Water level and salinity data for four sites in the coastal marsh at Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi, from October 2016 through October 2017

Frequently anticipated questions:

• What does this data set describe?
  1. How might this data set be cited?
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
• Who produced the data set?
  1. Who are the originators of the data set?
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
• Why was the data set created?
• How was the data set created?
  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
• How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?
  1. How well have the observations been checked?
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the data, including topology?
• How can someone get a copy of the data set?
  1. Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
  2. Who distributes the data?
  3. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
  4. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
  5. How can I download or order the data?
• Who wrote the metadata?

What does this data set describe?

1. How might this data set be cited?
   Terrano, Joseph F., Smith, Kathryn E.L., Khan, Nicole, and Stalk, Chelsea A., 20200226, Water level and salinity data for four sites in the coastal marsh at Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi, from October 2016 through October 2017: U.S. Geological Survey Data Release doi:10.5066/P9BFR2US.

   Online Links:

   • https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-P9BFR2US

   This is part of the following larger work.
   Smith, Kathryn E.L., Terrano, Joseph F., Khan, Nicole, and Stalk, Chelsea A., 20200226, Shore proximal sediment deposition, elevation, turbidity, and water level data in a coastal marsh at Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi from October 2016 through October 2017: U.S. Geological Survey Data Release doi:10.5066/P9BFR2US, U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, FL.

   Online Links:

   • https://doi.org/10.5066/P9BFR2US

2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

   West_Bounding_Coordinate: -88.41443
   East_Bounding_Coordinate: -88.39625
   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 30.38386
   South_Bounding_Coordinate: 30.36241
   

3. What does it look like?

   17CCT01_Site_2_Water_Level.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of water levels for 17CCT01 Site 2 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT01_Site_3_Water_Level.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of water levels for 17CCT01 Site 3 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT02_Site_1_Water_Level.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of water levels for 17CCT02 Site 1 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT02_Site_2_Water_Level.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of water levels for 17CCT02 Site 2 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT02_Site_4_Water_Level.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of water levels for 17CCT02 Site 4 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT03_Site_1_Water_Level.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of water levels for 17CCT03 Site 1 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT03_Site_2_Water_Level.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of water levels for 17CCT03 Site 2 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT03_Site_3_Water_Level.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of water levels for 17CCT03 Site 3 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT03_Site_4_Water_Level_Corrected.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of water levels for 17CCT03 Site 4 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT04_Site_1_Water_Level.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of water levels for 17CCT04 Site 1 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT04_Site_2_Water_Level.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of water levels for 17CCT04 Site 2 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT04_Site_3_Water_Level_Corrected.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of water levels for 17CCT04 Site 3 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT04_Site_4_Water_Level_Corrected.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of water levels for 17CCT04 Site 4 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT05_Site_3_Water_Level.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of water levels for 17CCT05 Site 3 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT01_Salinity.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of salinity (in practical salinity units, PSU) for 17CCT01 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT02_Site_1_Salinity.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of salinity (in practical salinity units, PSU) for 17CCT02 Site 1 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT02_Site_2_and_4_Salinity.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of salinity (in practical salinity units, PSU) for 17CCT02 Sites 2 and 4 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT03_Salinity.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of salinity (in practical salinity units, PSU) for 17CCT03 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT04_Salinity.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of salinity (in practical salinity units, PSU) for 17CCT04 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

   17CCT05_Site_3_Salinity.html (Hypertext Markup Language (HTML))

   Line graph of salinity (in practical salinity units, PSU) for 17CCT05 Site 3 as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file.

