Delineation of water flow paths in a tropical Andean headwater catchment with deep soils and permeable bedrock

Traditional hydrometric data combined with environmental tracers such as water stable isotopes contributes to improve the understanding of catchment hydrology. Nevertheless, application isotopic in headwater catchments tropical Andes deep soils and permeable parent material influenced by recent volcanism remains limited. In this study, composition precipitation, soil water, wetlands, streamflow was studied provide insights into hydrology a small Andean volcanic soils, ash layers, fractured bedrock resulting from Holocene activity. Although local precipitation forms under equilibrium conditions, is atmospheric moisture recycling processes. The spatial temporal variability signals analysis inverse transit time proxies (ITTPs) surface (streamflow) subsurface (soil wetlands) waters indicate that vertical flow paths through are dominant across catchment. strongly damped these points high wetlands storage, increasing or age stream hydrological system. These findings mobilizing paths–that is, cracks volcanism–is main contributor generation. Comparison previously published work other areas shows diversity conditions can be found result pedological lithological differences shaped Therefore, site-specific strategies may needed resources management.