Santee Experimental Forest, Santee Headquarters Daily Air Temperature and Precipitation Data, 1946-2000

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 air temperature and precipitation data at the Santee Headquarters weather station in the Santee Experimental Forest in Cordesville, SC began in January 1946. During the early years (pre 1992), the weather station data was manually recorded or recorded by Belfort instruments on strip charts. 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. Likewise, prior to 1992 air temperature data was recorded using standard max/min and ambient thermometers or on strip charts. Electronic measurement of air temperature and rainfall at the Santee Headquarters station began in November 1992.

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 Santee Headquarters weather station, located adjacent to the headquarters offices and laboratories of the Santee Experimental Forest.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 1946
Ending_Date: 2000

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 Santee Headquarters weather station, located adjacent to the headquarters office and laboratories of 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: Santee Headquarters

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. Rainfall measurements were also recorded using a Belfort Universal Recording Rain Gauge. Until 1992 air temperature measurements were made using standard max/min and ambient thermometers (measured at 1.52 m inside a ventilated wooden enclosure) or were recorded on strip charts using a Belfort Hydrothermograph.

Starting in November 1992, both air temperature and precipitation were recorded by electronic sensors linked to an Omnidata 800 datalogger. Air temperature data were checked against the standard max/min and ambient thermometers.

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 1992) 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 are some large gaps in the data (for rainfall, notable gaps include: September 1991 to January 1992, May 1996 to December 1996, March 1998 to May 1998, September 1999 to November 1999, and January 2000 to June 2000; while for air temperature, larger gaps include: September 1991 to November 1992 and May 1996 to December 1996).

There are occasional smaller gaps in the data (lasting up to a month or two) resulting from equipment failures or personnel vacancies.

Lineage:

Methodology:

Methodology_Type: Field
Methodology_Description:: From 1946 to 1992, rainfall data were collected using a manual rain gauge or recorded on strip charts using a Belfort Universal Recording Rain Gauge. Likewise, air temperature data were recorded using standard max/min and ambient thermometers (at 1.52 m inside a ventilated wooden enclosure) or recorded on strip charts using a Belfort Hydrothermograph from 1946 to 1992.

A Belfort Universal Recording Rain Gauge was used from 4/4/62 to 9/21/64 and also from 10/16/79 to 9/4/91. A Belfort Hydrothermograph was used from 1/9/81 to 9/17/91.

Starting in November 1992 both 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 the 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.

Process_Step:

Process_Description:: Prior to the introduction of automated electronic measurements, rainfall and air temperature data recorded in the field were plotted and visually compared with data from other stations. Daily average temperatures were calculated as the average of the maximum and minimum temperatures recorded each day.

Starting in November 1992 electronic data were retrieved from a data storage pack and plotted to check for outliers. As before, daily average temperatures were calculated as the average of the maximum and minimum temperatures recorded each day. Program SAS was used to perform this calculation.
Process_Date: Unknown

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Overview_Description:

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

Location = weather station location (HQ Office = Santee Headquarters);
Instr_ID = weather station name (SEFHQ = Santee Headquarters 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