Articles | Volume 16, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1151-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1151-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Data description paper
| 
01 Mar 2024
Data description paper |
| 01 Mar 2024
| 01 Mar 2024
A global dataset of the shape of drainage systems
German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA
School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
Ci-Jian Yang
Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Jens M. Turowski
German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
Richard F. Ott
German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Jean Braun
German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
Hui Tang
German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
Shadi Ghantous
Institute of Environmental Science and Geography, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
Xiaoping Yuan
School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
Gaia Stucky de Quay
Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA
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Fergus McNab, Taylor F. Schildgen, Jens Martin Turowski, and Andrew D. Wickert
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2468, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2468, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Earth Surface Dynamics (ESurf).
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Alluvial rivers form networks, but many concepts we use to analyse their long-term evolution derive from models that treat them as single streams. We develop a model including tributary interactions and show that, while patterns of sediment output can be similar for network and single-segment models, complex signal propagation affects aggradation and incision within networks. We argue that understanding a specific catchment's evolution requires a model with its specific network structure.
Li Wei, Dongri Song, Peng Cui, Lijun Su, Gordon G. D. Zhou, Kaiheng Hu, Fangqiang Wei, Yong Hong, Guoqiang Ou, Jun Zhang, Zhicheng Kang, Xiaojun Guo, Wei Zhong, Xiaoyu Li, Yaonan Zhang, and Hui Tang
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-190, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-190, 2025
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This research presents a unique debris flow dataset over 64 years (1961–2024) at Jiangjia Ravine, Dongchuan, Yunnan, China. The dataset includes detailed measurements of debris-flow kinematic parameters (velocity, depth, discharge), physical-mechanical properties (particle size, yield stress, viscosity), seismic data, and hydrometeorological records (minute-by-minute rainfall, soil moisture, et al.). The dataset is publicly accessible via the National Cryosphere Desert Data Center (NCDC).
Matanya Hamawi, Joel P. L. Johnson, Susan Bilek, Jens M. Turowski, and John B. Laronne
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-591, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-591, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Earth Surface Dynamics (ESurf).
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Water level suddenly rises during flash floods in dry regions having a distinct impact on bedload – large sediment rolling and saltating on the riverbed. Using sensor-equipped pebbles and seismic monitoring in a field setting, we demonstrate that bedload activity is very high in both shallow and deep sudden flows. These findings can help improve bedload transport models, particularly when using seismic sensors, by providing new insights into bedload dynamics.
Caroline Fenske, Jean Braun, François Guillocheau, and Cécile Robin
Earth Surf. Dynam., 13, 119–146, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-119-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-119-2025, 2025
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We have developed a new numerical model to represent the formation of duricrusts, which are hard mineral layers found in soils and at the surface of the Earth. We assume that the formation mechanism implies variations in the height of the water table and that the hardening rate is proportional to precipitation. The model allows us to quantify the potential feedbacks they generate on the surface topography and the thickness of the regolith/soil layer.
Jens M. Turowski, Fergus McNab, Aaron Bufe, and Stefanie Tofelde
Earth Surf. Dynam., 13, 97–117, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-97-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-97-2025, 2025
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Channel belts comprise the area affected by a river due to lateral migration and floods. As a landform, they affect water resources and flood hazard, and they often host unique ecological communities. We develop a model describing the evolution of channel-belt area over time. The model connects the behaviour of the river to the evolution of the channel belt over a timescale of centuries. A comparison to selected data from experiments and real river systems verifies the random walk approach.
Claire C. Masteller, Joel P. L. Johnson, Dieter Rickenmann, and Jens M. Turowski
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3250, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3250, 2024
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This paper presents a novel model that predicts the how gravel riverbeds may evolve in response to differences in the frequency and severity of flood events. We test our model using a 23-year long record of river flow and gravel transport from the Swiss Prealps. We find that our model reliably captures yearly patterns in gravel transport in this setting. Our new model is a major advance towards better predictions of river erosion that account for the flood history of a gravel bed river.
Yan Yan, Cheng Zeng, Renhe Wang, Yifei Cui, Sheng Hu, Xinglu Wang, and Hui Tang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2977, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2977, 2024
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Debris flow monitoring and early warning is one of the most effective means of disaster prevention. We hope to provide a simple, economical and practical monitoring method for debris flow monitoring and analysis by combining seismic signals and infrared images. This method provides a basis for real-time monitoring, analysis, early warning and hazard assessment of debris flows based on seismic signals.
Sophia Dosch, Niels Hovius, Marisa Repasch, Joel Scheingross, Jens M. Turowski, Stefanie Tofelde, Oliver Rach, and Dirk Sachse
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 907–927, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-907-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-907-2024, 2024
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The transport of plant debris in rivers is an important part of the global carbon cycle and influences atmospheric carbon levels through time. We sampled plant debris at the bed of a lowland river and determined the sources as it is transported hundreds of kilometers. Plant debris can persist at the riverbed, but mechanical breakdown reduces its amount, and it is only a small fraction compared to the suspended load. This plant debris and transport patterns need further investigation globally.
Ruohong Jiao, Shengze Cai, and Jean Braun
Geochronology, 6, 227–245, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-6-227-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-6-227-2024, 2024
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We demonstrate a machine learning method to estimate the temperature changes in the Earth's crust over time. The method respects physical laws and conditions imposed by users. By using observed rock cooling ages as constraints, the method can be used to estimate the tectonic and landscape evolution of the Earth. We show the applications of the method using a synthetic rock uplift model in 1D and an evolution model of a real mountain range in 3D.
Jens Martin Turowski, Aaron Bufe, and Stefanie Tofelde
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 493–514, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-493-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-493-2024, 2024
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Fluvial valleys are ubiquitous landforms, and understanding their formation and evolution affects a wide range of disciplines from archaeology and geology to fish biology. Here, we develop a model to predict the width of fluvial valleys for a wide range of geographic conditions. In the model, fluvial valley width is controlled by the two competing factors of lateral channel mobility and uplift. The model complies with available data and yields a broad range of quantitative predictions.
Amanda Lily Wild, Jean Braun, Alexander C. Whittaker, and Sebastien Castelltort
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-351, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-351, 2024
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Sediments deposited within river channels form the stratigraphic record, which has been used to interpret tectonic events, basin subsidence, and changes in precipitation long after ancient mountain chains have eroded away. Our work combines methods for estimating gravel fining with a landscape evolution model in order to analyze the grain size preserved within the stratigraphic record with greater complexity (e.g. considering topography and channel dynamics) than past approaches.
Boris Gailleton, Luca C. Malatesta, Guillaume Cordonnier, and Jean Braun
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 71–90, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-71-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-71-2024, 2024
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This contribution presents a new method to numerically explore the evolution of mountain ranges and surrounding areas. The method helps in monitoring with details on the timing and travel path of material eroded from the mountain ranges. It is particularly well suited to studies juxtaposing different domains – lakes or multiple rock types, for example – and enables the combination of different processes.
