Santee Experimental Forest, Met 5 Daily Temperature and Precipitation Data, 1963-2001

Metadata:

Identification_Information
Data_Quality_Information
Entity_and_Attribute_Information
Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Amatya, Devendra M. and Trettin, Carl C.
Publication_Date: 2012
Title:
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: database

Description:

Abstract:: Collection of precipitation data at the Met 5 weather station on the first-order Watershed 77 in the Santee Experimental Forest began in December 1963. During the early years (pre 1996), the weather station data was manually recorded or recorded on strip charts by Belfort instruments. The manual rain gauge was usually read only after rain had fallen. However, if rain fell on a weekend or on a holiday, the rain gauge was not read until the next work week. Therefore, even though the plan was to collect daily total rainfall, the time interval was not always one day. Electronic measurement of air temperature and rainfall at the Met 5 station began in February 1996.

Daily average air temperature only (based on daily maxima and minima) is available through January 2001, then after a data gap extending until September 2001, instantaneous hourly air and soil temperature are both available from this station.

The original units for rainfall were 'cm'; for the sake of later consistency the data have been converted to 'mm'.
Purpose:: The purpose of the data set is to provide researchers with an estimate of daily average air temperature and total precipitation at the Met 5 weather station, located on Watershed 77 in the Santee Experimental Forest.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 1963
Ending_Date: 2001

Currentness_Reference:

ground condition

Status:

Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned

Spatial_Domain:

Description_of_Geographic_Extent:

The geographic area covered by the dataset is the Met 5 weather station on Watershed 77 in the Santee Experimental Forest.

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -79.78153
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -79.76300
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 33.15007
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 33.13284

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: Forested watersheds
Theme_Keyword: Air 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 77

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/.

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 0.8 m from the ground.

Starting in February 1996, both hourly air temperature and precipitation were recorded by sensors linked to an Omnidata 800 datalogger. Air temperature data was checked against standard max/min and ambient thermometers (at 1.40 m inside a ventilated wooden enclosure).

Logical_Consistency_Report:

Visual inspection of electronically plotted temperature and precipitation data and comparison with data from other nearby SEF stations were employed to expose anomalous values.

Completeness_Report:

As noted in the abstract, during the early years (prior to 1996) the manual rain gauge was usually read only after rain had fallen. However, if rain fell on a weekend or on a holiday, the rain gauge was not read until the next work week. Therefore, even though the plan was to collect daily total rainfall, the time interval was not always one day.

There is a large gap in the precipitation data from October 1966 to November 1989, when rainfall measurements were resumed at this station following the devastation caused by Hurricane Hugo. There were brief periods of missing data until August 1997, when another long data gap began (lasting until November 2001).

Between February 1996 and January 2001 there were occasional gaps in the data (some lasting a few months) resulting from equipment failures.

Lineage:

Methodology:

Methodology_Type: Field
Methodology_Description:: From 1963 to 1966, and then again from 1989 to 1996, rainfall data were collected sporadically (usually just after a recent rainfall event) using a manual rain gauge. A Belfort Universal Recording Rain Gauge that recorded rainfall on strip charts was also used from 8/25/93 to 2/8/96.

Starting in February 1996 both hourly air temperature and rainfall were recorded electronically by sensors linked to an Omnidata 800 datalogger and downloaded via data storage packs.

At the same time that filled data storage packs were collected (and replaced by new, empty packs), 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 1.40 m inside a ventilated wooden enclosure).

Process_Step:

Process_Description:: Prior to the introduction of electronic measurements, rainfall data recorded in the field were plotted and visually compared with data from other stations.

Back at the office the hourly electronic data were retrieved from the data storage pack and plotted to check for outliers. Daily maximum and minimum air temperatures were then obtained from the hourly data and used to calculate the daily average air temperature (using Program SAS).
Process_Date: Unknown

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Overview_Description:

Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:: Variables included in the dataset Met_5_historical_data.xlsx:

Location = watershed name (WS77 = Watershed 77);
Instr_ID = weather station name (Met5 = Met 5 weather station);
Date_ = date associated with rainfall and air temperature data (format MM/DD/YYYY);
Rainfall_m (alias 'Rainfall') = daily total rainfall, in mm.; and
Air_Temp_C (alias 'AverageAirTemperature') = daily average temperature, in degrees Celsius.

All missing data were originally assigned the value "-9999"; during database development this code was changed to "null"
Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:: None

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20110614

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