Options
Impacts of agriculture and snow dynamics on catchment water balance in the U.S. and Great Britain
Publikationstyp
Journal Article
Date Issued
2024-12
Sprache
English
Author(s)
Zaerpour, Masoud
Ballarin, André S.
Knoben, Wouter J.M.
Journal
Communications Earth and Environment
Volume
5
Issue
1
Article Number
733
Citation
Communications Earth and Environment 5 (9): 733 (2024)
Publisher DOI
Scopus ID
The Budyko water balance is a fundamental concept in hydrology that links aridity to how precipitation is divided between evapotranspiration and streamflow. While the model is powerful, its ability to explain temporal changes and the influence of human activities and climate change is limited. Here we introduce a causal discovery algorithm to explore deviations from the Budyko water balance, attributing them to human interventions such as agricultural activities and snow dynamics. Our analysis of 1342 catchments across the U.S. and Great Britain reveals distinct patterns: in the U.S., snow fraction and irrigation alter the Budyko water balance predominantly through changes in aridity-streamflow relationships, while in Great Britain, deviations are primarily driven by changes in precipitation-streamflow relationships, notable in catchments with high cropland percentage. By integrating causal analysis with the Budyko water balance, we enhance understanding of how human activities and climate dynamics affect water balance, offering insights for water management and sustainability in the Anthropocene.