Evaluating lacustrine groundwater discharge to a large glacial lake using regional scale radon-222 surveys and groundwater modelling

Lacustrine groundwater discharge (LGD) can be an important pathway for delivering pollutants to lakes but this pathway is often poorly characterized. Evaluating the potential impact of LGD on lake water quality requires understanding the magnitude and spatial variability of LGD, as well as understanding the age and flow paths of the discharging groundwater (e.g., recharge area, groundwater flow paths, and travel times). This study first compares LGD rates along two ~40 km shoreline lengths of a large glacial lake, Lake Simcoe, Canada, that were independently estimated via a radon-222 (²²²Rn) field survey and via regional scale groundwater-surface water modelling. Backward particle tracking analysis is then used to examine the age and flow paths of the LGD and thereby assess the potential for the LGD to deliver anthropogenic pollutants to the lake. The field and modelling results compare well with respect to the magnitude and spatial variability of LGD. However, the comparison highlights the need for well-defined hydrogeological characterization if regional scale models are to be applied for LGD estimation. The particle tracking analysis indicates large variation in the groundwater flow path lengths and travels times (>1000 years to <50 years) for LGD along the shoreline. This illustrates that the LGD along different shoreline areas has varying potential to deliver anthropogenic pollutants to the lake. The study findings demonstrate the benefits of comparing independent field measured and model-simulated LGD estimates, and moreover suggest that it may be possible, in some cases, to use existing regional scale groundwater-surface water models, purpose-built for other water resource and quality objectives, to conduct preliminary evaluation of LGD contributions to lakes. Preliminary model-based evaluation would enable field efforts aiming to quantify and manage LGD to be better targeted rather than relying solely on regional scale field techniques that are often highly resource intensive.     

鄱阳湖典型洲滩湿地土壤含水量和地下水位年内变化特征

湿地植被空间分布受多个水分因子共同影响,为了探求鄱阳湖典型洲滩湿地不同植被类型下地下水、土壤水的变化特征,本文选择鄱阳湖吴城湿地保护区内一个长约1.2 km的典型洲滩湿地为实验区,建立了气象-土壤-水文联合观测系统.对观测的气象、水文要素进行分析发现:(1)洲滩湿地地下水位年内呈单峰变化,季节性差异显著,最大埋深可达10 m,出现在1月份,丰水期8月份地下水位最高时可出露地表,且地下水位与湖泊水位变化具有高度一致性;(2)由远湖区高地至近湖区低地,不同植被带中地下水平均埋深变化为藜蒿带(4.76 m)芦苇带(2.87 m)灰化薹草带(1.61 m).地下水埋深小于50 cm的持续时间分别为:藜蒿带27 d、芦苇带112 d、灰化薹草带170 d;(3)土壤平均含水量沿不同植被带梯度变化为:藜蒿带最小(15.9%),芦苇样带(40.7%)和灰化薹草样带(43.7%)较大.土壤含水量年内变幅为:藜蒿带最大(2.5%~55.2%),芦苇带和灰化薹草带相对较小,分别为22.1%~48.1%和28.4%~54.1%;(4)不同植被带土壤含水量季节变化规律不同,藜蒿带土壤含水量年内呈单峰型,仅夏季土壤含水量较高,其余季节均在10%左右,而芦苇带和灰化薹草样带春、夏、秋季均维持较高含水量(42%以上),仅冬季水分含量较低.     

Prediction of regional-scale groundwater recharge and nitrate storage in the vadose zone: A comparison between a global model and a regional model

Extensive nitrogen loads at the soil surface exceed plant uptake and soil biochemical capacity, and therefore lead to nitrogen accumulation in the deep vadose zone. Studies have shown that stored nitrogen in the vadose zone can eventually reach the water table and affect the quality of groundwater resources. Recently, global scale models have been implemented to quantify nitrate storage and nitrate travel time in the vadose zone. These global models are simplistic and relatively easy to implement and therefore facilitate analysis of the considered transport processes at a regional scale with no further requirements. However, the suitability of applying these models at a regional scale has not been tested. Here, we evaluate, for the first time, the performance and utility of global scale models at the regional scale. Applied to the Loess Plateau of China, we compare estimates of groundwater recharge and nitrate storage derived from global scale models with results from a regional scale approach utilizing the Richards and advection-dispersion equations. The estimated nitrate storage was compared to nitrate observations collected in the deep vadose zone (>50 m) at five sites across the Loess Plateau. Although both models predict similar spatial patterns of nitrate storage, the recharge fluxes were three times smaller and the nitrate storage was two times higher compared with the regional model. The results suggest that global scale models are a potentially useful screening tool, but require refinement for local scale applications.     

