Monthly Dissolved Organic Carbon Record For Thames Basin (1883-2014)

132 years of monthly fluvial dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration data measured at the Thames basin outlet upstream of London. This is the world's longest fluvial DOC record, with water colour measurements from 1883-1990 and DOC measurements from 1990-2014. The data show an upward trend in DOC concentration and are published in the Journal of Geophysical Research - Biogeosciences.

Use Cases

• Analyze the long-term upward trend in DOC concentration over the 132-year period to study environmental change.
• Model the relationship between water colour and DOC using the calibration period from 1899-1905.
• Study seasonal and inter-annual variability in DOC within the 9,948 km2 temperate, lowland Thames catchment.
• Validate hydrological or biogeochemical models against the world's longest fluvial DOC record.

Strengths

• World's longest fluvial dissolved organic carbon record, spanning 132 years from 1883 to 2014.
• Monthly temporal resolution provides detailed seasonal and inter-annual analysis potential.
• Covers a defined 9,948 km2 temperate, lowland, mineral soil-dominated catchment.
• Peer-reviewed and published in the Journal of Geophysical Research - Biogeosciences.

Limitations

• DOC concentrations before 1990 are estimated from water colour via calibration, not directly measured.
• Data is from a single location (the basin outlet), limiting spatial analysis within the catchment.
• The record ends in 2014, which may limit analysis of recent trends.

Provenance

Source

Environmental Information Data Centre.

Collection Method

Monthly measurements at the outlet of the Thames basin; DOC estimated from water colour pre-1990 via calibration.

Time Range

1883 to 2014.

Freshness

Last updated in March 2026, though the core time series data ends in 2014.

Geography

Outlet of the Thames basin, upstream of London, UK (catchment area 9,948 km2).