Jun-Yi Lee, Ci-Jian Yang, Tsung-Ren Peng, Tsung-Yu Lee, and Jr-Chuan Huang
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 4279–4294, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-4279-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-4279-2023, 2023
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Streamflow recession, shaped by landscape and rainfall, is not well understood. This study examines their combined impact using data from 19 mountainous rivers. Longer, gentler hillslopes promote flow and reduce nonlinearity, while larger catchments with more rainfall show increased landscape heterogeneity. In small catchments, the exponent decreases with rainfall, indicating less landscape and runoff variation. Further research is needed to validate these findings across diverse regions.
Esteban Acevedo-Trejos, Jean Braun, Katherine Kravitz, N. Alexia Raharinirina, and Benoît Bovy
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 6921–6941, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-6921-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-6921-2023, 2023
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The interplay of tectonics and climate influences the evolution of life and the patterns of biodiversity we observe on earth's surface. Here we present an adaptive speciation component coupled with a landscape evolution model that captures the essential earth-surface, ecological, and evolutionary processes that lead to the diversification of taxa. We can illustrate with our tool how life and landforms co-evolve to produce distinct biodiversity patterns on geological timescales.
Jens M. Turowski, Gunnar Pruß, Anne Voigtländer, Andreas Ludwig, Angela Landgraf, Florian Kober, and Audrey Bonnelye
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 979–994, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-979-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-979-2023, 2023
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Rivers can cut into rocks, and their strength modulates the river's erosion rates. Yet, which properties of the rock control its response to erosive action is poorly understood. Here, we describe parallel experiments to measure rock erosion rates under fluvial impact erosion and the rock's geotechnical properties such as fracture strength, elasticity, and density. Erosion rates vary over a factor of a million between different rock types. We use the data to improve current theory.
Yan Yan, Cheng Zeng, Yifei Cui, Sheng Hu, Xinglu Wang, and Hui Tang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2015, 2023
Preprint archived
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We aim to explore the basic parameters, development process, and magnitude of debris flows based on seismic signal analysis combined with other information recorded in real time during the formation and development of three debris flows in Wenchuan, China. The study provides a theoretical basis and a case study exemplar for the reconstruction of the debris flow process and peak velocity estimation using debris flow seismology.
Ci-Jian Yang, Pei-Hao Chen, Erica D. Erlanger, Jens M. Turowski, Sen Xu, Tse-Yang Teng, Jiun-Chuan Lin, and Jr-Chuang Huang
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 475–486, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-475-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-475-2023, 2023
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Observations of the interaction between extreme physical erosion and chemical weathering dynamics are limited. We presented major elements of stream water in the badland catchment at 3 h intervals during a 3 d typhoon. The excess sodium in the evaporite deposits causes material dispersion through deflocculation, which enhances the suspended sediment flux. Moreover, we observed a shift from predominantly evaporite weathering at peak precipitation to silicate weathering at peak discharge.
Ngai-Ham Chan, Moritz Langer, Bennet Juhls, Tabea Rettelbach, Paul Overduin, Kimberly Huppert, and Jean Braun
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 259–285, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-259-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-259-2023, 2023
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Arctic river deltas influence how nutrients and soil organic carbon, carried by sediments from the Arctic landscape, are retained or released into the Arctic Ocean. Under climate change, the deltas themselves and their ecosystems are becoming more vulnerable. We build upon previous models to reproduce for the first time an important feature ubiquitous to Arctic deltas and simulate its future under climate warming. This can impact the future of Arctic deltas and the carbon release they moderate.
Jean Braun
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 301–327, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-301-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-301-2022, 2022
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By comparing two models for the transport of sediment, we find that they share a similar steady-state solution that adequately predicts the shape of most depositional systems made of a fan and an alluvial plain. The length of the fan is controlled by the size of the mountain drainage area feeding the sedimentary system and its slope by the incoming sedimentary flux. We show that the models differ in their transient behavior to external forcing and are characterized by different response times.
Odin Marc, Jens M. Turowski, and Patrick Meunier
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 995–1011, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-995-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-995-2021, 2021
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The size of grains delivered to rivers is an essential parameter for understanding erosion and sediment transport and their related hazards. In mountains, landslides deliver these rock fragments, but few studies have analyzed the landslide properties that control the resulting sizes. We present measurements on 17 landslides from Taiwan and show that their grain sizes depend on rock strength, landslide depth and drop height, thereby validating and updating a previous theory on fragmentation.
Benjamin Campforts, Charles M. Shobe, Philippe Steer, Matthias Vanmaercke, Dimitri Lague, and Jean Braun
Geosci. Model Dev., 13, 3863–3886, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-3863-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-3863-2020, 2020
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Landslides shape the Earth’s surface and are a dominant source of terrestrial sediment. Rivers, then, act as conveyor belts evacuating landslide-produced sediment. Understanding the interaction among rivers and landslides is important to predict the Earth’s surface response to past and future environmental changes and for mitigating natural hazards. We develop HyLands, a new numerical model that provides a toolbox to explore how landslides and rivers interact over several timescales.
Jens Martin Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 103–122, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-103-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-103-2020, 2020
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Bedrock channels are the conveyor belts of mountain regions, evacuating sediment produced by erosion. Bedrock channel morphology and dynamics affect sediment transport rates and local erosion and set the base level for hillslope response. Here, using mechanistic considerations of the processes of fluvial erosion and transport, and considerations of the mass balance of sediment and bedrock, I discuss the principles governing steady-state channel morphology and the dynamic paths to achieve it.
Mitch K. D'Arcy, Taylor F. Schildgen, Jens M. Turowski, and Pedro DiNezio
Earth Surf. Dynam., 7, 755–771, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-755-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-755-2019, 2019
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The age of formation of sedimentary deposits is often interpreted to record information about past environmental changes. Here, we show that the timing of abandonment of surfaces also provides valuable information. We derive a new set of equations that can be used to estimate when a sedimentary surface was abandoned based on what is known about its activity from surface dating. Estimates of abandonment age can benefit a variety of geomorphic analyses, which we illustrate with a case study.
Guillaume Cordonnier, Benoît Bovy, and Jean Braun
Earth Surf. Dynam., 7, 549–562, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-549-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-549-2019, 2019
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We propose a new algorithm to solve the problem of flow routing across local depressions in the topography, one of the main computational bottlenecks in landscape evolution models. Our solution is more efficient than the state-of-the-art algorithms, with an optimal linear asymptotic complexity. The algorithm has been designed specifically to be used within landscape evolution models, and also suits more generally the efficient treatment of large digital elevation models.
Odin Marc, Robert Behling, Christoff Andermann, Jens M. Turowski, Luc Illien, Sigrid Roessner, and Niels Hovius
Earth Surf. Dynam., 7, 107–128, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-107-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-107-2019, 2019
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We mapped eight monsoon-related (> 100 m2) and large (> 0.1 km2) landslides in the Nepal Himalayas since 1970. Adding inventories of Holocene landslides, giant landslides (> 1 km3), and landslides from the 2015 Gorkha earthquake, we constrain the size–frequency distribution of monsoon- and earthquake-induced landslides. Both contribute ~50 % to a long-term (> 10 kyr) total erosion of ~2 mm yr-1, matching the long-term exhumation rate. Large landslides rarer than 10Be sampling time drive erosion.
