Streamflow Characteristics of Two Forested Catchments in the Sopron Hills

Abstract

One of the central issues in hydrology is today to establish a relationship between the hydrological and biological processes in ecosystems. One question of this theme is the vegetation impact on the water budget of the catchment. Water use by vegetation can closely be linked to streamflow patterns on a variety of time scales. At present many details of these connections are poorly understood. Investigation on small catchments is the best way of studying hydrological processes in headwater, forested watersheds. In this paper drainage basin morphology and streamflow characteristics (base flow and quick flow) have been analysed under conditions of forest management in two neighbouring small forested catchments (the Farkas Valley and Vadkan Valley located in the prealpine hills bordering to Austria) on the basis of streamflow data collected during 2001.