4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

   Beginning_Date: 22-Oct-2016

   Beginning_Time: 1:30
   

   Ending_Date: 18-Oct-2017

   Ending_Time: 14:30
   

   Currentness_Reference:

   ground condition

5. What is the general form of this data set?

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Tabular digital data
   

6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
   1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      
   2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      
7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

   Grand_Bay_Water_Level_Data.zip

   Water levelogger data from October 2016 to October 2017 from net sedimentation tile sites located in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi. Data files are named using abbreviated FAN (e.g. 17CCT01). In some cases, two files are provided for one FAN and are differentiated using the Site number (e.g. Site_1). (Source: USGS)

   datetime

   Date in the M/DD/YYYY or MM/DD/YYYY format and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) in the H:MM:SS or HH:MM:SS format. Data was collected in 30- or 40- minute intervals and can be determined by looking at the time between one sampling point to the next. (Source: USGS)

   Range of values
   Minimum:	10/22/2016 1:30
   Maximum:	10/18/2017 14:30

   wl.#

   Uncorrected water level collected by the water level logger for each of the four sites. Field names are in the "wl.#" format with # denoting what site the data is from (1, 2, 3, or 4). (Source: USGS) Uncorrected water level collected by the water level logger in meters (m) for each of the trips and sites.

   temp.#

   Temperature collected by the water level logger for each of the four sites. Field names are in the "temp.#" format with # denoting what site the data is from (1, 2, 3, or 4). (Source: USGS) Temperature collected by the water level logger, in Celsius (c), for each of the trips and sites.

   cond.#

   Conductivity collected by the water level logger for each of the four sites. Field names are in the "cond.#" format with # denoting what site the data is from (1, 2, 3, or 4). (Source: USGS) Conductivity collected by the water level logger, in microSiemens per centimeter (µS/cm).

   sal.#

   Salinity calculated by using the Fofonoff and others (1983) algorithms for each of the four sites. Field names are in the "sal.#" format with # denoting what site the data is from (1, 2, 3, or 4). (Source: USGS) Salinity calculated by using the Fofonoff and others (1983) algorithms, in practical salinity units (PSU).

   wl#_navd88

   Corrected water level data for each of the four sites. Field names are in the "wl#_navd88" format with # denoting what site the data is from (1, 2, 3, or 4). (Source: USGS) Corrected water level data, in meters (m)

   wl#_navd88_corr

   Corrected and detrended water level data for each of the four sites. Field names are in the "wl#_navd88_corr" format with # denoting what site the data is from (1, 2, 3, or 4). (Source: USGS) Corrected water level data, in meters (m)

Who produced the data set?

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   • Joseph F. Terrano
   • Kathryn E.L. Smith
   • Nicole Khan
   • Chelsea A. Stalk
2. Who also contributed to the data set?

   Acknowledgment of the U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, as a data source would be appreciated in products developed from these data, and such acknowledgment as is standard for citation and legal practices. Sharing of new data layers developed directly from these data would also be appreciated by the U.S. Geological Survey staff. Users should be aware that comparisons with other datasets for the same area from other time periods may be inaccurate due to inconsistencies in data collection methods. These data are not legal documents and are not to be used as such.

3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
   U.S. Geological Survey - St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

   Attn: Joseph F. Terrano

   Researcher III

   600 4th Street South

   St. Petersburg, FL
   

   US

   (727) 502-8047 (voice)

   jterrano@contractor.usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

These data are water level measurements obtained, during USGS Field Activity Numbers (FAN) 17CCT01-17CCT04, from Solinst LTC Leveloggers (to measure water level, temperature and conductivity) located at net sedimentation tile (NST) sites. The data are used to calibrate against tide gages to help facilitate a better understanding of tidal range, hydrodynamic fluctuations, and marsh flooding.

