Hydrometric and natural tracer (oxygen-18, silica,tritium and sulphur hexafluoride) evidence for a dominant groundwater contribution to Pukemanga Stream,New Zealand |
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| Authors: | Michael K Stewart Jens Mehlhorn Sandy Elliott |
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| Institution: | 1. GNS Science, PO Box 30368, Lower Hutt, New Zealand;2. NIWA Hamilton, PO Box 11-115, Hamilton, New Zealand |
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| Abstract: | Pukemanga is a small (3 ha) steep headwater catchment at the Whatawhata Research Station near Hamilton, New Zealand. The water balance (1996–2002) shows average annual rainfall of 1640 mm producing annual runoff of 440 mm (baseflow 326 mm, stormflow 114 mm) and ‘deep seepage’ loss of 450 mm (i.e. 450 mm of water not appearing in the stream). Oxygen-18 (18O) concentrations were measured at weekly intervals for 8–15 months at six sites, ranging from Pukemanga Stream baseflow through wetland seepage to ephemeral streams and surface runoff. The first two showed no significant 18O variations. Inferred mean residence times within the catchment ranged from at least 4 years (for the stream baseflow and seepage) to a few weeks (for the ephemeral flows and surface runoff). Silica concentrations could also be used to distinguish deep flowpath water from near-surface flowpath water. Tritium concentrations gave an estimated mean residence time of 9 years for Pukemanga Stream baseflow. Sulphur hexafluoride tended to give younger ages, while the chlorofluorocarbon ages were older, but are not considered as reliable for dating streamflow in this time range. These results show that deep pathways predominate with over 74% of runoff deriving from deep hillslope flowpaths via the wetland, and 87% of total drainage (baseflow and deep seepage) travelling via deep hillslope flowpaths. Our conception of the deep drainage process is that there is a large volume of slowly moving water in the system (above and below the water table), which reaches the wetland and stream via an unconfined groundwater system. Subsurface water equivalents are estimated to be 2·9 m for drainage at the weir and 4·1 m for drainage bypassing the weir, giving a total of 7 m depth over the catchment. The unsaturated zone plays an important role in storing water for long periods (about 4 years), while linking the surface with the groundwater water table to contribute to the fast streamflow response to rainfall. A schematic model of the various pathways with indicative residence times is given. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
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| Keywords: | streamflow groundwater age dating oxygen-18 tritium SF6 CFCs |
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