Elevation-dependent compensation effects in snowmelt in the Rhine River Basin upstream gauge Basel
- In snow-dominated river basins, floods often occur during early summer, when snowmelt-induced runoff superimposes with rainfall-induced runoff. An earlier onset of seasonal snowmelt as a consequence of a warming climate is often expected to shift snowmelt contribution to river runoff and potential flooding to an earlier date. Against this background, we assess the impact of rising temperatures on seasonal snowpacks and quantify changes in timing, magnitude and elevation of snowmelt. We analyse in situ snow measurements, conduct snow simulations and examine changes in river runoff at key gauging stations. With regard to snowmelt, we detect a threefold effect of rising temperatures: snowmelt becomes weaker, occurs earlier and forms at higher elevations. Due to the wide range of elevations in the catchment, snowmelt does not occur simultaneously at all elevations. Results indicate that elevation bands melt together in blocks. We hypothesise that in a warmer world with similar sequences of weather conditions, snowmelt is moved upward toIn snow-dominated river basins, floods often occur during early summer, when snowmelt-induced runoff superimposes with rainfall-induced runoff. An earlier onset of seasonal snowmelt as a consequence of a warming climate is often expected to shift snowmelt contribution to river runoff and potential flooding to an earlier date. Against this background, we assess the impact of rising temperatures on seasonal snowpacks and quantify changes in timing, magnitude and elevation of snowmelt. We analyse in situ snow measurements, conduct snow simulations and examine changes in river runoff at key gauging stations. With regard to snowmelt, we detect a threefold effect of rising temperatures: snowmelt becomes weaker, occurs earlier and forms at higher elevations. Due to the wide range of elevations in the catchment, snowmelt does not occur simultaneously at all elevations. Results indicate that elevation bands melt together in blocks. We hypothesise that in a warmer world with similar sequences of weather conditions, snowmelt is moved upward to higher elevation. The movement upward the elevation range makes snowmelt in individual elevation bands occur earlier, although the timing of the snowmelt-induced runoff stays the same. Meltwater from higher elevations, at least partly, replaces meltwater from elevations below.…
Author details: | Erwin RottlerORCiDGND, Klaus Josef VormoorORCiDGND, Till FranckeORCiDGND, Michael WarscherORCiD, Ulrich StrasserORCiD, Axel BronstertORCiDGND |
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DOI: | https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2021.092 |
ISSN: | 2224-7955 |
Title of parent work (English): | Hydrology research : an international journal / Nordic Association of Hydrology ; British Hydrological Society |
Publisher: | IWA Publ. |
Place of publishing: | London |
Publication type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Date of first publication: | 2021/01/20 |
Publication year: | 2021 |
Release date: | 2023/09/27 |
Tag: | Rhine River; compensation effects; elevation-dependency; snowmelt; timing |
Volume: | 52 |
Issue: | 2 |
Number of pages: | 22 |
First page: | 536 |
Last Page: | 557 |
Funding institution: | Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft within the NatRiskChange research training group at the University of Potsdam [GRK 2043/1-P2] |
Organizational units: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Umweltwissenschaften und Geographie |
DDC classification: | 5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 55 Geowissenschaften, Geologie / 550 Geowissenschaften |
Peer review: | Referiert |
Publishing method: | Open Access / Gold Open-Access |
License (German): | CC-BY-NC-ND - Namensnennung, nicht kommerziell, keine Bearbeitungen 4.0 International |