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Article
Assessing streamflow sensitivity to temperature increases in the Salmon River Basin, Idaho
Global and Planetary Change (2012)
  • Joseph M. Wheaton, Utah State University
Abstract
Increased temperatures are occurring in the Salmon River Basin (SRB) of Idaho and are anticipated to continue increasing in the future, leading to complex changes in climate and water resources. To address these concerns, the objective of this study was to evaluate streamflow changes/sensitivity when temperatures increase. A hydrological model, the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model, was applied to simulate streamflow under thirty temperature increase scenarios (i.e., rising 0.1 °C per step to 3 °C). It was found that the annual mean streamflow decreased whenever temperatures increased in the SRB. Streamflow increases in winter and decreases in spring and summer but is barely affected by temperature in autumn. On a monthly basis, streamflow responses varied in response to rising temperatures. When temperature increased, the streamflow increase occurred from November to February, and it decreased from May to July...
Keywords
  • streamflow; temperature increase; hydrology model; spatial and temporal scales; center time
Publication Date
2012
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2012.03.002
Citation Information
Joseph M. Wheaton. "Assessing streamflow sensitivity to temperature increases in the Salmon River Basin, Idaho" Global and Planetary Change Vol. 88-89 (2012) p. 32 - 44
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/joseph_wheaton/93/