Rathore et al. (2026) Hysteretic Dynamics of Stream Network Expansion and Contraction Revealed Through High‐Resolution Integrated Hydrological Modeling

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

Identification

• Journal: Water Resources Research
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-10-31
• Authors: Saubhagya Singh Rathore, J. D. Gomez‐Velez, Elizabeth M. Herndon, Scott L Painter
• DOI: 10.1029/2025wr042993

Research Groups

Not specified in the abstract.

Short Summary

This study investigates the relationship between streamflow and active stream network extent using an integrated hydrological model, revealing that while synchronous relationships show hysteresis in larger catchments, a robust, asynchronous power-law scaling emerges at event scales, consistent across varying catchment sizes.

Objective

• To investigate the dynamics of stream network expansion and contraction and its relationship with streamflow, particularly clarifying this relationship for larger catchments where direct observation is challenging.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: A 75 km² watershed and its nested subcatchments.
• Temporal Scale: Daily and event-scale, resolved at high spatial and temporal resolution.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: ATS integrated hydrology model (process-based).
• Data sources: Observed daily stream discharge and observed stream persistency regime (perennial vs. non-perennial) for model validation.

Main Results

• A unique, synchronous relationship between streamflow and network extent exists only for small catchments.
• Synchronous data exhibit substantial scatter due to hysteresis, which increases with increasing catchment size.
• A robust, hysteresis-free relationship emerges when considering asynchronous event-scale peaks of streamflow and network extent.
• This event-scale asynchronous relationship is well approximated as a power-law over the range of peak simulated values and remains consistent across nested catchments of varying size, independent of antecedent wetness, season, and storm details.
• In baseflow conditions, the scaling is also well approximated with a power law but with a larger exponent, suggesting different runoff generation mechanisms.

Contributions

• Offers a more robust framework for understanding stream expansion and contraction in larger, more complex basins by identifying a consistent, asynchronous, event-scale power-law relationship between streamflow and active network extent.

Funding

Not specified in the abstract.

Citation

@article{Rathore2026Hysteretic,
  author = {Rathore, Saubhagya Singh and Gomez‐Velez, J. D. and Herndon, Elizabeth M. and Painter, Scott L},
  title = {Hysteretic Dynamics of Stream Network Expansion and Contraction Revealed Through High‐Resolution Integrated Hydrological Modeling},
  journal = {Water Resources Research},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1029/2025wr042993},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2025wr042993}
}