Effects of bed geometric characteristics on hyporheic exchange

Abstract

As an active ecotone between the surface stream and groundwater, hyporheic zone (HZ) plays a crucial role in hydrological and ecological processes. Previous numerical simulation and experimental studies have shown that hyporheic exchange can be affected not only by current but also by geometric characteristics of the streambed. However, the geometric characteristics that affect hyporheic exchange remain unclear. In this study, a one-way sequential coupling method was established to connect the river water flow and pore-water flow in the streambed. The change of flux at the interface, mass flux, depth, and area of hyporheic zone were investigated by altering the bed geometric characteristics, i.e. the depth, crest position, and shapes of bedforms. The results clearly demonstrate the following conclusions: (a) the hyporheic exchange flux, depth and area with wave-like bedform is greater than the triangular bedform. (b) The increase of the bed height accelerates the hyporheic exchange processes at the sediment–water interface. (c) A good linear relationship was found between the depth and area of the hyporheic zone. These results provide necessary theoretical understandings of hyporheic exchange, broadening the knowledge of mechanism of stream-streambed exchange processes.