Muñoz‐Vega et al. (2025) Influence of Hydraulic Conductivity Conceptualization and Unsaturated Flow Parameters for an Integrated Hydrological Model

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Water Resources Research
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-11-01
• Authors: Edinsson Muñoz‐Vega, Heye Bogena, Juan Carlos Richard‐Cerda, R. M. Maxwell, Stephan Schulz
• DOI: 10.1029/2025wr040785

Research Groups

Not explicitly provided in the abstract.

Short Summary

This study investigates the sensitivity of integrated hydrologic model outputs to subsurface parameters, particularly hydraulic conductivity and van Genuchten parameters, in a headwater catchment. It finds that these parameters significantly influence streamflow, baseflow, peak flows, and soil moisture dynamics, especially during dry periods, providing crucial insights for model calibration.

Objective

• To explore the sensitivity of hydrologic responses (runoff, soil moisture, energy fluxes) to subsurface parametrization, including saturated hydraulic conductivity, anisotropy, and van Genuchten parameters, within an integrated hydrologic model (Parflow-CLM) applied to a headwater catchment.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Headwater catchment in the Odenwald region, Germany.
• Temporal Scale: Not explicitly defined for the simulation period, but focused on hydrological responses including dry periods.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Parflow-CLM (Parallel, fully integrated model).
• Data sources: Streamflow observations, soil moisture observations. A deterministic approach involving 55 simulations was used.

Main Results

• Increasing saturated hydraulic conductivity enhances baseflow and attenuates peak flows.
• Anisotropy in shallow horizons significantly affects runoff and groundwater dynamics.
• The shape of the soil water retention curve, represented by the van Genuchten parameters, along with saturation at field capacity and wilting point, strongly influences simulated soil moisture during dry periods.
• The analysis provides insights into subsurface parameter sensitivities to hydrologic responses, supporting the design of calibration schemes for integrated hydrologic model applications.

Contributions

• Provides novel insights into the sensitivity of hydrologic responses to subsurface parameters, particularly unsaturated zone parameters, in a realistic headwater catchment rather than synthetic domains.
• Supports the development of more effective calibration strategies for integrated hydrologic models by highlighting critical parameter sensitivities.

Funding

Not provided in the abstract.

Citation

@article{MuñozVega2025Influence,
  author = {Muñoz‐Vega, Edinsson and Bogena, Heye and Richard‐Cerda, Juan Carlos and Maxwell, R. M. and Schulz, Stephan},
  title = {Influence of Hydraulic Conductivity Conceptualization and Unsaturated Flow Parameters for an Integrated Hydrological Model},
  journal = {Water Resources Research},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1029/2025wr040785},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2025wr040785}
}