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Hydrological classification of non-perennial Mediterranean rivers and streams: a new insight for their management within the WFD
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  • Juan Diego Alcaraz-Hernández,
  • Joaquín Soler,
  • Gabriel Mezger,
  • Alfredo Corrochano Codorníu,
  • Belén Calleja Arriero,
  • Fernando Magdaleno
Juan Diego Alcaraz-Hernández
TRAGSATEC Group

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Joaquín Soler
TRAGSATEC Group
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Gabriel Mezger
TRAGSATEC Group
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Alfredo Corrochano Codorníu
TRAGSATEC Group
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Belén Calleja Arriero
Espana Ministerio para la Transicion Ecologica y el Reto Demografico
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Fernando Magdaleno
Espana Ministerio para la Transicion Ecologica y el Reto Demografico
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Abstract

Classification of natural flow regimes of non-perennial rivers and streams (NPRS) is an incipient field of research. NPRS represent approximately 70% of the total Mediterranean rivers and are expected to increase in the next decades as a result of climate change. Due to the ecological importance of NPRS and the need to improve national ecological assessment methods within the scope of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), this paper aims to classify the hydrological regime of 69 non-regulated streams, testing several hydrological indices related to the frequency, duration, timing, and rate of change in periods of flow cessation. Using daily flow records, a total of 315 indices were calculated and their relationships were examined with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for different thresholds used to define zero-flow condition set at 0, 1, 2, and 5 l/s. Redundancy analysis identified five indices that better describe the patterns of hydrological variability in Mediterranean NPRS: number of days per year without flow, annual percentage of months without flow, mean daily of annual flows, coefficient of variation of Julian date of the annual start of zero flow and annual rise rate. Using these indices, a self-organizing map (SOM) was trained in order to categorize the NPRS into three groups with similar hydrological features. The results of this study provide a statistically-based hydrological classification of NPRS in Mediterranean environments. We expect that this classification will provide useful insights to water authorities to improve the assessments of the ecological status in this set of water bodies.
04 Jul 2022Submitted to River Research and Applications
05 Jul 2022Submission Checks Completed
05 Jul 2022Assigned to Editor
08 Aug 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
10 Aug 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
26 Sep 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Major
03 Nov 20221st Revision Received
06 Nov 2022Submission Checks Completed
06 Nov 2022Assigned to Editor
06 Nov 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
06 Nov 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
04 Dec 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
12 Dec 20222nd Revision Received
13 Dec 2022Submission Checks Completed
13 Dec 2022Assigned to Editor
13 Dec 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
13 Dec 2022Editorial Decision: Accept