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Slope Processes

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Permafrost Hydrology

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Abstract

Slopes provide hydrologic linkage, through lateral runoff, between uplands and the valleys and plains below. Slope runoff mechanisms vary widely, the result of a host of factors that include permafrost conditions, regional and local climates, topography, soil and vegetation. Snow is a major consideration in generating runoff in cold regions. Not all slopes yield runoff and those that do often exhibit marked seasonal flow rhythms. Investigation of slope hydrology requires information on water supply, storage and loss, flow paths and connectivity with rivers, wetlands and lakes. This chapter describes the pathways of slope runoff in relation to rainfall, snow condition and the permafrost landscape. The sources and delivery of runoff are considered, together with case studies that exemplify slope hydrology in continuous and discontinuous permafrost regions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8S 4K1

    Prof. Dr. Ming-ko Woo

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  1. Prof. Dr. Ming-ko Woo
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Correspondence to Ming-ko Woo .

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Woo, Mk. (2012). Slope Processes. In: Permafrost Hydrology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-23462-0_6

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