How does headwater stream behavior in the Northeastern U.S. vary throughout time and space?
Abstract
Headwater streams, the smallest tributaries of the stream hierarchy, play a significant role in global hydrologic systems, as their behavior influences downstream processes . Streamflow behavior in headwater streams varies naturally based on watershed characteristics, but human modification of the environment can disrupt natural variability and alter the natural flow regime. Although headwater watersheds are an abundant portion of the river network in many watersheds, little is known about the consistency and properties of streamflow leaving these watersheds. Here, we studied variation in streamflow across different headwater watersheds utilizing a data driven approach to analyze discharge from 82 USGS monitoring sites across the Northeastern United States. To explore similarities and differences in headwater streamflow behavior across these sites, we calculated 19 streamflow metrics from 11 years of discharge data. These metrics were compared with known climate, geology, and land use characteristics to determine the relationship between headwater watershed form and hydrologic indices quantifying headwater functioning. By examining the natural flow regime (magnitude, duration, frequency, rate of change, and timing) of natural and human impacted headwater watersheds, we aim to show how headwater systems function at the regional scale. Disruption of flow in headwater streams as a result of human activity can have drastic effects on ecology in both headwater systems and their downstream counterparts. Through comparing streamflow behavior in natural and anthropogenically altered headwater streams, this study will improve our understanding of how humans impact headwater watersheds that lead into ecologically significant downstream ecosystems.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFM.H31O1960W
- Keywords:
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- 1804 Catchment;
- HYDROLOGY;
- 1813 Eco-hydrology;
- HYDROLOGY;
- 1839 Hydrologic scaling;
- HYDROLOGY;
- 1847 Modeling;
- HYDROLOGY