Discharge measurements from transects of Whales Tail Marsh tidal creeks, South San Francisco Bay, California, during 2021 and 2022

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Discharge measurements from transects of Whales Tail Marsh tidal creeks, South San Francisco Bay, California, during 2021 and 2022
Abstract:
Whales Tail Marsh, a restored salt pond in South San Francisco Bay, California, is experiencing rapid shoreline erosion. Determining whether the eroded sediment is exported to the ocean or imported via tidal channels and deposited on the marsh platform is critical to understanding the long-term response of the marsh to wave attack and sea-level rise. Quantifying water-column sediment flux helps to characterize the role of tidal channels in this process, and water discharge is a key component of sediment flux. To that end, discharge was measured repeatedly over diurnal tidal cycles in the tidal channels of the Whales Tail Marsh, within Eden Landing Ecological Refuge, California in the summer of 2021 and during king tides in the winter of 2021-2022. These transect data were collected by using a downward-looking Teledyne RDI RiverPro 1200-kilohertz acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP) from a moving boat.
Supplemental_Information:
Information about the data collection field activities is available online at: http://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2021-627-FA http://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2021-660-FA Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Joanne C. T. Ferreira, and Nowacki, Daniel J., 20240807, Discharge measurements from transects of Whales Tail Marsh tidal creeks, South San Francisco Bay, California, during 2021 and 2022: data release DOI:10.5066/P17ZUBYC, U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Joanne C. T. Ferreira, Nowacki, Daniel J., and Stevens, Andrew W., 2024, Oceanographic, water-quality, bathymetric, and discharge data from Whales Tail Marsh tidal creeks, South San Francisco Bay, California, 2021-2023: data release DOI:10.5066/P17ZUBYC, U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Suggested Citation: Ferreira, J.C.T., Nowacki, D.J., and Stevens, A.S., 2024, Oceanographic, water-quality, bathymetric, and discharge data from Whales Tail Marsh tidal creeks, South San Francisco Bay, California, 2021-2023: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P17ZUBYC.
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -122.1419
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -122.1412
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 37.5865
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 37.5836
  3. What does it look like?
    adcp_transecting.jpg (JPEG)
    Image of ADCP sampling across a tidal creek
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 15-Jun-2021
    Ending_Date: 04-Jan-2022
    Currentness_Reference:
    ground condition at time data were collected
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: binary and text
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      Indirect_Spatial_Reference: Data were collected continuously along survey transects.
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.0001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.0001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees. The horizontal datum used is D_WGS_1984.
      The ellipsoid used is WGS_1984.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.0.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257223563.
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    This dataset consists of discharge measurements collected using a Teledyne RD Instruments RiverPro ADCP (Teledyne RD Instruments, 2024). All data were collected with Teledyne RD Instruments WinRiver II version 2.23 (Teledyne RD Instruments, 2020) and processed with QRev version 4.37 (Mueller, 2016). Due to the complexity of an ADCP data file and the various algorithms applied to compute the streamflow from ADCP data, these data are most useful in either 1) their original raw data format which can be opened and processed in either WinRiver II or QRev or 2) their processed format which can be opened and processed by QRev or opened by Matlab or any software that can read Matlab formatted files. Both WinRiver II and QRev are distributed free. This dataset is in the form of a zip file, wt_adcp_transects.zip. The data are divided into folders based on location and acquisition time, and further divided by software association. The top-level folder naming convention consists of WT_Season_Location_X where WT indicates Whales Tail Marsh. The Season is specified as Summer or Winter, the Location is TCM, TCE, or TCW for Tidal Creek Main, East, or West, and where TCE summer survey were repeated, the survey index is appended. Each of these folders contains two subfolders: QRev_Files and WinRiver_II_Files. The WinRiver II files consist of: 1. .mmt file: XML configuration file used by WinRiver II for setup, specific measurement data entry, and filenames of the raw transect data files (pd0) 2. .pd0 files: raw binary data collected by WinRiver II. The format for these files is defined in Teledyne RD Instruments (2020). The QRev files consist of: 1. .mat files: saved data processed by QRev. These files can be opened and processed by QRev or loaded into Matlab or software that can read Matlab formatted files. The variable definitions are documented in Mueller (2016). 2. .xml: summaries of the data processed by QRev. The variable definitions are documented in Mueller (2016). Refer to the README-zipped-file-explanation.txt file in this directory for further information.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
    The entity and attribute information were generated by the individual and/or agency identified as the originator of the data set. Please review the rest of the metadata record for additional details and information.

