The USDA Forest Service Santee Experimental Forest was established in 1937 as a 2,468-ha site for silvicultural research involving hydrology, soils, and vegetation. Over the years, Forest Service (FS) scientists and others have compiled a long-term database that can now be accessed via this web portal. Our data fall into three major categories: hydrology, climate, and land resource data.
Hydrology
The SEF contains four gauged watersheds which provide data on stream flow and water quality for streams draining two 1st, one 2nd, and one 3rd order watersheds. Water table data from a network of shallow ground water wells within these watersheds is also available. See the Land Resource Data for the location of monitoring locations.
Climate
The SEF has climatic records dating to 1946. Presently complete climatic data are available from three full weather stations; additionally, rainfall and temperature data are available for a number of field stations within the forest. Atomospheric deposition and ozone data are also available. See the Land Resource Data for the location of monitoring locations.
Land Resource Data
The GIS-based data on topography, hydrography, vegetation, soils, as well as aerial photography and satellite images are available to view and download. Other spatial data that is available include: LIDAR data obtained for the SEF in 2006, historic land use and ownership plats, and digital elevation model (DEM) data.