Summary of Oceanographic and Water-Quality Measurements near the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, 2011

Metadata:

• Identification_Information
• Data_Quality_Information
• Distribution_Information
• Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Neil K Ganju

Originator: Patrick J. Dickhudt

Originator: Ellyn T. Montgomery

Originator: Patrick Brennand

Originator: R. Kyle Derby

Originator: Thomas W. Brooks

Originator: Marinna A. Martini

Originator: Jonathan Borden

Originator: Sandy Baldwin

Publication_Date: 2012

Title:

Summary of Oceanographic and Water-Quality Measurements near the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, 2011

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA

Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program

Description:

Abstract:

Suspended-sediment transport is a critical element governing the geomorphology of tidal marshes. Marshes rely both on organic material and inorganic sediment deposition to maintain their elevation relative to sea-level. In wetlands near the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, MD, portions of the salt marsh have been subsiding relative to sea level since the early 20th century. Other portions of the marsh have been successful at maintaining elevation. The USGS undertook measurements of suspended-sediment concentration in the tidal channels in order to understand the magnitude of suspended-sediment concentrations, the sediment-transport mechanisms, and relative differences between the two areas of the marsh. We deployed optical turbidity sensors and acoustic velocity meters at multiple sites over two periods in 2011. The time-series of oceanographic data collected during those field studies, including velocity, depth, turbidity, salinity, water temperature, and pH are presented here. For more information on the field operations associated with data collection: <https://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/ia/public_ds_info.php?fa=2011-017-FA> <https://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/ia/public_ds_info.php?fa=2011-029-FA> <https://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/ia/public_ds_info.php?fa=2011-044-FA> <https://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/ia/public_ds_info.php?fa=2011-050-FA>

Purpose:

This dataset provides measurements from an estuarine field study that occurred in the spring and fall of 2011. The data were collected in support of efforts to model the circulation, nutrient and sediment fluxes in the marsh. The background and experimental setup are described in the open file report "Summary of Oceanographic and Water-Quality Measurements near the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, 2011", <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1099/>. The locations, deployment depths, sensor type and parameters measured during the deployment are shown in the table displayed by the Basic Sampling Interval link (<https://stellwagen.er.usgs.gov/bw2011-a.html>). The basic sampling interval data files are provided at the rate at which the sensor made observations- no temporal averaging, filtering or subsampling was done. The data files are accessible by clicking the file name or via OPeNDAP at <https://stellwagen.er.usgs.gov/opendap/BW2011/>.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 201103

Ending_Date: 201112

Currentness_Reference:

ground condition of data collection; data were not collected during the entire span of dates. See the sampling interval link for specific start and end dates for each instrument.

Status:

Progress: Complete

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -76.1

East_Bounding_Coordinate: -75.95

North_Bounding_Coordinate: +38.425

South_Bounding_Coordinate: +38.35

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: General

Theme_Keyword: Oceanographic observations

Theme_Keyword: Current

Theme_Keyword: Temperature

Theme_Keyword: Salinity

Theme_Keyword: Dissolved Oxygen

Theme_Keyword: Turbidity

Theme_Keyword: Pressure

Theme_Keyword: U.S. Geological Survey

Theme_Keyword: USGS

Theme_Keyword: Coastal and Marine Geology Program

Theme_Keyword: CMGP

Theme_Keyword: Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Theme_Keyword: WHCMSC

Theme_Keyword: netCDF

Theme_Keyword: 2011-017-FA

Theme_Keyword: 2011-029-FA

Theme_Keyword: 2011-044-FA

Theme_Keyword: 2011-050-FA

Theme_Keyword: Open File Report

Theme_Keyword: OFR

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category

Theme_Keyword: oceans

Theme_Keyword: Inland Waters

Theme_Keyword: geoscientificInformation

Theme_Keyword: climatologyMeteorologyAtmosphere

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: General

Place_Keyword: Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

Place_Keyword: Chesapeake Bay

Place_Keyword: DelMarva

Place_Keyword: United States

Place_Keyword: North America

Place_Keyword: Mid-Atlantic

Place_Keyword: MD

Place_Keyword: Maryland

Temporal:

Temporal_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Temporal_Keyword: 2011

Temporal_Keyword: spring

Temporal_Keyword: fall

Access_Constraints: None

Use_Constraints:

Data presented are in the public domain. Please acknowledge the U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal Marine Geology Program as the source of these data.

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Neil K. Ganju

Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical address

Address: 384 Woods Hole Road

City: Woods Hole

State_or_Province: MA

Postal_Code: 02543-1598

Country: United States

Contact_Voice_Telephone: (508) 457-8700 x2252

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: nganju@usgs.gov

Data_Set_Credit:

Funding was provided by the U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Geology Program and Global Climate Change Program.

Cross_Reference:

Citation_Information:

Originator: E.T. Montgomery

Originator: M.A. Martini

Originator: F.L. Lightsom

Originator: Bradford Butman

Publication_Date: 2008

Title:

Documentation of the U.S. Geological Survey Oceanographic Time Series

Series_Information:

Series_Name: Open-File Report

Issue_Identification: 2007-1194

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA

Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program

Online_Linkage: <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1194/>

Cross_Reference:

Citation_Information:

Originator: N.K. Ganju

Originator: P.J. Dickhudt

Originator: E.T. Montgomery

Originator: P. Brennand

Originator: R.K. Derby

Originator: T.W. Brooks

Originator: M.A. Martini

Originator: J. Borden

Originator: S. Baldwin

Publication_Date: 2011

Title:

Summary of Oceanographic and Water-Quality Measurements near the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, 2011

Series_Information:

Series_Name: Open-File Report

Issue_Identification: 2012-XX

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA

Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program

Online_Linkage: <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1099/>

Data_Quality_Information:

Logical_Consistency_Report: Data are logically consistent

Completeness_Report:

The data have been edited to remove outlying points and data recorded when the instruments were out of the water (before and after deployment or at low tide).

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

The deployment locations were measured by a hand-held GPS (Garmin GPS C76).

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy:

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

The sensors were mounted on poles or the channel bottom in less than 5 meters of water. The tidal range here is ~0.5 meters so as the tide changes, so will the relative depth. Height above the bottom will not change and be accurate to within 5cm, while depth may change significantly.

Lineage:

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

FIELD PROGRAM: Between March and May 2011, continuous measurements were collected at three sites in the Blackwater complex (moorings 903, 904, 905) and three sites in the Fishing Bay complex (moorings 906, 907, 908). Identical pole-mounted YSI sensors were deployed at all six sites. Parameters measured include water level, salinity, temperature, dissolved Oxygen, pH, and turbidity. Between September and October 2011, continuous measurements were collected at two sites in the Blackwater complex (moorings 916, 917) and two sites in the Fishing Bay complex (moorings 915, 918). A pole-mounted YSI and an upward looking current profiler were deployed at sites 915 and 916, with a pole-mounted turbidity sensor deployed at 917 and 918. Parameters measured include water level, water velocity, salinity, temperature, dissolved Oxygen, and turbidity.

Process_Date: 2012

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

DATA PROCESSING Data processing was conducted using the proprietary software for each instrument, and (or) specialized software developed by the USGS. The proprietary software was often used to download data from the instruments and export the data to ASCII-files. Post-processing of the raw binary or ASCII files was accomplished using USGS software developed in the MATLAB (<http://www.mathworks.com/>) programming language. As part of the processing, instrument-specific formats were converted to the EPIC-standard NetCDF format (<http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/epic/>) and scientific units. Data were carefully checked for inconsistencies, time drift, and other problems and then edited if needed. The beginning and end of each data series were truncated to remove data collected out of water. After final editing, the best basic version of the data file that includes all variables recorded at the basic sampling interval (the fastest rate at which the sensor sampled) is published.

Process_Date: 2012

Process_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Ellyn Montgomery

Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical address

Address: 384 Woods Hole Road

City: Woods Hole

State_or_Province: MA

Postal_Code: 02543-1598

Country: United States

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 508-457-8700 x2356

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: emontgomery@usgs.gov

Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Neil K. Ganju

Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical address

Address: 384 Woods Hole Road

City: Woods Hole

State_or_Province: MA

Postal_Code: 02543-1498

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: (508) 457-8700 x2252

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: nganju@usgs.gov

Resource_Description:

Downloadable Data available from <https://stellwagen.er.usgs.gov/bw2011.html>.

Distribution_Liability:

Neither the U.S. Government, the Department of the Interior, nor the USGS, nor any of their employees, contractors, or subcontractors, make any warranty, express or implied, nor assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, nor represent that its use would not infringe on privately owned rights. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the USGS in the use of these data or related materials. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Standard_Order_Process:

Digital_Form:

Digital_Transfer_Information:

Format_Name: netCDF

Digital_Transfer_Option:

Online_Option:

Computer_Contact_Information:

Network_Address:

Network_Resource_Name: <https://stellwagen.er.usgs.gov/bw2011.html>

Fees: None.

Technical_Prerequisites:

The user's computer must have software to read netCDF files or import OPeNDAP.

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20120507

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Ellyn T. Montgomery

Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical address

Address: 384 Woods Hole Road

City: Woods Hole

State_or_Province: MA

Postal_Code: 02543-1598

Country: United States

Contact_Voice_Telephone: (508) 457-8700 x2356

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: emontgomery@usgs.gov

Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998

Metadata_Time_Convention: local time