Application of GRACE to the estimation of groundwater storage change in a data-poor region: A case study of Ngadda catchment in the Lake Chad Basin

The present study is to explore the feasibility of GRACE-based estimation of a groundwater storage change in a data-poor region using a case study of the Ngadda catchment in the Lake Chad Basin. Although the Ngadda catchment has only one set of in situ time series data of groundwater from 2006 to 2009 and a limited number of groundwater measurements in 2005 and 2009, GRACE-based groundwater storage change can be evaluated against the in situ groundwater measurements combined with specific yield data. The cross-correlation analysis in the Ngadda catchment shows that maximum rainfall reached in July and August, whereas both the maximum total water storage anomaly and the maximum groundwater storage anomaly occurred 2months later. Whereas the mean annual amplitude of total water storage anomaly is about 17cm from both the average total water storage anomaly from three mascon products and the one from three spherical harmonic products, the mean annual amplitude of soil moisture storage anomaly is substantially varied from 5.58cm for CLM to about 14cm for NOAH and Mosaic. The goodness-of-fit tests show that CLM soil moisture produces the closest estimation of groundwater storage anomaly to the in situ groundwater measurements. The present study shows that GRACE-based estimation for groundwater storage anomaly can be a cost-effective and alternative tool to observe how groundwater changes in a basin scale under the limitation of modelling and in situ data availability.     

Dissolution in a variably confined carbonate platform: effects of allogenic runoff,hydraulic damming of groundwater inputs,and surface–groundwater exchange at the basin scale

In variably confined carbonate platforms, impermeable confining units collect rainfall over large areas and deliver runoff to rivers or conduits in unconfined portions of platforms. Runoff can increase river stage or conduit heads in unconfined portions of platforms faster than local infiltration of rainfall can increase groundwater heads, causing hydraulic gradients between rivers, conduits and the aquifer to reverse. Gradient reversals cause flood waters to flow from rivers and conduits into the aquifer where they can dissolve limestone. Previous work on impacts of gradient reversals on dissolution has primarily emphasized individual caves and little research has been conducted at basin scales. To address this gap in knowledge, we used legacy data to assess how a gradient of aquifer confinement across the Suwannee River Basin, north‐central Florida affected locations, magnitudes and processes of dissolution during 2005–2007, a period with extreme ranges of discharge. During intense rain events, runoff from the confining unit increased river stage above groundwater heads in unconfined portions of the platform, hydraulically damming inputs of groundwater along a 200 km reach of river. Hydraulic damming allowed allogenic runoff with SI_CAL < ?4 to fill the entire river channel and flow into the aquifer via reversing springs. Storage of runoff in the aquifer decreased peak river discharges downstream and contributed to dissolution within the aquifer. Temporary storage of allogenic runoff in karst aquifers represents hyporheic exchange at a scale that is larger than found in streams flowing over non‐karst aquifers because conduits in karst aquifers extend the area available for exchange beyond river beds deep into aquifers. Post‐depositional porosity in variably confined carbonate platforms should thus be enhanced along rivers that originate on confining units. This distribution should be considered in models of porosity distribution used to manage water and hydrocarbon resources in carbonate rocks. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

鄱阳湖流域大型湖库水生生态环境变化及驱动力分析——以柘林湖为例

鄱阳湖流域内湖库资源众多,柘林湖作为鄱阳湖最大的入湖湖库,是鄱阳湖流域内最大的调节湖库,对鄱阳湖入湖径流有一定的影响,在鄱阳湖的入湖流量中占重要地位.本文以鄱阳湖流域内纳入水质良好湖泊的柘林湖为例,通过对柘林湖的形成及湖泊水系生态环境演变进行探讨,分析近30年来该湖水生生态环境的变化及其关键驱动力因子.综合研究表明:柘林湖水生生物多样性有下降趋势,水质有先变差后改善的趋势,其变化的驱动力主要是流域内人口数量增加、城镇化工业化进程加快、入湖污染负荷逐年增长、滨湖区生态安全屏障受人为破坏以及资源开发不合理等.只有处理好"人湖"和谐、"三次飞跃"和"四大转变",并采取科学合理的措施进行集成研究和综合治理,才能行之有效地改善柘林湖水生生态环境,并发挥其应有的生态效应,从而保障鄱阳湖入湖"一湖清水".     