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • Joanne C. T. Ferreira
    • Daniel J. Nowacki
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    PCMSC Science Data Coordinator
    U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
    2885 Mission Street
    Santa Cruz, CA
    USA

    831-427-4747 (voice)
    pcmsc_data@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

The discharge measurements were used as part of a process to create an index-velocity relationship (Ruhl and Simpson, 2005) between flow velocity measured at a single location within the channel and the channel-average velocity. This relationship enables the computation of a time-series of total channel discharge from long-term deployments of oceanographic instrumentation measuring at a single location within the channel. They were collected as part of a study to quantify sediment fluxes and changes in marsh morphology at Whales Tail Marsh in southern San Francisco Bay. These data are intended for researchers, students, policy makers, and the general public.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 02-Aug-2021 (process 1 of 4)
    Discharge data were collected using a boat-mounted Teledyne RDI RiverPro 1200 kHz acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), in one tidal channel during Spring tides in the summer of 2021, at a location designated as TCE indicating Tidal Channel East. The boat repeatedly traversed each channel from one bank to the other, collecting data during each transect crossing. The dates and times of the transect measurements were chosen to cover as much of a full diurnal tidal cycle as possible, subject to logistical and safety constraints. ADCP data were recorded and initially reviewed using WinRiver II version 2.23. WinRiver II is available at https://hydroacoustics.usgs.gov/movingboat/WinRiverII.shtml The raw data were recorded in .mmt and .pd0 files, which are the native file formats of WinRiver II. All datafiles were retained.
    Date: 04-Jan-2022 (process 2 of 4)
    Discharge data were collected using a boat-mounted Teledyne RDI RiverPro 1200 kHz acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), in three tidal channels, designated as TCM, TCE, and TCW indicating Tidal Channel Main, and smaller channels East and West further from the bay. The boat repeatedly traversed each channel from one bank to the other, collecting data during each transect crossing. The dates and times of the transect measurements were chosen to cover as much of a full diurnal tidal cycle as possible, subject to logistical and safety constraints. ADCP data were recorded and initially reviewed using WinRiver II version 2.23. WinRiver II is available at ttps://hydroacoustics.usgs.gov/movingboat/WinRiverII.shtml. The raw data were recorded in .mmt and .pd0 files, which are the native file formats of WinRiver II. Designation of tidal creek banks as "left" and "right" conform to the USGS Water Resources convention as with reference to the downstream direction. Downstream is defined as towards the bay.
    Date: 14-Jun-2024 (process 3 of 4)
    Data were post-processed using QRev version 4.37, a program developed by the USGS Office of Surface Water to compute moving-boat ADCP discharge. QRev automates data-quality checks, data filtering, extrapolation methods, and invalid-data-handling steps, and provides estimates of uncertainty to help guide the user. QRev is available at https://hydroacoustics.usgs.gov/movingboat/QRev.shtml. Processing in QRev adhered to the defaults with additional steps as outlined below. A constant respresentative value for salinity was applied to each measurement file. Variations in salinity affect the estimate of speed of sound in water, which is used in computing discharge. Field measurements of salinity and temperature collected with an RBR Maestro CTD are available in a separate section of this data release and may be used to reprocess and improve the discharge measurements. The magnetic variation was calculated using NOAA's Magnetic Field Calculator (https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/calculators/magcalc.shtml) and entered for each file. Data from incomplete transects have not been processed with QRev. However, these files have been retained in the .pd0 binary files. The following data transects were not processed: on June 30, 2021 transect 17, on July 27, 2021 transect 19, and on January 3, 2022 multiple transects (1,5,48,64-66, 71,72). Additionally, time internal to the raw data files collected January 3, 2022 at TCW have incorrect time due to an ADCP clock reset error. Corrected time in UTC is recorded time - 86.734 days (86 days 17 hours 37 minutes). The data were exported from QRev as a .mat file using bottom-track (BT) navigation reference.
    Date: 04-Jan-2022 (process 4 of 4)
    QRev file naming convention consists of YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS_VER_BT_QRev where, starting with the date and time at start of the transect, VER is the QRev software version 4.37, and BT indicates the position within each transect was determined using bottom tracking from the initial GPS position.
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
    Joanne C. T. Ferreira, Lacy, Jessica R., McGill, Samantha C., WinklerPrins, Lukas T., Nowacki, Daniel J., Stevens, Andrew W., and Tan, Angela C., 2023, Hydrodynamic and sediment transport data from Whale's Tail South marsh and adjacent waters in South San Francisco Bay, California 2021-2022.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Water samples collected during the transecting data collection are published in this data release
    Joanne C. T. Ferreira, Nowacki, Daniel J., and SeanPaul M. La Selle, 2024, Sediment core data collected from Cargill Marsh, South San Francisco Bay, California during field activities 2022-643-FA and 2023-681-FA: data release DOI:10.5066/P15AORBR, U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA.

