Runoff Scale-dependency in Burned Dry Eucalyptus

Abstract:

To examine the impact of wildfire on timing and magnitude of extreme hydrologic events, it is essential to quantify the degree of scale-dependency of post-fire hydro-geomorphic processes. Scaling of hydrologic processes has been shown to increase uncertainties unless they are known to have the same spatio-temporal scale or accurate methods of conversion. Hydrological responses at watershed-scale are linked to peak flows and total volume of overland flow hydrographs. At a burned hillslope, both flow generation and transport responsive to hydrographs dynamics, are determined by post-fire hydro-geomorphic factors and their interaction with rainfall events.

A hierarchical monitoring approach consisting of paired rainfall-runoff plots and rainguages with different size from point to hillslope scale were installed on a dry eucalyptus hillslope, south east Australia, burned by wildfire January 2013.

Scaling effect of overland flow on the burned hillslope was studied with help of event- seasonal- and annual-based rainfall-runoff data in relation to travel distance, contributing area and rainfall patterns. A linear decrease in runoff ratio with slope length was observed for plots with the same width.

However, the rate of runoff production declined exponentially for plots with narrower width. Further investigation of vegetation patches, soil moisture, water repellency, and macropores patterns showed no significant differences in soil-surface factors affecting initial infiltration in these plots comparing to the rest of compound. Thus initial infiltration in narrower plots was similar to the rest of plots; however initiated runoff had less chance to reach the outlet. This could be due to higher positive pore pressures in smaller bounded area per length result in higher macropores and matrix infiltration, overcoming water repellency. Measurement also showed that soil in narrower plots was less repellent in downslope, supporting higher transmission loss downslope in these plots.

The degree of scale-dependency was correlated with rainfalls total volume, duration, and their patterns. The rate of scale-dependency of produced runoff had a strong positive correlation with total volume of events while negatively correlated to durations. Thus higher scaling effects were associated with short intense events.