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13 pages, 2048 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Snowmelt Conditions on the Isotopic Composition of the Surface Waters of the Upper Ob River during the Flood Period

by Tatyana Papina, Alla Eirikh, Anton Kotovshchikov and Tatiana Noskova

Water 2023, 15(11), 2096; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15112096 - 1 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1234

Abstract

For many of the Siberian rivers, and the Upper Ob in particular, 70–80% of the volume of the annual water runoff is formed during the spring flood. Thus, factors influencing the formation of water runoff during the spring flood are paramount. We explain [...] Read more.

For many of the Siberian rivers, and the Upper Ob in particular, 70–80% of the volume of the annual water runoff is formed during the spring flood. Thus, factors influencing the formation of water runoff during the spring flood are paramount. We explain changes in the isotopic composition of the Upper Ob surface waters by changing different components’ contribution to the runoff water discharge over the spring flood period. We suggest estimating the time of meltwater flow from the Upper Ob watershed to the outlet section using the difference between the date of the complete melting of the snow cover in the catchment area and the date of the maximum light isotope composition of water in the outlet section. We show that a sharp short-term weighting of the isotopic composition of water in the river at the end of the first phase of the flood may be associated with the influx of autumn soil moisture, displaced from the soils by snowmelt waters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Hydrology and Hydrochemistry in Siberia and the Arctic)

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21 pages, 6042 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Present-Day Heavy Metals Pollution and Factors Controlling Surface Water Chemistry of Three Western Siberian Sphagnum-Dominated Raised Bogs

by Yulia Kharanzhevskaya, Lyudmila Gashkova, Anna Sinyutkina and Zoya Kvasnikova

Water 2023, 15(10), 1869; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15101869 - 15 May 2023

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Abstract

This study investigated the heavy metal concentrations in bog and stream water compared to present-day atmospheric deposition, and concentrations in peat and vegetation within three typical raised bogs in Western Siberia located in urban area, close to oil and gas facilities and in [...] Read more.

This study investigated the heavy metal concentrations in bog and stream water compared to present-day atmospheric deposition, and concentrations in peat and vegetation within three typical raised bogs in Western Siberia located in urban area, close to oil and gas facilities and in the natural background area. Our data showed that elevated heavy metals deposition occurs not only near industrial centres but also in remote areas, which is a sign of regional atmospheric deposition of heavy metals associated with long-range transport and wildfires. Present-day atmospheric depositions of heavy metals are not always consistent with their contents in waters, and the content of Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd in waters is more correlated with their concentrations in vegetation and in the upper peat layer; this indicates a significant role of biological processes in heavy metal cycling. Temperature plays an important role in increasing the mobility and vegetation uptake of heavy metals. Heavy metals removal is largely determined by the size of the bog and its stage of development, which determines bog–river interaction. The seasonal catchment-scale budget indicated that 80–97% of Zn and Pb and 47–74% of Cu and Cd from atmospheric inputs remained within the catchments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Hydrology and Hydrochemistry in Siberia and the Arctic)

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22 pages, 3426 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Simplified Method of Iceberg Hydrodynamic Parameter Prediction

by Dmitry Nikushchenko, Anton Stepin, Ekaterina Nikitina, Nikita Tryaskin, Alexander Makovsky, Konstantin Kornishin and Yaroslav Efimov

Water 2023, 15(10), 1843; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15101843 - 12 May 2023

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Abstract

The present article is devoted to the safe operation of oil platforms in difficult ice conditions. To ensure the safety of offshore facilities, it is essential to deviate a drifting iceberg’s trajectory that may lead to an emergency with the help of available [...] Read more.

The present article is devoted to the safe operation of oil platforms in difficult ice conditions. To ensure the safety of offshore facilities, it is essential to deviate a drifting iceberg’s trajectory that may lead to an emergency with the help of available technological means. To reliably predict the behaviour of icebergs when they are towed or deviate from their previous course, it is necessary to determine the hydrodynamic and aerodynamic characteristics of the iceberg. This paper proposes a simplified method for determining the hydrodynamic and aerodynamic characteristics of an iceberg. Key concept of the proposed approach include replacing the iceberg waterline with an equivalent ellipse. This diminishes and then shifts the hydrodynamic characteristic determination of the iceberg’s underwater section to determining the resistance of a three axial ellipsoid or elliptical cylinder depending on the shape of the iceberg’s underwater section. The hydrodynamic characteristics of several real icebergs determined by the proposed method are compared with the results of their numerical simulation using the CFD approach. The proposed approach provides a quick assessment of the hydrodynamic characteristics of icebergs when information on its underwater section is unreliable, inconsistent or absent. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Hydrology and Hydrochemistry in Siberia and the Arctic)