Using multivariate statistical analysis of groundwater major cation and trace element concentrations to evaluate groundwater flow in a regional aquifer

Groundwater samples were collected from 11 springs in Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in southern Nevada and seven springs from Death Valley National Park in eastern California. Concentrations of the major cations (Ca, Mg, Na and K) and 45 trace elements were determined in these groundwater samples. The resultant data were subjected to evaluation via the multivariate statistical technique principal components analysis (PCA), to investigate the chemical relationships between the Ash Meadows and Death Valley spring waters, to evaluate whether the results of the PCA support those of previous hydrogeological and isotopic studies and to determine if PCA can be used to help delineate potential groundwater flow patterns based on the chemical compositions of groundwaters. The results of the PCA indicated that groundwaters from the regional Paleozoic carbonate aquifers (all of the Ash Meadows springs and four springs from the Furnace Creek region of Death Valley) exhibited strong statistical associations, whereas other Death Valley groundwaters were chemically different. The results of the PCA support earlier studies, where potentiometric head levels, δ¹⁸O and δD, geological relationships and rare earth element data were used to evaluate groundwater flow, which suggest groundwater flows from Ash Meadows to the Furnace Creek springs in Death Valley. The PCA suggests that Furnace Creek groundwaters are moderately concentrated Ash Meadows groundwater, reflecting longer aquifer residence times for the Furnace Creek groundwaters. Moreover, PCA indicates that groundwater may flow from springs in the region surrounding Scotty's Castle in Death Valley National Park, to a spring discharging on the valley floor. The study indicates that PCA may provide rapid and relatively cost‐effective methods to assess possible groundwater flow regimes in systems that have not been previously investigated. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterizing replenishment water,lake water and groundwater interactions by numerical modelling in arid regions: a case study of Shahu Lake

In order to maintain the scenic and eco-environmental values of a lake, we need to characterize its water interactions. Shahu Lake was used as a case study to show the interactions among replenishment water, lake water and groundwater in an arid region. Shahu Lake is located in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of northwest China and has an area of 13.96 km² and an average depth of 2.2 m. The groundwater modelling software MODFLOW was used. The analysis results show that hydraulic connectivity among replenishment water, lake water and groundwater is the crucial driving factor that affects the water level in Shahu Lake. The lake water level is highly sensitive to the volume of replenishment water. The groundwater is of great importance in balancing the water level in the lake and preventing it from drying up. It was determined that 13.8 × 10⁶ m³/yr is the optimal volume of replenishment water for Shahu Lake in order to maintain the lake level at its normal state and also to make the best use of available water resources on a long-term basis. Understanding of the water interactions can promote effective management of water resources in Shahu Lake.

EDITOR D. Koutsoyiannis

ASSOCIATE EDITOR D. Hughes     

A simulation of large‐scale groundwater flow and travel time in a fractured rock environment for waste disposal purposes

Two‐dimensional regional groundwater flow was simulated based on a conceptual model of low‐permeability crystalline rocks of the Whiteshell Research Area (WRA) in south‐eastern Manitoba. The conceptual model consists of fracture zones that strike in different directions and dip at various angles in the background rock mass. The thickness and hydraulic properties of the fracture zones in the conceptual model were varied as were the fluid properties and the boundary conditions of the groundwater flow system. The effects of these variations on the groundwater flow pattern and on the convective travel time along pathways from a hypothetical disposal vault at 500 m depth to discharge locations at the ground surface were evaluated. The vault was located in the regional discharge area of the groundwater system. A homogeneous conceptual model of the WRA, having only freshwater flow, formed a groundwater flow pattern with a regional flow system. Local flow systems developed increasingly with the introduction of fracture zones 20 m and 3 m thick, and depth‐dependent fluid density. This indicates a reduction in groundwater residence time by fracture zones and fluid density. Flow pathways were analysed using both a stream‐function and a particle‐tracking technique. The pathways and their lengths from the location of the vault to the surface varied spatially according to the flow patterns. The minimum travel time along these pathways was less than 150 000 and greater than 4 000 000 years in models with and without fracture zones, respectively, indicating that the presence of fracture zones was the major controlling factor. A precise knowledge and refinement of conceptual model parameters is necessary during site selection for waste disposal purposes. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

