HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Simulating the recession dynamics of Arctic catchments in the context of a thawing permafrost
In a recent study, researchers have made significant strides in understanding how climate warming is altering the Arctic's hydrological dynamics. The study delves into the complex relationship between permafrost thaw and groundwater flow. Traditionally, Arctic hydrology has been conceptualized as a local system, confined by the frozen ground. However, as the climate warms, permafrost begins to thaw, transitioning this system into a more interconnected network of regional aquifers. This transformation is crucial, as it alters the fundamental dynamics of water movement and storage in the Arctic.
HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Understanding the vulnerability of surface–groundwater interactions to climate change: insights from a Bavarian Forest headwater catchment
This study used HydroGeoSphere to evaluate the impact of climate change on streamflow and water availability within a small forested catchment in South-East Germany. Climate forecasts in the region predict a significant decrease in precipitation over the coming decades. Based on integrated hydrologic modelling of the catchment, this forecasted decline in precipitation combined with a relatively steady rate of evapotranspiration (compared to the historical period) will result in prolonged drought conditions, which in turn will result in declining groundwater levels, decreased baseflow to the upstream reaches of the stream network.
HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT - Mega-Tidal and Surface Flooding Controls on Coastal Groundwater and Saltwater Intrusion Within Agricultural Dikelands
The study highlighted here makes full use of the density dependent flow modelling capabilities of HydroGeoSphere to investigate the impacts of climate change on groundwater-ocean interactions, and how sea-level rise, tides and storm-surges impact the long-term position of an upper saline plume in a coastal agricultural dikeland in Nova Scotia, Canada.
HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Groundwater flow reversal between small water bodies and their adjoining aquifers: A numerical experiment
This recent study uses HydroGeoSphere to investigate groundwater-surface water interactions within “kettle holes” - post glacial landscape features prevalent across Northern Europe and Northern America. These kettle holes are quite similar to lakes, but their smaller size makes them prone to drying out, which results in very dynamic and variable groundwater-surface water interactions, sometimes being subject to groundwater flow reversal between a kettle hole and the adjacent aquifer.
HydroGeoSphere at the EGU23 General Assembly
HydroGeoSphere is usually well represented at the annual European Geoscience Union’s General Assembly, but 2023 might be a new record with 10 presentations which relied on the integrated hydrologic modelling capabilities of HGS.
HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Disentangling runoff generation mechanisms: Combining isotope tracing with integrated surface/subsurface simulation
A new study co-authored by researchers at Hohai University and Aquanty Staff introduces an effective way to track runoff generation in a headwater catchment by combining isotopic tracer analysis and integrated hydrologic modelling using HydroGeoSphere.
HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Estimation of groundwater contributions to Athabasca River, Alberta, Canada
This paper evaluates surface water-groundwater interactions within the Athabasca River Basin (ARB). The fully integrated nature of HydroGeoSphere was a key contributor to this study, as these simulations allowed for clear accounting of the interaction between groundwater and surface water, while also incorporating influential hydrologic mechanisms like snowmelt/accumulation and evapotranspiration over a very large area.
HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Logjam Characteristics as Drivers of Transient Storage in Headwater Streams
A new paper highlights the impacts that logjams have on the transient storage in streams and rivers. The researchers used a physical flume to test a variety of scenarios and and relied on HydroGeoSphere to elucidate the surface and subsurface flow patterns which contributed to increased transient storage, and changes to hyporheic exchange in areas affected by logjams.
HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Sequential surface and subsurface flow modeling in a tropical aquifer under different rainfall scenarios
This paper demonstrates how HGS is flexible enough to model specific regions/domains of interest (i.e. including discrete fracture networks, but without integrated surface hydrology) and can be used in conjunction with other hydrologic modelling platforms.