Browsing by Subject "baseflow"

The two input rivers of Säkylä’s Lake Pyhäjärvi: Pyhäjoki and Yläneenjoki, were studied with aerial thermal infrared imaging (TIR) analysis and baseflow program, in order to estimate the baseflow in the two rivers. From the helicopter- assisted TIR survey made in July 2011, almost 200 groundwater discharge sites were located in the two studied rivers. The groundwater discharge anomalies were categorized in 5 different classes: 1) spring/springs, 2) cold channel connected to the main channel, 3) diffuse discharge to river, 4) wetland/ wide seepage, 5) unknown anomaly. In addition, a temperature analysis was performed from the studied rivers. In both rivers, pattern of increasing river water temperature from headwaters towards river outlet were discovered with temperature analysis. The baseflow share estimate was made with baseflow filtering program which uses recursive digital filter for signal processing. Mean baseflow share estimation from four years: 2010-2013, were 70 % for River Pyhäjoki and 54 %, for River Yläneenjoki. Larger baseflow portion, lower river water temperature and wide diffuse discharge areas of River Pyhäjoki indicate that Pyhäjoki is more groundwater contributed than River Yläneenjoki. Previous studies made from the Lake Pyhäjärvi catchment have signs of higher groundwater share in River Pyhäjoki catchment, as well. However, TIR and baseflow estimation results of this study have to be dealt with caution. TIR results represent momentary circumstances and GWD locations are interpretations. There are also many factors increasing the uncertainty of the temperature analysis and observations of GWD anomalies. The results of baseflow analysis has to be interpreted carefully too because baseflow filtering is pure signal processing. However, this study shows that River Pyhäjoki and River Yläneenjoki have groundwater contribution. There is a difference in groundwater share in the two studied rivers. In River Pyhäjoki the larger groundwater share (70 %) is related to coarser grained glacial deposits in the river catchment. In TIR results, the influence of headwaters of the River Pyhäjoki, fed by two large springs: Myllylähde and Kankaanranta were emphasized. The two feeding springs are connected to the Säkylä-Virttaankangas esker complex. In River Yläneenjoki catchment, where GW portion was estimated to be smaller (54 %) and GW anomalies where mostly discrete, there are only two little till groundwater areas near the river channel and the catchment is characterized by finer sediments than River Pyhäjoki catchment.