Interpreting characteristic drainage timescale variability across Kilombero Valley,Tanzania |
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| Authors: | Steve W Lyon Alexander Koutsouris Friedemann Scheibler Jerker Jarsjö Rene Mbanguka Madaka Tumbo Keven K Robert Asha N Sharma Ype van der Velde |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden;2. Institute for Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania;3. Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY;4. Soil, Geography, and Landscape, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands |
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| Abstract: | We explore seasonal variability and spatiotemporal patterns in characteristic drainage timescale (K) estimated from river discharge records across the Kilombero Valley in central Tanzania. K values were determined using streamflow recession analysis with a Brutsaert–Nieber solution to the linearized Boussinesq equation. Estimated K values were variable, comparing between wet and dry seasons for the relatively small catchments draining upland positions. For the larger catchments draining through valley bottoms, K values were typically longer and more consistent across seasons. Variations in K were compared with long‐term averaged, Moderate‐resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer‐derived monthly evapotranspiration. Although the variations in K were potentially related to evapotranspiration, the influence of data quality and analysis procedure could not be discounted. As such, even though recession analysis offers a potential approach to explore aquifer release timescales and thereby gain insight to a region's hydrology to inform water resources management, care must be taken when interpreting spatiotemporal shifts in K in connection with process representation in regions like the Kilombero Valley. © 2014 The Authors. Hydrological Processes published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. |
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| Keywords: | characteristic drainage timescale streamflow recession analysis Kilombero Valley water resources management |
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