Global hydro-environmental lake characteristics at high spatial resolution

Abstract

Here we introduce the LakeATLAS dataset, which provides a broad range of hydro-environmental characteristics for more than 1.4 million lakes and reservoirs globally with an area of at least 10 ha. LakeATLAS forms part of the larger HydroATLAS data repository and expands the existing datasets of sub-basin and river reach descriptors by adding equivalent information for lakes and reservoirs in a compatible structure. Matching its HydroATLAS counterparts, version 1.0 of LakeATLAS contains data for 56 variables, partitioned into 281 individual attributes and organized in six categories: hydrology; physiography; climate; land cover & use; soils & geology; and anthropogenic influences. LakeATLAS derives these attributes by processing and reformatting original data from well-established global digital maps at 15 arc-second (~500 m) grid cell resolution and assigns the information spatially to each lake by aggregating it within the lake, in a 3-km vicinity buffer around the lake, and/or within the entire upstream drainage area of the lake. The standardized format of LakeATLAS ensures versatile applicability in hydro-ecological assessments from regional to global scales.