Water quality modeling based on landscape analysis: Importance of riparian hydrology

Abstract

Several studies in high-latitude catchments have demonstrated the importance of near-stream riparian zones as hydrogeochemical hotspots with a substantial influence on stream chemistry. An adequate representation of the spatial variability of riparian-zone processes and characteristics is the key for modeling spatiotemporal variations of stream-water quality. This thesis contributes to current knowledge by refining landscape-analysis techniques to describe riparian zones and by introducing a conceptual framework to quantify solute exports from riparian zones. The utility of the suggested concepts is evaluated based on an extensive set of hydrometric and chemical data comprising measurements of streamflow, groundwater levels, soil-water chemistry and stream chemistry.

Citation

Grabs, Thomas. 2010. Water quality modeling based on landscape analysis: Importance of riparian hydrology. Stockholm, Sweden: Stockholm University. 39 p. Dissertation.