The snowmelt period in a Mediterranean High Mountain Catchmentrunoff and sediment transport

  1. Lana-Renault Monreal, Noemí 12
  2. Alvera Quirós, Bernardo 2
  3. García Ruiz, José María 2
  1. 1 Utrech University
  2. 2 Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología
    info

    Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología

    Zaragoza, España

    ROR https://ror.org/039ssy097

Journal:
Cuadernos de investigación geográfica: Geographical Research Letters

ISSN: 0211-6820,  1697-9540

Year of publication: 2010

Volume: 36

Issue: 2

Pages: 99-108

Type: Article

DOI: 10.18172/CIG.1240 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openDialnet editor

More publications in: Cuadernos de investigación geográfica: Geographical Research Letters

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Abstract

Runoff and sediment transport during the snowmelt period (May June, 2004) in the Izas catchment (Central Pyrenees) were studied to obtain a sediment balance and to assess the relative importance of sediment transport during that period. The results demonstrated the importance of the snowmelt period and showed that most sediment was exported in the form of solutes (76% of the total for the May-June time span); 24% was exported as suspended sediment and no bedload was recorded. Suspended sediment mostly occurred during the second phase of the snowmelt period, when an expanding area of the catchment was free of snow. Sediment transport during the snowmelt period represented 43% of the annual sediment yield.

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