Discharge Observation Networks in Arctic Regions: Computation of the River Runoff into the Arctic Ocean, Its Seasonality and Variability

Abstract

Knowledge about freshwater flux is of importance to develop coupled landsurfaceatmosphere models which are able to yield satisfactory results when they are calibrated with observed river discharge. The development of hydrological models is also described by other authors in this volume, i.e. Bowling et al.Shiklomanovet al. and Stewart. Discharge observation networks in the Arctic region provide an observational basis for the assessment of possible long-term trends and variations of the components of the fresh water balance in the Arctic region and the surface water flows into the Arctic Ocean. The knowledge of river discharge in the Arctic is also important in areas such as the navigability of coastal areas and the tracing of pollutants. The change of surface salinity especially in the coastal areas of large rivers has a strong influence on sea-ice formation. The Arctic Ocean is also an important ecological habitat with high economic importance, i.e. for fishery. The Arctic River Database (ARDB) which is being compiled by the Global Runoff Data Centre (GRDC) is a major source of information about river discharges to support research into the Arctic Ocean Freshwater Budget (AOFB).