Groundwater funneling accelerates contamination flow into streams, impacting biodiversity.
Groundwater flow near streams can be affected by hyporheic fluxes, which can impact the movement of contaminants and solutes. A study in Sweden used a numerical model to show that hyporheic flows can change the direction and speed of groundwater flow, leading to faster discharge into streams. This can cause groundwater discharge areas to shrink and become more fragmented.