鄱阳湖流域1955-2002年径流系数变化趋势及其与气候因子的关系

近些年来,由于人类活动的影响,湖泊普遍出现了萎缩、水位下降、水量锐减、水质污染等问题,研究湖泊最低生态水位,确保湖泊所必须的最小水量,对于解决我国湖泊生态退化问题具有重要意义.本文提出综合指标法来计算湖泊最低生态水位.根据博斯腾湖具体情况选取天然水位资料、湖泊形态和芦苇3种指标为依据分别计算博斯腾湖的最低生态水位,计算结果分别为1047.06 m,1047.41 m和1047.20 m,然后通过综合分析以上这3种指标所占权重,进行加权计算,最终确定博斯腾湖最低生态水位为1047.16 m,通过分析表明1047.16 m作为博斯腾湖最低生态水位是合理的,综合指标法作为湖泊最低生态水位的计算方法切实可行.     

Spatio‐temporal analysis of groundwater recharge and mound dynamics in an unconfined aquifer: a GIS‐based approach

Groundwater recharge and mounding of water‐table is a complex phenomenon involving time‐ and space‐dependent hydrologic processes. The effect of long‐term groundwater mounding in the aquifer depends on soil, aquifer geometry and the area contributing to recharge. In this paper, a GIS‐based spatio‐temporal algorithm has been developed for the groundwater mound dynamics to estimate the potential rise in the water‐table and groundwater volume balance residual in an unconfined aquifer. The recharge and mound dynamics as predicted using the methodology recommended here were compared with those using the Hantush equation, and the differences were quite significant. The significance of the study is to assess the effectiveness of the basin in terms of its hydrologic and hydraulic properties for sustainable management of groundwater recharge. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Long‐term effects of aquifer overdraft and recovery on groundwater quality in a Ramsar wetland: Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park,Spain

Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park is one of Spain's most representative groundwater‐dependent ecosystems. Under natural conditions, water inflows combined brackish surface water from River Gigüela with freshwater inputs from River Guadiana and the underlying aquifer. Since the mid‐1970s, aquifer overexploitation caused the desiccation of the wetlands and neighbouring springs. The National Park remained in precarious hydrological conditions for three decades, with the only exception of rapid floods due to extreme rainfall events and sporadic water transfers from other basins. In the late 2000s, a decrease in groundwater abstraction and an extraordinarily wet period reversed the trend. The aquifer experienced an unexpected recovery of groundwater levels (over 20 m in some areas), thus restoring groundwater discharge to springs and wetlands. The complex historical evolution of the water balance in this site has resulted in substantial changes in surface and groundwater quality. This becomes evident when comparing the pre‐1980 groundwater quality and the hydrochemical status in the wetland in two different periods, under “dry” and “wet” conditions. Although the system is close to full recovery from the groundwater‐level viewpoint, bouncing back in the major hydrochemical constituents has not yet been obtained. These still appear to evolve in response to the previous overexploitation state. Moreover, in some sectors, there are groundwater‐dependent ecosystems that remain different to those found in preoverexploitation times. The experience of Las Tablas de Damiel provides an observatory of long‐term changes in wetland water quality, demonstrating that the effects of aquifer overexploitation on aquatic ecosystems are more than a mere alteration of the water balance and that groundwater quality is the key to aquifer and aquatic ecosystem sustainability.     

Hydrological effects of water reservoirs on hydrological processes in the East River (China) basin: complexity evaluations based on the multi‐scale entropy analysis

Using the multi‐scale entropy analysis (MSE), we study the effects of water reservoirs on the river flow records based on long streamflow series covering January 1, 1954 and December 31, 2009 at four representative hydrological stations, i.e. the Longchuan, the Heyuan, the Lingxia and the Boluo stations. Hydrological effects of two major water reservoirs, the Xinfengjiang and the Fengshuba water reservoirs, are evaluated. The results indicate that: (1) before the construction of the water reservoirs, the complexity of the streamflow series comes to be decreasing from the upper to the lower East River and which should be attributed to the topographical properties and buffering effects of the river channel; (2) construction of water reservoirs greatly increases the complexity degree of the hydrological processes, and this influence is subjected to a damping process with the increase of distance between the water reservoirs and the hydrological stations; (3) power generation is the major function of the water reservoirs in the East River basin. The results of this study should be of theoretical and scientific merits in terms of conservation of the ecological environment and also water resources management under the influences of climate changes and intensifying human activities. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rainfall partitioning and its effects on regional water balances: Evidence from the conversion of traditional cropland to apple orchards in a semi-humid region

