Mechanism of the influence of soil freezing depth on winter runoff

Abstract

The depth of soil freezing in river watersheds is a factor governing winter runoff formation. The freezing depth regulates the redistribution of stored soil moisture between thawed and frozen soil layers. The moisture stored in the thawed soil layer is spent for winter runoff, while that in the frozen zone forms snowmelt runoff. The depth of soil freezing has considerably decreased over the period of climate changes, resulting in an increase in winter runoff and greater losses of snowmelt runoff.