ABSTRACT:

Bioforest SA, the R&D institution of Forestal Arauco, initiated a Forest Hydrology program in 2008. This program established a network of gauged catchments under different forest types within the coastal range in South-central Chile where most of the plantations are located. The catchments are covered with either native forest or plantations of Pinus radiata or Eucalyptus (globulus and nitens). The catchments cover the main climate types in the central Chilean plantation estate. These are the semi-arid coastal zone near Constitucion (600mm) in the Maule Region, the humid zone in Arauco (1200mm), the higher rainfall part of the humid zone at Curanilahue (2000mm) and the cool high rainfall zone near Valdivia (2000mm). This repository contains streamflow and rainfall data from 10 small catchment within the coastal range of central southern Chile between 35° and -39 degrees of latitude south. These catchments share similar metamorphic geology (metamorphic). A 90° V notch weir was built at each catchment outlet and data is collected at 5 min interval using a pressure transducer that is calibrated monthly (OTT Orpheus Mini, Kempten, Germany). The streamflow data is in the format of "catchmentName_initialyear_endyear" inside the Streamflow folder and the units are mm per day. There are some gaps in the data due to weir reparation or other issues.

Rainfall data are also provided for all of the catchments (rainfall folder and a kmz file giving the location of each rain gauge) as well as a .shp format file of the catchment outline and the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) at 5x5m resolution. Llancahue rain gauge DGA station near Valdivia had 2 missing values (october 31st 2016 and march 11th 2017); they were completed fitting nearby rain gauge stations.

Near Constitucion in the Maule Region we have Quivolgo 1, 2, and 3 (Q1-Q3, pine plantations, and Q2 native forest). These catchments were completely burnt in the megafires of 2017. Also, in Quivolgo 1 (Q1) flow ceased in October 2013, started again in August 2014, and ceased again in November 2014.
In the humid zone in Arauco, we have Maria las Cruces 2 and 4 (MLC, pine plantations). In the higher rainfall part of the humid zone at Curanilahue we have Bajo las Quemas 1 and 2 (BLQ, Eucalyptus plantations) and in the cool high rainfall zone near Valdivia Entrerios (ER, native forest), San Gabriel 1 and 2 (SG, pine plantations).
Forest management of these catchment is upon request and in the future in a DataNote paper. Land cover attributes available inside folder catchment polygons.

Related publication:
Balocchi, F., Flores, N., Neary, D., White, D., Silberstein, R., Ramirez de Arellano. (2020). The effect of the ‘Las Maquinas’ wildfire of 2017 on the hydrologic balance of a High Conservation Value Hualo (Nothofagus glauca (Phil.) Krasser) forest in Central Chile. Forest Ecology and Management, 477C, 118482. DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2020.118482