Michael English

The significance of storms for the concentration and export of dissolved organic carbon from two Precambrian Shield catchments

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and DOC export arestudied during storms to examine the relationship between DOCconcentration and stream discharge and to assess the importance of stormson DOC export. Storms were monitored in seven subcatchments within twosmall watersheds (Harp 4--21 and Harp 3A) on the Precambrian Shield inCentral Ontario, Canada. Stream DOC concentrations increase during stormsby as much as 100% and 410% in Harp3A and Harp 4--21 respectively. The seasonal regression between DOC andstream discharge is significant in subcatchments without wetlands(r2 > 0.7) but is not significant in thetwo subcatchments with small wetland areas (r2 <0.06). On average, regressions based on weekly data yield accurate estimatesof DOC export but the variation in regressions among individual storms andthe small number of high DOC samples result in uncertainties of more than30% in DOC export. The period-weighted calculation ofDOC export from weekly data underestimates export by 14%and 22% in Harp 3A and Harp 4--21 respectively. Stormswere responsible for 57% to 68% of theDOC export in the autumn and 29% to 40%of the DOC export in the spring. A single large storm accounted for31% of the autumn DOC export in Harp 3A. The importanceof individual storms for DOC export and the variation in the relationshipbetween DOC and stream discharge among storms make it difficult to predictthe effects of climate change on DOC export and DOC concentrations.

Sources and flowpaths of dissolved organic carbon during storms in two forested watersheds of the Precambrian Shield

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and export were studied in two small catchments in central Ontario to examine DOC sources and to assess the hypothesis that organic matter adjacent to the stream is a significant contributor of DOC during storms. Different DOC dynamics and exports were observed according to the depth of the riparian water table. In Harp 4-21, riparian flowpaths were predominantly through A and upper B soil horizons and riparian soils contributed between 73 and 84% of the stream DOC export during an autumn storm. In Harp 3A, riparian flowpaths were predominantly through lower B horizons. Consequently, riparian soils were less important and hillslopes contributed more than 50% of the stream DOC export in subcatchments without wetlands during storms. Wetlands and adjacent soils contributed significantly to DOC export in Harp 3A; 8% of the total catchment area exported 32 to 46% of the storm runoff DOC. DOC export dynamics in wetlands and riparian soils were distinctly different. In wetlands, transport was affected by leaching and flushing of DOC at the wetland surface leading to lower DOC concentrations with successive storms. In riparian soils, groundwater flowpaths were more important and stronger positive relationships between discharge and DOC concentration were observed. Precipitation, throughfall and stemflow were minor sources of stream DOC during storms and contributed less than 20% of the total export.

Examining the contributions of glacial till water to storm runoff using two‐ and three‐component hydrograph separations

Two- and three-component hydrograph separations based on 18O and dissolved silica are used to investigate the contributions of glacial till water to the storm runoff of a headwater stream on the Canadian Shield. Two-component isotopic hydrograph separations based on 18O indicate that the volume and flux of event water could be accounted for by direct precipitation onto saturated areas. Three-component hydrograph separations distinguish between event water, preevent soil water, and preevent till water. These results show that groundwater flow through coarse-textured glacial tills can make a significant contribution to stream discharge during runoff events (29 and 62% in this study) despite the lower hydraulic conductivities of the tills compared to the overlying soils. The three-component hydrograph separations also demonstrate that the relative contributions of preevent soil water and preevent till water changed during one runoff event such that the average water chemistry of the preevent component varied during the event. Two-component hydrograph separations using dissolved silica indicate that seasonal changes in the till water contributions also occur and are related to groundwater levels. Measurements of vertical hydraulic gradients during runoff events indicate that the increase in flow from the tills to the soils is minimal and cannot account for the large and rapid increase in till water flow into the stream. Till water that has discharged to the soils prior to the event is probably being flushed from the soils into the stream during events.

Physical properties governing groundwater flow in a glacial till catchment

Abstract Hydraulic conductivity, surface topography and sediment thickness influence the spatial and temporal pattern of groundwater flow and stream discharge in an unconfined aquifer in a 3.7ha headwater catchment in central Ontario, Canada. Groundwater levels in the soils adjacent to the stream also significantly influence the magnitude and spatial distribution of stream discharge. Topographic convergence in plan and decreasing sediment thickness along flowpaths result in surface saturation and groundwater discharge. Hillslope gradients adjacent to discharge areas determination how fluctuating groundwater levels influence the extent of spatial variations in surface saturation and saturation within the soils. As a result of spatial differences in hillslope gradients, the spatial patterns of both groundwater and stream discharge change with fluctuating groundwater levels. Unsaturated sediment s in upslope locations store water infiltrating during wet periods such that groundwater flow from upslope sediments maintains high groundwater levels near the stream and supplies baseflow during dry periods. The direction of horizontal groundwater flow in Harp 4–21 is not perpendicular to topographic contours so that subcatchment boundaries based on topographic divides differ by as much as 57% from their true subcatchment boundaries based on groundwater divides. Therefore, groundwater flow models based on surface topography may incorrectly predict the spatial pattern of stream discharge.

