Zeng et al. (2026) A novel framework for quantifying threshold-controlled surface hydrologic connectivity in depression-dominated watersheds

Identification

• Journal: Environmental Modelling & Software
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-08-25
• Authors: Lan Zeng, Ning Wang, Xuefeng Chu
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2026.107146

Research Groups

School of Geosciences and Info-Physics, Central South University, Changsha, China
Engineering Research Center for Groundwater Resources and Environment of the Hunan Province, China
School of Water and Environment, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China
Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, USA

Short Summary

This study presents a novel framework for quantifying threshold-controlled surface hydrologic connectivity in depression-dominated watersheds, providing new insights into overland flow dynamics and facilitating water resource management.

Objective

• Investigate the progressive development of hydro-connectedness at the watershed scale in depression-dominated areas.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Watershed scale (catchment area)
• Temporal Scale: Event-based (rainfall-induced runoff)

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Depression-oriented hydrologic models (P2P, modified SWAT, HYDROL-DC)
• Data sources: Satellite imagery, observation data, reanalysis datasets

Main Results

• The proposed framework effectively quantifies threshold-controlled surface hydrologic connectivity in depression-dominated watersheds.
• The results show the progressive expansion of connected areas and contributing area of the watershed outlet.

Contributions

• This study provides new insights into threshold-controlled hydrologic connectivity and overland flow dynamics in depression-dominated areas, enhancing flood risk assessment and management.

Funding

• National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51979035)
• Hunan Provincial Key Research and Development Program (Grant No. 2020SK2123)

Citation

@article{Zeng2026novel,
  author = {Zeng, Lan and Wang, Ning and Chu, Xuefeng},
  title = {A novel framework for quantifying threshold-controlled surface hydrologic connectivity in depression-dominated watersheds},
  journal = {Environmental Modelling & Software},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.envsoft.2026.107146},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2026.107146}
}