This data set provides measured and calculated variables describing the carbon pools in river waters, CO2 respired from the water and total amount of CO2 evaded, dissolved oxygen isotopes (delta 18O-O2), and concentration of bacterial cells in river water.

Samples were collected from 10 white-water rivers, two clear-water streams (one each in Amazonas and Acre), and two black-water rivers in Amazonas from July to September 2005, which coincided with a severe drought in the western and southern regions of the Amazon Basin (Zeng et al. 2008). Eight of these sites were resampled during August through September 2006 of the following year (no drought).