Abstract
Stream temperature is a critical ecosystem indicator and plays an
important role in river ice formation and breakup. Typically, stream
temperature is simulated either using statistical models or discrete
Eulerian energy balance models. These physically-based models often rely
upon a grid-based finite difference or finite volume approach for
simulating the advection-dominated in-stream energy balance. Such
methods are conditionally stable and thus introduce constraints upon
time and space step (e.g., Courant and Peclet constraints). They are
also not conceptually consistent with commonly applied convolution-based
hydrologic routing approaches, which don’t require reach discretization.
Here, a novel semi-analytical technique for simulating advection, latent
and sensible heat transfer, heat generation from friction, and hyporheic
exchange with groundwater is introduced. It assumes a discrete
convolution (i.e., transfer function or unit hydrograph) method is used
for routing flows through the reach. The energy balance is applied to
discrete parcels of water that travel along the reach exchanging energy
with their surroundings; the parcel-based energy balance is solved
exactly. The method is unconditionally stable, runs at the native time
step of the hydrological model, and requires no spatial discretization.
It can also easily simulate edge cases that are exceedingly difficult
using discrete methods, such as a near-infinite convective exchange
coefficient. The only approximation errors are associated with the model
time step used to represent the inflow time series, the linearization of
the Stefan-Boltzmann equation for longwave radiation flux, and the full
mixing assumed at nodes of the stream network. The stream temperature
model, as implemented within the Raven hydrological modelling framework,
is demonstrated at several test catchments in the North American Rocky
Mountains.