Geomorphological and botanical change on the outer Slave River Delta, NWT, before and after impoundment of the Peace River

This paper examines geomorphological and botanical changes on the outer low elevation portion of the Slave River Delta prior to and after impoundment of the Peace River at Hudsons Hope, British Columbia. The Slave River Delta deposits are approximately 8300 km 2 , about 5% (400 km 2 ) is defined as the active delta which progrades into Great Slave Lake through an active system of distributaries. This active portion of the delta is the area studied. The Peace River provides approximately 65% of the annual flow of the Slave River. Alteration of the natural flow regime and suspended sediment load of the Slave River has resulted from the upstream impoundment. Calculations indicate that the annual suspended sediment load in the Slave River has decreased by 33%. Using aerial photographs of the Slave Delta taken in 1946 and 1966, prior to damming the Peace River, geomorphological change and the spatial changes in plant assemblages have been recorded using GIS software. Aerial photographs taken in 1977 and 1994 were used in similar fashion to document geomorphological and botanical change and rates of change after impoundment. The Outer Delta is most susceptible to hydrological and suspended sediment changes in the river system. As such it is shown that geomorphological development in these Outer Delta landforms has been notably reduced since impoundment and changes in plant assemblage distribution indicates a drier, less productive environment. Results of aerial photo analysis show that the rate of development of distinctive cleavage bar islands on the Outer Delta has been notably reduced since impoundment. Changes in plant assemblage areas on these islands indicates both an autogenic and allogenic change to a drier, less productive environment and actual loss, by erosion, of some of the most productive Equisetum assemblages.

Evaluating carbon dynamics and microbial activity in arctic soils under warmer temperatures

A large portion of carbon (C) is stored in the world’s soils, including those of peatlands, wetlands and permafrost. However, there is disagreement regarding the effects of climate change on the rate of organic matter decomposition in permafrost soils of the arctic. In this study it was hypothesized that soil exposed to a higher ambient temperature would have a greater flux of CO2 as well as a change in the metabolic diversity of culturable soil microorganisms. To evaluate this hypothesis we determined soil C dynamics, soil microbial respiration and activity, and 13C and 15N fractionation in laboratory incubations (at 14 and 21°C) for an organic-rich soil (Mesic Organic Cryosol) and a mineral soil (Turbic Cryosol) collected at the Daring Lake Research Station in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Soil organic C (SOC) and nitrogen (N) stocks (g m-2) and concentration (%) were significantly different (P < 0.05) between soil horizons for both soil types. Stable isotope analysis showed a significant enrichment i...

METHODOLOGY FOR INVESTIGATION OF SNOWMELT HYDROLOGY AND CHEMISTRY WITHIN AN UNDISTURBED CANADIAN SHIELD WATERSHED

This paper examines the methodology involved in intensive snowmelt runoff studies at Turkey Lakes Watershed, Canada. These studies focus on understanding the pathways of snowmelt water within the snowpack and through the terrestrial portion of the ecosystem. Mixing of snowmelt or snowmelt induced runoff water and lakewater is investigated.

Supply and Transport Limitations on Phosphorus Losses from Agricultural Fields in the Lower Great Lakes Region, Canada

Phosphorus (P) mobilization in agricultural landscapes is regulated by both hydrologic (transport) and biogeochemical (supply) processes interacting within soils; however, the dominance of these controls can vary spatially and temporally. In this study, we analyzed a 5-yr dataset of stormflow events across nine agricultural fields in the lower Great Lakes region of Ontario, Canada, to determine if edge-of-field surface runoff and tile drainage losses (total and dissolved reactive P) were limited by transport mechanisms or P supply. Field sites ranged from clay loam, silt loam, to sandy loam textures. Findings indicate that biogeochemical processes (P supply) were more important for tile drain P loading patterns (i.e., variable flow-weighted mean concentrations ([]) across a range of flow regimes) relative to surface runoff, which trended toward a more chemostatic or transport-limited response. At two sites with the same soil texture, higher tile [] and greater transport limitations were apparent at the site with higher soil available P (STP); however, STP did not significantly correlate with tile [] or P loading patterns across the nine sites. This may reflect that the fields were all within a narrow STP range and were not elevated in STP concentrations (Olsen-P, ≤25 mg kg). For the study sites where STP was maintained at reasonable concentrations, hydrology was less of a driving factor for tile P loadings, and thus management strategies that limit P supply may be an effective way to reduce P losses from fields (e.g., timing of fertilizer application).