Recent improvements in both acquisition of sediment temperatures and simulation modelling of heat and ground-water transport, are leading to widespread implementation of heat as a tracer of groundwater fluxes near streams. The present work provides a brief historical review of the use of heat as a tracer of shallow ground-water movement, and details current theory used to estimate stream/groundwater exchanges. The governing equations for heat and ground-water transport in the near-stream environment are presented. The various relations between the hydrologic state of a stream channel and the expected thermal response is graphical depicted. Techniques for installation and monitoring of temperature and stage equipment are discussed for [...]
