Hydrological response characteristics of Mediterranean catchments: a review (original) (raw)
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Hydrological Sciences Journal-journal Des Sciences Hydrologiques, 2008
Seven catchments of diverse size in Mediterranean Europe were investigated in order to understand the main aspects of their hydrological functioning. The methods included the analysis of daily and monthly precipitation, monthly potential evapotranspiration rates, flow duration curves, rainfall—runoff relationships and catchment internal data for the smaller and more instrumented catchments. The results showed that the catchments were less “dry” than initially considered. Only one of them was really semi-arid throughout the year. All the remaining catchments showed wet seasons when precipitation exceeded potential evapotrans-piration, allowing aquifer recharge, “wet” runoff generation mechanisms and relevant baseflow contribution. Nevertheless, local infiltration excess (Hortonian) overland flow was inferred during summer storms in some catchments and urban overland flow in some others. The roles of karstic groundwater, human disturbance and low winter temperatures were identified as having an important impact on the hydrological regime in some of the catchments.Sept bassins versants de tailles variables, situés en Europe Méditerranéenne, ont été étudies pour appréhender les principaux aspects de leur fonctionnement hydrologique. L'analyse est conduite sur la base de données de précipitations mensuelle et journalière, d'évapotranspiration potentielle mensuelle, de courbes de débits classés, de coefficients d'écoulement et, pour les bassins les plus petits et les plus instrumentés, de données internes aux bassins. Les résultats montrent que les bassins versants considérés sont moins “arides” que prévu. Seul l'un d'entre eux est vraiment semi-aride toute l'année. Les autres bassins présentent des saisons humides, avec des précipitations qui dépassent l'évapotranspiration potentielle, permettant la recharge des nappes, l'apparition de processus de génération de l'écoulement typiques de zones “humides” et une contribution significative du débit de base. Toutefois, des phénomènes de ruissellement liés, localement, au dépassement de la capacité d'infiltration (processus Hortonien) sont observés durant les événements orageux estivaux sur quelques uns des bassins et des phénomènes de ruissellement urbain sur quelques autres. Les rôles des aquifères karstiques, des perturbations anthropiques et des faibles températures hivernales ont été identifiés comme ayant un impact important sur le régime hydrologique de certains des bassins versants.
2009
International audienceThis paper presents a modeling study aiming at quantifying the possible impact of soil characteristics on the hydrological response of small ungauged catchments in a context of extreme events. The study focuses on the September 2002 event in the Gard region (South-Eastern France), which led to catastrophic flash-floods. The proposed modeling approach is able to take into account rainfall variability and soil profiles variability. Its spatial discretization is determined using Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and a soil map. The model computes infiltration, ponding and vertical soil water distribution, as well as river discharge. In order to be applicable to ungauged catchments, the model is set up without any calibration and the soil parameter specification is based on an existing soil database. The model verification is based on a regional evaluation using 17 estimated discharges obtained from an extensive post-flood investigation. Thus, this approach provides a ...
Hydrological Sciences Journal, 2016
This work examines 140 hydrological studies conducted in the Mediterranean region. It identifies key characteristics of the hydrological responses of Mediterranean catchments at various time scales and compares different methods and modelling approaches used for individual-catchment studies. The study area is divided into the northwestern (NWM), eastern (EM) and southern (SM) Mediterranean. The analysis indicates regional discrepancies in which the NWM shows the most extreme rainfall regime. A tendency for reduced water resources driven by both anthropogenic and climatic pressures and a more extreme rainfall regime are also noticeable. Catchments show very heterogeneous responses over time and space, resulting in limitations in hydrological modelling and large uncertainties in predictions. However, few models have been developed to address these issues. Additional studies are necessary to improve the knowledge of Mediterranean hydrological features and to account for regional specificities.