Rainfall partitioning by vegetation cover plays an important role in local and regional water balances. Large areas of traditional cropland have been converted to apple orchards on the Loess Plateau, China, so the effect of the conversion of traditional cropland to these orchards on rainfall partitioning cannot be ignored. In this study, we measured precipitation, throughfall (TF), and stemflow (SF) and calculated canopy interception (I) and canopy storage capacity (S) in two neighbouring apple orchards (8 and 18 years old in 2013) on the plateau during the four growing seasons of 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. Besides, we also summarized the percentage of rainfall partitioning of various crops and tree species and assessed the effect of land use change on regional water balances. The results showed that the percentage of rainfall partitioning and S differed between the two orchards. Mean annual I, TF, and SF for the young and mature orchards during the 4 years accounted for 7.9, 89.8, and 2.6% and for 10.3, 87.5, and 2.3%, respectively, of the rainfall partitioning. The percentage accounted for by mean annual I and TF differed significantly between the two orchards, but the percentage of mean annual SF did not differ significantly between the two orchards. Mean annual S for 2013–2016 was significantly higher for the mature than the young orchard. Although the conversion of traditional cropland to apple orchards led to a more serious soil desiccation in this region, the I loss percentage was higher in maize (12.5%) than the apple orchards. Therefore, we inferred that the effect of the conversion of traditional cropland to apple orchards on regional water balances was likely not caused by differences in rainfall partitioning. Differences in tree morphology due to tree age accounted for the differences in rainfall partitioning and S between the two orchards. Thus, tree age should be taken into account when assessing the effect of apple orchards on rainfall partitioning in this or similar regions.     

Large wood load and transport in a flood-free period within an inter-dam reach: a decade of monitoring the Dyje River,Czech Republic

This study examined the large wood (LW) load and transport during the non-flood period (2009–2018) following major floods that occurred in 2002 and 2006 within the inter-dam reach of the Dyje River (Czech–Austrian border). The LW load was examined in 36 river corridor segments scattered within the reach in the 2009–2018 period. Two whole-reach surveys (2011 and 2019) on LW frequency and distribution were conducted, and the export of LW to the downstream reservoir was analysed between June 2013 and December 2018. In the period of non-flood discharges, the recruitment and depletion of LW were highly variable processes in space and time, leading to a considerable change in the total LW quantity. Whereas the total number of LW pieces decreased, the total LW volume increased because of the increasing dimensions of newly recruited pieces. The annual variability in the quantity of newly recruited pieces was better explained by the variation in the maximum annual discharges (y = 41.043ln(x) + 3.2737, R² = 0.5352) than by the variability in the number of days with wind gusts >17.2 m/s (y = 1.5004x + 82.096, R² = 0.118). The land use change with the abandonment of human settlements after World War II and the progressive expansion of forest was the major historical factor driving the increased recruitment of LW to the river corridor. While the 2006 (>100-year RI) flood brought approximately 1,250 LW pieces to the reservoir, the 2013 (1.5-year RI) flood delivered 45 pieces. The long-term average monthly input of LW to the reservoir was 7.7 pieces. The exceptional low-magnitude flood of 2013, which occurred at the beginning of the monitoring period, was shown to be a threshold above which the number of LW pieces that floated to the dam significantly increased. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

