Abstract. Comprehensive, long-term hydrologic data sets for watershed systems are valuable for hydrologic process research; for interdisciplinary ecosystem analysis; for model development, calibration, and validation; and for assessment of change over time. The Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed in southwestern Idaho, United States, was established in 1960 and provides a research facility and comprehensive long-term database for science. Spatial data layers for terrain, soils, geology, vegetation, and basic site mapping features and databases for fundamental hydrologic parameters of precipitation, snow, climate, soil microclimate, and stream discharge and sediment concentration are now available for water years 1962-1996 and are described in the following eight data reports.
IntroductionFlooding and associated damage, droughts and water shortages, and compromised water quality are major concerns currently facing populations worldwide. Understanding these issues requires that the hydrologic research community have access to high-quality long-term data sets. Hydrologic data acquisition, processing, analysis, and archiving, however, is often arduous and is always expensive.The Soils derived from granitec and volcanic rocks and lake sediments are present on the watershed and range from shallow, desertic soils at lower elevations to deep commonly moist soils at the higher elevations which are dominated by forests. Plant communities at lower elevations are typical of the Great Basin Desert, while forest and alpine plant communities may be found in the higher, more mesic sectors. Sagebrushgrassland communities dominate most of the watershed, while mountain big sagebrush, aspen, subalpine fir, and Douglas fir communities are found in areas of higher snow accumulation. Annual water yield varies over the watershed from a few millimeters in small subdrainages in lower portions of RCEW to 2819
