Data sources
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Databases
- SAEON Data Portal
(search data portal for several datasets from research and monitoring sites): https://catalogue.saeon.ac.za/
- University of Pretoria Modelling Observatory
catchment hydrological information platform (official data available and link yet to be released)
- CatchX
global web-based catchment hydrological information platform with river flows at catchment-level as part of water balance information (search by location): https://ewgis.org/catchx-global/
Climate
- South Africa Department of Water & Sanitation
DWS meteorological stations (search meteorological stations by drainage regions / primary catchment): https://www.dws.gov.za/Hydrology/Verified/hymain.aspx
- South African Weather Service
rainfall, temperature, wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity and solar radiation (search for stations located in South Africa, only students can access data for free): https://www.weathersa.co.za/home/equiries_climatedata
- CHIRPS satellite rainfall estimates
gridded-rainfall estimates based on absolute location (search for rainfall by latitude and longitude) website: https://www.chc.ucsb.edu/data/chirps database: https://data.chc.ucsb.edu/products/CHIRPS-2.0/
- ARCGIS GIS for Climate Hub
monthly temperature and rainfall data (search for stations in network using graphical interface): https://climate-arcgis-content.hub.arcgis.com/datasets/esri::world-historical-climate-monthly-averages-for-ghcn-d-stations-for-1981-2010/explore
Streamflow
- South Africa Department of Water & Sanitation
verified hydrology data (search river stations by drainage regions / primary catchment): https://www.dws.gov.za/Hydrology/Verified/hymain.aspx
Water Resources of South Africa, 2012 Study (WR2012)
patched observed streamflow, naturalised streamflow and present day streamflow (search based on network model of South Africa's water management areas and quaternary catchments): https://waterresourceswr2012.co.za/
- Live Stream Gauges Service
near real-time measurements of water depth and flow forecasts (search for stations in network using graphical interface, partial coverage in Southern Arica East and West Africa, no coverage in South Africa): https://www.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=658732a227624146ba8322a94bc6ad8c
- CatchX
global web-based catchment hydrological information platform with river flows at catchment-level as part of water balance information (search by location): https://ewgis.org/catchx-global/
Reservoir data
- South Africa Department of Water & Sanitation
verified hydrology data (search reservoirs & components by drainage regions / primary catchment): https://www.dws.gov.za/Hydrology/Verified/hymain.aspx
- South Africa National Space Agency
reservoir attributes and remote-sensing observations (search based on absolute location of reservoir): https://www.sansa.org.za/
Groundwater levels
- Department of Water and Sanitation
several databases including
- National Groundwater Archive (query online portal by site name, location or groundwater type to find details of drilling, test pumping, extraction, water levels and water quality among other information) https://www.dws.gov.za/NGANet/Security/WebLoginForm.aspx
- Hydrasta (extension of the National Groundwater Archive for data after 2004 for existing groundwater monitoring locations and groundwater activity commissioned after 2004)
Accessed via email request: GeoRequests@dws.gov.za
- Water Management System (WMS) (database storing biannual water quality checks (before and after the rainfall season and routine sampling of macroelements and hydro-chemical analyses results)
Accessed via email request: GeoRequests@dws.gov.za
- National Groundwater Quality Monitoring Programme (NGWQMP) (database storing biannual water quality checks (before and after the rainfall season)
Accessed via email request: GeoRequests@dws.gov.za or links on https://www.dws.gov.za/Groundwater/NGQMP.aspx
Topography
- ALOS PALSAR – Radiometric Terrain Correction (resolution: 12.5 m):
- Google Earth Terrain (resolution: 30 m, varies by region and data source):
- Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) (resolution: 30 m & 90 m):
Access via USGS Portal, Google Earth Engine or QGIS plugin
- Stellenbosch University Digital Elevation Model (SUDEM) (resolution: 5 m):
https://www.geosmart.space/Products/5-m-stellenbosch-university-digital-elevation-model-sudem/
- Stellenbosch University Digital Elevation Model (SUDEM) (resolution: 5 m):
https://www.geosmart.space/Products/5-m-stellenbosch-university-digital-elevation-model-sudem/
- LiDAR datasets (resolution: variable):
Available from independent parties (e.g. power utilities, conservation bodies, municipalities, and private plantations. See Mathieu et al., 2018)
Geological maps
- 250 000 Geological map of South Africa (http://daffarcgis.nda.agric.za/portal/home/item.html?id=1ed487cf01984ab2a4bca9db7ecd4d87)
Land cover maps
- National landcover
2020 South African National Landcover Data and the CALC system (https://egis.environment.gov.za/sa_national_land_cover_datasets) 2014 South African National Land-Cover (http://bgis.sanbi.org/Projects/Detail/44)
- Western Cape
Provincial: 2013/2014 Western Cape Landcover product (http://bgis.sanbi.org/SpatialDataset/Detail/610) Dataset: Rebelo, A., and Holden, P. 2020. Mapping land-use/land-cover in strategic water source areas in the Upper Berg and Breede Catchments (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g-put7oky4z_poGk9ySlZeHDVZXyyyJx/view) Dataset: Holden, P., and Rebelo A. 2019. Mapping Invasive Alien Trees in strategic water source areas in the Berg and Breede Catchments (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dM7dAnYCUsB3ia8yJT5Ph2iO374_azqI/view)
- KwaZulu-Natal
Dataset: Rebelo, A.J., S. Gokool, and P. B. Holden 2021. Mapping Invasive Alien Trees and Shrubs in strategic water source areas in the uMngeni Catchment (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NerUPUdprYvXFcCZKwo1y6FdPBdiHIml/view)