HYD-RESPONSES: daily hydro-meteorological catchment-level time series to analyse HYDrological drought dynamics in RESPONSE to (cumulative) water deficits in Swiss catchments

Related Datasets:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14713274
https://github.com/codicolus/HYD-RESPONSES
https://www.envidat.ch/#/metadata/climatological-snow-data-1998-2022-oshd
https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu/datasets

The HYD-RESPONSES dataset (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14713274; von Matt et al., 2025) provides new daily catchment-level time series for key hydro-meteorological variables, including precipitation, snow water equivalent, temperature, soil moisture, (potential) evaporation, and streamflow. The dataset covers 184 small to large Swiss catchments of the surface water monitoring network operated by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). The catchments range across a variety of streamflow regime types, mean altitudes, biogeographic regions, and anthropogenic influences. The data set provides daily average streamflow derived from measurements by the FOEN and daily hydrometeorological data (precipitation, temperature, radiation, snow, and soil moisture) on the catchment level extracted from spatially gridded data provided by MeteoSwiss (RhiresD, TabsD, TmaxD, TminD, SrelD), MeteoSwiss and the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF (SPASS), SLF (OSHD), and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts ECMWF (ERA5-Land). In addition, derived indicators related to snowfall, snowmelt, (potential) water balance, and streamflow are provided. Information on precipitation, evaporation-driven, and streamflow deficits is provided in the form of standardized and non-standardized (drought/deficit) indices. Standardized indices include the SPI, SPE,I and SMRI and are provided on multiple aggregation scales from 1 to 24 months (mostly in 3-monthly steps). Non-standardized indices are provided as cumulative (water) deficits in (potential) water balance (CWD and PCWD) and streamflow (CQD). For all variables and indices, the climatology and the (standardized) anomalies are available on various time scales (daily, monthly, seasonal, and yearly). Drought event time series containing drought event numbers and drought event durations are provided for streamflow droughts identified by using two percentile-based event definitions (fixed and variable threshold) and for cumulative water deficits (CWD, PCWD, and CQD). Detailed catchment descriptors covering hydro-climatological and hydro-terrestrial aspects, as well as streamflow characteristics, are provided for all catchments. The dataset can be used to study weather-driven streamflow extremes, to train data-driven machine-learning algorithms, to study drought propagation, and for comparative analyses of catchment responses in disturbed and undisturbed catchments. The dataset is compatible with the recently published CAMELS-CH dataset and with additional catchment descriptors provided by the FOEN.

Low flow conditions (hydrological droughts) in Switzerland pose challenges to agriculture and energy production. Improved understanding of droughts supports warning applications and infrastructure planning. The HYD-responses data set provides data to study the the evolution of drought conditions. The data set combines weather data, snow cover data, soil moisture data, and numerous drought indicators. The data set supports process studies, statistical analyses, and the training of AI models.