Journal article
A hydrogeomorphic river network model predicts where and why hyporheic exchange is important in large basins
Geophysical research letters, Vol.41(18), pp.6403-6412
09/28/2014
DOI: 10.1002/2014GL061099
Abstract
Hyporheic exchange has been hypothesized to have basin-scale consequences; however, predictions throughout river networks are limited by available geomorphic and hydrogeologic data and by models that can analyze and aggregate hyporheic exchange flows across large spatial scales. We developed a parsimonious but physically based model of hyporheic flow for application in large river basins: Networks with EXchange and Subsurface Storage (NEXSS). We applied NEXSS across a broad range of geomorphic diversity in river reaches and synthetic river networks. NEXSS demonstrates that vertical exchange beneath submerged bed forms rather than lateral exchange through meanders dominates hyporheic fluxes and turnover rates along river corridors. Per kilometer, low-order streams have a biogeochemical potential at least 2 orders of magnitude larger than higher-order streams. However, when biogeochemical potential is examined per average length of each stream order, low-and high-order streams were often found to be comparable. As a result, the hyporheic zone's intrinsic potential for biogeochemical transformations is comparable across different stream orders, but the greater river miles and larger total streambed area of lower order streams result in the highest cumulative impact from low-order streams. Lateral exchange through meander banks may be important in some cases but generally only in large rivers.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- A hydrogeomorphic river network model predicts where and why hyporheic exchange is important in large basins
- Creators
- Jesus D. Gomez-Velez - United States Geological SurveyJudson W. Harvey - United States Geological Survey
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Geophysical research letters, Vol.41(18), pp.6403-6412
- DOI
- 10.1002/2014GL061099
- ISSN
- 0094-8276
- eISSN
- 1944-8007
- Publisher
- Amer Geophysical Union
- Number of pages
- 10
- Grant note
- U.S. Geological Survey (PES Program) U.S. Geological Survey (HRD Program) U.S. Geological Survey (NAWQA Program)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/28/2014
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984962530602771
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