Shifts in stream salt loads during and after prolonged droughts

Abstract

It has been widely assumed that after prolonged droughts, catchment runoff recovers to pre-drought levels. This assumption has recently been evaluated and challenged using empirical observations. However, water quality response and recovery, or otherwise, during and after prolonged droughts remains an open question. Answering this question potentially identifies any changes in catchment hydrological processes and water balance (e.g., the proportion of groundwater contribution to streamflow), thus informing the mechanisms for runoff non-recovery after prolonged drought. Water quality responses to drought can also inform any long-term water quality changes beyond what is observable from trend ..