MSAIRHD: Mainland Southeast Asia International River Upper Reach Hydrological Dataset, 1958-1987

Area of Science:

• Hydrology and Earth System Science
• Environmental Science
• River Basin Management

Background:

• Southeast Asia's international rivers are vital for millions and ecologically sensitive.
• Limited hydrological data hinders understanding of long-term river dynamics and modeling.
• Previous research lacked comprehensive data for these transboundary river basins.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compile and analyze historical daily streamflow, sediment concentration, and water level data.
• To derive hydrological indices for the upper Irrawaddy, Salween, Mekong, and Red River basins (1958-1987).
• To fill a critical data gap in large-sample global hydrological studies.

Main Methods:

• Collected daily streamflow (87 stations), sediment concentration (40 stations), and water level (118 stations) records.
• Data spans the period 1958-1987 across four major Southeast Asian river basins.
• Derived 74 hydrological indices from the compiled historical records.

Main Results:

• Established a comprehensive dataset for streamflow, water level, and sediment concentration.
• Water level stations were most numerous, followed by streamflow, and then sediment concentration.
• The derived indices provide crucial insights into historical hydrological evolution.

Conclusions:

• The compiled dataset and derived indices are essential for understanding historical river changes.
• This resource supports interdisciplinary studies in hydrology, ecology, and natural flow reconstruction.
• The data enhances the representation of Southeast Asia in global hydrological research and modeling.