Streamflow-base flow ratio in a lowland area of North-Eastern Romania

Abstract

The ratio between streamflow and base flow for 3 catchments from lowland area of North-Eastern Romania were calculated with six different separation methods: the local minimum method, Talaksen filter, Chapman filter, recursive digital filter, WHAT model, and the Ekchardt filter. In agreement with an increase in precipitation levels in the past decades all filter-based methods indicate a slight increase in Base Flow Index (BFI) values throughout the study period (1981–2013). The Eckhardt filter associated with Chapman filter are the most appropriate methods to evaluate the ratio between streamflow and base flow for this area. Both methods suggest the identification of parameters a and BFI_max (a = 0.925, BFI_max = 0.5–0.7). Taking into account the highly variable hydrological regime throughout the year, and the fact that 35% of the hydrographic network displays ephemeral stream, the values obtained for the BFI based on these algorithms are the following: BFI = 0.58 for basins developed on porous aquifers with perennial stream (asuming a = 925 and BFI_max = 0.7) and BFI = 0.52 for basins developed on porous aquifers, but with ephemeral stream (asuming a = 925 and BFI_max = 0.5).