From rainfall to runoff: The role of soil moisture in a mountainous catchment

Soil moisture is essential in runoff generation, chemical transport, vegetation growth, and geological hazards like landslides in mountainous regions. However, due to its difficulty of measurement and its significant spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability, the dynamics and influence of soil moisture in the rainfall-runoff process are still not fully understood. In this study, precipitation, runoff, and soil moisture at multiple depths were measured and analyzed in a small, post-seismic mountainous catchment. Our results suggest that the dynamics of soil moisture could be explained by the characteristics of soil. The drastic change and the anisotropy of saturated hydraulic connectivity in the upper soil of the loose deposits in our catchment would lead to soil stratification at depths between 30 cm and 50 cm. The temporal variability of soil moisture was more highly correlated within the soil layers above and beneath the interface. Above the interface, besides vertical infiltration, occurrences of preferential flow were also frequent, transient perched water table may emerge during the wet period, making it a more active runoff contributor than the soil layers below the interface. When the level of rainfall reached the threshold, the correlation between rainfall and runoff became linear. This threshold response was more significant at soil layers above the interface, especially at the site with large topographic gradient. High antecedent soil moisture could skew the partitioning of precipitation into discharge, leading to an earlier flow peak. Our findings provide guidance on observation spot selection and the soil properties needed for the interpretation of future measurements, and may help develop flood early warnings system in small ungauged mountainous catchments with high flood risk.

Automated summary

Soil moisture plays a crucial role in various processes such as runoff generation, chemical transport, vegetation growth, and geological hazards. However, its dynamics and influence on the rainfall-runoff process are still not fully understood due to measurement difficulties and spatial/temporal variability. In this study, measurements and analysis of precipitation, runoff, and soil moisture were conducted in a small post-seismic mountainous catchment. The results suggest that soil moisture dynamics can be explained by soil characteristics, and the relationship between rainfall and runoff is influenced by the specific soil layers and their properties.