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: 2017 (process 1 of 4)

   Solinst LTC Levelogger Edge (Model 3001) M10 or M20 sensors were used to record water levels, conductivity and temperature. Before deployment, each sensor was programmed to record at a continuous 30- or 40-minute interval over the course of the 3-month deployment. In October 2016, 1.5-meter (m) long wells were installed at each of the four study sites so approximately 0.5 m of the wells were sticking out of the marsh or estuary surface. At the start of each trip the loggers were wrapped in a protective coating (plastic wrap, nylon stockings, and tape) and tied onto the well cap. Measurements of the string and logger length were collected for post-processing of the data. The logger was slowly lowered into the well and the well cap was secured. GPS position and elevation data were collected (using a differential GPS) on the top of the well cap and at the marsh surface next to the well. Person who carried out this activity:
   

   U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

   Attn: Joseph F. Terrano

   Researcher III

   600 4th Street South

   St. Petersburg, FL
   

   U.S.

   (727) 502-8047 (voice)

   jterrano@contractor.usgs.gov

   Date: 2017 (process 2 of 4)

   After the initial deployment in October 2016, the water level loggers were collected and redeployed quarterly along with sediment plate deployments (January 2017, April 2017, July 2017, and October 2017). Each collection consisted of gently removing the logger from the well and noting if there was sediment in the well. If there was sediment in the well, it was cleaned and moved to a new location, a new water level logger was then placed inside the well. Measurements at the new location were collected for the string and logger as well as GPS coordinates and elevation. Person who carried out this activity:
   

   U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

   Attn: Joseph F. Terrano

   Researcher III

   600 4th Street South

   St. Petersburg, FL
   

   U.S.

   (727) 502-8047 (voice)

   jterrano@contractor.usgs.gov

   Date: 2019 (process 3 of 4)

   Water level, temperature, and conductivity data were downloaded from the logger as raw uncorrected data. Data from local meteorological stations were obtained from the National Estuarine Research Reserve System Centralized Data Management Office. The raw data were run through an R Studio code. The code converted the date into Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), corrected the water level based on the sensor depth, converted the elevation data into the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88), derived salinity from temperature and conductivity, and clipped the data to a specified date range. Barometric pressure was used to correct level logger pressure data. Salinity was calculated using standard algorithms for computation of fundamental properties of seawater (Fofonoff and Millard Jr., 1983). Data were then adjusted using elevation information and compared to NOAA tide and currents station 8740166 and/or 8739803. Elevations include: 17CCT01 (Site 2 (-0.0934 m) and 3 (-0.881 m)), 17CCT02 (Site 1 (-1.0700 m), Site 2 (-0.0284 m) and 4 (-0.-0.8169 m)), 17CCT03 (Site 1 (-0.8396 m), 2 (-0.1284 m), 3 (-0.768 m), and Site 4 (-0.7306)), 17CCT04 (Site 1 (-0.8207 m), Site 2 (-0.0312 m), 3 (-0.744 m), and Site 4 (-0.5436)), and 17CCT05 (Site 3 (-0.7457 m)). The final data output format was a comma-separated (.csv) values file. The final water level data published in this data release are 17CCT01 (Site 2 and 3), 17CCT02 (Sites 1, 2, and 4), 17CCT03 (Site 1, 2, 3, and 4), 17CCT04 (Site 1, 2, 3 and 4), and 17CCT05 (Site 3). The sites not included in this data release were omitted due to sensor failure or excessive erroneous data. Some leveloggers showed evidence of severe data drift, which could not be substantiated, possibly due to sediment build-up within the well. Sites with sensor drift were corrected, if possible, and published as both corrected and uncorrected data. Sites with erroneous data that were not able to be corrected were also published for consistency with publishing standards. For information about data corrections and detrending contact the authors. Person who carried out this activity:
   

   U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

   Attn: Kathryn Smith

   Research Ecologist

   600 4th Street South

   St. Petersburg, FL
   

   U.S.

   (727) 502-8073 (voice)

   kelsmith@usgs.gov

   Date: 13-Oct-2020 (process 4 of 4)

   Added keywords section with USGS persistent identifier as theme keyword. Person who carried out this activity:
   

   U.S. Geological Survey

   Attn: VeeAnn A. Cross

   Marine Geologist

   384 Woods Hole Road

   Woods Hole, MA
   

   508-548-8700 x2251 (voice)

   508-457-2310 (FAX)

   vatnipp@usgs.gov

3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
   Terrano, Joseph F., 2018, An Evaluation of Marsh Shoreline Erosion and Sediment Deposition in the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi, USA: University of South Florida Scholar Commons, Tampa, Florida.