Anne Schöpa, Wei-An Chao, Bradley P. Lipovsky, Niels Hovius, Robert S. White, Robert G. Green, and Jens M. Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 6, 467–485, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-467-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-467-2018, 2018
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On 21 July 2014, a voluminous landslide entered the caldera lake at Askja, Iceland, and created tsunami waves inundating famous tourist spots. The high hazard potential of the site motivated our study in which we analysed seismic data and found a precursory tremor signal intensifying in the 30 min before the landslide. Our paper shows the potential of seismic monitoring techniques to detect precursory activity before a big landslide that could be used for an early-warning system.
Jean Braun, Lorenzo Gemignani, and Peter van der Beek
Earth Surf. Dynam., 6, 257–270, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-257-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-257-2018, 2018
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We present a new method to interpret a type of data that geologists obtained by dating minerals in river sand samples. We show that such data contain information about the spatial distribution of the erosion rate (wear of surface rocks by natural processes such as river incision, land sliding or weathering) in the regions neighboring the river. This is important to understand the nature and efficiency of the processes responsible for surface erosion in mountain belts.
Jens Martin Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 6, 29–48, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-29-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-29-2018, 2018
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Bedrock channels are a key component of mountainous landscapes. Here, a new model of the steady-state morphology, including channel width, slope and sinuosity, is derived from process physics considerations. The model compares favourably to observed scaling relations.
Michael Dietze, Jens M. Turowski, Kristen L. Cook, and Niels Hovius
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 757–779, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-757-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-757-2017, 2017
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Rockfall is an essential geomorphic process and a hazard in steep landscapes which is hard to constrain with traditional approaches. Seismic methods allow for the detection, location, characterisation and linking of events to triggers by lag times. This new technique reveals 49 rockfalls in 6 months with seasonally varying locations. Freeze–thaw action accounts for only 5 events, whereas 19 rockfalls were caused by rain with a 1 h peak lag time, and 17 events were due to diurnal thermal forcing.
Albrecht von Boetticher, Jens M. Turowski, Brian W. McArdell, Dieter Rickenmann, Marcel Hürlimann, Christian Scheidl, and James W. Kirchner
Geosci. Model Dev., 10, 3963–3978, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-3963-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-3963-2017, 2017
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The open-source fluid dynamic solver presented in v. Boetticher et al. (2016) combines a Coulomb viscosplastic rheological model with a Herschel–Bulkley model based on material properties for 3-D debris flow simulations. Here, we validate the solver and illustrate the model sensitivity to water content, channel curvature, content of fine material and channel bed roughness. We simulate both laboratory-scale and large-scale debris-flow experiments, using only one of the two calibration parameters.
Michael Dietze, Solmaz Mohadjer, Jens M. Turowski, Todd A. Ehlers, and Niels Hovius
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 653–668, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-653-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-653-2017, 2017
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We use a seismometer network to detect and locate rockfalls, a key process shaping steep mountain landscapes. When tested against laser scan surveys, all seismically detected events could be located with an average deviation of 81 m. Seismic monitoring provides insight to the dynamics of individual rockfalls, which can be as small as 0.0053 m3. Thus, seismic methods provide unprecedented temporal, spatial and kinematic details about this important process.
Antonius Golly and Jens M. Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 557–570, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-557-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-557-2017, 2017
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Researchers of fluvial geomorphology require reliable information on channel width and its change in space and time. For example, to study bank erosion rates we need the local position of channel banks before and after a high flood event. Although deriving these metrics seems simple, researchers often use manual or arbitrary approaches that are not objective and reproducible. Here, we present an open-source software tool
cmgo(R package) that meets the requirements of academic research.
Fabian Walter, Arnaud Burtin, Brian W. McArdell, Niels Hovius, Bianca Weder, and Jens M. Turowski
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 939–955, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-939-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-939-2017, 2017
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Debris flows are naturally occuring mass motion events, which mobilize loose material in steep Alpine torrents. The destructive potential of debris flows is well known and demands early warning. Here we apply the amplitude source location (ASL) method to seismic ground vibrations induced by a debris flow event in Switzerland. The method efficiently detects the initiation of the event and traces its front propagation down the torrent channel.
Jens M. Turowski and Rebecca Hodge
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 311–330, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-311-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-311-2017, 2017
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Bedrock incision by rivers is driven by the impacts of sediment particles moved by the water flow. Sediment residing on the bed can protect the rock from impacts, thereby reducing erosion rates, a phenomenon known as the cover effect. The cover effect has been shown to be important in many field and laboratory experiments. Here, we develop a mathematical framework to describe the cover effect which can be used to compare data and to predict the extent of cover in streams.
Alexander R. Beer, James W. Kirchner, and Jens M. Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 4, 885–894, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-885-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-885-2016, 2016
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Spatial bedrock erosion data from stream channels are important for engineering issues and landscape evolution model assessment. However, acquiring such data is challenging and only few data sets exist. Detecting changes in repeated photographs of painted bedrock surfaces easily allows for semi-quantitative conclusions on the spatial distribution of sediment transport and its effects: abrasion on surfaces facing the streamflow and shielding of surfaces by abundant sediment.
Albrecht von Boetticher, Jens M. Turowski, Brian W. McArdell, Dieter Rickenmann, and James W. Kirchner
Geosci. Model Dev., 9, 2909–2923, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-9-2909-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-9-2909-2016, 2016
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Debris flows are characterized by unsteady flows of water with different content of clay, silt, sand, gravel, and large particles, resulting in a dense moving mixture mass. Here we present a three-dimensional fluid dynamic solver that simulates the flow as a mixture of a pressure-dependent rheology model of the gravel mixed with a Herschel–Bulkley rheology of the fine material suspension. We link rheological parameters to the material composition. The user must specify two free model parameters.
Arnaud Burtin, Niels Hovius, and Jens M. Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 4, 285–307, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-285-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-285-2016, 2016
A. von Boetticher, J. M. Turowski, B. W. McArdell, D. Rickenmann, M. Hürlimann, C. Scheidl, and J. W. Kirchner
Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/gmdd-8-6379-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmdd-8-6379-2015, 2015
Preprint withdrawn
M. Jochner, J. M. Turowski, A. Badoux, M. Stoffel, and C. Rickli
Earth Surf. Dynam., 3, 311–320, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-311-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-311-2015, 2015
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The export of coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) from mountain catchments seems to be strongly linked to rising discharge, but the mechanism leading to this is unclear. We show that log jams in a steep headwater stream are an effective barrier for CPOM export. Exceptional discharge events play a dual role: First, they destroy existing jams, releasing stored material. Second, they intensify channel--hillslope coupling, thereby recruiting logs to the channel, around which new jams can form.
A. R. Beer and J. M. Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 3, 291–309, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-291-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-291-2015, 2015
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We applied a spatiotemporally highly resolved dataset of discharge, sediment transport and bedrock erosion data to assess the validity of landscape evolution models at the process scale (resolution of square meters and minutes). The tools effect is found to be the dominant driver of erosion and an easy model is able to predict measured erosion. For larger scales common discharge-dependend modeling with a discharge threshold is adequate to regive the overal trend of the erosion signal.
