the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Dynamics of snow melt infiltration into mountain soils: an instrumental approach in the Nant Valley, Swiss Alps
Abstract. To gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics of the contribution of snow melt to mountainous water cycles, it is necessary to better grasp the parameters controlling the infiltration of snow melt into mountainous soils. This research uniquely combines snow melt rate data with soil moisture dynamics, providing a comprehensive, three-year dataset. The integration of multiple measurement techniques and the estimation of the snow melt rate through the measurement of snow resistivity offer a new perspective on snow melt infiltration processes. The study area is located in the Nant Valley, Swiss Alps. Measurement points are distributed in mid to high elevations in various alpine environments. Besides demonstrating the instrumental setup, we also investigated the snowmelt-infiltration dynamics in the study area. Results indicate that, even though melt rates are considerably lower than soil saturated hydraulic conductivity values (with a ratio of 3.1x10-3 on average), the response times of shallow soil moisture and stream discharge to melt events is fast (from 2 to 5 hours). At the point measurement, snowmelt hardly infiltrates below 30 cm. These findings emphasize the potential vulnerability of mountain areas to dry periods in the future, particularly in the context of the expected shortening of the melt period due to climate change.
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CC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1832', Giacomo Medici, 27 Aug 2024
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General comments
Novel monitoring and excellent research in the field of hydrology. Please, follow my specific comments that can improve the manuscript.
Specific comments
Lines 13-14. “Since snowmelt infiltration toward the subsurface can contribute...mountainous regions”. Please, insert recent and relevant literature on snowmelt and infiltration in the subsurface in other mountainous regions:
- Lorenzi, V., Banzato, F., Barberio, M.D., Goeppert, N., Goldscheider, N., Gori, F., Lacchini, A., Manetta, M., Medici, G., Rusi, S. and Petitta, M., 2024. Tracking flowpaths in a complex karst system through tracer test and hydrogeochemical monitoring: Implications for groundwater protection (Gran Sasso, Italy). Heliyon, 10(2)
- Carroll, R.W., Deems, J.S., Niswonger, R., Schumer, R. and Williams, K.H., 2019. The importance of interflow to groundwater recharge in a snowmelt‐dominated headwater basin. Geophyisical Research Letters, 46(11), 5899-5908 .
Line 20. “illusive”, better unknown? This term is difficult to understand. Maybe try using more words instead of only one
Lines 64-78. Topography highs just above 2900. Have you got a bit of ice/glacier or just moraine?
Line 71. Please, provide age of the limestones. Mesozoic? Triassic and Jurassic?
Line 321. Lots of recent studies show that the snowmelt plays a key role on aquifer recharge. Above 1500 mASL the snowmelt can be the principal component of the groundwater replenishment. There are preferential flow pathways (e.g., roots or surfaces that devide soil zones with different porosities?) in the first centimetres of soil that have not been analysed here?
Lines 338-348. I can see 4 bulletin points in the conclusions, but 3 scientific questions in the introduction. Are the scientific questions actually 4? I suggest to revise the introduction.
Figures and tables
Figure 2. The white lines are unclear in the image / output. Revise the caption?
Figure 5. Numbers in the vertical axes are very difficult to read.
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1832-CC1
Data sets
Liquid water content, ice water content and density measured via the SnowMelt Instrument at Auberge station Judith Eeckman et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11580271
Soil study results at Vallon de Nant: Soil moisture and soil temperature time series and granulometry results Judith Eeckman et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10136586
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