引黄水源水库平-丰水期有色可溶性有机物(CDOM)的来源、组成及差异分析

为探究引黄水源水库——门楼水库平水期和丰水期有色可溶性有机物(CDOM)的组成特征、来源及差异,运用紫外—可见光谱技术(UV-vis)和三维荧光光谱(EEMs)技术,结合平行因子分析法(PARAFAC)分析2022年5月(平水期)和2022年7月(丰水期)有色可溶性有机物含量及组分变化。研究结果表明:PARAFAC识别出2类荧光组分,分别是C1(Ex=355 nm,Em=476 nm,类腐殖质组分)和组分C2(Ex=225 nm,Em=320 nm,类蛋白组分);丰水期CDOM组分荧光强度显著高于平水期。CDOM光谱参数表明,门楼水库水体处于中营养状态,水体CDOM受新生内源和外源输入共同影响,以自生源为主;水库CDOM具有相对分子量小、腐殖化程度较弱的特点。丰水期水库富营养化水平和CDOM相对浓度低于平水期;丰水期CDOM疏水性组分比例和芳香化程度高于平水期。水质理化指标、CDOM组分和光谱参数相关性分析结果表明SUVA₂₆₀和SUVA₂₈₀与DOC呈显著负相关,说明紫外—可见光谱参数在一定程度上可以用来估算DOC的浓度;Chl.a浓度作为...     

南方红壤区长期水土流失综合治理显著减少河流输沙——以鄱阳湖流域赣江上游平江为例

长时间序列水沙数据分析有助于科学评价流域尺度水土保持减流减沙效应,为科学开展区域水土保持成效评估提供实现路径.本文选取南方红壤区水土保持工程最为集中、持续时间最长的典型流域——平江流域,基于1975-2014年的逐日降水量、流量、含沙量数据,综合应用预置白M-K检验法、Theil-Sen趋势度估计法、Pettitt检验...     

大型浅水湖泊与大气之间的动量和水热交换系数——以太湖为例

湖泊水面与大气之间垂直方向的动量、水汽和热量通量与风速、湿度和温度梯度之间存在比例关系,因此在湖泊水-气相互作用研究中,这比例系数(交换系数)是关键因子.在以往的研究中,交换系数通常直接采用水面梯度观测法或海洋大气近地层的参数化方案进行计算.本文采用涡度相关系统和小气候系统仪器在太湖平台上直接观测的通量和气象要素,对上述交换系数(最小均方差原则)进行优化,结果为:动量交换系数C_D10N=1.52×10^-3、水汽交换系数C_E10N=0.82×10^-3、热量交换系数CH10N=1.02×10^-3,与其他内陆湖泊涡度相关观测数据的推导结果一致.本文的研究结果表明:与海洋参数化方案相比,在相同的风速条件下,湖面的空气动力学粗糙度比海洋高,这可能是由于受到水深的影响;如果采用海洋参数化方案,会导致湖泊年蒸发量的估算值偏大40%.太湖的动量、水汽和热量交换系数可以视为常数,可以不考虑稳定度和风速的影响.这是因为本文中83%的数据为近中性条件.敏感性分析表明:如果考虑稳定度的影响,LE模拟值的平均误差降低了0.5 W/m²,H的平均误差降低了0.4 W/m²,u*的计算值没有变化;如果考虑风速的影响,u*模拟值的平均误差降低了0.004 m/s,LE的平均误差升高了1.3 W/m²,H的模拟结果几乎不受影响.这一结果能为湖气相互作用研究提供参考.     

A sensitivity analysis of lake water level response to changes in climate and river regimes

Lake water level regimes are influenced by climate, hydrology and land use. Intensive land use has led to a decline in lake levels in many regions, with direct impacts on lake hydrology, ecology and ecosystem services. This study examined the role of climate and river flow regime in controlling lake regimes using three different lakes with different hydraulic characteristics (volume-inflow ratio, CIR). The regime changes in the lakes were determined for five different river inflows and five different climate patterns (hot-arid, tropical, moderate, cold-arid, cold-wet), giving 75 different combinations of governing factors in lake hydrology. The input data were scaled to unify them for lake comparisons. By considering the historical lake volume fluctuations, the duration (number of months) of lake volume in different ‘wetness’ regimes from ‘dry’ to ‘wet’ was used to develop a new index for lake regime characterisation, ‘Degree of Lake Wetness’ (DLW). DLW is presented as two indices: DLW₁, providing a measure of lake filling percentage based on observed values and lake geometry, and DLW₂, providing an index for lake regimes based on historical fluctuation patterns. These indices were used to classify lake types based on their historical time series for variable climate and river inflow. The lake response time to changes in hydrology or climate was evaluated. Both DLW₁ and DLW₂ were sensitive to climate and hydrological changes. The results showed that lake level in high CIR systems depends on climate, whereas in systems with low CIR it depends more on river regime.