Kansas Water Science Center
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Estimation of Baseflow Residence Times in Watersheds From the Runoff Hydrograph Recession: Method and Application in the Neversink Watershed, Catskill Mountains, New YorkBy Tomas Vitvar, D.A. Burns, G.B. Lawrence, J.J. McDonnell, and D.M. Wolock AbstractA method for estimation of mean baseflow residence time in watersheds from hydrograph runoff recession characteristics was developed. Runoff recession characteristics were computed for the period 1993-96 in the 2 kmî Winnisook watershed, Catskill Mountains, southeastern New York, and were used to derive mean values of subsurface hydraulic conductivity and the storage coefficient. These values were then used to estimate the mean baseflow residence time from an expression of the soil contact time, based on watershed soil and topographic characteristics. For comparison, mean baseflow residence times were calculated for the period of time through the traditional convolution integral approach, which relates rainfall δ18 O to δ18 O values in streamflow. Our computed mean baseflow residence time was 9 months by both methods. These results indicate that baseflow residence time can be calculated accurately using recession analysis, and the method is less expensive than using environmental and/or artificial tracers. Published in 2002 by John Wiley & Sons, LTD. Additional information on U.S. Geological Survey watershed processes and modeling can be found at: http://ks.water.usgs.gov/studies/watershed/Vitvar, Tomas, Burns, D.A., Lawrence, G.B., McDonnell, J.J., and Wolock, D.M., 2002, Estimation of baseflow residence times in watersheds from the runoff hydrograph recession: method and application in the Neversink watershed, Catskill Mountains, New York: Hydrologic Processes, v. 16, p. 1871-1877. To request a paper copy of this report, email: dwolock@usgs.gov |
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: /pubs/abstracts/dmw.hp.v16a.html
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The USGS has collected hydrologic information in Kansas since 1895 with the first USGS Cooperative
Water Program funding agreement for 6 streamflow gages with the Kansas Water Board. USGS collects streamflow
and gage-height data; reservoir content; water-quality and water-quantity data; suspended-sediment data;
and groundwater levels. Hydrologic studies are conducted on national, regional, statewide, and local levels.
The USGS in Kansas works cooperatively with 31 Federal, State, and local agencies, such as the Kansas Water Office, the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, and the City of Wichita