Improving our understanding of streamwater age knowledge is critical for revealing the complex hydrological processes in alpine cryosphere catchments. However, few studies on water age have been conducted in alpine cryosphere catchments due to the complicated and inclement environment. In this study, the Buqu catchment, a typical alpine catchment covered by glaciers and permafrost on the central Tibetan Plateau (TP), was selected as the study area. Using the sine-wave ap-proach anda gamma model based on the seasonal cycle of stable isotopes in water, the young water fraction (Fyw) and mean transit time (MTT) of the Buqu catchment outlet and 23 sub-catchments was estimated to comprehensively reveal the potential driving mechanism of water age variability. The streamwater MTT for the entire catchment was 107 days, and 15.1 % of the streamwater was younger than 41 days on average. The estimated water age showed significant spatial heterogeneity with shorter water ages in high-elevation and glacier catchments and longer water ages in low-elevation and non-glacier catchments. Precipitation was the primary driver for spatial variations in water age, while the thickness of the permafrost active layer may function as an intermediate hub to drive water age variability. Mechanically, the thick-ness of the permafrost active layer controls the water ages by modifying the flow direction and length of water flow path. Spatially, this control mechanism is indirectly driven by the elevation gradient. The TDS concentration in streamwater is significantly related to water age, thus revealing a close link between water quality and hydrology. Our findings suggest that cryosphere retreats likely alter water age, thereby slowing water circulation rates and affecting water quality security under global warming. This study provides insights into the evolution of water ages, thereby deepening our understanding of the hydrological processes and guiding the protection of water resources in alpine headwater catchments.

Floods and debris flows in small Alpine torrent catchments (<10km(2)) arise from a combination of critical antecedent system state conditions and mostly convective precipitation events with high precipitation intensities. Thus, climate change may influence the magnitude-frequency relationship of extreme events twofold: by a modification of the occurrence probabilities of critical hydrological system conditions and by a change of event precipitation characteristics. Three small Alpine catchments in different altitudes in Western Austria (Ruggbach, Brixenbach and Langentalbach catchment) were investigated by both field experiments and process-based simulation. Rainfall-runoff model (HQsim) runs driven by localized climate scenarios (CNRM-RM4.5/ARPEGE, MPI-REMO/ECHAM5 and ICTP-RegCM3/ECHAM5) were used in order to estimate future frequencies of stormflow triggering system state conditions. According to the differing altitudes of the study catchments, two effects of climate change on the hydrological systems can be observed. On one hand, the seasonal system state conditions of medium altitude catchments are most strongly affected by air temperature-controlled processes such as the development of the winter snow cover as well as evapotranspiration. On the other hand, the unglaciated high-altitude catchment is less sensitive to climate change-induced shifts regarding days with critical antecedent soil moisture and desiccated litter layer due to its elevation-related small proportion of sensitive areas. For the period 2071-2100, the number of days with critical antecedent soil moisture content will be significantly reduced to about 60% or even less in summer in all catchments. In contrast, the number of days with dried-out litter layers causing hydrophobic effects will increase by up to 8%-11% of the days in the two lower altitude catchments. The intensity analyses of heavy precipitation events indicate a clear increase in rain intensities of up to 10%.

Long term (1921-2011) yearly and seasonal hydrological regime of 23 Alpine rivers in Northern Italy (ca. 10(2)-10(4) km(2)) was investigated here. First, for regulated catchment, the potential effect of flow storage was investigated using an index of potential flow regulation, and pre and post reservoirs' installation flow analysis. For catchments displaying little regulation effect, non stationarity was studied using linear regression, including variable (segmented) slope analysis, and Mann Kendall test, traditional and progressive. The link of the observed trends against descriptive physiographic variables was then investigated, to highlight geographic and topographic patterns of changes of the hydrological cycle. Dependence upon global thermal and North Atlantic Oscillation NAO anomalies were analysed to highlight potential impact of large scale climate drivers against regional hydrological regimes. Also, the correlation between stream flows and climatic drivers of precipitation and temperatures in nearby stations was investigated, to highlight climate trends potentially driving hydrological changes, and potential changes in the nexus between climate and hydrology given by reservoirs' operation. The results display for several Alpine rivers here likelihood of significant changes of hydrological fluxes, notably during Winter, Spring and Summer. Winter discharges is decreasing on average, but decrease is seen below 1800 m a.s.l. or so, while increase is found above, and the more Northern the larger the increase. Discharges during Spring mostly decrease in time, and more so for increasing outlet altitude, while Summer specific discharges always decrease, and more notably with increasing altitude of the contributing catchment. NAO and global thermal anomalies are correlated against the rate of variation of hydrological fluxes, with the intensity of correlation linked to altitude, longitude, and basin's size. Specifically targeted studies are necessary to investigate the underlying mechanisms of modified hydrological cycle within different catchments. Besides the presence of expectedly little changes as given by flow operation in regulated streams, the observed trends may be explained by modified hydrological cycle within the Alps of Italy, as given by (i) trading of rainfall for snowfall during Winter, resulting into larger flows, and affecting more highest catchments and Northern areas, (ii) lack of snow cover at thaw, and shrinking of ice covered areas, decreasing melt water deliver during Spring, and Summer, more evident at the highest altitudes, and (iii) increase of evapotranspiration driven by temperature, leading to increased soil moisture uptake and decreased stream fluxes at the intermediate altitudes. The proposed study seems of interest as a benchmark for the assessment of water resources in the Alps, and for conjecture upon future water availability. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.