The bedrock under Griesgletscher is formed in a bowled-shaped cavity, an overdeepening. This is known to affect the flow of ice and subglacial water by causing inefficient drainage through the overdeepening. This report aims to, from field data, investigate what further consequences overdeepenings might have for subglacial drainage mechanisms and seasonal evolution. A field campaign was performed at Griesgletscher, Switzerland, during the summer 2017. Turbidity, discharge and electrical conductivity were monitored in a proglacial stream throughout the ablation season. 115 water samples were collected for calibration of the turbidity measurements and the relationship between the concentration of suspended sediments in the meltwater and the magnitude of discharge was investigated through simple and multiple linear regression. In addition, ten tracer experiments were conducted by injecting dye in moulins on the glacier tongue, and measuring the fluorescence of the water in the proglacial streams. The results obtained during the field campaign suggest that the main part of the overdeepened area at Griesgletscher is drained via a lateral channel passing around the overdeepening and that subglacial water from the overdeepening is drained at times of high discharge. The driving force for drainage of subglacial water from the overdeepening is suggested to be the gradient created from rising water pressure in the ice above the overdeepening. Results further suggest that subglacial drainage at a part of the adverse slope is inefficient and remains inefficient throughout the ablation season. This differs from the seasonal evolution normally seen at nonoverdeepened glaciers, in which an efficient, channelized system evolves during the course of the season. / Formen på berggrunden under en glaciär är avgörande för flödet av smältvatten och is. Det är vanligt att berggrunden under en glaciär utgör en skålformad fördjupning kallad överfördjupning. Det är sedan tidigare känt att flödet genom överfördjupningar är begränsat och forskning tyder på att smältvatten tenderar att välja kanaler över eller runt överfördjupningen i de fall då sådana finns tillgängliga. Många frågor kvarstår dock gällande vilken betydelse överfördjupningar har för det subglaciala dräneringssystemet och dess säsongsutveckling och antalet fältstudier som berör ämnet är få. Den här rapporten syftar till att, från fältdata, tillföra kunskap om överfördjupningars inverkan på subglacial dränering. Under sommaren 2017 utfördes en fältstudie på Griesgletscher, en överfördjupad glaciär belägen i de Schweiziska alperna. Turbiditet, elektrisk konduktivitet och flöde mättes i en av de proglaciära smältbäckarna. 115 vattenprover samlades in för bestämning av koncentrationen suspenderade sediment och användes för att omvandla mätningar av turbiditet till koncentration av suspenderade sediment. Relationen mellan transport av suspenderade sediment och flöde kunde sedan undersökas genom enkel och multipel linjär regression. I tillägg utfördes tio försök då ett fluorescerande spårämne injicerades i en moulin på glaciärtungan och fluorescensen mättes i smältbäckarna som avrinner från Griesgletscher. Utifrån resultaten kunde Griesgletschers dräneringssystem och dess utveckling kartläggas. De resultat som uppnåtts under fältstudien tyder på att det överfördjupade området av Griesgletscher i huvudsak dräneras via en sidokanal som passerar runt överfördjupningen samt att subglacialt vatten från överfördjupningen främst dräneras vid högt flöde. Drivkraften för dränering av subglacialt vattnet från överfördjupningen föreslås vara den gradient som skapas vid hög avrinning, då vattentrycket i isen ovanför överfördjupningen stiger. Resultatet från de regressionsanalyser som utförts visade sig vara representativt enbart för en del av det överfördjupade området. Tolkningar av resultaten tyder på att det subglaciala dräneringssystemet i detta område var ineffektivt att evakuera smältvatten och förblev ineffektivt under hela smältsäsongen. Detta skiljer sig från den säsongsmässiga utvecklingen som normalt kan ses på glaciärer utan överfördjupning, där ett effektivt kanaliserat dräneringssystem utvecklas under sommaren. Slutligen kunde graden av flöde fastställas som den viktigaste drivvariabeln för koncentrationen av suspenderade sediment i smältvattnet tillsammans med förändringen av flöde, tidigare koncentration av suspenderade sediment och nederbörd.

Land and water resources degradation are the major problems on the Ethiopian highlands. Poor land use practices and improper management systems have played a significant role in causing high soil erosion rates, sediment transport and loss of agricultural nutrients. So far limited meas-ures have been taken to combat the problems. In this study a physically based watershed model, SWAT2005 was applied to the Northern Highlands of Ethiopia for modelling of the hydrology and sediment yield. The main objective of this study was to test the performance and feasibility of SWAT2005 model to examine the influence of topography, land use, soil and climatic condi-tion on streamflows, soil erosion and sediment yield. The model was calibrated and validated on four tributaries of Lake Tana as well as Anjeni watershed using SUFI-2, GLUE and ParaSol algo-rithms. SWAT and GIS based decision support system (MCE analysis) were also used to identify the most erosion prone areas in the Lake Tana Basin. Streamflows are more sensitive to the hy-drological response unites definition thresholds than subbasin discretization. Prediction of sedi-ment yield is highly sensitive to subbasin size and slope discretization. Baseflow is an important component of the total discharge within the study area that contributes more than the surface runoff. There is a good agreement between the measured and simulated flows and sediment yields with higher values of coefficients of determination and Nash Sutcliffe efficiency. The an-nual average measured sediment yield in Anjeni watershed was 24.6 tonnes/ha. The annual aver-age simulated sediment yield was 27.8 and 29.5 tonnes/ha for calibration and validation periods, respectively. The SWAT model indicated that 18.5 % of the Lake Tana Basin is erosion potential areas. Whereas the MCE result indicated that 25.5 % of the basin are erosion potential areas. The calibrated model can be used for further analysis of the effect of climate and land use change as well as other different management scenarios on streamflows and soil erosion. The result of the study could help different stakeholders to plan and implement appropriate soil and water conser-vation strategies. / QC 20101123

From the Proceedings of the 1974 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona Academy of Science - April 19-20, 1974, Flagstaff, Arizona / An erosion prediction method that has recently received wide attention in the United States is the universal soil loss equation which is given as: a=rklscp. Where a = estimated soil loss (tons/acre/year), r = a rainfall factor, k = a soil erodibility factor, l = a slope length factor, s = a slope gradient factor, c = a cropping-management factor, and p = an erosion control practice factor. Data collected on the walnut gulch experimental watershed in southeastern Arizona were used to estimate these factors for semiarid rangeland conditions. The equation was then tested with data from watersheds of 108 and 372 acres. The predicted value of annual sediment yield was 1.29 tons/acre/year as compared with an average 1.64 tons/acre/year for 4 years of data for the 108-acre watershed, and a sediment yield of 0.39 tons/acre/year was predicted for the 372-acre watershed as compared with the measured value of 0.52 tons/acre/year. Although good agreement was noted between predicted and actual sediment yield, additional work is needed before the equation can be applied to other areas of the southwest.

Die Dissertation erforscht die Unsicherheit, Sensitivität und Grenzen großskaliger Erosionsmodelle. Die Modellierung basiert auf der allgemeinen Bodenabtragsgleichung (ABAG), Sedimenteintragsverhältnissen (SDR) und europäischen Daten. Für mehrere Regionen Europas wird die Bedeutung der Unsicherheit topographischer Modellparameter, ABAG-Faktoren und kritischer Schwebstofffrachten für die Anwendbarkeit empirischer Modelle zur Beschreibung von Sedimentfrachten und SDR von Flusseinzugsgebieten untersucht. Der Vergleich alternativer Modellparameter sowie Kalibrierungs- und Validierungsdaten zeigt, dass schon grundlegende Modellentscheidungen mit großen Unsicherheiten behaftet sind. Zur Vermeidung falscher Modellvorhersagen sind kalibrierte Modelle genau zu dokumentieren. Auch wenn die geschickte Wahl nicht-topographischer Algorithmen die Modellgüte regionaler Anwendungen verbessern kann, so gibt es nicht die generell beste Lösung. Die Ergebnisse zeigen auch, dass SDR-Modelle stets mit Sedimentfrachten und SDR kalibriert und evaluiert werden sollten. Mit diesem Ansatz werden eine neue europäische Bodenabtragskarte und ein verbessertes SDR-Modell für Einzugsgebiete nördlich der Alpen und in Südosteuropa abgeleitet. In anderen Regionen Europas ist das SDR-Modell bedingt nutzbar. Die Studien zur jährlichen Variabilität der Bodenerosion zeigen, dass jahreszeitlich gewichtete Niederschlagsdaten geeigneter als ungewichtete sind. Trotz zufriedenstellender Modellergebnisse überwinden weder sorgfältige Algorithmenwahl noch Modellverbesserungen die Grenzen europaweiter SDR-Modelle. Diese bestehen aus der Diskrepanz zwischen modellierten Bodenabtrags- und maßgeblich zur beobachteten bzw. kritischen Sedimentfracht beitragenden Prozessen sowie der außergewöhnlich hohen Sedimentmobilisierung durch Hochwässer. Die Integration von nicht von der ABAG beschriebenen Prozessen und von Starkregentagen sowie die Disaggregation kritischer Frachten sollte daher weiter erforscht werden. / This dissertation thesis addresses the uncertainty, sensitivity and limitations of large-scale erosion models. The modelling framework consists of the universal soil loss equation (USLE), sediment delivery ratios (SDR) and European data. For several European regions, the relevance of the uncertainty in topographic model parameters, USLE factors and critical yields of suspended solids for the applicability of empirical models to predict sediment yields and SDR of river catchments is systematically evaluated. The comparison of alternative model parameters as well as calibration and validation data shows that even basic modelling decisions are associated with great uncertainties. Consequently, calibrated models have to be well-documented to avoid misapplication. Although careful choices of non-topographic algorithms can also be helpful to improve the model quality in regional applications, there is no definitive universal solution. The results also show that SDR models should always be calibrated and evaluated against sediment yields and SDR. With this approach, a new European soil loss map and an improved SDR model for river catchments north of the Alps and in Southeast Europe are derived. For other parts of Europe, the SDR model is of limited use. The studies on the annual variability of soil erosion reveal that seasonally weighted rainfall data is more appropriate than unweighted data. Despite satisfactory model results, neither the careful algorithm choice nor model improvements overcome the limitations of pan-European SDR models. These limitations are related to the mismatch of modelled soil loss processes and the relevant processes contributing to the observed or critical sediment load as well as the extraordinary sediment mobilisation during floods. Therefore, further research on integrating non-USLE processes and heavy-rainfall data as well as on disaggregating critical yields is needed.

From the Proceedings of the 1971 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona Academy of Science - April 22-23, 1971, Tempe, Arizona / Previous studies have indicated that blue-green algae may affect runoff, infiltration and erosion at soil surfaces. Using soil plots upon which blue-green algae were grown under an artificial wetting regime, studies were made using simulated rainfall. A 30% clay content Pima soil and a contrasting 8% clay content river-bottom anthony soil were used. Scytonema hoffmanii and Microcoleus vaginatus grew on the pima soil while Schizothrix calcicola developed on the Anthony soil. The results showed that blue-green algal growths significantly reduced the amount of suspended soil material in runoff water as compared with bare soils. Differences in runoff suspended sediments were also related to differences in soil type and simulated rainfall intensity. An analysis of variance of the effects of these 3 factors and their interactions showed that the smaller differences in suspended sediment production on the Anthony soil due to the microvegetation treatment was verified by a highly significant soils-microvegetation interaction, probably because the finer pima soils wash away more easily without stabilizing microvegetation. Also, less vegetation seems to grow on the Anthony soil. Differences in runoff and infiltration volumes and in settleable sediment amounts were not detected.

