Utility of satellite-derived burn severity to study short- and long-term effects of wildfire on streamflow at the basin scale

摘要: Abstract We investigated the changes in hydrologic response a forested catchment impacted by wildfire Colorado U.S.A. from storm event to inter-annual scales. also evaluated utility of remotely-sensed burn severity index study post-fire shifts streamflow. At storm-scale, we through effective runoff (Q*/PTot), peak streamflow (Qpk) and time (TR/TB) multiple hydrographs, while at seasonal inter-annual-scales quantified fraction (Q/PTot) flow duration curves. Vegetation anomalies were monitored comparisons Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) between burned hydrologically-similar, forested, neighboring, unburned catchment. found short-term acute long-term chronic transient minute Flow curves indicate an order magnitude increase maximum flows. Event-average Q*/PTot increased two orders Qpk one relative representative pre-fire events similar precipitation intensities. Decreases TR/TB appear be minimal. scale, increases difference simultaneous NBR are associated with Q/PTot. A recovery pathway is evident resembling hysteresis effect driven vegetation re-growth. Results illustrate non-steady physical processes that flash-flooding risks mountainous catchments ΔNBR as predictor ungauged watersheds.