    Online Links:

    Mueller, David S., 2016, QRev—Software for computation and quality assurance of acoustic doppler current profiler moving-boat streamflow measurements—Technical manual for version 2.8: Open-File Report 2016-1068, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Ruhl, Catherine A., and Simpson, Michael R., 2005, Computation of Discharge Using the Index-Velocity Method in Tidally Affected Areas: Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5004, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Teledyne RD Instruments, Inc., 2020, WinRiver II Software User's Guide: Teledyne RD Instruments, Inc., San Diego, CA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: P/N 957-6231-00
    Teledyne RD Instruments, Inc., 2024, Workhorse RiverPro and RioPro ADCP Guide: Teledyne RD Instruments, Inc., San Diego, CA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: P/N 957-6097-00

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    No formal attribute accuracy tests were conducted. The Teledyne RDI Workhorse RiverPro 1200 kHz ADCP has a temperature range of -5 to 45 degrees Celsius with accuracy +/- 0.5 degrees Celsius, a tilt range of +/-90 degrees with accuracy of +/-0.3 degrees, a compass with accuracy of +/-1 degrees, velocity range of +/-5 m/s with an accuracy of +/-0.25 percent of the velocity +/- 2mm/s, and 4 beams with ping rate of 1-2 Hz. Data were processed using QRev. QRev uses a color-coded scheme in its graphical user interface to indicate potential areas of concern (e.g., percent change in discharge magnitude between consecutive transects). Because these measurements were made in tidal systems with highly variable bathymetry, these changes are expected and many of the yellow- and red-colored regions in QRev are to be expected. ADCP data were collected in 0.06 m depth bins. Variation in tidal elevation resulted in changes in the width of the measurable tidal channel. During the highest tides, the marsh was fully inundated and there was no defined edge to the channel. For this reason, all data has been retained and must be handled with care.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    GPS locations were collected using a Hemisphere A631 GNSS Smart Antenna. The GPS antenna was located directly above the ADCP during data collection. Based on manufacturer specifications, the locations are assumed to be accurate within 2 m Circular Error Probable (CEP).
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
    No formal assessment of vertical accuracy was performed.
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    Dataset is considered complete for the information presented, as described in the abstract. Users are advised to read the metadata for each part of this data release carefully for additional details.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    Data were processed using QRev version 4.37 and reviewed by staff experienced in ADCP discharge measurements. All data were collected using the same instrument, computer, and moving-boat platform. QRev software uses a color-coded error message scheme in its graphical user interface to indicate potential areas of concern. Error messages such as temperature range greater than 2 degrees, excessive boat movement at edges, zero edge discharge, and other error messages are to be expected since measurements were made in a tidal channel throughout the tidal cycle. Measurements at slack water included changes of flow direction from one edge to another.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
Access_Constraints no access constraints
Use_Constraints USGS-authored or produced data and information are in the public domain from the U.S. Government and are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. Please recognize and acknowledge the U.S. Geological Survey as the originator(s) of the dataset and in products derived from these data.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    U.S. Geological Survey - CMGDS
    2885 Mission Street
    Santa Cruz, CA
    USA

    1-831-427-4747 (voice)
    pcmsc_data@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? This dataset is in the form of a zip file, wt_adcp_transects.zip, which contains folders and files as described in the Entity and Attribute Overview.
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    Unless otherwise stated, all data, metadata and related materials are considered to satisfy the quality standards relative to the purpose for which the data were collected. Although these data and associated metadata have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness and approved for release by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty.
  4. How can I download or order the data?
    • Availability in digital form:
      Data format: Matlab .mat binary files which are saved data processed by QRev. These files can be opened and processed by QRev or loaded into Matlab or software that can read matlab formatted files. An XML summary file with variable units and an associated XSL stylesheet for viewing the XML file are distributed with these files in format MAT Size: 161
      Network links: https://doi.org/10.5066/P17ZUBYC
      Data format: Raw binary data collected by the WinRiver II software. An XML configuration file is distributed with the PDO files. in format PDO Size: 161
      Network links: https://doi.org/10.5066/P17ZUBYC
      Data format: Extensible Markup Language files with the extensions .mmt and .xml. The .mmt files are WinRiver II setup configuration files. The .xml files are QRev summary files. in format XML Size: 161
      Network links: https://doi.org/10.5066/P17ZUBYC
    • Cost to order the data: None

  5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
    WinRiver II is required to view .pd0 and .mmt files. QRev can view .mmt and .mat files. Both software are distributed free and are available from https://hydroacoustics.usgs.gov/movingboat/WinRiverII.shtml and https://hydroacoustics.usgs.gov/movingboat/QRev.shtml, respectively. The .mat files can be viewed in QRev, Matlab, or other software capable of reading Matlab-formatted files such as Python.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 07-Aug-2024
Metadata author:
PCMSC Science Data Coordinator
U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
2885 Mission Street
Santa Cruz, CA
USA

831-427-4747 (voice)
pcmsc_data@usgs.gov
Metadata standard:
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/pcmsc/DataReleases/CMGDS_DR_tool/DR_P17ZUBYC/wt_adcp_transects_metadata.faq.html>
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