Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment

L. Holko, J. Hlavco, M. Danko and Z. Kostka:

Spatial Variability of Precipitation and Hydrological Response of a Mountain Catchment

Summary

Spatial variability of rainfall and contribution of two main subcatchments to catchment runoff in the mountain catchment of the Jalovecký creek (the Western Carpathians) were studied in June–September 2013 (dry summer) and 2014 (wet summer). The catchment is representative for the highest part of the Carpathian Mountains. Thirteen rain gauges located at altitudes 570–1900 m a.s.l. showed that altitude was often not a very good descriptor of precipitation at a particular site. Precipitation causing runoff response at catchment outlet which hit only part of the catchment was not observed. Hydraulic conductivity of the soil surface was in most cases higher than rainfall intensity. Electrical conductivity, stable isotopes and dissolved silica along with discharge and water table data revealed that the stream water at catchment outlet is more similar to the water coming from the left subcatchment. Contribution of that subcatchment to total runoff measured at catchment outlet is about 60 %. Key words: Altitude gradients of precipitation, mountains, catchment response.