Characterising the variability of transit time distributions and young
water fractions in a karst catchment using flux tracking
Abstract
Water transit time and young water fraction are important metrics for
characterizing catchment hydrologic function and understanding solute
transport. Hydrological and biogeochemical processes in karst
environments are strongly controlled by heterogenous fracture-conduit
networks. Quantifying the spatio-temporal variability of water transit
time and young water fractions in such heterogeneous hydrogeological
systems is fundamental linking discharge and water quality dynamics in
the karst critical zone. We used a tracer-aided hydrological model to
track the fluxes of water parcels that entered a karst catchment as
rainfall, time-stamping each hour of rain input individually. Using this
approach, the variability of transit times and water age distributions
were estimated in the main landscape units in the karst catchment of
Chenqi in Guizhou Province, Southwest China. The estimated mean young
water (i.e <~2 months old) fractions were
0.39, 0.31 and 0.10 for output fluxes from the hillslope unit, catchment
outlet and slow flow reservoirs (matrix and small fractures),
respectively. Marked seasonal variability in sources of runoff
generation and associated hydrological connectivity between different
conceptual stores were the main drivers of young water fraction dynamics
in each landscape unit. The water age and travel time distributions were
strongly influenced by the water storage dynamics reflecting catchment
wetness conditions. Even though the contribution of young water to
runoff was greater, the older water turnover was generally accelerated
at moderately high flows during wet season.