Extreme precipitation variability and soil texture controls on water-table response
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Abstract
Extreme precipitation events (EPEs), a key class of hydrometeorological extremes, are intensifying globally under climate change; however, their effects on water-table dynamics across varying soil textures remain poorly understood. To better understand the impacts of EPEs, we conducted one-dimensional modeling to evaluate water-table response time, displacement, recession time, and total recharge under EPEs of 0.20 m, 0.40 m, and 0.60 m amounts, applied over 1-, 7-, and 20-day durations across twelve soil textures. The results show that coarse soils (i.e., sand) respond within days, while fine soils (i.e., clay) may take over 200 days. Water-table displacement ranged from 0.30 to 1.64 m and increased with EPE magnitude. The time it took for water tables to recede ranged from 1.2 to 3.0 years. A first-order estimate of total possible recharge, calculated from porosity and displacement, ranged from 17% (clay) to 97% (sand), averaging ~63% across soil textures. These findings highlight that recharge is primarily governed by EPE magnitude and soil properties, not event duration. This modeling effort provides new insight into how soil texture modulates groundwater response to extreme precipitation, informing future water budget and resilience assessments.
Suggested Citation
Corona, C.R., Ge, S., Anderson, S.P., and Dickinson, J.E., 2026, Extreme precipitation variability and soil texture controls on water-table response: Water, v. 18, no. 5, 587, 20 p., https://doi.org/10.3390/w18050587.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Extreme precipitation variability and soil texture controls on water-table response |
| Series title | Water |
| DOI | 10.3390/w18050587 |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Publication Date | February 28, 2026 |
| Year Published | 2026 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | MDPI |
| Contributing office(s) | WMA - Integrated Modeling and Prediction Division |
| Description | 587, 20 p. |