https://hdl.handle.net/10481/14748 2026-04-04T21:15:56Z 2026-04-04T21:15:56Z Herrero, Javier Galván, Laura Fernández de Villarán, Rubén Gulliver Acevedo, Zacarías López Padilla, Sergio Pulido Velázquez, David Rueda Valdivia, Francisco José https://hdl.handle.net/10481/112413 2026-03-24T08:21:25Z

Comparison of a Semi-Distributed Empirical Model and a Distributed Physical Model in a Snow-Covered Mediterranean Catchment under Climate Change Scenarios Herrero, Javier; Galván, Laura; Fernández de Villarán, Rubén; Gulliver Acevedo, Zacarías; López Padilla, Sergio; Pulido Velázquez, David; Rueda Valdivia, Francisco José This research has been supported by Grant TED2021-130744B-C22 funded by MICIU/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 and by the European Union Next GenerationEU/ PRTR

Gulliver Acevedo, Zacarías López Padilla, Sergio Herrero, Javier Collados Lara, Antonio Juan García Valdecasas Ojeda, Matilde María del Valle Ramón Casañas, Cintia Luz Esteban Parra, María Jesús Pulido Velázquez, David Rueda Valdivia, Francisco José https://hdl.handle.net/10481/112412 2026-03-24T08:14:21Z

Long-term water temperature modelling in semi-arid alpine basins Gulliver Acevedo, Zacarías; López Padilla, Sergio; Herrero, Javier; Collados Lara, Antonio Juan; García Valdecasas Ojeda, Matilde María del Valle; Ramón Casañas, Cintia Luz; Esteban Parra, María Jesús; Pulido Velázquez, David; Rueda Valdivia, Francisco José Temperature plays a critical role in the functioning of river ecosystems. Hence, understanding the processes that control water temperature in river networks across daily to multi-year scales is important when trying to manage river thermal regimes. This is particularly urgent in alpine semi-arid basins with substantial human impact, and, especially within the context of global change, where river ecosystem integrity is at risk. A process-based model has been developed to simulate water temperature in lakes and rivers at a regional (watershed) scale. The physically based and fully distributed hydrological model provides comprehensive hydrological and hydraulic simulations of river flow, including contributions from snowmelt, groundwater, and direct runoff at each node of the network. Additionally, the model accounts for the discharge of urban wastewater at its respective nodes. To overcome the computational cost and numerical problems associated with Eulerian methods in long-term simulations, the model uses a semi-Lagrangian approach to discretize the one-dimensional heat conservation equations in river reaches. Reservoir stratification and withdrawal temperatures are simulated with a 1D Lagrangian model (General Lake Model). This methodology ensures the accurate and detailed simulation of water temperature dynamics in rivers by integrating meteorological, hydrological, and hydraulic data, along with the impact of urban wastewater discharges and reservoir outflows. The model is applied to simulate water temperature in a small semi-alpine watershed upstream of the city of Granada that includes two water-supply reservoirs (Canales and Quéntar). Autonomous temperature sensors deployed at different sites are used for model validation. The model is forced with climate databases (reanalysis, regional climate simulation conducted with WRF, and measured data bases) and used in hindcast/forecast exercises to assess the impact of climate change on the thermal regime of inland waters. This research has been supported by the project: STAGES-IPCC (TED2021-130744B-C22) from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities

Herrero, Javier Gulliver Acevedo, Zacarías Collados Lara, Antonio Juan García Valdecasas Ojeda, Matilde María del Valle Sánchez Membrives, Antonio Ramón Casañas, Cintia Luz Esteban Parra, María Jesús Pulido Velázquez, David Rueda Valdivia, Francisco José https://hdl.handle.net/10481/112409 2026-03-24T08:04:15Z

