Santee Experimental Forest, Met 25 Hourly Temperature and Precipitation Data, 2001-2017.

Metadata:
Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Amatya, Devendra M. and Trettin, Carl C.
Publication_Date: 2018
Title:
Santee Experimental Forest, Met 25 Hourly Temperature and Precipitation Data, 2001-2017.
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: database
Description:
Abstract:
Instantaneous hourly air and soil temperature data, and event-based tipping bucket rain gauge data, were recorded by sensors linked to Onset Hobo dataloggers at the Met 25 weather station on the first-order Watershed 80 in the Santee Experimental Forest starting in September 2001.
Purpose:
The purpose of the data set is to provide researchers with measured instantaneous hourly air and soil temperature and total precipitation data from the Met 25 weather station, located on Watershed 80 in the Santee Experimental Forest.
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 2001
Ending_Date: 2017
Currentness_Reference:
ground condition
Status:
Progress: In work
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: As needed
Spatial_Domain:
Description_of_Geographic_Extent:
The geographic area covered by the dataset is the Met 25 weather station on Watershed 80 in the Santee Experimental Forest.
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -79.80355
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -79.78340
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 33.15951
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 33.14211
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: Forested watersheds
Theme_Keyword: Air Temperature
Theme_Keyword: Soil Temperature
Theme_Keyword: Precipitation
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Place_Keyword: South Carolina
Place_Keyword: Coastal Plain
Place_Keyword: Santee Experimental Forest
Place_Keyword: Watershed 80
Access_Constraints: None
Use_Constraints:
These data were collected by USDA Forest Service researchers. In order to use the data in a publication, presentation or other research product you must agree to acknowledge its source. Please use the reference below when citing this work:

(Data name) courtesy of the USDA Forest Service Center for Forested Wetlands Research.

The following statement may be added after an acknowledgement or credit:

The USDA Forest Service Center for Forested Wetlands Research homepage is http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/charleston/.
Back to Top
Data_Quality_Information:
Attribute_Accuracy:
Attribute_Accuracy_Report:
Manual rainfall measurements were made using a 0.20 m (8-inch) diameter National Weather Service (NWS) Standard Rain Gauge with its opening 0.97 m from the ground.

Starting in September 2001 both instantaneous hourly air and soil temperature and rainfall were recorded electronically by sensors linked to Onset Hobo dataloggers and downloaded directly to a laptop computer in the field. Rainfall event data recorded by a tipping bucket gauge were calibrated to the total rainfall collected by the manual gauge between download intervals. Air temperature (measured at a height of 1.27 m inside a ventilated wooden enclosure) data was checked against standard max/min and ambient thermometers (measured at 1.42 m and 1.57 m heights, respectively, inside the same enclosure).

The aging wooden temperature sensor enclosure was replaced on 3/3/16.
Logical_Consistency_Report:
Visual inspection of electronically plotted air and soil temperature and precipitation data and comparison with data from other nearby SEF stations were employed to expose anomalous values.
Completeness_Report:
No manual rain gauge data was available until the period starting 11/16/01, so tipping bucket gauge data recorded prior to that date could not be used. This was also true for the period between 2/19/02 and 1/1/03. Since then there have been brief periods of missing rainfall and/or air and soil temperature data, usually as the result of equipment malfunction.

Suspiciously high, spiky air temperature data were observed between 1/15/14 and 1/27/14 and between 12/12/14 and 12/19/14 (slats missing from wooden enclosure). This data was omitted.

Because the manual rain gauge overflowed, data for massive rain event that occurred during the 10/2/15 to 10/8/15 period was extrapolated using the rainfall ratio (manual total/tipping bucket total) from 10/1 to 10/2.

Occasional spiky air temperature values (resulting from missing slats in the wooden enclosure) from 1/16/15 through 12/7/15, and all air temperature data starting 12/8/15 through 3/3/16 11:00, have also been omitted. Soil temperature data are missing between 3/2/16 and 3/10/16 because of the transition to the new wooden temperature sensor enclosure.
Lineage:
Methodology:
Methodology_Type: Field
Methodology_Description:
Starting in September 2001 both instantaneous hourly air and soil temperature and rainfall were recorded electronically by sensors linked to Onset Hobo dataloggers and downloaded directly to a laptop computer in the field.

