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Effects of landscape modification and climate change on natural flow

Outside Threats to Lotic Ecosystems

Landscape modification and climate change pose as synergistic threats to lotic ecosystems Altering natural flow In what ways?
Increasing flood flashiness and intensity Decrease base flow during dry periods

How do they wor together!

"tream #low and $eology

%ariation of flow in a stream pro&ects from a stable base flow from groundwater
Depends on'
Infiltration rates of soil and subsurface sediments Height of water table

Gaining (s) losing streams * Are inputs increasing or decreasing along stream gradient?
E+ample: Ar ansas ,i(er

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Ar ansas ,i(er- A Losing ,i(er

"tream #low ,esponse to #lood E(ent

.ith persistent/intense rainfall0 greater inputs by surface run-off or sheet flow
1an lead to a rise in stream discharge abo(e base flow floods or spates
#lood dynamics depends largely on landscape (watershed) characteristics and intensity of precipitation

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Landscape Determinants for #lood Intensity and #lashiness

2ey 3uestion' How much precipitation infiltrates topsoil and enters groundwater!
Landscape-related factors to consider:

$eology * soil porosity %egetation Degree of human de(elopment

Land de(elopment * imper(ious 4pa(ed5 surfaces Large-scale till agriculture * soil compaction

Increased flashiness and intensity

FIGURE 6.8 A hypothetical hydrograph of a storm event with precipitation and runoff in a natural area (A) and hypothetical comparison of watershed responses before and after urbanization (B). (After Leopold, 1994).

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FIGURE 6.9 Flood frequencies plotted as recurrence intervals as a function of discharge for all recurrence intervals more than 1 year for the Seneca Creek watershed in Maryland before and after urbanization (peak discharge data from the US Geologic Survey; computed as in Leopold, 1994).

$reater "heet #low0 ,educed 6ase #low

Landscape modification reduces groundwater recharge Lowers water table and can con(ert a gaining stream into a losing stream ,educes flows in dry season

1limate 1hange Effects on 7atural #low

In what ways could climate change compound the effects of landscape modification on natural flow of streams (flood intensity and flashiness; reduced base flow)? Think hydrologic cycle