Hydrological dataset for the Azul catchment (Argentina)
Description
This dataset contains the data used for the characterization of the hydrological system components and the analysis of end-members in the Azul Stream watershed, Buenos Aires, Argentina. The hydrological components considered include rainwater, unsaturated zone water, groundwater, and surface water. The dataset is provided as three complementary files: 1. HydrologicalData_Azul.xlsx – A spreadsheet containing hydrological data (stream flow and water level), physico-chemical analyses and stable isotope (δ¹⁸O ‰ and δ²H ‰) data. 2. README_HydrologicalDataset_Azul.docx – A detailed document describing the sampling procedures, analytical methods, and metadata for each variable. 3. SamplingSites_Azul.kmz – A georeferenced file showing the location of sampling sites across the Azul Stream watershed. 4. EMMA-MIX_ModelRuns/ – Input and output files of the EMMA-MIX end-member mixing model (Carrera et al. 2004) used to perform hydrograph separation, organized in three folders corresponding to independent model configurations: 01-4EMs (four end-members: rainwater, unsaturated-zone water, shallow groundwater, deep groundwater), 02-4EMs_constrain (four end-members, with rainwater contribution to baseflow constrained to zero for samples with no antecedent rainfall), and 03-3EMs (three end-members: rainwater, shallow groundwater, deep groundwater). Each folder contains one input file (.prn) and three output files (.res, eigen.prn, EMMA.out). A README file (EMMA-MIX_README.pdf) describing the input data structure and the location of the optimal mixing proportions within the output files is provided alongside the model folders. These data support the identification of water sources and the estimation of their mixing proportions within the Azul Stream catchment.
Files
Steps to reproduce
This dataset contains hydrological, physico-chemical, and stable isotope data used to characterize the hydrological system components—rainwater, unsaturated zone water, groundwater, and surface water—and to analyze the end members in the Azul Stream catchment (Buenos Aires, Argentina). Data were collected from multiple monitoring sites located near the Seminario gauging station, including a weather station, a rainfall collector, an unsaturated zone monitoring plot, and shallow observation boreholes. Chemical analyses (rainwater, unsaturated zona water, groundwater and surface water) were conducted at the IHLLA Laboratory following APHA (2012) methodologies, while stable isotope measurements (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) were carried out at the Isotope Hydrology Laboratory, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. The dataset integrates both long-term historical records and recent measurements, spanning the period 1998–2025. Rainfall, chemical, and stable isotope data define the long-term chemical and isotopic composition of local precipitation, while data from the unsaturated zone provide insights into unsaturated zone dynamics. Groundwater data from the regional monitoring network include water table depths, and chemical and isotopic compositions representing the aquifer. Surface water data capture streamflow dynamics and allow the identification and analysis of the different flow components sustaining the stream under both baseflow and storm conditions. Together, these datasets support the hydrological characterization and mixing analysis of the Azul Stream catchment, providing a comprehensive basis for understanding the sources contributing to streamflow in a large plain hydrological system. These hydrochemical and isotopic characterizations were used as input for the EMMA-MIX end-member mixing model (Carrera et al. 2004) to estimate the mixing proportions of each source sustaining streamflow. Model input and output files are provided for three independent configurations: a four end-member model (rainwater, unsaturated-zone water, shallow groundwater, deep groundwater), a four end-member model with rainwater contribution to baseflow constrained to zero for samples with no antecedent rainfall, and a three end-member model (rainwater, shallow groundwater, deep groundwater). A dedicated README file describes the input data structure and the location of the optimal mixing proportions within the output files. Together, these datasets support the hydrological characterization and mixing analysis of the upper Azul Stream catchment, providing a comprehensive basis for understanding the sources contributing to streamflow in a large plain hydrological system.
Institutions
- CONICET TandilBuenos Aires, Tandil
Categories
Funders
- Instituto de Hidrología de Llanuras "Dr. Eduardo Usunoff"Grant ID: IHLLA