J. Braun, C. Voisin, A. T. Gourlan, and C. Chauvel
Earth Surf. Dynam., 3, 1–14, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-1-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-1-2015, 2015
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We have derived a simple solution to the stream power law equation governing the erosion of rapidly uplifting tectonic areas assuming that rainfall varies as a periodic function of time. We show that the erosional response of this forcing is characterized by an amplification of the resulting erosional flux variations as well as a time lag. We show how this time lag can be important in interpreting several geological observations.
T. Croissant and J. Braun
Earth Surf. Dynam., 2, 155–166, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2-155-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2-155-2014, 2014
A. Burtin, N. Hovius, B. W. McArdell, J. M. Turowski, and J. Vergne
Earth Surf. Dynam., 2, 21–33, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2-21-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2-21-2014, 2014
J. M. Turowski, A. Badoux, K. Bunte, C. Rickli, N. Federspiel, and M. Jochner
Earth Surf. Dynam., 1, 1–11, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-1-1-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-1-1-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Domain: ESSD – Land | Subject: Hydrology
An integrated high-resolution bathymetric model for the Danube Delta system
LakeBeD-US: a benchmark dataset for lake water quality time series and vertical profiles
Benchmark dataset for hydraulic simulations of flash floods in the French Mediterranean region
Transformation rate maps of dissolved organic carbon in the contiguous US
A 1985–2023 time series dataset of absolute reservoir storage in Mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA-Res)
Machine-learning-based reconstruction of long-term global terrestrial water storage anomalies from observed, satellite and land-surface model data
Mapping the world's inland surface waters: an upgrade to the Global Lakes and Wetlands Database (GLWD v2)
One year of high-frequency monitoring of groundwater physico-chemical parameters in the Weierbach experimental catchment, Luxembourg
Discrete global grid system-based flow routing datasets in the Amazon and Yukon basins
GRILSS: opening the gateway to global reservoir sedimentation data curation
A worldwide event-based debris flow barrier dam dataset from 1800 to 2023
CAMELS-DK: hydrometeorological time series and landscape attributes for 3330 Danish catchments with streamflow observations from 304 gauged stations
An in situ daily dataset for benchmarking temporal variability of groundwater recharge
CAMELS-FR dataset: a large-sample hydroclimatic dataset for France to explore hydrological diversity and support model benchmarking
Features of Italian large dams and their upstream catchments
Gridded rainfall erosivity (2014–2022) in mainland China using 1 min precipitation data from densely distributed weather stations
OLIGOTREND, towards a global database of multi-decadal chlorophyll-a and water quality timeseries for rivers, lakes and estuaries
High-resolution hydrometeorological and snow data for the Dischma catchment in Switzerland
A 3-hour, 1-km surface soil moisture dataset for the contiguous United States from 2015 to 2023
CAMELS-IND: hydrometeorological time series and catchment attributes for 228 catchments in Peninsular India
HERA: a high-resolution pan-European hydrological reanalysis (1951–2020)
BCUB – a large-sample ungauged basin attribute dataset for British Columbia, Canada
Comprehensive inventory of large hydropower systems in the Italian Alpine Region
Northern Hemisphere in situ snow water equivalent dataset (NorSWE, 1979–2021)
ESA CCI Soil Moisture GAPFILLED: An independent global gap-free satellite climate data record with uncertainty estimates
Lena River biogeochemistry captured by a 4.5-year high-frequency sampling program
CAMELS-DE: hydro-meteorological time series and attributes for 1582 catchments in Germany
Observational partitioning of water and CO2 fluxes at National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) sites: a 5-year dataset of soil and plant components for spatial and temporal analysis
A benchmark dataset for global evapotranspiration estimation based on FLUXNET2015 from 2000 to 2022
GRDC-Caravan: extending Caravan with data from the Global Runoff Data Centre
CIrrMap250: annual maps of China's irrigated cropland from 2000 to 2020 developed through multisource data integration
HANZE v2.1: an improved database of flood impacts in Europe from 1870 to 2020
A Copernicus-based evapotranspiration dataset at 100 m spatial resolution over four Mediterranean basins
Gridded dataset of nitrogen and phosphorus point sources from wastewater in Germany (1950–2019)
A globally sampled high-resolution hand-labeled validation dataset for evaluating surface water extent maps
Satellite-based near-real-time global daily terrestrial evapotranspiration estimates
Multivariate characterisation of a blackberry–alder agroforestry system in South Africa: hydrological, pedological, dendrological and meteorological measurements
CAMELS-AUS v2: updated hydrometeorological timeseries and landscape attributes for an enlarged set of catchments in Australia
SHIFT: a spatial-heterogeneity improvement in DEM-based mapping of global geomorphic floodplains
First comprehensive stable isotope dataset of diverse water units in a permafrost-dominated catchment on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
LamaH-Ice: LArge-SaMple DAta for Hydrology and Environmental Sciences for Iceland
High-resolution mapping of monthly industrial water withdrawal in China from 1965 to 2020
Evapotranspiration evaluation using three different protocols on a large green roof in the greater Paris area
Simbi: historical hydro-meteorological time series and signatures for 24 catchments in Haiti
CAMELE: Collocation-Analyzed Multi-source Ensembled Land Evapotranspiration Data
A hydrogeomorphic dataset for characterizing catchment hydrological behavior across the Tibetan Plateau
A synthesis of Global Streamflow Characteristics, Hydrometeorology, and Catchment Attributes (GSHA) for large sample river-centric studies
FOCA: a new quality-controlled database of floods and catchment descriptors in Italy
Dams in the Mekong: a comprehensive database, spatiotemporal distribution, and hydropower potentials
An extensive spatiotemporal water quality dataset covering four decades (1980–2022) in China
Lauranne Alaerts, Jonathan Lambrechts, Ny Riana Randresihaja, Luc Vandenbulcke, Olivier Gourgue, Emmanuel Hanert, and Marilaure Grégoire
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 3125–3140, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-3125-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-3125-2025, 2025
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We created the first comprehensive, high-resolution, and easily accessible bathymetry dataset for the three main branches of the Danube Delta. By combining four data sources, we obtained a detailed representation of the riverbed, with resolutions ranging from 2 to 100 m. This dataset will support future studies on water and nutrient exchanges between the Danube and the Black Sea and provide insights into the delta's buffer role within the understudied Danube–Black Sea continuum.
Bennett J. McAfee, Aanish Pradhan, Abhilash Neog, Sepideh Fatemi, Robert T. Hensley, Mary E. Lofton, Anuj Karpatne, Cayelan C. Carey, and Paul C. Hanson
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 3141–3165, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-3141-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-3141-2025, 2025
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LakeBeD-US is a dataset of lake water quality data collected by multiple long-term monitoring programs around the United States. This dataset is designed to foster collaboration between lake scientists and computer scientists to improve predictions of water quality. By offering a way for computer models to be tested against real-world lake data, LakeBeD-US offers opportunities for both sciences to grow and to give new insights into the causes of water quality changes.
Juliette Godet, Pierre Nicolle, Nabil Hocini, Eric Gaume, Philippe Davy, Frederic Pons, Pierre Javelle, Pierre-André Garambois, Dimitri Lague, and Olivier Payrastre
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 2963–2983, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2963-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2963-2025, 2025
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This paper describes a dataset that includes input, output, and validation data for the simulation of flash flood hazards and three specific flash flood events in the French Mediterranean region. This dataset is particularly valuable as flood mapping methods often lack sufficient benchmark data. Additionally, we demonstrate how the hydraulic method we used, named Floodos, produces highly satisfactory results.
