Lyon, Steve W.Koutsouris, AlexanderScheibler, FriedemannJarsjö, JerkerMbanguka, ReneTumbo, MadakaRobert, Keven K.Sharma, Asha N.van der Velde, Ype2016-05-262016-05-262015Lyon, S.W., Koutsouris, A., Scheibler, F., Jarsjö, J., Mbanguka, R., Tumbo, M., Robert, K.K., Sharma, A.N. and Velde, Y., 2015. Interpreting characteristic drainage timescale variability across Kilombero Valley, Tanzania. Hydrological Processes, 29(8), pp.1912-1924.http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11810/2258We explore seasonal variability and spatiotemporal patterns in characteristic drainage timescale (K) estimated from river discharge records across the Kilombero Valley in central Tanzania. K values were determined using streamflow recession analysis with a Brutsaert–Nieber solution to the linearized Boussinesq equation. Estimated K values were variable, comparing between wet and dry seasons for the relatively small catchments draining upland positions. For the larger catchments draining through valley bottoms, K values were typically longer and more consistent across seasons. Variations in K were compared with long-term averaged, Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer-derived monthly evapotranspiration. Although the variations in K were potentially related to evapotranspiration, the influence of data quality and analysis procedure could not be discounted. As such, even though recession analysis offers a potential approach to explore aquifer release timescales and thereby gain insight to a region's hydrology to inform water resources management, care must be taken when interpreting spatiotemporal shifts in K in connection with process representation in regions like the Kilombero ValleyenCharacteristic drainage timescaleStreamflow recession analysisKilombero ValleyWater resources managementJournal Article, Peer Reviewed10.1002/hyp.10304