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This dashboard shows the surface water monitoring points that are managed by the DWS. It shows the trends over time relating to the number of open and closed stations, according to different site types. These trends are shown since coordinated hydrological monitoring started in South Africa in the early 1900s. It also shows the percentage of reliable data available per site, and provides a link to the online DWS Hydstra data portal for users to access the information. Meta data associated with each monitoring site is also provided, and it is possible for users to analyse the available points in relation to their needs.
From a management perspective, the dashboard shows the average time it takes to upload and quality assure data in the Hydstra database for different WMA areas in South Africa. This data can be used to identify areas where improvement can be made to avoid potential delays in the availability of hydrological information.
All hydrological data collected by DWS is stored in a commercial hydro-informatics database called Hydstra. The data is collected by automatic systems in the field, which is maintained and operated by DWS regional office staff. The dataset that is available is over 100 years for certain monitoring locations. The information collected is critical for the effective and sustainable management of water resources in South Africa.
The following link is for the hydrology website at DWS, with further links to relevant information about hydrological monitoring done by DWS:
Hydrological Services - Surface Water (Data, Dams, Floods and Flows)