Lingbo Li, Hong-Yi Li, Guta Abeshu, Jinyun Tang, L. Ruby Leung, Chang Liao, Zeli Tan, Hanqin Tian, Peter Thornton, and Xiaojuan Yang
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 2713–2733, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2713-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2713-2025, 2025
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We have developed new maps that reveal how organic carbon from soil leaches into headwater streams over the contiguous United States. We use advanced artificial intelligence techniques and a massive amount of data, including observations at over 2500 gauges and a wealth of climate and environmental information. The maps are a critical step in understanding and predicting how carbon moves through our environment, hence making them a useful tool for tackling climate challenges.
Shanti Shwarup Mahto, Simone Fatichi, and Stefano Galelli
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 2693–2712, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2693-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2693-2025, 2025
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The MSEA-Res database offers an open-access dataset tracking absolute water storage for 186 large reservoirs across Mainland Southeast Asia from 1985 to 2023. It provides valuable insights into how reservoir storage grew by 130 % between 2008 and 2017, driven by dams in key river basins. Our data also reveal how droughts, like the 2019–2020 event, significantly impacted water reservoirs. This resource can aid water management, drought planning, and research globally.
Nehar Mandal, Prabal Das, and Kironmala Chanda
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 2575–2604, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2575-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2575-2025, 2025
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Optimal features among hydroclimatic variables and land surface model (LSM) outputs are selected using a novel Bayesian network (BN) approach for simulating terrestrial water storage anomalies (TWSAs). TWSAs are reconstructed (BNML_TWSA) with grid-specific leader models (among four machine learning models) from January 1960 to December 2022 to generate a continuous global gridded dataset. The uncertainty in the reconstructed BNML_TWSA product is also assessed in terms of standard error.
Bernhard Lehner, Mira Anand, Etienne Fluet-Chouinard, Florence Tan, Filipe Aires, George H. Allen, Philippe Bousquet, Josep G. Canadell, Nick Davidson, Meng Ding, C. Max Finlayson, Thomas Gumbricht, Lammert Hilarides, Gustaf Hugelius, Robert B. Jackson, Maartje C. Korver, Liangyun Liu, Peter B. McIntyre, Szabolcs Nagy, David Olefeldt, Tamlin M. Pavelsky, Jean-Francois Pekel, Benjamin Poulter, Catherine Prigent, Jida Wang, Thomas A. Worthington, Dai Yamazaki, Xiao Zhang, and Michele Thieme
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 2277–2329, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2277-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2277-2025, 2025
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The Global Lakes and Wetlands Database (GLWD) version 2 distinguishes a total of 33 non-overlapping wetland classes, providing a static map of the world’s inland surface waters. It contains cell fractions of wetland extents per class at a grid cell resolution of ~500 m. The total combined extent of all classes including all inland and coastal waterbodies and wetlands of all inundation frequencies – that is, the maximum extent – covers 18.2 × 106 km2, equivalent to 13.4 % of total global land area.
Karl Nicolaus van Zweel, Laurent Gourdol, Jean François Iffly, Loïc Léonard, François Barnich, Laurent Pfister, Erwin Zehe, and Christophe Hissler
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 2217–2229, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2217-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2217-2025, 2025
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Our study monitored groundwater in a Luxembourg forest over a year to understand water and chemical changes. We found seasonal variations in water chemistry, influenced by rainfall and soil interactions. These data help predict environmental responses and manage water resources better. By measuring key parameters like pH and dissolved oxygen, our research provides valuable insights into groundwater behaviour and serves as a resource for future environmental studies.
Chang Liao, Darren Engwirda, Matthew G. Cooper, Mingke Li, and Yilin Fang
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 2035–2062, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2035-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-2035-2025, 2025
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Discrete global grid systems, or DGGS, are digital frameworks that help us organize information about our planet. Although scientists have used DGGS in areas like weather and nature, using them in the water cycle has been challenging because some core datasets are missing. We created a way to generate these datasets. We then developed the datasets in the Amazon and Yukon basins, which play important roles in our planet's climate. These datasets may help us improve our water cycle models.
Sanchit Minocha and Faisal Hossain
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 1743–1759, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1743-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1743-2025, 2025
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Trustworthy and independently verifiable information on declining storage capacity or sedimentation rates worldwide is sparse and suffers from inconsistent metadata and curation to allow global-scale archiving and analyses. The Global Reservoir Inventory of Lost Storage by Sedimentation (GRILSS) dataset addresses this challenge by providing organized, well-curated, and open-source data on sedimentation rates and capacity loss for 1013 reservoirs in 75 major river basins across 54 countries.
Haiguang Cheng, Kaiheng Hu, Shuang Liu, Xiaopeng Zhang, Hao Li, Qiyuan Zhang, Lan Ning, Manish Raj Gouli, Pu Li, Anna Yang, Peng Zhao, Junyu Liu, and Li Wei
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 1573–1593, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1573-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1573-2025, 2025
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After reviewing 2519 literature and media reports, we compiled the first comprehensive global dataset of 555 debris flow barrier dams (DFBDs) from 1800 to 2023. Our dataset meticulously documents 38 attributes of DFBDs, and we have utilized Google Earth for validation. Additionally, we discussed the applicability of landslide dam stability and peak-discharge models to DFBDs. This dataset offers a rich foundation of data for future studies on DFBDs.
Jun Liu, Julian Koch, Simon Stisen, Lars Troldborg, Anker Lajer Højberg, Hans Thodsen, Mark F. T. Hansen, and Raphael J. M. Schneider
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 1551–1572, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1551-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1551-2025, 2025
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We developed a CAMELS-style dataset in Denmark, which contains hydrometeorological time series and landscape attributes for 3330 catchments (304 gauged). Many catchments in CAMELS-DK are small and at low elevations. The dataset provides information on groundwater characteristics and dynamics, as well as quantities related to the human impact on the hydrological system in Denmark. The dataset is especially relevant for developing data-driven and hybrid physically informed modeling frameworks.
Pragnaditya Malakar, Aatish Anshuman, Mukesh Kumar, Georgios Boumis, T. Prabhakar Clement, Arik Tashie, Hitesh Thakur, Nagaraj Bhat, and Lokendra Rathore
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 1515–1528, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1515-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1515-2025, 2025
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Groundwater dynamics depend on groundwater recharge, but daily benchmark data of recharge are scarce. Here we present a daily groundwater recharge per unit specified yield (RpSy) data at 485 US groundwater monitoring wells. RpSy can be used to validate the temporal consistency of recharge products from land surface and hydrologic models and facilitate assessment of recharge-driver functional relationships in them.
Olivier Delaigue, Guilherme Mendoza Guimarães, Pierre Brigode, Benoît Génot, Charles Perrin, Jean-Michel Soubeyroux, Bruno Janet, Nans Addor, and Vazken Andréassian
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 1461–1479, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1461-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1461-2025, 2025
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This dataset covers 654 rivers all flowing in France. The provided time series and catchment attributes will be of interest to those modelers wishing to analyze hydrological behavior and perform model assessments.
