Relationship between catchment scale and the spatial variability of stream discharge and chemistry in a catchment with multiple geologies

• DOI: 10.3178/hrl.7.12
• Publication Date: 2013-04-12T23:19:36Z
• Authors: Tomohiro Egusa; Nobuhito Ohte; Tomoki Oda; Masakazu Suzuki
• Keywords: Catchment area

This study investigated whether the representative elementary area (REA) concept can be adopted in catchments with multiple geologies. We observed stream discharge at 65 points and water chemistry 157 a 55 km2 catchment that included At observation uniform geology, became constant beyond about 1 granodiorite volcanic rocks. geologies, spatial variability remained large few square kilometers. SiO2 Mg2+ concentrations above 10 km2, but Ca2+ electrical conductivity did not become until km2. Our calculations revealed for areas of 1–17 almost all variables were explained by mixing based on geological percentages. However, greater than 17 values higher calculated values. Therefore, regions range REA single-parameter geology was confirmed. In our catchments, applicable to larger outside range.