Influence of Diffuse and Discrete Groundwater Discharge on River Thermal Regimes in Present and Future Climates

Abstract:

Groundwater discharge alters stream and river thermal regimes due to the thermal inertia of the subsurface, but the exact nature of its influence depends on the discharge conditions. Diffuse groundwater discharge attenuates daily, weekly, and seasonal changes in surface water temperature. On the other hand, discrete groundwater discharge (e.g., a spring) creates in-stream thermal anomalies that provide temporary refuge for cold-water fish and other aquatic species. Thus, diffusive groundwater input reduces the temporal variability of surface water temperature, while discrete groundwater input enhances its spatial variability.

In the present climate, thermal effects of groundwater discharge can be empirically studied by comparing thermal regimes of groundwater-dominated streams to those of runoff-dominated streams. However, there are still many challenges associated with attempting to quantify the thermal influence of groundwater discharge. These difficulties arise in part because the heat flux from groundwater upwelling is induced by a mass flux, and thus it cannot be directly compared to purely sensible heat fluxes. Also, shallow subsurface flow exhibits complex thermal signatures that are not well represented with mean annual air temperature data.

Examining the thermal influence of groundwater discharge becomes even more complex when potential effects of climate change are considered. Results from previous studies utilizing empirical transfer models, analytical solutions, and numerical models of groundwater temperature dynamics have demonstrated that the nature of groundwater warming depends on the soil properties, groundwater recharge rate, and aquifer configuration. This talk will highlight challenges associated with quantifying the thermal influence of groundwater discharge and provide recommendations for future research opportunities in this field, including the potential to engineer thermal diversity in rivers via manipulation of groundwater flow paths.