Giulia Evangelista, Paola Mazzoglio, Daniele Ganora, Francesca Pianigiani, and Pierluigi Claps
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 1407–1426, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1407-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1407-2025, 2025
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This paper presents the first comprehensive dataset of 528 large dams in Italy. It contains structural characteristics of the dams, such as coordinates, reservoir surface areas and volumes, together with a range of geomorphological, climatological, extreme rainfall, land cover and soil-related attributes of their upstream catchments.
Yueli Chen, Yun Xie, Xingwu Duan, and Minghu Ding
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 1265–1274, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1265-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1265-2025, 2025
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Rainfall erosivity maps are crucial for identifying key areas of water erosion. Due to the limited historical precipitation data, there are certain biases in rainfall erosivity estimates in China. This study develops a new rainfall erosivity map for mainland China using 1 min precipitation data from 60 129 weather stations, revealing that areas exceeding 4000 MJ mm ha−1 h−1yr−1 of annual rainfall erosivity are mainly concentrated in southern China and on the southern Tibetan Plateau.
Camille Minaudo, Andras Abonyi, Carles Alcaraz, Jacob Diamond, Nicholas J. K. Howden, Michael Rode, Estela Romero, Vincent Thieu, Fred Worrall, Qian Zhang, and Xavier Benito
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-58, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-58, 2025
Revised manuscript accepted for ESSD
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Many waterbodies undergo nutrient decline globally, called oligotrophication, but a comprehensive dataset to understand ecosystem responses is lacking. The OLIGOTREND database comprises multi-decadal chlorophyll-a and nutrient timeseries from rivers, lakes, and estuaries with 4.3 million observations from 1,894 unique measurement locations. The database provides empirical evidence for oligotrophication responses with a spatial and temporal coverage exceeding previous efforts.
Jan Magnusson, Yves Bühler, Louis Quéno, Bertrand Cluzet, Giulia Mazzotti, Clare Webster, Rebecca Mott, and Tobias Jonas
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 703–717, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-703-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-703-2025, 2025
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In this study, we present a dataset for the Dischma catchment in eastern Switzerland, which represents a typical high-alpine watershed in the European Alps. Accurate monitoring and reliable forecasting of snow and water resources in such basins are crucial for a wide range of applications. Our dataset is valuable for improving physics-based snow, land surface, and hydrological models, with potential applications in similar high-alpine catchments.
Haoxuan Yang, Jia Yang, Tyson E. Ochsner, Erik S. Krueger, Mengyuan Xu, and Chris B. Zou
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-55, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-55, 2025
Revised manuscript accepted for ESSD
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We developed a 3-hour, 1-km surface soil moisture dataset for the contiguous United States from 2015 to 2023 using the spatio-temporal fusion method. This dataset effectively combines the distinct advantages of two long-term SSM datasets, which is also the first hour-level 1-km soil moisture dataset at the continental US scale. The new dataset could provide new insight into the fast changes in soil moisture along with drought and wet spell occurrences.
Nikunj K. Mangukiya, Kanneganti Bhargav Kumar, Pankaj Dey, Shailza Sharma, Vijaykumar Bejagam, Pradeep P. Mujumdar, and Ashutosh Sharma
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 461–491, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-461-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-461-2025, 2025
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We introduce CAMELS-IND (Catchment Attributes and MEteorology for Large-sample Studies – India), which provides daily hydrometeorological time series and static catchment attributes representing the location, topography, climate, hydrological signatures, land use, land cover, soil, geology, and anthropogenic influences for 472 catchments in Peninsular India to foster large-sample hydrological studies in India and promote the inclusion of Indian catchments in global hydrological research.
Aloïs Tilloy, Dominik Paprotny, Stefania Grimaldi, Goncalo Gomes, Alessandra Bianchi, Stefan Lange, Hylke Beck, Cinzia Mazzetti, and Luc Feyen
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 293–316, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-293-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-293-2025, 2025
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This article presents a reanalysis of Europe's river streamflow for the period 1951–2020. Streamflow is estimated through a state-of-the-art hydrological simulation framework benefitting from detailed information about the landscape, climate, and human activities. The resulting Hydrological European ReAnalysis (HERA) can be a valuable tool for studying hydrological dynamics, including the impacts of climate change and human activities on European water resources and flood and drought risks.
Daniel Kovacek and Steven Weijs
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 259–275, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-259-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-259-2025, 2025
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We made a dataset for British Columbia describing the terrain, soil, land cover, and climate of over 1 million watersheds. The attributes are often used in hydrology because they are related to the water cycle. The data are meant to be used for water resources problems that can benefit from lots of watersheds and their attributes. The data and instructions needed to build the dataset from scratch are freely available. The permanent home for the data is https://doi.org/10.5683/SP3/JNKZVT.
Andrea Galletti, Soroush Zarghami Dastjerdi, and Bruno Majone
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-521, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-521, 2025
Revised manuscript accepted for ESSD
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We propose IAR-HP, a detailed inventory of large hydropower systems in Italy's Alpine Region, aimed at improving hydrological modeling for climate impact studies by providing the most relevant information with a consistent level of detail. It includes structural, geographical, and operational data for over 300 hydropower plants and their related reservoirs and water intakes. Validated through modeling, IAR-HP accurately reproduces observed hydropower, capturing 96.2 % of actual production.
Colleen Mortimer and Vincent Vionnet
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-602, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-602, 2025
Revised manuscript accepted for ESSD
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In situ observations of snow water equivalent (SWE) are critical for climate applications and resource management. NorSWE is a dataset of in situ SWE observations covering North America, Finland and Russia over the period 1979–2021. It includes >11 million observations from >10 thousand different locations compiled from nine different sources. Snow depth and derived bulk snow density are included when available.
Wolfgang Preimesberger, Pietro Stradiotti, and Wouter Dorigo
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-610, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-610, 2025
Revised manuscript accepted for ESSD
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We introduce the official ESA CCI Soil Moisture GAPFILLED climate data record. A univariate interpolation algorithm is applied to predict missing data points without relying on ancillary variables. The dataset includes gap-free uncertainty estimates for all predictions and was validated with independent in situ reference measurements. The data are recommended for applications, which require global long-term gap-free satellite soil moisture data.
Bennet Juhls, Anne Morgenstern, Jens Hölemann, Antje Eulenburg, Birgit Heim, Frederieke Miesner, Hendrik Grotheer, Gesine Mollenhauer, Hanno Meyer, Ephraim Erkens, Felica Yara Gehde, Sofia Antonova, Sergey Chalov, Maria Tereshina, Oxana Erina, Evgeniya Fingert, Ekaterina Abramova, Tina Sanders, Liudmila Lebedeva, Nikolai Torgovkin, Georgii Maksimov, Vasily Povazhnyi, Rafael Gonçalves-Araujo, Urban Wünsch, Antonina Chetverova, Sophie Opfergelt, and Pier Paul Overduin
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 1–28, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1-2025, 2025
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The Siberian Arctic is warming fast: permafrost is thawing, river chemistry is changing, and coastal ecosystems are affected. We aimed to understand changes in the Lena River, a major Arctic river flowing to the Arctic Ocean, by collecting 4.5 years of detailed water data, including temperature and carbon and nutrient contents. This dataset records current conditions and helps us to detect future changes. Explore it at https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.913197 and https://lena-monitoring.awi.de/.
