Water and energy limits for basin characteristics

Famous Budyko curve which separates zones with energy limits and water limites

Macroscale water fluxes 2. Water and energy supply control of their interannual variability

The authors investigated the long-term explaination of monthly anomaly of precipitation, runoff (not lagged to distinguish runoff and discharge), and net radiation.

  1. Runoff anomalies of humid basins should be independent of the seasonal distribution of the precipitation anomaly. (In humid regions, 70%-80% of runoff variance is explained by annual precipitation)
  2. the increase in runoff caused by a positive precipitation anomaly is amplified by an accompanying decrease in surface net radiation, possibly induced by increased cloud cover

Multimodel Estimate of the Global Terrestrial Water Balance: Setup and First Results

This study articulates the framework of WaterMIP, analogy to CMIP. They intercompared 6 LSM and 5 GHM over the globe. Unsurprisingly, a large model spread is clear for different models. They recommend not only considering mutl-models for climate simulation, but also include uncertainty measures at the same time.

Global Earth System Model

The potential to reduce uncertainty in regional runoff projections from climate models (Nature Climate Change)

It tells the ESM runoff is highly biased and need cautions when directly using it for regional studies.

  1. uncertainty in projected runoff is even larger than uncertainty in precipitation in many regions
  2. It is unclear why diverse biases across ESM.

Flow intermettence

Global prevalence of non-perennial rivers and streams Nature

Authors use predictive tools (data-driven), to map the probability of flow intermettence over the globe. Importantly, they rethink the importance of non-perennial, even challenge that traditional continuum-based hydrologic models overlook the nature of in-continuous flow. “ temporary fragmentation by seasonal drying is a widespread phenomenon on Earth”

They also put forward recommendations. For instance, to explore the regime change in terms of intermettence under a changing climate. Say, how many reaches with non-perennial feature will turn to perennial?