Determination of runoff components using path analysis and isotopic measurements in a glacier‐covered alpine catchment (upper Hailuogou Valley) in southwest China. Issue 14 (27th January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xing, Bing; Liu, Zhongfang; Liu, Guodong; Zhang, Jing
• Is Part Of: Hydrological processes. Volume 29:Issue 14(2015:Jul.)
• Page Start: 3065
• Page End: 3073
• Publication Date: 2015-01-27
• Subjects: Hydrology -- Periodicals; Hydrology -- Research -- Periodicals; Hydrologic models -- Periodicals; Hydrological forecasting -- Periodicals; 631.432
• DOI: 10.1002/hyp.10418
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0885-6087

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Monitoring of stable water isotopes (δ<sup>18</sup>O and δ<sup>2</sup>H) at the watershed scales can improve our understanding of complex hydrology and hydroclimatology of the watershed, especially in remote regions. Previous studies that used tracers for hydrograph separation are largely based on end‐member mixing approach (EMMA), but one drawback of this approach is that at least two independent tracers are required for multi‐component separation. Here we introduce a new approach—path analysis, in combination with isotopic measurements to investigate the runoff generation in a glacier‐covered alpine catchment (upper Hailuogou Valley) in southwest China. This newly developed method can not only provide a multi‐component hydrograph separation with the aid of only one tracer but also determine the direct and indirect influence of sources on streamflow. Path analysis show that the majority of streamflow is dominated by ice/snow meltwater that represents about 63–78% of the total discharge, whereas precipitation and groundwater contribute approximately 19–39% and 2–4% of the streamflow discharge, respectively. These results are in good agreement with those derived from EMMA (using <sup>18</sup>O and Cl<sup>−</sup> as tracers), corroborating that our proposed approach is successful in hydrograph separation of the catchment. This approach may provide new opportunities for the hydrograph separation of catchment with sparse data and be of interest to catchment hydrologists who seek to understand the behaviour of hydrologic systems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.</p> </abstract>