Groundwater contribution to a mountain stream channel, Hedmark, Norway

Abstract

Forkortet: The Skvaldra stream in Hedmark, Southern Norway is characterized by a stable baseflow. This baseflow is controlled by a significant groundwater supply from Quaternary deposits. The area was chosen for an attempt at quantification of the baseflow's three groundwater components; (i) groundwater from numerous springs on a spring-horizon at the boundary between permeable sediment-flow deposits in the upper valley side and compact basal till deposited along the lower part of the valley sides and the valley bottom; (ii) groundwater from aquifers in compact basal till, topographically lower than the spring horizon; (iii) deep groundwater from till or underlying bedrock. Flood events in the Skvaldra are due to surface run-off, usually confined to the valley bottom along the stream channel, or due to very shallow subsurface interflow, with very little or no groundwater component.