Assessing Impacts of Climate Change on surface water temperatures in semi-arid alpine basins Herrero, Javier; Gulliver Acevedo, Zacarías; Collados Lara, Antonio Juan; García Valdecasas Ojeda, Matilde María del Valle; Sánchez Membrives, Antonio; Ramón Casañas, Cintia Luz; Esteban Parra, María Jesús; Pulido Velázquez, David; Rueda Valdivia, Francisco José Temperature plays a critical role in the functioning of inland aquatic ecosystems. The metabolic rates of aquatic organisms, their productivity, and, more broadly, the rates of biogeochemical processes are largely determined by water temperature. Hence, understanding the processes that govern temperature in water bodies in response to external factors across daily to multi-year scales is essential. This is particularly urgent in alpine semi-arid basins with substantial human impact and strong influence of snow dynamics, and, especially within the context of global change, where ecosystem integrity is at risk. A process-based model has been developed to simulate water temperature in lakes and rivers at a regional (watershed) scale. The simulation algorithms are tested in the small alpine watershed of the River Genil, upstream of the city of Granada, which includes two water-supply reservoirs (Canales and Quéntar). Urban water demand largely determines withdrawal rates from these reservoirs, thus affecting the thermal dynamics in the water column and downstream reaches. Autonomous temperature sensors have been deployed at different sites and programmed to record hourly data. The model is forced with climate databases (reanalysis, regional climate simulation, and measured data sets) and used in hindcast/forecast exercises to assess the impact of climate change on the thermal regime of inland waters. This research has been supported by Grant TED2021-130744B-C22 funded by MICIU/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 and by the European Union Next Generation.

Ramos Escudero, Adela Toledo, Carlos Gómez-Gómez, Juan-de-Dios Bloemendal, Martin Collados Lara, Antonio J. Pulido Velázquez, David https://hdl.handle.net/10481/112087 2026-03-12T13:04:38Z

Spatial assessment of groundwater variability and drought impacts on ATES system suitability in Spain Ramos Escudero, Adela; Toledo, Carlos; Gómez-Gómez, Juan-de-Dios; Bloemendal, Martin; Collados Lara, Antonio J.; Pulido Velázquez, David Study region This study is conducted across groundwater bodies within mainland Spain, as defined under the European Water Framework Directive. Study focus We conduct a preliminary, national-scale assessment of groundwater-body suitability for Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) in Spain from a water-energy nexus perspective. The methodology is based on two complementary indicators derived from long-term piezometric records: (i) a Drought Stress Response Index (DSRI), reflecting aquifer reliability, resilience, and vulnerability over decadal time scales, and (ii) groundwater-level variability and long-term trends as proxies for hydraulic stability. Together, these indicators support a first-order screening of groundwater bodies from less suitable to more suitable conditions for ATES operation. New hydrological insight of the region The analysis of drought-response indicators reveals clear spatial patterns in aquifer vulnerability, resilience, and reliability across Spain, with only weak correlations with mean groundwater levels. Groundwater-level amplitude and trend analyses indicate that unstable conditions are concentrated in southern and eastern Spain, whereas northern regions generally exhibit more stable regimes. Building on these indicators, the results reveal pronounced spatial contrasts in ATES suitability, with generally more favorable conditions in northern regions and lower suitability in large parts of southeastern Spain, while extensive areas with intermediate suitability are also identified. Based on this national-scale screening, the study provides a preliminary assessment of ATES suitability for the main Spanish urban areas, offering an initial indication of where groundwater conditions are more or less favorable for ATES deployment.

MacIntyre, Sally Crowe, Adam T. Cortés Cortés, Alicia Arneborg, Lars https://hdl.handle.net/10481/111132 2026-02-18T07:47:06Z

Turbulence in a small arctic pond MacIntyre, Sally; Crowe, Adam T.; Cortés Cortés, Alicia; Arneborg, Lars Small ponds, numerous throughout the Arctic, are often supersaturated with climate-forcing trace gases. Improving estimates of emissions requires quantifying (1) their mixing dynamics and (2) near-surface turbulence which would enable emissions. To this end, we instrumented an arctic pond (510 m2, 1 m deep) with a meteorological station, a thermistor array, and a vertically oriented acoustic Doppler velocimeter. We contrasted measured turbulence, as the rate of dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy, ε, with values predicted from Monin–Obukhov similarity theory (MOST) based on wind shear as u*w, the water friction velocity, and buoyancy flux, β, under cooling. Stratification varied over diel cycles; the thermocline upwelled as winds changed allowing ventilation of near-bottom water. Near-surface temperature stratification was up to 7°C per meter. With respect to predictions from MOST: (1) With positive β under heating and strong near-surface stratification, turbulence was suppressed; (2) under heating with moderate stratification and under cooling with light to moderate winds, measured ε was in agreement with MOST; (3) under cooling with no wind and when surface currents had ceased, as occurred 20% of the time, turbulence was measurable and predicted from β. Near-surface turbulence was enhanced under cooling and light winds relative to that under a neutral atmosphere due to higher values of drag coefficients under unstable atmospheres. Small ponds are dynamic systems with wind-induced thermocline tilting enabling vertical exchanges. Near-surface turbulence, similar to that in larger systems, can be computed from surface meteorology enabling accurate estimates of gas transfer coefficients and emissions.