles, we relate that faculty to the interplay between two fundamental hydrological processes: water uptake by vegetation and the storage and subsequent release of water as discharge. By increasing plant water uptake, warmer temperatures might exacerbate the amplifying effect of catchments. More variable precipitations associated with a warmer climate are therefore expected to lead to even more variable river flows—a significant potential challenge for river transportation, ecosystem sustainability and water supply reliability. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:53:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d4ab9c2843984249a755b9fc9f79984f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:53:14Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-d4ab9c2843984249a755b9fc9f79984f2023-08-09T15:03:53ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262021-01-0116808403210.1088/1748-9326/ac153eCatchment processes can amplify the effect of increasing rainfall variabilityMarc F Müller0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6406-8184Kevin R Roche1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1730-2294David N Dralle2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1944-2103Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame , Notre Dame, IN, United States of AmericaDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame , Notre Dame, IN, United States of America; Department of Civil Engineering, Boise State University , Boise, ID, United States of AmericaUSDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station , Davis, CA, United States of AmericaBy filtering the incoming climate signal when producing streamflow, river basins can attenuate—or amplify—projected increases in rainfall variability. A common perception is that river systems dampen rainfall variability by averaging spatial and temporal variations in their watersheds. However, by analyzing 671 watersheds throughout the United States, we find that many catchments actually amplify the coefficient of variation of rainfall, and that these catchments also likely amplify changes in rainfall variability. Based on catchment-scale water balance principles, we relate that faculty to the interplay between two fundamental hydrological processes: water uptake by vegetation and the storage and subsequent release of water as discharge. By increasing plant water uptake, warmer temperatures might exacerbate the amplifying effect of catchments. More variable precipitations associated with a warmer climate are therefore expected to lead to even more variable river flows—a significant potential challenge for river transportation, ecosystem sustainability and water supply reliability.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac153eclimate changerainfallstream flowwater resources |
| spellingShingle | Marc F Müller Kevin R Roche David N Dralle Catchment processes can amplify the effect of increasing rainfall variability Environmental Research Letters climate change rainfall stream flow water resources |
| title | Catchment processes can amplify the effect of increasing rainfall variability |
| title_full | Catchment processes can amplify the effect of increasing rainfall variability |
| title_fullStr | Catchment processes can amplify the effect of increasing rainfall variability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Catchment processes can amplify the effect of increasing rainfall variability |
| title_short | Catchment processes can amplify the effect of increasing rainfall variability |
| title_sort | catchment processes can amplify the effect of increasing rainfall variability |
| topic | climate change rainfall stream flow water resources |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac153e |
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