MODELING THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN A MEDITERRANEAN CATCHMENT (MERGUELLIL, TUNISIA)
During the last decades, the Mediterranean region is suffering more and more from droughts. It has been recognized as one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate change. Understanding the impact of climate change on various components of water cycle is an important challenge for long-term sustainable management of water resources. In this paper, the integrated hydrological model "Soil and Water Assessment Tool" (SWAT 2005) was used to study the impact of future climate on water resources of a Mediterranean catchment. Future climate scenarios for periods of 2010-2039 and 2070-2099 were generated from the Canadian Global Coupled model (CGCM 3.1) for scenarios A1B, B1, and A2. These CGCMs data were then statistically downscaled to generate future possible local meteorological data of precipitation and temperature in the study area. SWAT model was run first under current climate (1986)(1987)(1988)(1989)(1990)(1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005) and then for the future climate period to analyze the potential impact of climate change on flow, evapotranspiration, and soil moisture across this catchment. Finally, Richter et al.'s Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA) were used to analyze the flow regime alterations under changing climate. The main results indicate that this catchment would suffer a combination of increased temperature and reduced rainfall that will reduce water resources in this area. Consequently, summer droughts would be intensified. Different spatial responses to climate change were observed in the catchment for near future simulations. Higher altitude regions would experience an increase of the total water yield, while a reduction is foreseen for lower parts. For far future, a noticeable decrease would affect water resources in all part of the catchment.
Hydrologie des régions méditerranéennes
Application d'un modèle géomorphologique pour la simulation d'une crue exceptionnelle arrivant dans un petit barrage. NASRl S., ALBERGEL J., DUCHESNE J. 9h20-9:20 a.m.-Investigation hydro-chimique des systèmes karstiques nord-montpellierains. Modélisation globale et modélisation inverse (traitement du signal) des relations pluie-débit et des variations temporelles des concentrations.
2015
La these propose une approche originale pour evaluer les evolutions a moyen terme des equilibres entre usages et ressources en eau a l’echelle de bassins versants. Un cadre de modelisation integrant les dynamiques hydro-climatiques et des activites humaines ainsi que les liens entre demandes et ressources en eau a ete developpe et applique sur deux bassins d’echelles differentes et aux usages de l’eau contrastes : l’Herault (2500 km2, France) et l’Ebre (85000 km2, Espagne). Les ecoulements naturels ont ete simules avec un modele hydrologique conceptuel et un modele de gestion de barrage pilote par les demandes associees et les contraintes de gestion a ete implemente. Les demandes en eau municipal, industrielle et d'irrigation ont ete estimees a partir de donnees socio-economiques, agronomiques et climatiques. Des debits environnementaux seuils, en-dessous desquels les prelevements sont limites, ont ete pris en compte. La chaine de modelisation a ete calee et validee sous les con...
The Hydrological Cycle of the Mediterranean
Advances in Global Change Research, 2013
The water cycle components over the Mediterranean both for current and future run are studied with the ensemble of CMIP3 multi-model simulations and with the Japan Meteorological Agency's 20 km grid global climate model. Results from the JMA model are compared to the CMIP3 ensemble model (here after Mariotti). CMIP3 results are surprisingly close to JMAs. The projected mean annual change rate of precipitation (P) between future and current run for sea and land, are −11% and −10%, respectively in the JMA run, not as high as Mariotti's. Projected changes for evaporation (E) are +9.3% and −3.6%, compared to +7.2% and −8.1% in Mariotti's study. However, no significant difference of change in P-E over the sea body is found between these two studies. The increased E over the eastern Mediterranean was found higher than the western Mediterranean, but the P decrease is lower. The net moisture budget, P-E, shows that the eastern Mediterranean will become even drier than the western Mediterranean. The river model suggests significant decreases in water inflow to the Mediterranean of about 36% in the JMA run (excluding the Nile). The Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), which reflects the combined effects of precipitation and surface air temperature (Ts) changes,
2010
The presented project initiative CLIMB ('Climate Induced Changes on the Hydrology of Mediterranean Basins-Reducing Uncertainty and Quantifying Risk') has recently signed a Grant Agreement in EC's 7th Framework Program (FP7-ENV.2009.1.1.5.2). In its 4-year design, starting from January 2010, the collaborative project for specific cooperation actions (SICA) dedicated to international partner countries shall analyze ongoing and future climate-induced changes in hydrological budgets and extremes across the Mediterranean and neighboring regions. This is undertaken in study sites located in Sardinia,