Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment

R. Kirnbauer, P. Chifflard, P. Haas and B. Zillgens:

Runoff generation in an alpine research catchment – methods, results, data base

Summary

In the alpine research catchment Löhnersbach (Austria, province of Salzburg), runoff generation processes were investigated from 1991 to 2005 at different scales (7 ha to 150 km²) in a hierarchical, nested observation network. This paper gives an overview of the investigations performed, results achieved and data collected. Conventional rainfall runoff observations were combined with irrigation experiments, geophysical exploration and artificial tracer methods. Catchment characteristics (topography, vegetation, soils, hydrogeology and lithosphere) were mapped in addition to the hydrometeorological observations, directed towards a better understanding of surface and subsurface runoff processes. A two-parts catchment model was derived and subject to a multi-site validation. All data are incorporated in a database and available for further research. Key words: Saturation areas, surface and subsurface flow, hydrological modelling.