UNH/GRDC Composite Runoff: Modeled and Observed River Discharge

ISLSCP II UNH/GRDC composite runoff data integrates simulated water balance model estimates with monitored river discharge measurements using a data assimilation technique. The dataset contains 11 data files and 1 changemap file comparing the ISLSCP II land/water mask to the original data. This approach aims to preserve spatial specificity while being constrained by more accurate discharge observations.

Use Cases

• Calibrating hydrological models based on the data assimilation scheme described.
• Analyzing global runoff patterns using the combined model and observation data.
• Assessing changes in land/water masks using the provided changemap file.
• Studying river discharge variability constrained by monitored measurements.

Strengths

• Combines two data sources (model estimates and monitored discharge) for potentially improved accuracy.
• Includes a specific changemap file showing differences between land/water masks.
• Hosted by authoritative organizations (NASA, UNH, GRDC).

Limitations

• Metadata conflict: last updated date differs significantly between sources (1995 vs. 2026).
• Specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided.
• Spatial and temporal resolution details are not explicitly stated.

Provenance

Source

University of New Hampshire (UNH) / Global Runoff Data Centre (GRDC), distributed by NASA.

Collection Method

Data assimilation combining simulated water balance model runoff estimates with monitored river discharge.

Freshness

2026-04-10 02:03:54.074703 (from datagov, conflicting with 1995 date from nasa_earthdata)

Geography

Likely global, given the involvement of GRDC and ISLSCP II.