The Onset Hobo H08-002-02 Temperature/External Channel data logger equipped with a 0.10 m (4-inch) wire air temperature sensor and linked to a TMC6-HD soil temperature sensor was used to monitor instantaneous hourly air and soil temperatures from 9/13/01 to 7/29/09. Data was downloaded to a laptop computer using BoxCar Pro software. This data logger was replaced by an Onset Hobo U12 4-Channel External data logger linked to a TMC1-HD air temperature sensor and a TMC6-HD soil temperature sensor on 7/29/09. Data was downloaded to a laptop computer using Hoboware software.

Rainfall was recorded by an Onset RG2M tipping bucket rain gauge (with its opening 0.85 m above the ground) linked to an Onset Hobo H7 Event Data Logger.

The manual rain gauge water level was recorded using a dipstick and then dumped. Max/min and current ambient air temperature were also recorded (at 1.42 m and 1.57 m heights, respectively, inside a ventilated wooden enclosure).

The RG2-M tipping bucket gauge was replaced by a Sierra-Misco Model 2501 unit on 1/10/14.

The RG2-M tipping bucket gauge (with Hobo UA-003-64 Pendant data logger) was reinstalled on 5/2/14.

The U12 4-Channel data logger and associated air and soil temperature sensors were damaged during a weed-whacking accident on 7/28/14 around 14:00. The defective units were replaced by a new data logger and sensors (same models) on 8/13/14.

The aging wooden temperature sensor enclosure was replaced on 3/3/16.

The TMC1-HD air temperature sensor was replaced on 6/21/16.
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
Back at the office the electronic data were retrieved from the laptop computer and plotted to check for outliers or anomalies. The tipping bucket gauge totals were calibrated against the amount of rainfall that had been collected in the manual gauge (the expected amount of rainfall recorded by each "tip" was adjusted by a factor corresponding to the total amount of rain collected in the manual gauge divided by the total recorded by the tipping bucket gauge for each download interval).

Pivot tables on Excel spreadsheets were used to convert the adjusted event-based rainfall data into hourly totals.

The times for instantaneous temperature data were not always recorded "on the hour," so these were adjusted to synchronize with the closest hourly rainfall data. The difference was usually no more than 15 minutes.

Tipping bucket event times from the Lotti Road weather station were used to estimate event timing during early April 2014 when the Met 25 rain gauge funnel was clogged.
Process_Date: Unknown
Back to Top
Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Overview_Description:
Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
Variables included in the datasets Met_25_hourly_data_rev.xlsx, Met_25_hourly_data_2008_2011.xlsx and Met_25_hourly_data_2012.xlsx, Met_25_hourly_data_2013.xlsx, Met_25_hourly_data_2014.xlsx, Met_25_hourly_data_2015.xlsx, Met_25_hourly_data_2016.xlsx and Met_25_hourly_data_2017.xlsx:

Location = watershed name (WS80 = Watershed 80);
Instr_ID = weather station name (Met25 = Met 25 weather station);
Date_time_temp = date and time that instantaneous air and soil temperature data were recorded (format MM/DD/YYYY HH:MM);
Date_temp = date associated with air and soil temperature data (format MM/DD/YYYY);
Time24_temp = nearest hour associated with air and soil temperature data (0 to 23);
Air_Temp_C (alias 'InstantaneousAirTemperature') = instantaneous air temperature, in degrees Celsius;
Soil_Temp_ (alias 'InstantaneousSoilTemperature') = instantaneous soil temperature, in degrees Celsius;
Date_time_rain = ending date and time for calculation of hourly rainfall (format MM/DD/YYYY HH:MM);
Date_rain = date associated with rainfall data;
Time24_rain = nearest hour associated with rainfall data (1 to 24);
Rainfall_m (alias 'Rainfall') = rainfall total for preceding hour, in mm; and
Sample_Int = sample interval (in hours).

All missing data were originally assigned the value "-9999"; during database development this code was changed to "null"
Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
None
Back to Top
Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date: 20180607
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Center for Forested Wetlands Research
Contact_Person: Andy Harrison
Contact_Position: Hydrology Technician
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical
Address: 3734 Hwy 402
City: Cordesville
State_or_Province: SC
Postal_Code: 29434
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 843 336-5603
Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001.1-1999
Back to Top