HR: 0800h
AN: H21A-0186    [Abstracts]
TI: Relating Streamflow Recession to Soil and Watershed Properties
AU: * Bandaragoda, C
EM: christinamay@yahoo.com
AF: Utah Water Research Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4820, United States
AU: Tarboton, D
EM: dtarb@cc.usu.edu
AF: Utah Water Research Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4820, United States
AU: Woods, R
EM: r.woods@niwa.co.nz
AF: National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, 10 Kyle Street, Riccarton, Christchurch, 8011, New Zealand
AU: Boettinger, J
EM: Janis.Boettinger@usu.edu
AF: Plant, Soils, and Climate Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4820, United States
AB: By exploring the empirical relationship between streamflow recession data from USGS streamgauges and soils data from the Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, we test the general hypothesis that a relationship exists between soil properties derived from soil data integrated across a watershed and streamflow recession parameters. This empirical study provides a background for developing a priori parameters with SSURGO soil survey data for parameterizing watersheds for distributed hydrologic modeling and streamflow prediction. Using a random sample of 48 watersheds from across the continental United States, we found a significant correlation between streamflow recession parameters and soil sensitivity, which we define as a combination of hydraulic conductivity, porosity, and soil depth. Our work improves the understanding of streamflow generation processes by exploring how this correlation changes between different geographic regions and climate regimes.
DE: 1804 Catchment
DE: 1847 Modeling
DE: 1860 Streamflow
DE: 1865 Soils (0486)
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting