In this paper catchments are conceptualised as linear space-time filters. Catchment area A is interpreted as the spatial support and the catchment response time T is interpreted as the temporal support of the runoff measurements. These two supports are related by T∼A which embodies the space-time connections of the rainfall-runoff process from a geostatistical perspective. To test the framework...

Catchment-scale land-use change is recognised as a major threat to aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem functioning globally. In the UK uplands rotational vegetation burning is practised widely to boost production of recreational game birds, and while some recent studies have suggested burning can alter river water quality there has been minimal attention paid to effects on aquatic biota. We stud...

A main limitation of using conceptual models for predicting flow in ungauged catchments is the errors in identified relationships between calibrated conceptual parameters and known (or estimated) catchment descriptors. It is hypothesised here that these errors may be reduced if the modeller does not explicitly identify relationships, but applies all feasible models within a Bayesian averaging s...

these four event types on the high-elevation Altiplano-Puna Plateau as well as in the main river catchments along the foothills of the Andes. Our results suggest that one to two particularly large squall lines per season, originating from northern Brazil, indirectly trigger large, long-lasting thunderstorms on the Altiplano Plateau. In general, we observe that extreme rainfall in the catchments...

Small streams with catchment areas <2 km2 make up the majority of all stream length and are of great ecological importance. Surveys of first and second order streams reveal great spatial and temporal variability in the water chemistry of these headwaters, but their assessment presents a serious challenge since systematic, representative data are usually only collected in larger streams and rive...

Budyko (1974) postulated that long-term catchment water balance is controlled to first order by the available water and energy. This leads to the interesting question of how do landscape characteristics (soils, geology, vegetation) and climate properties (precipitation, potential evaporation, number of wet and dry days) interact at the catchment scale to produce such a simple and predictable ou...

Urban catchments in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are increasingly becoming a major source of phosphorus (P) to downstream ecosystems. This is primarily due to large inputs of untreated wastewater to urban drainage channels, especially in informal settlements (or slums). However, the processes governing the fate of P in these catchments are largely unknown. In this study, these processes are investi...

Design hydrographs are important for the design of hydraulic structures such as spillways and retention ponds. Due to the lack of the local data, engineers have to estimate design floods based on techniques which are able to predict runoff based on rainfall on a regional basis. In this study, Clark instantaneous unit hydrographs are used to predict design flood hydrographs for the selected catc...

Human-induced changes to river loads of nutrients and sediments pose a significant threat to marine ecosystems. Ongoing land-use change can further increase these loads, and amplify the impacts of land-based threats on vulnerable marine ecosystems. Consequently, there is a need to assess these threats and prioritise actions to mitigate their impacts. A key question regarding prioritisation is w...

The parameters of hydrological models for catchments with few or no discharge records can be estimated using regional information. One can assume that catchments with similar characteristics show a similar hydrological behaviour and thus can be modeled using similar model parameters. Therefore a regionalisation of the hydrological model parameters on the basis of catchment characteristics is pl...