From the Proceedings of the 1973 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona Academy of Science - May 4-5, 1973, Tucson, Arizona / Five livestock watering ponds on the walnut gulch experimental watershed were instrumented to evaluate the use of these ponds as a method for comparing rainfall amounts with runoff sediment volumes. Pond drainage area, vegetative cover, soil type, percent slope, and years of record were tested. Instrumentation consisted of water level recorders, and a topographic survey of each stock pond to ascertain its storage capacity. The results to date have been insufficient to reach definite conclusions due to instrumentation and surveying problems, and because of the natural variability of thunderstorm rainfall. Since most of these problems have now been corrected, future data should yield valuable hydrologic data for semiarid rangelands by means of these instrumented stock ponds.

From the Proceedings of the 1977 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona Academy of Science - April 15-16, 1977, Las Vegas, Nevada / Increased nutritional and economic demands for agricultural products have dictated the need for greater and more efficient use of western grass forage. Vegetation manipulation is the quickest and most economical means of increasing forage. However , the hydrologic effects must be taken into consideration before embarking on a large scale vegetation manipulated program. This study discusses the hydrologic and erosion changes measured from a 110-acre semiarid watershed which was converted from brush to grass by root plowing and seeding. Significant changes were observed in rainfall-runoff relationships as average summer runoff was considerably in excess of predictions. Sediment yield also varied, and both of these results were tied to the change in vegetative cover and post conversion rainfall conditions.

From the Proceedings of the 1978 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona Academy of Science - April 14-15, 1978, Flagstaff, Arizona / Sediment is widely recognized as a significant pollutant affecting water quality. To assess the impact of land use and management practices upon sediment yield from upland areas, it is necessary to predict erosion and sediment yield as functions of runoff, soil characteristics such as erodibility, and watershed characteristics. The combined runoff-erosion process on upland areas was modeled as overland flow on a plane, with rill and interrill erosion. Solutions to the model were previously obtained for sediment concentration in overland flow, and the combined runoff-erosion model was tested using observed runoff and sediment data. In this paper, the equations are integrated to produce a relationship between volume of runoff and total sediment yield for a given storm. The sediment yield equation is linear in runoff volume, but nonlinear in distance and, thus, watershed area. Parameters of the sediment yield equation include the hydraulic resistance parameter, rill and interrill erodibility terms, and flow depth-detachment coefficient and exponent.

From the Proceedings of the 1978 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona Academy of Science - April 14-15, 1978, Flagstaff, Arizona / Water yield studies and flood control surveys often necessitate estimating transmission losses from ungaged watersheds. There is an immediate need for an economical method that provides the required accuracy. Analysis of relations between stream order, drainage area, and volume of channel alluvium existing in the various orders is one means of estimating loss potential. Data needed for the stream order survey are taken from aerial photos. Stream order is analyzed using stereophoto maps. Stream lengths taken from the maps are combined with average channel width and depth data (determined by prior surveys) to estimate volumes of alluvium involved. The volume of channel alluvium in a drainage network is directly related to the stream order number of its channels. Thus, a volume of alluvium within a drainage network (with a known transmission loss potential) may be estimated by knowing the order of each length of channel and the drainage areas involved. In analyzing drainage areas of 56-mi² or less, 70 to 75 percent of the total drainage network length is contained within first and second order channels; yet, these constitute less than 10 percent of the total transmission loss potential of the areas. Analysis of stream order and drainage area versus volume of alluvium relations allows preliminary estimates of transmission loss potential to be made for ungaged areas.

From the Proceedings of the 1974 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona Academy of Science - April 19-20, 1974, Flagstaff, Arizona / A stochastic model is presented for the prediction of sediment yield in a semi-arid watershed based on rainfall data and watershed characteristics. Random variables which lead to uncertainty in the model are rainfall amount, storm duration, runoff, and peak flow. Soil conservation service formulas are used to compute the runoff and peak flow components of the universal soil loss equation, and a transformation of random variables is used to obtain the distribution function of sediment yield from the joint distribution of rainfall amount and storm duration. Applications of the model are in the planning of reservoirs and dams where the effective lifetime of the facility may be evaluated in terms of storage capacity as well as the effects of land management of the watershed. In order to calibrate the model and to evaluate the uncertainties involved, experimental data from the Atterbury watershed near Tucson, Arizona were used.