Name
A Resilience Framework for Physical Hydrology
Date & Time
Wednesday, May 10, 2023, 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Description
Hydrological systems across the globe are increasingly subjected to pressures from a warming climate and anthropogenic disturbance. Responses to stress can be nonlinear and variable; therefore, it is imperative to improve understanding of resilience and tipping points of these systems. Previous applications of resilience concepts to physical hydrology have been disconnected, and an increasing range of definitions and approaches has often led to improper applications of resilience within hydrology. Here, we synthesize relevant literature, propose a framework for hydrologic resilience, and identify four key components that must be part of a robust application of resilience for physical hydrology. Any evaluation of resilience should, 1) evaluate hydrological function; 2) assess physical hydrological systems for both resistance and latitude; 3) identify and justify a baseline regime; and 4) evaluate important perturbations and processes and how they interact to manifest into resistance, latitude, and tipping points. The framework is applied to a case study of the Elbow River in Alberta, Canada, using baseline (1979-2015) and future (2050-2080) conditions. Two key hydrological processes, snow accumulation and streamflow, are found to have low resistance to winter duration and late spring precipitation, respectively. The collection function is resilient to a warmer, wetter climate due to a large latitude in relation to air temperatures, while the release function is not resilient, shifting from a streamflow- toward an evapotranspiration-dominated regime in the future. Results of resilience studies can improve environmental monitoring and evaluation programs and complement social-ecological resilience frameworks and water management strategies.
Location Name
Lynx
Full Address
Banff Park Lodge Resort Hotel & Conference Centre
201 Lynx St
Banff AB T1L 1K5
Canada
Abstract
Hydrological systems across the globe are increasingly subjected to pressures from a warming climate and anthropogenic disturbance. Responses to stress can be nonlinear and variable; therefore, it is imperative to improve understanding of resilience and tipping points of these systems. Previous applications of resilience concepts to physical hydrology have been disconnected, and an increasing range of definitions and approaches has often led to improper applications of resilience within hydrology. Here, we synthesize relevant literature, propose a framework for hydrologic resilience, and identify four key components that must be part of a robust application of resilience for physical hydrology. Any evaluation of resilience should, 1) evaluate hydrological function; 2) assess physical hydrological systems for both resistance and latitude; 3) identify and justify a baseline regime; and 4) evaluate important perturbations and processes and how they interact to manifest into resistance, latitude, and tipping points. The framework is applied to a case study of the Elbow River in Alberta, Canada, using baseline (1979-2015) and future (2050-2080) conditions. Two key hydrological processes, snow accumulation and streamflow, are found to have low resistance to winter duration and late spring precipitation, respectively. The collection function is resilient to a warmer, wetter climate due to a large latitude in relation to air temperatures, while the release function is not resilient, shifting from a streamflow- toward an evapotranspiration-dominated regime in the future. Results of resilience studies can improve environmental monitoring and evaluation programs and complement social-ecological resilience frameworks and water management strategies.
Session Type
Breakout Session