Journal article
Streamflow Hysteresis Analysis Through a Deep‐Dive Budget of the St Venant Equation Momentum Terms
Water resources research, Vol.61(8), e2024WR038103
08/2025
DOI: 10.1029/2024WR038103
Abstract
Hysteretic conditions, characterized by non‐unique relationships and temporal phasing of flow variables, are common in unsteady open‐channel flows. Hysteresis effects can lead to significant discharge estimation errors when using traditional, unique stage‐discharge rating curve monitoring techniques. Using a 1D/2D hydraulic model, we analyze hysteresis by tracking the St Venant momentum equation terms for two flood events along the Illinois River, USA. We correlate flow characteristics with magnitude and timing patterns in the underlying momentum terms to determine their relevance to hysteretic conditions. We find that the local acceleration term only temporarily advances the flood wave and is not an indicator of hysteretic behavior. Non‐hysteretic streamflow has large and balanced gravity and friction forces, akin to kinematic wave conditions. For hysteretic streamflow conditions to occur, the pressure gradient term must be within one order of magnitude of the kinematic term, and the dynamic term must be active, within one or two orders of magnitude of the kinematic and diffusive terms. The hysteretic signal emerges with a gradual activation of pressure gradient and convective acceleration components, making up for the disparity between friction and gravity terms. These hysteretic momentum term characteristics clarify the underlying forces of streamflow hysteresis and create opportunities for improved discharge monitoring and forecasting.
Streamflow hysteresis occurs during flood events in mildly sloped rivers, causing a time lag between flow variables and higher water levels during the flood recession compared with kinematic flood conditions. The discrepancy between water level and discharge during the different phases of the flood wave complicates our ability to predict and monitor discharge, an important quantity for flood and reservoir applications. We use numerical model simulations to examine how these conditions are manifested in the standard equations used to characterize flow regimes and find that non‐hysteretic streamflow acts according to kinematic flow, while hysteretic streamflow has active diffusive and dynamic characteristics and temporal phasing. Our results provide a better understanding of streamflow hysteresis and may lead to more accurate discharge estimation and forecasting.
Non‐hysteretic streamflow implies kinematic wave conditions, as hysteretic streamflow has active diffusive and convective acceleration forces A peak‐phasing phenomenon occurs with the momentum terms in hysteretic streamflow conditions The phasing phenomenon offers opportunities to forecast flood stage by observing the peaks of other terms
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Streamflow Hysteresis Analysis Through a Deep‐Dive Budget of the St Venant Equation Momentum Terms
- Creators
- E. House - Tulane UniversityE. Meselhe - Tulane UniversityM. Muste - University of Iowa, IIHR--Hydroscience and EngineeringI. Demir - Tulane University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Water resources research, Vol.61(8), e2024WR038103
- DOI
- 10.1029/2024WR038103
- ISSN
- 0043-1397
- eISSN
- 1944-7973
- Publisher
- AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION
- Grant note
- National Science Foundation
This paper is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number 2139663. Thank you to the US Army Corps of Engineers for allowing us to use their HEC-RAS model. Special thanks to Nazmul Beg for his dedicated guidance and foundational work put in during the initiation of this study.
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/2025
- Academic Unit
- Electrical and Computer Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; IIHR--Hydroscience and Engineering; Injury Prevention Research Center; Geographical and Sustainability Sciences; Mechanical Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984948115202771
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