The influence of spatially variable stream hydraulics on reach scale transient storage modeling

Abstract

Within the context of reach scale transient storage modeling, there is limited understanding of how best to establish reach segment lengths that represent the effects of spatially variable hydraulic and geomorphic channel properties. In this paper, we progress this understanding through the use of channel property distributions derived from high-resolution imagery that are fundamental for hydraulic routing. We vary the resolution of reach segments used in the model representation and investigate the minimum number necessary to capture spatially variable influences on downstream predictions of solute residence time probability density functions while sufficiently representing the observed channel property distributions. We also test if the corresponding statistical moments of the predictions provide comparable results and, therefore, a method for establishing appropriate reach segment lengths. We find that the predictions and the moment estimates begin to represent the majority of the variability at reach segment lengths coinciding with distances where observed channel properties are spatially correlated. With this approach, reach scales where the channel properties no longer significantly change predictions can be established, which provides a foundation for more focused transient storage modeling efforts.