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23 pages, 4416 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparing the Runoff Decompositions of Small Experimental Catchments: End-Member Mixing Analysis (EMMA) vs. Hydrological Modelling

by Andrey Bugaets, Boris Gartsman, Tatiana Gubareva, Sergei Lupakov, Andrey Kalugin, Vladimir Shamov and Leonid Gonchukov

Water 2023, 15(4), 752; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15040752 - 14 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2465

Abstract

This study is focused on the comparison of streamflow composition simulated with three well-known rainfall–runoff (RR) models (ECOMAG, HBV, SWAT) against hydrograph decomposition evaluated with End-Member Mixing Analysis (EMMA). In situ observations at two small mountain testbed catchments located in the south of [...] Read more.

This study is focused on the comparison of streamflow composition simulated with three well-known rainfall–runoff (RR) models (ECOMAG, HBV, SWAT) against hydrograph decomposition evaluated with End-Member Mixing Analysis (EMMA). In situ observations at two small mountain testbed catchments located in the south of Pacific Russia are used. All applied RR models and EMMA analysis demonstrate that two neighboring catchments disagree significantly on the mutual dynamics of the runoff sources. The RR models' benchmark test is based on proximity to EMMA hydrograph composition. Different aggregation intervals (season, month, and pentad) were applied to find a reasonable generalization period ensuring the clarity of results. ECOMAG is most conformable to EMMA outcome; HBV reflects flood events well enough; SWAT exhibits distinctive behavior compared to the other models. It is shown that, along with standard efficiency criteria of simulated and observed runoff proximity, EMMA analysis might provide useful auxiliary information for the validation of modelling results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Hydrology and Hydrochemistry in Siberia and the Arctic)

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16 pages, 5523 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Extreme Drought around Tomsk, Russia in Summer 2012 in Comparison with Other Regions in Western Siberia

by Hiroshi Matsuyama, Takanori Watanabe and Valerii Zemtsov

Water 2023, 15(3), 388; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15030388 - 17 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1531

Abstract

The objective of this study is to clarify the regional difference in hydrometeorological parameters in Western Siberia (WS), an area which suffered from severe drought in the summer of 2012. The drought was especially apparent in middle WS. Regional differences in the hydrometeorological [...] Read more.

The objective of this study is to clarify the regional difference in hydrometeorological parameters in Western Siberia (WS), an area which suffered from severe drought in the summer of 2012. The drought was especially apparent in middle WS. Regional differences in the hydrometeorological parameters have not been fully investigated so far; therefore, we investigated them based on the temporal variation in the hydrometeorological data. All of WS experienced an extremely hot summer in 2012, particularly in June and July. In middle WS, the snow water equivalent in March 2012 was the third lowest recorded from 1985 to 2019. The runoff during April–September 2012 was smaller than the long-term mean. Precipitation during April–August 2012 was also continuously lower. All this resulted in a severe drought in the summer. In particular, precipitation in July 2012 in middle WS was among the lowest recorded for the period of 1966–2019. These characteristics were unique to middle WS in July 2012. North and south WS did not suffer from a severe drought in 2012 because substantial precipitation was observed in summer. The findings of this study will contribute to the prediction of future hydrometeorological events, as extreme phenomena are more likely to occur in accordance with the progress of global warming. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Hydrology and Hydrochemistry in Siberia and the Arctic)

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21 pages, 23709 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Channel Deformations and Hazardous Processes of the Left-Bank Tributaries of The Angara River (Eastern Siberia)

by Marina Y. Opekunova, Natalia V. Kichigina, Artem A. Rybchenko and Anton V. Silaev

Water 2023, 15(2), 291; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15020291 - 10 Jan 2023

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Abstract

The influence of anthropogenic and natural factors in the trends and mechanisms of development at various topological levels is determined based on relevant information on the structure and dynamics of fluvial systems in the south of Eastern Siberia in various geodynamic settings. This [...] Read more.

