1Environment Canada, Water Science and Technology, National Water Research Institute Canada, Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington, ON, L7R 4A6, Canada.
2Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
*E-mail: ghosh.bobba@ec.gc.ca
Surface water - groundwater (SW-GW) interaction lengthens hydraulic residence times, increases contact between solutes and biologically active surfaces, and often creates a gradient of redox conditions conducive to an array of bio-geochemical processes. As such, the interaction of hydraulic patterns and bio-geochemical activity is suspected to be an important determinant of elemental spiraling in streams. Hydrologic interactions may be particularly important in stream floodplains, where the extent of surface water-ground water mixing environment (i.e., hyporheic zone) is proportionately greater than in rivers. This study discusses nutrient spiraling, presents a conceptual model of nutrient retention in streams and uses both of these issues to generate specific research questions and testable hypotheses regarding nutrient dynamics in streams.
Surface water - groundwater interaction, flood plains, hyporheic zone, conceptual model, numerical model