Ralf Loritz, Alexander Dolich, Eduardo Acuña Espinoza, Pia Ebeling, Björn Guse, Jonas Götte, Sibylle K. Hassler, Corina Hauffe, Ingo Heidbüchel, Jens Kiesel, Mirko Mälicke, Hannes Müller-Thomy, Michael Stölzle, and Larisa Tarasova
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 5625–5642, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5625-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5625-2024, 2024
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The CAMELS-DE dataset features data from 1582 streamflow gauges across Germany, with records spanning from 1951 to 2020. This comprehensive dataset, which includes time series of up to 70 years (median 46 years), enables advanced research on water flow and environmental trends and supports the development of hydrological models.
Einara Zahn and Elie Bou-Zeid
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 5603–5624, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5603-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5603-2024, 2024
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Quantifying water and CO2 exchanges through transpiration, evaporation, net photosynthesis, and soil respiration is essential for understanding how ecosystems function. We implemented five methods to estimate these fluxes over a 5-year period across 47 sites. This is the first dataset representing such large spatial and temporal coverage of soil and plant exchanges, and it has many potential applications, such as examining the response of ecosystems to weather extremes and climate change.
Wangyipu Li, Zhaoyuan Yao, Yifan Qu, Hanbo Yang, Yang Song, Lisheng Song, Lifeng Wu, and Yaokui Cui
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-460, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-460, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for ESSD
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Due to shortcomings such as extensive data gaps and limited observation durations in current ground-based latent heat flux (LE) datasets, we developed a novel gap-filling and prolongation framework for ground-based LE observations, establishing a benchmark dataset for global evapotranspiration (ET) estimation from 2000 to 2022 across 64 sites at various time scales. This comprehensive dataset can strongly support ET modelling, water-carbon cycle monitoring, and long-term climate change analysis.
Claudia Färber, Henning Plessow, Simon Mischel, Frederik Kratzert, Nans Addor, Guy Shalev, and Ulrich Looser
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-427, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-427, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for ESSD
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Large-sample datasets are essential in hydrological science to support modelling studies and advance process understanding. Caravan is a community initiative to create a large-sample hydrology dataset of meteorological forcing data, catchment attributes, and discharge data for catchments around the world. This dataset is a subset of hydrological discharge data and station-based watersheds from the Global Runoff Data Centre (GRDC), which are covered by an open data policy.
Ling Zhang, Yanhua Xie, Xiufang Zhu, Qimin Ma, and Luca Brocca
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 5207–5226, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5207-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5207-2024, 2024
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This study presented new annual maps of irrigated cropland in China from 2000 to 2020 (CIrrMap250). These maps were developed by integrating remote sensing data, irrigation statistics and surveys, and an irrigation suitability map. CIrrMap250 achieved high accuracy and outperformed currently available products. The new irrigation maps revealed a clear expansion of China’s irrigation area, with the majority (61%) occurring in the water-unsustainable regions facing severe to extreme water stress.
Dominik Paprotny, Paweł Terefenko, and Jakub Śledziowski
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 5145–5170, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5145-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5145-2024, 2024
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Knowledge about past natural disasters can help adaptation to their future occurrences. Here, we present a dataset of 2521 riverine, pluvial, coastal, and compound floods that have occurred in 42 European countries between 1870 and 2020. The dataset contains available information on the inundated area, fatalities, persons affected, or economic loss and was obtained by extensive data collection from more than 800 sources ranging from news reports through government databases to scientific papers.
Paulina Bartkowiak, Bartolomeo Ventura, Alexander Jacob, and Mariapina Castelli
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 4709–4734, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4709-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4709-2024, 2024
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This paper presents the Two-Source Energy Balance evapotranspiration (ET) product driven by Copernicus Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 imagery together with ERA5 climate reanalysis data. Daily ET maps are available at 100 m spatial resolution for the period 2017–2021 across four Mediterranean basins: Ebro (Spain), Hérault (France), Medjerda (Tunisia), and Po (Italy). The product is highly beneficial for supporting vegetation monitoring and sustainable water management at the river basin scale.
Fanny J. Sarrazin, Sabine Attinger, and Rohini Kumar
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 4673–4708, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4673-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4673-2024, 2024
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Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contamination of water bodies is a long-term issue due to the long history of N and P inputs to the environment and their persistence. Here, we introduce a long-term and high-resolution dataset of N and P inputs from wastewater (point sources) for Germany, combining data from different sources and conceptual understanding. We also account for uncertainties in modelling choices, thus facilitating robust long-term and large-scale water quality studies.
Rohit Mukherjee, Frederick Policelli, Ruixue Wang, Elise Arellano-Thompson, Beth Tellman, Prashanti Sharma, Zhijie Zhang, and Jonathan Giezendanner
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 4311–4323, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4311-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4311-2024, 2024
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Global water resource monitoring is crucial due to climate change and population growth. This study presents a hand-labeled dataset of 100 PlanetScope images for surface water detection, spanning diverse biomes. We use this dataset to evaluate two state-of-the-art mapping methods. Results highlight performance variations across biomes, emphasizing the need for diverse, independent validation datasets to enhance the accuracy and reliability of satellite-based surface water monitoring techniques.
Lei Huang, Yong Luo, Jing M. Chen, Qiuhong Tang, Tammo Steenhuis, Wei Cheng, and Wen Shi
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 3993–4019, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3993-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3993-2024, 2024
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Timely global terrestrial evapotranspiration (ET) data are crucial for water resource management and drought forecasting. This study introduces the VISEA algorithm, which integrates satellite data and shortwave radiation to provide daily 0.05° gridded near-real-time ET estimates. By employing a vegetation index–temperature method, this algorithm can estimate ET without requiring additional data. Evaluation results demonstrate VISEA's comparable accuracy with accelerated data availability.
Sibylle Kathrin Hassler, Rafael Bohn Reckziegel, Ben du Toit, Svenja Hoffmeister, Florian Kestel, Anton Kunneke, Rebekka Maier, and Jonathan Paul Sheppard
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 3935–3948, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3935-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3935-2024, 2024
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Agroforestry systems (AFSs) combine trees and crops within the same land unit, providing a sustainable land use option which protects natural resources and biodiversity. Introducing trees into agricultural systems can positively affect water resources, soil characteristics, biomass and microclimate. We studied an AFS in South Africa in a multidisciplinary approach to assess the different influences and present the resulting dataset consisting of water, soil, tree and meteorological variables.
Keirnan J. A. Fowler, Ziqi Zhang, and Xue Hou
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-263, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-263, 2024
Revised manuscript accepted for ESSD
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This paper presents Version 2 of the Australian edition of the Catchment Attributes and Meteorology for Large-sample Studies (CAMELS) series of datasets. CAMELS-AUS v2 comprises data for an increased number (561) of catchments, each with with long-term monitoring, combining hydrometeorological time series with attributes related to geology, soil, topography, land cover, anthropogenic influence and hydroclimatology. It is freely downloadable from https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.12575680.
