Investigating Thermal Controls on the Hyporheic Flux as Evaluated Using Numerical Modeling of Flume-Derived Data

The flux of water through the hyporheic zone (HZ) is controlled by stream bedforms, sinuosity, surface velocity, local table, seasonality, and hydraulic conductivity (K) bed material. Dependent on both kinematic viscosity density water, K values are a function temperature. In most studies, changes in temperature have been neglected because limited effect either or has values. However, these variations important given role HZ flux, which lead to hypothesis that flow into would be more efficient (faster rate greater depth) under warmer conditions than cool conditions. To discern how affects depth HZ, VS2DHI simulations were created map warm thermal models employed data collected from series varying hydrologic flume tests effects altering variables such as velocity volume, bed-forms controlled. Results verify larger generating deeper pathways, while smaller produced shallower pathways. confirmed faster speed frontal movement cool. Péclet numbers revealed advective extinction opposed warm.