Abstract
A global river discharge data set was developed from various sources. Intensive quality controls were applied for the data, and climatological mean runoff for 30 years from 1961 through 1990 at 431 stations over the globe were estimated based on monthly discharge. The data set covers approximately 40% of land surface excluding Antarctica, and approximately 50% of total discharge from land to sea. Linear trends for the period and the interannual variations associated with El-Nirio Southern Oscillation are investigated and their geographical distributions were presented. The data set will be effectively used for validations of global water balance estimates and investigations of global hydrologic cycles.