Kaihao Zheng, Peirong Lin, and Ziyun Yin
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 3873–3891, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3873-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3873-2024, 2024
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We develop a globally applicable thresholding scheme for DEM-based floodplain delineation to improve the representation of spatial heterogeneity. It involves a stepwise approach to estimate the basin-level floodplain hydraulic geometry parameters that best respect the scaling law while approximating the global hydrodynamic flood maps. A ~90 m resolution global floodplain map, the Spatial Heterogeneity Improved Floodplain by Terrain analysis (SHIFT), is delineated with demonstrated superiority.
Yuzhong Yang, Qingbai Wu, Xiaoyan Guo, Lu Zhou, Helin Yao, Dandan Zhang, Zhongqiong Zhang, Ji Chen, and Guojun Liu
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 3755–3770, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3755-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3755-2024, 2024
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We present the temporal data of stable isotopes in different waterbodies in the Beiluhe Basin in the hinterland of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) produced between 2017 and 2022. In this article, the first detailed stable isotope data of 359 ground ice samples are presented. This first data set provides a new basis for understanding the hydrological effects of permafrost degradation on the QTP.
Hordur Bragi Helgason and Bart Nijssen
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 2741–2771, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-2741-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-2741-2024, 2024
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LamaH-Ice is a large-sample hydrology (LSH) dataset for Iceland. The dataset includes daily and hourly hydro-meteorological time series, including observed streamflow and basin characteristics, for 107 basins. LamaH-Ice offers most variables that are included in existing LSH datasets and additional information relevant to cold-region hydrology such as annual time series of glacier extent and mass balance. A large majority of the basins in LamaH-Ice are unaffected by human activities.
Chengcheng Hou, Yan Li, Shan Sang, Xu Zhao, Yanxu Liu, Yinglu Liu, and Fang Zhao
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 2449–2464, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-2449-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-2449-2024, 2024
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To fill the gap in the gridded industrial water withdrawal (IWW) data in China, we developed the China Industrial Water Withdrawal (CIWW) dataset, which provides monthly IWWs from 1965 to 2020 at a spatial resolution of 0.1°/0.25° and auxiliary data including subsectoral IWW and industrial output value in 2008. This dataset can help understand the human water use dynamics and support studies in hydrology, geography, sustainability sciences, and water resource management and allocation in China.
Pierre-Antoine Versini, Leydy Alejandra Castellanos-Diaz, David Ramier, and Ioulia Tchiguirinskaia
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 2351–2366, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-2351-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-2351-2024, 2024
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Nature-based solutions (NBSs), such as green roofs, have appeared as relevant solutions to mitigate urban heat islands. The evapotranspiration (ET) process allows NBSs to cool the air. To improve our knowledge about ET assessment, this paper presents some experimental measurement campaigns carried out during three consecutive summers. Data are available for three different (large, small, and point-based) spatial scales.
Ralph Bathelemy, Pierre Brigode, Vazken Andréassian, Charles Perrin, Vincent Moron, Cédric Gaucherel, Emmanuel Tric, and Dominique Boisson
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 2073–2098, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-2073-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-2073-2024, 2024
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The aim of this work is to provide the first hydroclimatic database for Haiti, a Caribbean country particularly vulnerable to meteorological and hydrological hazards. The resulting database, named Simbi, provides hydroclimatic time series for around 150 stations and 24 catchment areas.
Changming Li, Ziwei Liu, Wencong Yang, Zhuoyi Tu, Juntai Han, Sien Li, and Hanbo Yang
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 1811–1846, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1811-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1811-2024, 2024
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Using a collocation-based approach, we developed a reliable global land evapotranspiration product (CAMELE) by merging multi-source datasets. The CAMELE product outperformed individual input datasets and showed satisfactory performance compared to reference data. It also demonstrated superiority for different plant functional types. Our study provides a promising solution for data fusion. The CAMELE dataset allows for detailed research and a better understanding of land–atmosphere interactions.
Yuhan Guo, Hongxing Zheng, Yuting Yang, Yanfang Sang, and Congcong Wen
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 1651–1665, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1651-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1651-2024, 2024
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We have provided an inaugural version of the hydrogeomorphic dataset for catchments over the Tibetan Plateau. We first provide the width-function-based instantaneous unit hydrograph (WFIUH) for each HydroBASINS catchment, which can be used to investigate the spatial heterogeneity of hydrological behavior across the Tibetan Plateau. It is expected to facilitate hydrological modeling across the Tibetan Plateau.
Ziyun Yin, Peirong Lin, Ryan Riggs, George H. Allen, Xiangyong Lei, Ziyan Zheng, and Siyu Cai
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 1559–1587, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1559-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1559-2024, 2024
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Large-sample hydrology (LSH) datasets have been the backbone of hydrological model parameter estimation and data-driven machine learning models for hydrological processes. This study complements existing LSH studies by creating a dataset with improved sample coverage, uncertainty estimates, and dynamic descriptions of human activities, which are all crucial to hydrological understanding and modeling.
Pierluigi Claps, Giulia Evangelista, Daniele Ganora, Paola Mazzoglio, and Irene Monforte
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 1503–1522, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1503-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1503-2024, 2024
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FOCA (Italian FlOod and Catchment Atlas) is the first systematic collection of data on Italian river catchments. It comprises geomorphological, soil, land cover, NDVI, climatological and extreme rainfall catchment attributes. FOCA also contains 631 peak and daily discharge time series covering the 1911–2016 period. Using this first nationwide data collection, a wide range of applications, in particular flood studies, can be undertaken within the Italian territory.
Wei Jing Ang, Edward Park, Yadu Pokhrel, Dung Duc Tran, and Ho Huu Loc
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 1209–1228, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1209-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1209-2024, 2024
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Dams have burgeoned in the Mekong, but information on dams is scattered and inconsistent. Up-to-date evaluation of dams is unavailable, and basin-wide hydropower potential has yet to be systematically assessed. We present a comprehensive database of 1055 dams, a spatiotemporal analysis of the dams, and a total hydropower potential of 1 334 683 MW. Considering projected dam development and hydropower potential, the vulnerability and the need for better dam management may be highest in Laos.
Jingyu Lin, Peng Wang, Jinzhu Wang, Youping Zhou, Xudong Zhou, Pan Yang, Hao Zhang, Yanpeng Cai, and Zhifeng Yang
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 1137–1149, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1137-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1137-2024, 2024
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Our paper provides a repository comprising over 330 000 observations encompassing daily, weekly, and monthly records of surface water quality spanning the period 1980–2022. It included 18 distinct indicators, meticulously gathered at 2384 monitoring sites, ranging from inland locations to coastal and oceanic areas. This dataset will be very useful for researchers and decision-makers in the fields of hydrology, ecological studies, climate change, policy development, and oceanography.
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Short summary
The shape of drainage basins and rivers holds significant implications for landscape evolution processes and dynamics. We used a global 90 m resolution topography to obtain ~0.7 million drainage basins with sizes over 50 km2. Our dataset contains the spatial distribution of drainage systems and their morphological parameters, supporting fields such as geomorphology, climatology, biology, ecology, hydrology, and natural hazards.
The shape of drainage basins and rivers holds significant implications for landscape evolution...
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