Longterm hydrological observatory Alptal (central Switzerland)

Description

This data set includes 56 years of hydrometeorological measurements from small (first-order) catchments in the pre-alpine valley Alptal. Here we provide daily mean values; values in hourly or 10-min resolution can be provided on demand. Runoff has been measured at the outlet of three small (first-order) catchments of approximately 1 km2 area: Erlenbach (two independent runoff measurements), Vogelbach and Lümpenenbach. The catchments are similar with regard to geology (Flysch) and soil conditions (clay soils), but differ in forest coverage (20 to 60%). A detailed description of the catchments can be found at https://www.wsl.ch/alptal . Runoff in these small catchments is typically very dynamic and can temporally carry large amounts of sediment and large wood. Thus, the accuracy of the measurements at very large flow is limited. Meteorological variables have been measured on a meadow (Erlenhöhe) located in the Erlenbach catchment at 1220 m a.s.l. using a standard meteorological station (incl. ventilated air temperature and heated rain gauges). In addition, precipitation has also been recorded at two other locations (in the Vogelbach and Lümpenenbach catchments). Snow measurements have been conducted weekly to monthly since 1968 at more than 15 locations (30-m transects) representing different altitudes, aspects and land uses (meadow, forest). In addition, snow depth has been recorded continuously since 2003 at Erlenhöhe, and for this location we also include a simulation of snow depth and SWE (using the numerical models COUP and DeltaSnow) that assimilates the manual weekly snow-course measurements. Details on these snow measurements can be found in Stähli, M. and Gustafsson, D. 2006. Hydrol. Proc., 20, 411-428. doi: 10.1002/hyp.6058. Further information on the methods and sensors can be found at https://www.wsl.ch/alptal . A first version of this data set (for the period 1968-2017) was uploaded in June 2018 at the occasion of the 50-year anniversary. This original data set was updated in February 2021 (with data from 2018 and 2019), and this data set was used for a longterm trend analysis, submitted for publication in a special issue of Hydrological Processes. Further updates of the data set (with data from 2020 to 2022) were uploaded in March 2023, February 2024 and March 2025.