Swiss Alps
Dischmabach
In the high-alpine catchment of Dischmabach in eastern Switzerland, CryoSCOPE is researching how rainfall and snowmelt partition into streamflow, evapotranspiration, and groundwater. With high levels of annual precipitation falling as snow, Dischmabach is highly sensitive to climate warming, which is altering snowfall patterns and streamflow seasonality. The catchment hosts one of the longest alpine hourly streamflow records (since 1963), alongside extensive hydrometeorological and isotope measurements. These observations support the calibration of a spatially distributed, process-based hydrological model (EcH2O-iso) to quantify water partitioning and improve predictions of water availability under a changing climate.
Contact
Spanning approximately 42.9 km², with elevations ranging from 1,671 to 3,146 m above sea level, the Dischmabach catchment drains into the Rhine River, making it hydrologically important beyond the Alps. This region is sensitive to climate change, with shifts in snowmelt dynamics and streamflow seasonality already altering downstream water availability. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 1000 mm at lower elevations to over 2000 mm at higher elevations, with high percentages of precipitation falling as snow. Snow cover typically persists for 5 to 8 months, depending on elevation, and peak snow depths range from 0.5 meters in the valley to over 3 meters at higher elevations.
Dischmabach is among the most comprehensively instrumented alpine catchments, with hourly streamflow data dating back to 1963. This long-term hydrological record, combined with recent isotope and ecohydrological observations, provides a unique opportunity for process-based modelling of alpine water dynamics.
Researchers are calibrating a spatially distributed, energy-balance hydrological model (EcH2O-iso) to simulate snow hydrology and water partitioning in Dischmabach. The goal is to disentangle hydrological flow pathways, allowing for a more precise assessment of how precipitation is stored and released within the catchment. This is essential for improving predictions of how mountain water resources may evolve under a changing climate.
The dataset includes observations of streamflow, precipitation, air temperature, wind speed, solar radiation, snow depth, and snow water equivalent. Stable water isotopes in streamflow, precipitation, and xylem water are analysed to trace source contributions and transit times. Hydrometeorological measurements are maintained by MeteoSwiss and the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). Isotope measurements are coordinated by the WSL Institute for Snow, Avalanche Research SLF and ETH Zurich.
