Arnoux et al. (2026) Groundwater storage in Quaternary deposits and bedrock buffers the discharge response of a small alpine catchment to climate change

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

Identification

• Journal: Hydrogeology Journal
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-21
• Authors: Marie Arnoux, Fabien Cochand, Philip Brunner, Bettina Schaefli, Adam Winstral, Daniel Hunkeler
• DOI: 10.1007/s10040-026-03157-5

Research Groups

Not specified in the provided text.

Short Summary

This study utilizes the HydroGeoSphere model to investigate how groundwater storage within various geological formations buffers summer low flows in an alpine catchment under future climate change scenarios.

Objective

• To quantify the role of groundwater storage and specific geological formations in controlling discharge and buffering future summer low flows in an alpine environment.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Alpine catchment (spatially explicit).
• Temporal Scale: Current conditions through the end of the century.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: HydroGeoSphere (integrated surface–subsurface hydrologic model).
• Data sources: Not explicitly detailed in the text (utilizes future extreme climate change projections).

Main Results

• Groundwater Storage Trends: Under extreme climate change, groundwater storage in Quaternary deposits is projected to increase in winter and decrease in summer, with an overall decrease in annual mean storage due to reduced recharge.
• Discharge Dynamics: Total catchment discharge is expected to decrease, and the timing of the low-flow period will shift from winter to late summer by the end of the century.
• Buffering Capacity: Future summer low flows will remain higher than current winter low flows, though they will converge after exceptionally dry summers.
• Relative Sensitivity: The decrease in groundwater storage is proportionally less severe than the decrease in discharge.
• Geological Influence: Sensitivity analysis identifies bedrock and Quaternary deposits (specifically moraine and talus units) as critical components for supporting discharge during low-flow periods.

Contributions

The research provides new insights into the explicit role of geology in alpine hydrology, demonstrating that integrating subsurface geological variations is essential for understanding how climate change impacts water resource availability and discharge buffering.

Funding

Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Arnoux2026Groundwater,
  author = {Arnoux, Marie and Cochand, Fabien and Brunner, Philip and Schaefli, Bettina and Winstral, Adam and Hunkeler, Daniel},
  title = {Groundwater storage in Quaternary deposits and bedrock buffers the discharge response of a small alpine catchment to climate change},
  journal = {Hydrogeology Journal},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1007/s10040-026-03157-5},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-026-03157-5}
}