Suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in the San Lorenzo River, Santa Cruz, California, USA, from 2008 to 2019

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in the San Lorenzo River, Santa Cruz, California, USA, from 2008 to 2019
Abstract:
Suspended-sediment concentrations are reported in mg/L for water samples collected from the San Lorenzo River during the rainy seasons from 2008 to 2019. Samples were collected during 2-, 5- and 10-year flood events.
Supplemental_Information:
Additional information about the field activity from which some of these data were derived is available online at:
https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2017-606-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?
    Campbell, Pamela L., East, Amy E., and Conaway, Christopher H., 20220124, Suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in the San Lorenzo River, Santa Cruz, California, USA, from 2008 to 2019: data release DOI:10.5066/P9GB8YSZ, U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Campbell, Pamela L., East, Amy E., and Conaway, Christopher H., 2021, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in the San Lorenzo River, Santa Cruz, California, USA: data release DOI:10.5066/P9GB8YSZ, U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -122.030833
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -122.030833
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 36.9908333
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 36.9908333
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 02-Nov-2008
    Ending_Date: 07-Mar-2019
    Currentness_Reference:
    ground condition at time data were collected
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: comma-delimited text
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      This is a point data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
      • point (301)
    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 0.001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in decimal degrees. The horizontal datum used is D_WGS_1984.
      The ellipsoid used is D_WGS_1984.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257224.
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    Attribute table comprised of a comma-delimited text file with the first line being a header line.
    Table containing attribute information associated with the dataset (Source: Producer defined)
    Date_of_Collection
    Day, month, and year sample was collected (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:02-Nov-08
    Maximum:7-Mar-19
    Units:Dates in dd-mm-yy format.
    Resolution:1
    Time_of_Sampling
    Time of day sample was collected (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:00:00
    Maximum:23:50
    Units:hh:mm in 24-hr format
    Resolution:1
    San_Lorenzo_Flow_Rate_cubic_feet_per_second
    Measured flow rate at nearest USGS stream gauge, located 3.5 km upstream from the river mouth (station 11161000) (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:3
    Maximum:18700
    Units:cubic feet per second
    Resolution:1
    Discharge_cubic_meter_per_second
    Conversion of San Lorenzo Flow Rate from cubic feet per second to cubic meter per second (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.08
    Maximum:529.21
    Units:cubic meter per second
    Resolution:0.01
    Suspended_Sediment_Concentration_milligram_per_liter
    Lab-measured concentration of suspended sediment in milligrams per liter (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:3
    Maximum:7059
    Units:milligrams per liter
    Resolution:1
    Sand_percent
    Fraction of suspended sediment separated from silt and clay by filtration through a 0.063 mm sieve (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1.2
    Maximum:97.2
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.1
    Clay_percent
    Fraction of suspended sediment sieved through a 0.063 millimeter sieve (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:2.8
    Maximum:98.8
    Units:percent
    Resolution:0.1
    Latitude
    Latitude of sampling station in decimal degrees (Source: Producer defined)
    ValueDefinition
    36.99083333latitude of sampling location
    Longitude
    Longitude of the sampling station (Source: Producer defined)
    ValueDefinition
    -122.0308333longitude of sampling location in decimal degrees
    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview: The first line of the csv file is a header line.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: U.S. Geological Survey

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • Pamela L. Campbell
    • Amy E. East
    • Christopher H. Conaway
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: PCMSC Science Data Coordinator
    2885 Mission Street
    Santa Cruz, CA

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

Why was the data set created?

These data were collected and analyzed to determine possible changes in suspended-sediment concentrations in the San Lorenzo River during the wet seasons from 2008 to 2019.

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: 19-Mar-2019 (process 1 of 2)
    River water samples were collected using a US D-95 water sampler with a 1L Nalgene bottle attached, which was lowered throughout the water column by hand from a bridge-box platform beneath a pedestrian bridge in Santa Cruz, California. After 14 days of settling time, excess water and organic matter were removed using wet suction from a vacuum pump; the sand fraction was then separated from silt and clay by filtration through a 0.063-mm sieve. Each fraction (sand and silt-plus-clay) was dried in a crucible in a 103-degree Celsius oven, and then weighed. The supernatant fraction was not analyzed. Concentration results are reported in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Person who carried out this activity:
    Amy East
    U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Research Geologist
    2885 Mission St.
    Santa Cruz, CA

    831-888-7214 (voice)
    aeast@usgs.gov
    Date: 25-May-2022 (process 2 of 2)
    Correction was made to fix typo in a keyword. No data were changed. (scochran@usgs.gov)
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
    Conaway, C.H., Draut, A. E., Echols, K.R., Storlazzi, C.D, and Ritchie, A., 2013, Episodic suspended sediment transport and elevated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in a small, mountainous river in coastal California..

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Conaway, C.H., Draut, A.E., Echols, K.R., Storlazzi, C.D., and Ritchie, A., 2013, Episodic suspended sediment transport and elevated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in a small, mountainous river in coastal California: River Research and Applications, vol. 29, p. 919-932.
    East, A.E., Stevens, A.W., Ritchie, A.C., Barnard, P.L., Campbell-Swarzenski, P.L., Collins, B.D., and Conaway, C.H., 2013, A regime shift in sediment export from a coastal watershed during a record wet winter, California: Implications for landscape response to hydroclimatic extremes..

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    East, A.E., Stevens, A.W., Ritchie, A.C., Barnard, P.L., Campbell-Swarzenski, P.L., Collins, B.D., and Conaway, C.H., 2018, A regime shift in sediment export from a coastal watershed during a record wet winter, California: Implications for landscape response to hydroclimatic extremes: Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, vol. 43, p. 2562-2577.

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

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    Blanks were run with every batch of 20 and a reference sample of known concentrations was run monthly. Data were calculated as percentages based on the amount in grams of that size fraction in relation to the total suspended sediment sample.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    A formal accuracy assessment of the horizontal positional information in the data set has not been conducted. The horizontal accuracy is based on a hand-held Garmin GPS with a stated manufacturers accuracy of +/- 3.0 m.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  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 rest of the metadata record carefully for additional details.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    No formal logical accuracy tests were conducted.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
Access_Constraints None
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 and USGS California Water Science Center, Santa Cruz field office as the originators of the dataset and in products derived from these data.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    U.S. Geological Survey - ScienceBase
    Denver Federal Center, Building 810, Mail Stop 302
    Denver, CO

    1-888-275-8747 (voice)
    sciencebase@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? SanLorenzoRiver_SSC_2008-2019.csv
  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?
  5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
    These data can be viewed with Excel or any text-reading software.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 25-May-2022
Metadata author:
U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Attn: PCMSC Science Data Coordinator
2885 Mission Street
Santa Cruz, CA

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/ScienceBase/DR_P9GB8YSZ/SanLorenzoRiver_SSC_2008-2019.faq.html>
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