Snowmelt hydrograph interpretation: Revealing watershed scale hydrologiccharacteristics of the Yellowstone volcanic plateau
Gardner WP, Susong DD, Solomon DK, Heasler H. 2010. Snowmelt hydrograph interpretation: Revealing watershed scale hydrologiccharacteristics of the Yellowstone volcanic plateau. Journal of Hydrology. 383:209-222
Snowmelt hydrograph analysis and groundwater age dates of cool water springs on the Yellowstone volcanicplateau provide evidence of high volumes of groundwater circulation in watersheds comprised ofquaternary Yellowstone volcanics. Ratios of maximum to minimum mean daily discharge and averagerecession indices are calculated for watersheds within and surrounding the Yellowstone volcanic plateau.A model for snowmelt recession is used to separate groundwater discharge from overland runoff, andcompare groundwater systems. Hydrograph signal interpretation is corroborated with chlorofluorocarbon(CFC) and tritium concentrations in cool water springs on the Yellowstone volcanic plateau. Hydrographparameters show a spatial pattern correlated with watershed geology. Watersheds compriseddominantly of quaternary Yellowstone volcanics are characterized by slow streamflow recession, lowmaximum to minimum flow ratios. Cool springs sampled within the Park contain CFC’s and tritiumand have apparent CFC age dates that range from about 50 years to modern. Watersheds comprised ofquaternary Yellowstone volcanics have a large volume of active groundwater circulation. A large, advectinggroundwater field would be the dominant mechanism for mass and energy transport in the shallowcrust of the Yellowstone volcanic plateau, and thus control the Yellowstone hydrothermal system.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Gardner, W.; Susong, David; Solomon, D.; Heasler, Henry
- Units
- GRYN
- Keywords
- Environmental tracers, Hydrograph analysis, snowmelt hydrology, Yellowstone