Comparative hydrochemistry of five nested catchments located in the upper part of the Barcés river watershed (A Coruña, NW Spain)

259 stream water and 21 bulk precipitation samples have been studied between April 2008 and December 2010 in order to assess baseline hydrochemical conditions in a rural area of NW Spain. Stream waters are related to five nested catchments (<10 km2) with apparent low mean residence times. Their hydrochemical characteristics are closely related to bulk precipitation although clear evidences of seasonal (flushing, dilution, sediment desorption, etc.), lithological (schist vs. granite substrate) and anthropogenic (land use, contamination) effects are also described.

► Research on five nested catchments and bulk deposition in a rural area is presented.
► Seasonal patterns of some components display a strong correlation with the amount of precipitation.
► Lithological differences in the catchments and contamination affect the observed compositional patterns.