Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Science
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Scienmag
No Result
View All Result
Home Science News Medicine

Ephemeral streams, often overlooked, are major contributors to US river flow and water quality

June 27, 2024
in Medicine
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Ephemeral streams, often overlooked, are major contributors to US river flow and water quality
69
SHARES
623
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

Ephemeral streams – temporary streams that only flow after rainfall or snowmelt – contribute more than 50% of the flow in downstream river systems and likely have a major influence on water quality across the United States, according to a new modeling study. The findings show how important ephemeral streams are for the transport of water and pollution into larger, more permanent water bodies. Excluding these streams from coverage under the U.S. Clean Water Act, say the authors, would significantly limit federal authority to protect downstream water quality. Ephemeral streams, which flow only in direct response to precipitation and are disconnected from groundwater sources, play a crucial role in transporting nutrients, sediments, pollutants, and other materials to larger water bodies. Although these short-lived streams likely account for much of the global river network, research focused specifically on ephemeral streams is limited, and their hydrological contributions to downstream flow and water quality remain largely unknown. Craig Brinkerhoff and colleagues developed a model to quantify ephemeral stream contributions to more than 20.7 million more permanent water bodies in the contiguous US. Brinkeroff et al. combined data from published hydrological datasets to estimate ephemeral stream locations, and when and how much they flow. The authors found that ephemeral streams in the southwest and western US flow less frequently (only 4 to 46 days per year on average) compared to those in the eastern US, where they flow 173 days per year on average. However, despite their infrequent flow, western ephemeral streams contributed more significantly to downstream river flow – as high as 79% on average – than eastern ephemeral streams, which contributed ~50% on average. Combined, the findings show that ephemeral streams contribute, on average, 55% of the flow to the perennially flowing rivers in the contiguous US. According to Brinkeroff et al., the findings show that ephemeral streams are likely a substantial pathway through which pollution enters rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and ultimately the ocean. “Even though the ephemeral channels are often overlooked because of their infrequent flow, they are critical to downstream water availability,” write Judson Harvey and Stephanie Kampf in a related Perspective. “Climate- and land use-driven changes will alter flows and related functions of ephemeral streams in ways that influence future outcomes for water supply, drinking water quality, and the health of aquatic ecosystems in streams and rivers of all sizes.”

Ephemeral streams – temporary streams that only flow after rainfall or snowmelt – contribute more than 50% of the flow in downstream river systems and likely have a major influence on water quality across the United States, according to a new modeling study. The findings show how important ephemeral streams are for the transport of water and pollution into larger, more permanent water bodies. Excluding these streams from coverage under the U.S. Clean Water Act, say the authors, would significantly limit federal authority to protect downstream water quality. Ephemeral streams, which flow only in direct response to precipitation and are disconnected from groundwater sources, play a crucial role in transporting nutrients, sediments, pollutants, and other materials to larger water bodies. Although these short-lived streams likely account for much of the global river network, research focused specifically on ephemeral streams is limited, and their hydrological contributions to downstream flow and water quality remain largely unknown. Craig Brinkerhoff and colleagues developed a model to quantify ephemeral stream contributions to more than 20.7 million more permanent water bodies in the contiguous US. Brinkeroff et al. combined data from published hydrological datasets to estimate ephemeral stream locations, and when and how much they flow. The authors found that ephemeral streams in the southwest and western US flow less frequently (only 4 to 46 days per year on average) compared to those in the eastern US, where they flow 173 days per year on average. However, despite their infrequent flow, western ephemeral streams contributed more significantly to downstream river flow – as high as 79% on average – than eastern ephemeral streams, which contributed ~50% on average. Combined, the findings show that ephemeral streams contribute, on average, 55% of the flow to the perennially flowing rivers in the contiguous US. According to Brinkeroff et al., the findings show that ephemeral streams are likely a substantial pathway through which pollution enters rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and ultimately the ocean. “Even though the ephemeral channels are often overlooked because of their infrequent flow, they are critical to downstream water availability,” write Judson Harvey and Stephanie Kampf in a related Perspective. “Climate- and land use-driven changes will alter flows and related functions of ephemeral streams in ways that influence future outcomes for water supply, drinking water quality, and the health of aquatic ecosystems in streams and rivers of all sizes.”



Journal

Science

DOI

10.1126/science.adg9430

Article Title

Ephemeral stream water contributions to United States drainage networks

Article Publication Date

28-Jun-2024

Share28Tweet17
Previous Post

The worm has turned: DIY lab platform evaluates new molecules in minutes

Next Post

Scientists use computational modeling to guide a difficult chemical synthesis

Related Posts

blank
Medicine

Evaluating Techniques for Slippery Polydimethylsiloxane Coatings

October 28, 2025
blank
Medicine

Oldest-Living Dogs Reveal: Gonad Function Combats Frailty in Dogs and Humans

October 28, 2025
blank
Medicine

Opt-Out Organ Donation Policies Could Decrease Organ Supply, Study Finds

October 28, 2025
blank
Medicine

New Study Reveals Drop in Parental Trust in Childhood Vaccines Post-COVID-19 Linked to Rising Measles Outbreaks

October 28, 2025
blank
Medicine

Altered Milk Tryptophan in Women with HIV

October 28, 2025
blank
Medicine

Discovering Safer Implant Designs for Total Hip Replacement

October 28, 2025
Next Post
Scientists use computational modeling to guide a difficult chemical synthesis

Scientists use computational modeling to guide a difficult chemical synthesis

  • Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    27573 shares
    Share 11026 Tweet 6891
  • University of Seville Breaks 120-Year-Old Mystery, Revises a Key Einstein Concept

    982 shares
    Share 393 Tweet 246
  • Bee body mass, pathogens and local climate influence heat tolerance

    649 shares
    Share 260 Tweet 162
  • Researchers record first-ever images and data of a shark experiencing a boat strike

    516 shares
    Share 206 Tweet 129
  • Groundbreaking Clinical Trial Reveals Lubiprostone Enhances Kidney Function

    486 shares
    Share 194 Tweet 122
Science

Embark on a thrilling journey of discovery with Scienmag.com—your ultimate source for cutting-edge breakthroughs. Immerse yourself in a world where curiosity knows no limits and tomorrow’s possibilities become today’s reality!

RECENT NEWS

  • Urban Dust: Health Risks of Micro Rubber and Vanadium
  • Challenging Sex Essentialism in Scientific Research
  • PReCedeNT Trial: PRRT Plus Chemo Boosts GEP-NETs
  • Evaluating Techniques for Slippery Polydimethylsiloxane Coatings

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Athmospheric
  • Biology
  • Blog
  • Bussines
  • Cancer
  • Chemistry
  • Climate
  • Earth Science
  • Marine
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine
  • Pediatry
  • Policy
  • Psychology & Psychiatry
  • Science Education
  • Social Science
  • Space
  • Technology and Engineering

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 5,189 other subscribers

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Discover more from Science

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading