Watershed 80 Well Transect Data, 2003-2016.

Metadata:
Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Amatya, Devendra M. and Trettin, Carl C.
Publication_Date: 2016
Title:
Watershed 80 Well Transect Data, 2003-2016.
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: database
Description:
Abstract:
This dataset contains water table measurements taken from two transects of manual wells running roughly perpendicular to one another across Watershed 80 in the Santee Experimental Forest. The transects incorporated existing wells installed in 1992 and also some additional wells installed in 2003 and 2004. The longer of the two transects runs approximately SW to NE and crosses the WS 80 stream approximately 300 meters upstream of the stream outlet. The other transect runs through a small wetland area near the headwaters of the WS 80 stream in the north central portion of the watershed.
Purpose:
The purpose of this network of manual water table wells was to provide information on spatial and temporal variation in water table level across the first-order Watershed 80 and to increase knowledge about shallow seepage rates and the distribution of those rates along and lateral to the stream, including the relationship of water table to precipitation, runoff, evapotranspiration (ET) and other related eco-hydrologic and biogeochemical processes.
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 2003
Ending_Date: 2016
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 Watershed 80 in the Santee Experimental Forest.
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -79.803546
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -79.783404
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 33.159514
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 33.142110
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: Forested watersheds
Theme_Keyword: Water Table
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/.
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Data_Quality_Information:
Attribute_Accuracy:
Attribute_Accuracy_Report:
Manual measurement of water table in the well transects was conducted approximately every two weeks using a Hydrolite device (measuring from the top of the well to the water surface). Starting in May 2009 this measurement was performed using a Solinst Mini 101 water level meter.
Logical_Consistency_Report:
Visual inspection of electronically plotted water table data and comparison with precipitation data from the Met 25 weather station on this watershed was employed to expose anomalous values for the expected water table response to rainfall.
Completeness_Report:
As noted in the abstract, water table levels in the well transects were manually monitored approximately every two weeks between 2003 and 2012.
Lineage:
Methodology:
Methodology_Type: Field
Methodology_Description:
Two well transects were established in 2003 and made use of both existing manual wells and newly-installed wells. The downstream transect originally included wells w28021, w28023, w28024 and w28027 (installed in 1992), and four additional wells (Wells D, E, F and G) were later added to extend the spatial coverage of the transect (Wells D, E and F were installed in 2003, while Well G was installed in 2004).

Well A was added in 2003 to the headwater transect, which also included wells w28009, w28010, and w28011 (installed in 1992).

Well B was installed approximately 30 meters (m) west of the Met 25 weather station, and Well C was installed near well w28031 on the southeast side of the watershed (Wells B and C were installed in 2003, while well )w28031 was installed in 1992). Well w28030 was an existing well (installed in 1992) located adjacent to the Yellowjacket WL40 installation.

The new wells were installed using 3.8 centimeter (cm) diameter PVC pipe with a 1.8 m screen and following standard installation procedures. An auger was used to bore a hole approximately 7.6 cm in diameter, the screen and riser pipe were placed into the hole, and a gravel pack was added around the pipe along the screened section and up to about 15 cm below the ground surface. Bentonite clay was added to the top 15 cm of the bore hole as a seal to prevent percolation of surface water. Total well depths ranged from 2.1 to 2.5 m below ground surface.

Wells were visited approximately every two weeks and the distance from the top of the well to the water surface was measured (in feet) with a Hydrolite. Starting in May 2009 this measurement was performed using a Solinst Mini 101 water level meter.

5/15/2004: Stopped monitoring Well 24
12/8/2006: Stopped monitoring Well E
6/11/2008: Stopped monitoring Well 21
1/16/2011: Stopped monitoring Well 23
6/8/2016: Stopped monitoring Wells 30 and 31
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
Water level information was retrieved from field notebooks and recorded in databases (written and electronic) at the office. Using information about the height of individual wells above ground surface and their elevation relative to mean sea level allowed for calculation and plotting of water table level below ground surface (in centimeters) and relative to mean sea level (in meters).

Ground surface elevations for each well in the WS80 transects are listed below (based on elevation surveys conducted in 2004):

Well_ID_Number Elevation (meters above sea level)
w28009 7.9757
w28010 7.9431
w28011 8.2287
w28021 5.1459
w28023 5.3270
w28024 6.8955
w28027 8.3564
w28030 9.0858
w28031 8.9124
Well A 8.7505
Well B 8.4713
Well C 8.9267
Well D 7.5084
Well E 4.3157
Well F 8.4024
Well G 6.8955
Process_Date: Unknown
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Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Overview_Description:
Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
Location = watershed name (WS80 = Watershed 80);
Instr_ID = well name (w28009 = post-Hugo well number 9);
Date_ = date associated with water table data (format MM/DD/YYYY);
Depth_cm_b (alias 'Depth below ground surface') = depth, cm below ground surface, in cm (positive values represent levels above ground surface and negative values represent levels below ground surface); and
elev_m_asl (alias 'Elevation above mean sea level') = elevation, m above sea level, in m.

All missing data were originally assigned the value "-9999"; during database development this code was changed to "null"

Depths below ground surface and elevations above mean sea level for periods where the water table was below the bottom of the well have been assigned the value "dry"
Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
None
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Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date: 20160623
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
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