Title: | Using modeling tools to better understand permafrost hydrology |
Authors: | Fabre, C., S. Sauvage, N. Tananaev, R. Srinivasan, R. Teisserenc and J.M.S. Pérez |
Year: | 2017 |
Journal: | Water |
Volume (Issue): | 9(6) |
Pages: | |
Article ID: | 418 |
DOI: | 10.3390/w9060418 |
URL (non-DOI journals): | |
Model: | SWAT |
Broad Application Category: | hydrologic only |
Primary Application Category: | snowmelt, frozen soil and/or glacier melt processes |
Secondary Application Category: | hydrologic assessment |
Watershed Description: | 2,540,000 km^2 Yonisei River, located in southern Siberia. |
Calibration Summary: | |
Validation Summary: | |
General Comments: | The MDPI editorial team apparently made a major mistake in the publication of this manuscript, resulting in the Results and Discussion sections being inserted between the Introduction and the Materials and Methods section (and thus the sections being out of order). |
Abstract: | Modification of the hydrological cycle and, subsequently, of other global cycles is expected
in Arctic watersheds owing to global change. Future climate scenarios imply widespread permafrost
degradation caused by an increase in air temperature, and the expected effect on permafrost hydrology
is immense. This study aims at analyzing, and quantifying the daily water transfer in the largest
Arctic river system, the Yenisei River in central Siberia, Russia, partially underlain by permafrost.
The semi-distributed SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) hydrological model has been calibrated
and validated at a daily time step in historical discharge simulations for the 2003–2014 period.
The model parameters have been adjusted to embrace the hydrological features of permafrost. SWAT
is shown capable to estimate water fluxes at a daily time step, especially during unfrozen periods, once
are considered specific climatic and soils conditions adapted to a permafrost watershed. The model
simulates average annual contribution to runoff of 263 millimeters per year (mm yr-1) distributed
as 152 mm yr-1 (58%) of surface runoff, 103 mm yr-1 (39%) of lateral flow and 8 mm yr-1 (3%) of
return flow from the aquifer. These results are integrated on a reduced basin area downstream from
large dams and are closer to observations than previous modeling exercises. |
Language: | English |
Keywords: | permafrost; modeling; hydrology; water; Yenisei River; SWAT |