American Geophysical Union Become an AGU Member
Subscribe to AGU Journals		 AGU Home AGU Publications

Read Full Article (file size: 1246731 bytes)    Cited by

WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH, VOL. 42, W10410, doi:10.1029/2005WR004787, 2006

Quantifying surface water–groundwater interactions using time series analysis of streambed thermal records: Method development

Christine E. Hatch

Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA


Andrew T. Fisher

Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
Institute for Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA


Justin S. Revenaugh

Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA


Jim Constantz

U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California, USA


Chris Ruehl

Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA


Abstract

We present a method for determining streambed seepage rates using time series thermal data. The new method is based on quantifying changes in phase and amplitude of temperature variations between pairs of subsurface sensors. For a reasonable range of streambed thermal properties and sensor spacings the time series method should allow reliable estimation of seepage rates for a range of at least ±10 m d−1 (±1.2 × 10−2 m s−1), with amplitude variations being most sensitive at low flow rates and phase variations retaining sensitivity out to much higher rates. Compared to forward modeling, the new method requires less observational data and less setup and data handling and is faster, particularly when interpreting many long data sets. The time series method is insensitive to streambed scour and sedimentation, which allows for application under a wide range of flow conditions and allows time series estimation of variable streambed hydraulic conductivity. This new approach should facilitate wider use of thermal methods and improve understanding of the complex spatial and temporal dynamics of surface water–groundwater interactions.

Received 3 December 2005; accepted 16 June 2006; published 11 October 2006.

Keywords: groundwater/surface water interaction; heat as a tracer; seepage.

Index Terms: 0495 Biogeosciences: Water/energy interactions (1878); 1830 Hydrology: Groundwater/surface water interaction; 1878 Hydrology: Water/energy interactions (0495); 1895 Hydrology: Instruments and techniques: monitoring; 3270 Mathematical Geophysics: Time series analysis (1872, 4277, 4475); 4275 Oceanography: General: Remote sensing and electromagnetic processes (0689, 2487, 3285, 4455, 6934).

Read Full Article (file size: 1246731 bytes)    Cited by

Citation: Hatch, C. E., A. T. Fisher, J. S. Revenaugh, J. Constantz, and C. Ruehl (2006), Quantifying surface water–groundwater interactions using time series analysis of streambed thermal records: Method development, Water Resour. Res., 42, W10410, doi:10.1029/2005WR004787.