Ghimire et al. (2026) Fall Soil Moisture Modulates Snow‐Streamflow Dynamics in the Colorado River Basin

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Identification

• Journal: Water Resources Research
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-07-01
• Authors: Swastik Ghimire, Enrique R. Vivoni, Zhaocheng Wang
• DOI: 10.1029/2025wr042871

Research Groups

• Hydrology Department, University of Colorado Boulder
• Water Resources Division, US Bureau of Reclamation

Short Summary

This study investigates the impact of fall soil moisture and spring weather on snow-streamflow dynamics in the Colorado River Basin (CRB) and its sub-basins. The research reveals that fall soil moisture is a key driver of streamflow variability in the Upper Basin.

Objective

• Investigate the roles of fall soil moisture and spring weather on modulating snow-streamflow dynamics in the CRB and its sub-basins.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Colorado River Basin (CRB) and its sub-basins.
• Temporal Scale: 1984–2023, with a focus on the period since 2000.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model.
• Data sources: VIC simulations, satellite data, observation data, and reanalysis data.

Main Results

• Fall soil moisture accounts for 69%–77% of streamflow variability in the Upper Basin.
• Spring precipitation has a dominant effect on streamflow variability in the Lower Basin, ranging from 48% to 87%.
• Multilinear regressions that predict streamflow changes based on fall soil moisture and spring weather have high predictive power in the Upper Basin.

Contributions

The study highlights the importance of hydrologic memory embedded in basin soil moisture storage and its impact on snow-streamflow dynamics. The findings provide original insights into the effects of fall soil moisture and spring weather on streamflow variability, which can be used to improve water year streamflow predictions.

Funding

• This research was supported by the US Bureau of Reclamation (Project ID: 2023-WR-BR-01) and the National Science Foundation (Grant No. EAR-2031234).

Citation

@article{Ghimire2026Fall,
  author = {Ghimire, Swastik and Vivoni, Enrique R. and Wang, Zhaocheng},
  title = {Fall Soil Moisture Modulates Snow‐Streamflow Dynamics in the Colorado River Basin},
  journal = {Water Resources Research},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1029/2025wr042871},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2025wr042871}
}