The influence of anthropogenic and natural factors in the trends and mechanisms of development at various topological levels is determined based on relevant information on the structure and dynamics of fluvial systems in the south of Eastern Siberia in various geodynamic settings. This article considers the current spatial and temporal dynamics of the hydrological conditions of the vast territory of the Angara River and its influence on channel deformations and the manifestation of dangerous processes. An analysis of fluctuations in the maximum runoff using differential integral curves resulted in the identification of six periods of water content according to the maximum annual discharges for the period spanning from the beginning of observations to 2020 for the rivers under consideration. The dynamics and intensity of manifestation of hydrological and geological hazardous processes are demonstrated using a series of studies conducted under various geodynamic conditions. Catastrophic floods brought on by enhanced cyclonic activity are accompanied by the destruction of the bank. The highest rate of bank erosion in the plains is 1.5 to 2 m per year, and for rivers in mountains and piedmonts it is 2 to 6 m per year. An analysis of the dynamics of the development of floodplain–channel complexes in the Upper Angara region makes it possible to distinguish two zones of actively developing floodplain–channel complexes: piedmont and estuarine, separated by a relatively stable plain zone. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Hydrology and Hydrochemistry in Siberia and the Arctic)

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20 pages, 141606 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Atmospheric Pressure Variations on the Suprapermafrost Groundwater Level and Runoff of Small Rivers in the Anadyr Lowlands, Northeast Russia

by Oleg D. Tregubov, Boris I. Gartsman, Vladimir V. Shamov, Lyudmila S. Lebedeva and Anna M. Tarbeeva

Water 2022, 14(19), 3066; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14193066 - 29 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1362

Abstract

The present-day models of the hydrological regime of soils and river basins do not include a hypothesis regarding the effect of atmospheric pressure on hydrological processes (baric effect), which is assumed negligible. However, their manifestations are likely, considering the mechanical and [...] Read more.

The present-day models of the hydrological regime of soils and river basins do not include a hypothesis regarding the effect of atmospheric pressure on hydrological processes (baric effect), which is assumed negligible. However, their manifestations are likely, considering the mechanical and hydrophysical properties of shallow peat-bog soils (plasticity and elasticity, high moisture-retention capacity, the ability to swell and shrink) and the important role of undecomposed plant remains. The effect of atmospheric pressure variations on level changes in a suprapermafrost aquifer was detected using field and laboratory experiments in shallow peat and peaty tundra soils in the Anadyr Lowlands, Northeast Russia. One can see this effect in the runoff regime of 1st–4th orders streams. The manifestations of this phenomenon can differ, and in particular, they can be directed oppositely. The changes in the level and storage of suprapermafrost gravitational water could be caused only by synchronous (in phase opposition) changes in capillary water fringe above the groundwater table. To explain the observed phenomena, a conceptual model is developed based on the analysis of the balance of forces and water balance in a system of elastic capillaries. Not being complete and perfect, the model reproduces qualitatively the main observed cases of the response to air pressure changes, proving the effect itself, and suggests the likely localization of its mechanisms. A shallow suprapermafrost groundwater table in contact with the peat bottom, as well as incomplete (below the full moisture capacity) water saturation of peat soil horizons, appear to be circumstances of the baric effect on tundra shallow subsurface aquifers. Favorable conditions for the baric effect in a soil profile include a high elasticity of peat-soil matrix, high and variable values of porosity and water yield of peat and moss cover, and, at the catchment scale, a high proportion of coverage by these types of soils. A full-scale study of a mechanism of baric effect on a suprapermafrost tundra aquifer requires numerous laboratory and field experiments, that must be much better equipped than presented in our study. It is also welcomed alternative hypotheses regarding the aquifer water level response to changes in air pressure if the observed macroscopic effects at any alternative occurrence could be quite similar. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Hydrology and Hydrochemistry in Siberia and the Arctic)

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Other

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9 pages, 1917 KiB

Open AccessTechnical Note

The Importance of Widespread Temperature Conditions on Breakup Characteristics: The Case of Sagavanirktok River, Alaska, USA

by Horacio Toniolo, Eric LaMesjerant, Alex Lai, John Keech and Joel Bailey

Water 2023, 15(15), 2850; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15152850 - 7 Aug 2023

Viewed by 711

Abstract

Daily average springtime air temperatures from four weather stations distributed along north–south and nearly east–west directions within or on the divide of the Sagavanirktok River watershed in Arctic Alaska were studied and compared with discharge measurements and field observations made from 2015 to [...] Read more.

Daily average springtime air temperatures from four weather stations distributed along north–south and nearly east–west directions within or on the divide of the Sagavanirktok River watershed in Arctic Alaska were studied and compared with discharge measurements and field observations made from 2015 to 2021 during breakup. The results indicate that under widespread air temperature events, during El Niño, rapid and dynamic breakup can occur (promoting sediment transport along the stream), while during La Niña, slow and thermal breakup can be expected. Due to these climate pattern effects, open channel conditions (i.e., ice-free channels) are reached earlier (18 May 2015) during El Niño and later (7 June 2021) during La Niña. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Hydrology and Hydrochemistry in Siberia and the Arctic)

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