Rainfall, Soil Water Content, and Groundwater Levels at the Riverlands Nature Reserve (South Africa)

Abstract

Quantified medium- and long-term hydrological datasets are scarce in South Africa, yet they are essential to gain understanding of natural systems, contribute to ecosystem conservation, and ultimately quantify water balance processes accurately. A hydrological experiment was carried out at Riverlands Nature Reserve (Western Cape, South Africa) in order to quantify the components of the soil water balance at experimental sites occupied by endemic and invasive vegetation. In two separate follow-up projects, five-year time series were collected in three treatments, namely, endemic fynbos vegetation, bare soil, and land invaded by Acacia saligna . Rainfall was recorded daily with a manual rain gauge. Groundwater levels were logged hourly at 14 boreholes. Volumetric soil water contents and soil temperatures were logged hourly at different depths in the soil profile. Groundwater levels and soil water contents responded to rainfall with very clear seasonal trends. The data can be applied in water balance and evapotranspiration studies, unsaturated flux studies, soil temperature profile studies, and rainfall-groundwater level response analysis and for calibrating and validating a wide range of hydrological models.