Precipitation and land use impacts on streamflow and sediment dynamics in the heavily urbanized small catchment of Moscow megacity
Description
This dataset presents high-frequency hydrological and turbidity measurements collected from the Setun River catchment, a heavily urbanized tributary of the Moskva River within Moscow megacity, Russia. The catchment covers an area of 190 km² and is characterized by rapid urbanization, with up to 40% impervious surface coverage. Data were collected by the Faculty of Geography at Lomonosov Moscow State University between November 2019 and the present, as part of a research initiative to investigate the impacts of urbanization, precipitation, and land use on streamflow and sediment dynamics. The dataset includes continuous water level records from five automatic monitoring stations (S1–S5) strategically located along the Setun River, spanning from the headwaters to the river mouth. Water levels were recorded at 30-minute intervals using HOBO U20L, Solinst Levelogger 5 Junior, and Keller DCX-22-ECO loggers. The operational periods of the stations vary, with some providing uninterrupted records since November 2019 and others covering specific intervals due to maintenance schedules. In addition to water level data, high-resolution turbidity measurements were obtained using two instruments: the Analite NEP-495 turbidity probe, which recorded at 10-minute intervals from November 2019 to March 2020, and the In-Situ Aqua Troll 600 multiparameter sonde, which provided 1-minute interval data from March to October 2021. All data files are provided in CSV format, with each file containing a timestamped column and corresponding measurement values. The monitoring network was designed to capture the unique hydrological regime of the Setun River, which is typified by frequent, short-term peak flow events (up to 29 per year) and rapid catchment responses to rainstorms. Despite significant changes in land use parameters along the river’s course, the relative contribution of various water sources remains stable; however, a three- to fourfold increase in suspended sediment transport is observed downstream. Short-lived increases in suspended particulate matter concentration and grain size are characterized by pronounced hysteresis effects, reflecting hydraulic sorting of sediments downstream of local pollution sources. Data collection followed rigorous protocols, with sensors calibrated according to manufacturer guidelines and regular manual validation during maintenance visits. Data processing was conducted using RStudio, employing quality control measures such as the removal of erroneous values . Where necessary, high-frequency turbidity data were aggregated to match the temporal resolution of other stations, ensuring consistency across the dataset.
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Institutions
- Institut vodnyh problem Rossijskoj akademii nauk
- Moskovskij gosudarstvennyj universitet imeni M V Lomonosova