Runoff generation mechanisms in a steep first-order British Columbian watershed.

This research was undertaken in the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest in British Columbia Canada and aimed to examine runoff generation mechanisms in a steep forested watershed. The research questions were: (1) can water infiltrate into the bedrock in the study watershed, (2) can bedrock infiltration be described with simple infiltration models that have been developed for soil infiltration, and (3) what is the spatial variation in the relations between discharge and piezometric response on the hillslope? To answer these questions hydrometric data from a 20 m by 18 m hillslope and from bedrock infiltration ponds were collected. The results from this research showed that the bedrock is permeable and that soil infiltration models can represent bedrock infiltration. The hillslope has two distinct water table zones; a hillslope zone and riparian zone. The riparian zone is located 0-8 m from the stream while the hillslope zone is 8-18 m uphill.