Rock-moisture dynamics in a hillsope underlain with weathered and fractured argillite
Abstract
In order to explore the recharge process through a deep, weathered bedrock zone in a strongly seasonal rainfall environment, we document the early rainy season and annual rock-moisture dynamics along a steep Northern California hillslope underlain by a thick zone of unsaturated weathered and fractured argillite. All runoff to the channel at the base of the hillslope occurs via groundwater flow that is perched on underlying low-permeability fresh bedrock. We report the timing and depth of the first rise in moisture content in response to early winter rains and storm, seasonal, and annual moisture dynamics throughout the zone. Our measurements show that after a long summer dry season, the first rains rapidly penetrate through the soil mantle and into the underlying weathered bedrock. Large rains generate a response as deep as 6 m into the weathered bedrock within a few weeks. But within hours to days of the start of rain, the perched groundwater, at depths from 4 to 18 m below the surface, responds. The wetting advanced into the bedrock, with the groundwater response magnitude and timing differing greatly across the hillslope. We distinguish soil moisture from rock moisture (which includes both exchangeable matrix water and fracture water) and find that while the soil moisture dynamically rises and falls with each successive storm event, the rock moisture in the shallow, weathered bedrock tends to vary less after initial wet up. Surprisingly, despite the more than 1400 mm of annual water flux through the unsaturated zone, the lower portions near the water table show no moisture variation, even as the water table rises and falls with each storm pulse. These observations suggest that fracture flow plays a predominant role in transmitting water to the water table, and hence, the runoff characteristics, water chemistry, rock-moisture availability to vegetation, the hillslope stability itself is tied to this process. We present a conceptual model to explain these dynamics, suggesting that the rapid-delivery mechanism of unsaturated flow, and thus recharge, to the water table is through a vertically varying fracture network bounded by low-conductivity matrix bedrock. The near-surface saprolite may play an important role in creating elevated moisture conditions sufficient to cause rapid drainage to the fracture system with incoming rains.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFM.H53I1653S
- Keywords:
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- 1829 HYDROLOGY / Groundwater hydrology;
- 1859 HYDROLOGY / Rocks: physical properties;
- 1866 HYDROLOGY / Soil moisture;
- 1875 HYDROLOGY / Vadose zone