From the 5th to the 7th of September 2022, a group of members from WATSON WG3 met in Liptovsky Mikulàš, Slovakia, at the hydrological station of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, to exchange over models and approaches adopted to estimate mean transit time from measurements of the isotopes deuterium, oxygen-18 and tritium in water samples. Based on their own experience and interest, the participants discussed model similarities and differences, and learned how others were solving specific problems related to the preparation of the input functions, model choice, parameter estimation and uncertainty analysis.
On the second day, we walked up Žiarska Dolina, guided and entertained on various subjects such as local hydrology, geology, geomorphology, and history by Ladislav Holko, our host in Liptovsky Mikulàš. The walk lead us to a very good mountain refuge serving excellent Slovak food and beer.
By the end of the workshop, we had agreed to:
- Compare the lumped-parameter model and the stream selection functions approach using one or two datasets, either historical or original ones.
- Develop scripts in R that will be made available to anyone wishing to make transit time estimations from isotope measurements.
- Write a user guide as companion to the scripts.
A number of potential data sets that could be used for the model comparison have already been identified, but a definite selection has not yet been decided upon. Volunteers wishing to help with modeling, scripting and testing of the scripts, as well as suggestions of data sets for the model comparison are welcome.
For more information, you can contact Julien Farlin
