Watershed 77 Historical Water Chemistry, 1976-1994

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:: Approximately weekly water samples were collected upstream of the Watershed 77 weir on the Santee Experimental Forest during the 1976-1982 and 1989-1994 periods. Chemical analysis of these samples was later performed and concentrations were reported for the following analytes: pH, NO3/NO2-N, NH4-N, PO4-P, Cl, K, Na, Ca, Mg, SO4-S (during the 1976-1982 period), SO4 (during the 1989-1994 period), SiO3, HCO3, Total Kjehldal Nitrogen (TKN) and Total Nitrogen (TN). This document describes the data, sample collection and analytical procedures.
Purpose:: During the 1976-1982 period water quality data were collected from the two paired first-order watersheds, Watershed 77 (treatment watershed) and Watershed 80 (control watershed) to investigate the effects of prescribed fire on water quality and nutrient cycling processes. Hurricane Hugo devastated both watersheds in September 1989, and stream flow and water quality monitoring resumed again during the 1989-1994 period in part to investigate the effects of differing post-disturbance treatments (salvage logging in WS 77, no logging in WS 80) on water quality during subsequent watershed recovery.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 1976
Ending_Date: 1994

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 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: water quality

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:: Laboratory analyses during the 1976-1982 period followed the protocols effective at the Forest Soils Laboratory at Duke University.

During the 1989-1994 period, laboratory analyses were performed in the USDA Forest Service analytical laboratory at its facility in Charleston, SC. These analyses were carried out according to protocols specified in the following volume:

Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. Ed. Clesceri, L.S., A.E. Greenberg and A.D. Eaton. 1989. American Public Health Association. Washington, DC.

Logical_Consistency_Report:

During the 1976-1982 period water samples were analyzed for pH and bicarbonate within hours of collection. Samples were then preserved using phenol mercuric acetate (PMA) and frozen until shipment to the the Forest Soils Laboratory at Duke University for further analysis. Tests used for internal consistency and repeatability are not known at this time.

During the 1989-1994 period, laboratory analyses were performed in the USDA Forest Service analytical laboratory at its facility in Charleston, SC. These analyses were carried out according to protocols specified in the following volume:

Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. Ed. Clesceri, L.S., A.E. Greenberg and A.D. Eaton. 1989. American Public Health Association. Washington, DC.

Completeness_Report:

Approximately weekly water samples were collected upstream of the Watershed 77 weir between 11/4/76 and 10/27/82, and then again between 10/13/89 and 12/29/94.

Lineage:

Methodology:

Methodology_Type: Field
Methodology_Description:: Approximately weekly water samples were collected upstream of the Watershed 77 weir between 11/4/76 and 10/27/82, and then again between 10/13/89 and 12/29/94.

During the 1989-1994 period, weekly water samples were collected upstream of the Watershed 77 weir in clean plastic bottles and returned to the laboratory on ice. At the time of sample collection, stream pH was measured using a hand-held Oakton and probe.

Methodology:

Methodology_Type: Lab
Methodology_Description:: During the 1976-1982 period water samples were analyzed for pH (using a glass electrode) and bicarbonate (by acid titration to pH 4.5) within hours of collection. Samples were then preserved using phenol mercuric acetate (PMA) and frozen until shipment to the the Forest Soils Laboratory at Duke University for further analysis (Richter 1980, Gilliam 1983).

Methods used for nutrient analysis of water samples at the Forest Soils Laboratory were the following:

Organic N: Kjeldahl digestion followed by dichloroisocyanurate colorimetry;
NH4-N: Dichloroisocyanurate colorimetry;
NO3-N: Azo dye colorimetry;
SO4-S: Methylthymol blue colorimetry;
Cl: Ferric thiocyanate colorimetry;
PO4-P: Molybdenum blue colorimetry; and
Ca, Mg, K, and Na: Atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

During the 1989-1994 period, samples were brought to the Charleston laboratory and refrigerated until processing could begin. The samples were filtered (details of filtration procedure are not known at this time) and then subjected to analysis according to standard protocols (Clesceri et al, 1989).

Most analyses (NO3/NO2-N, NH4-N, PO4-P, Cl, SO4, SiO3, TKN and TN) were performed using the Technicon TRAACS-800 system. Cation analyses (K, Na, Ca, and Mg) were performed using a Perkin-Elmer Model 3100 Atomic Absorption Spectrometer.

Finally, HCO3 was measured by the titration method using an automatic titrimeter.
Methodology_Citation:
Methodology_Citation:
Methodology_Citation:

Process_Step:

Process_Description:: Data collected in the field or during laboratory analyses were recorded into electronic spreadsheets and checked for missing values and/or outliers.

For the sake of consistency, data reported for SO4 during the 1989-1994 period have been adjusted to reflect the concentration of SO4-S.
Process_Date: Unknown

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Overview_Description:

Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:: Variables included in the dataset WS77_historical_chemistry_rev.xlsx:

Location = watershed name (WS77 = Watershed 77);
Instr_ID = gauging station name (Weir77 = WS77 weir);
Date_ = date associated with water chemistry data (format MM/DD/YYYY);
pH (alias 'pH') = stream pH;
NO3_NO2_N_mgL (alias 'NO3/NO2-N') = nitrogen concentration in the form of nitrate/nitrite, in mg/L;
NH4_N_mgL (alias 'NH4-N') = nitrogen concentration in the form of ammonium, in mg/L;
PO4_P_mgL (alias 'PO4-P') = phosphorus concentration in the form of phosphate, in mg/L;
Cl_mgL (alias 'Cl') = chloride concentration, in mg/L;
K_mgL (alias 'K') = potassium concentration, in mg/L;
Na_mgL (alias 'Na') = sodium concentration, in mg/L;
Ca_mgL (alias 'Ca') = calcium concentration, in mg/L;
Mg_mgL (alias 'Mg') = magnesium concentration, in mg/L;
SO4_S_mgL (alias 'SO4-S') = sulfur concentration in the form of sulfate, in mg/L;
TKN_mgL (alias 'TKN') = total Kjeldahl nitrogen concentration, in mg/L;
SiO3_mgL (alias 'SiO3') = silicate concentration, in mg/L;
HCO3_mgL (alias 'HCO3') = bicarbonate concentration, in mg/L; and
TN_mgL (alias 'TN') = total nitrogen concentration, in mg/L.

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: 20110713

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