   Online Links:

   • https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7371/

   Other_Citation_Details:

   Contains detailed process descriptions for sediment plate construction, deployment, collection, and laboratory processing.

   National Estuarine Research Reserve Centralized Data Management Office, 2018, National Estuarine Research Reserve Meteorologica data: Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences, Columbia, SC.

   Online Links:

   • http://cdmo.baruch.sc.edu/

   Other_Citation_Details:

   Provides data on barometric pressure for water level corrections.

   National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2018, NOAA Tides and Currents: NOAA Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services, Silver Spring, MD.

   Online Links:

   • https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/

   Other_Citation_Details: Provides coastal tidal and current data
   

   Fofonoff, N.P. and Millard Jr., R.C., 1983, Algorithms for computation of fundamental properties of seawater: UNESCO, Paris, France.

   Online Links:

   • https://www.oceanbestpractices.net/bitstream/handle/11329/109/059832eb.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

   Other_Citation_Details:

   Contained the algorithm to convert temperature and conductivity to salinity.

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

1. How well have the observations been checked?
   The water levels, conductivity, tempreature, and salinity reported in the tables were analyzed at the USGS SPCMSC sedimentology lab. Water level data in this data release may not match other published water level data due to differences with sensor placement. In some cases, water level logger readings appear to differ significantly from NOAA water level readings, likely due to sensor drift, sediment build-up in the well, or some other malfunction. Readings that demonstrate possible error were included in this data release and should be used with caution.
2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
   
3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
   
4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
   This is a complete, uncorrected and corrected water level data file for data collected within the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Mississippi. Each trip should include water level data from four sites (Site 1, 2, 3, and 4). If data are not present, there was a sensor failure. Sites with sensor drift or inaccuracies were corrected and published. All data should be checked for accuracy before use.
5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
   This dataset includes water level, conductivity, temperature, and salinity data from the following trips and sites: 17CCT01 (Sites 2 and 3), 17CCT02 (Sites 1 ,2, and 4), 17CCT03 (Sites 1, 2, and 3), 17CCT04 (Sites 1-4), and 17CCT05 Site 3. Data not included in the list above were either determined to be inaccurate or there was a sensor failure. 17CCT03 Site 4 and 17CCT04 Sites 3 and 4 were corrected for sensor drift but should be used with caution.

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:

Public domain data from the U.S. Government are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. The U.S. Geological Survey requests that it be acknowledged as the originator of this dataset in any future products or research derived from these data. This metadata record should be reviewed in its entirety.

1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
   
   U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

   Attn: Kathryn Smith

   600 4th Street South

   St. Petersburg, FL
   

   U.S.

   727-502-8073 (voice)

   kelsmith@usgs.gov
2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? Grand_Bay_Water_Level_Data.zip
3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

   Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Geological Survey, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data on any other system, nor shall the act of distribution imply any such warranty. The U.S. Geological Survey shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and (or) contained herein. Any use of trade, firm, or product name is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

4. How can I download or order the data?
   • Availability in digital form:

     Data format:	comma-delimited text .csv Size: 5.2
     Network links:	https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-P9BFR2US/Grand_Bay_Water_Level_Data.zip

   • Cost to order the data: None, if obtained online

5. Is there some other way to get the data?

   None

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:

Last modified: 13-Oct-2020

Metadata author:

U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Attn: Joseph F. Terrano

Researcher III

600 4th Street South

St. Petersburg, FL

U.S.

(727) 502-8047 (voice)

jterrano@contractor.usgs.gov

Metadata standard:

Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)