Continuous Water Level, Salinity, and Temperature Data from Monitoring Wells in Herring River Wetlands, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 2021-2024

Metadata also available as - [Outline] - [Parseable text] - [XML]

Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Continuous Water Level, Salinity, and Temperature Data from Monitoring Wells in Herring River Wetlands, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 2021-2024
Abstract:
Environmental parameters affecting plant productivity and microbial respiration, such as water level, salinity, and groundwater temperature included in these datasets, are key components of wetland carbon cycling, carbon storage, and capacity to maintain elevation. Data were collected to (1) provide background information for evaluating potential differences in water level and carbon flux between wetland sites with differing elevation and tidal inundation and (2) facilitate applications of Blue Carbon projects in coastal wetlands. Associated child pages include continuous water level, salinity, and temperature data from shallow wells installed in coastal wetland sites on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. These datasets are grouped by the project they support or by study site. Project study sites include salt marshes with natural tidal flow, salt marshes that were previously tidally restricted and have been restored, impounded coastal wetlands with restricted tidal flow inclusive of various vegetation types, and Phragmites dominated areas fringing natural salt marshes.
Supplemental_Information:
This dataset is a continuation of previously released data included in this data release, landing page titled "Continuous Water Level, Salinity, and Temperature Data from Monitoring Wells in Herring River Wetlands, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 2020-2021" ( https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/624b36ced34e21f827635c70). For more information, see the following field activities: https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/services/activity.php?fan=2022-011-FA https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/services/activity.php?fan=2023-004-FA https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/services/activity.php?fan=2024-001-FA Related field activities for previously published data (O’Keefe Suttles and others, 2020) are as follows: https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2015-042-FA https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2015-044-FA https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2015-063-FA https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2016-016-FA https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2017-039-FA https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2018-055-FA https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2019-018-FA https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2020-019-FA https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2021-026-FA
This dataset was added to the original data release in version 3, released in September 2025.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Jennifer A. O'Keefe Suttles, Eagle, Meagan J., Sanders-DeMott, Rebecca, Nick, Sydney K., Brooks, Thomas W., Mann, Adrian G., and Kroeger, Kevin D., 20250923, Continuous Water Level, Salinity, and Temperature Data from Monitoring Wells in Herring River Wetlands, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 2021-2024: data release DOI:10.5066/P9T1KOTW, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Jennifer A. O'Keefe Suttles, Eagle, Meagan J., Sanders-DeMott, Rebecca, Nick, Sydney K., Brooks, Thomas W., Mann, Adrian G., and Kroeger, Kevin D., 2022, Continuous Water Level, Salinity, and Temperature Data from Coastal Wetland Monitoring Wells, Cape Cod, Massachusetts (ver. 3.0, September 2025): data release DOI:10.5066/P9T1KOTW, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Suggested citation: O'Keefe Suttles, J.A., Eagle, M.J., Sanders-DeMott, R., Nick, S.K., Brooks, T.W., Mann, A.G., and Kroeger, K.D., 2022, Continuous water level, salinity, and temperature data from coastal wetland monitoring wells, Cape Cod, Massachusetts (ver. 3.0, September 2025): U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9T1KOTW.
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.0728837
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.0334475
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.963282
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.9343916
  3. What does it look like?
    https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/file/get/6838a789d4be025925746f7b?name=HRDHF_Well_2022.jpg (JPEG)
    Photograph of the Duck Harbor Overwashed Forest site prior to logging of the standing dead trees and shrubs, Cape Cod, MA.
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 2021
    Ending_Date: 2024
    Currentness_Reference:
    Ground Condition. Refer to the entities HR_WellSensorDeploymentHeights_2021_2024.csv and process descriptions for sensor deployment periods at each site. Also check within the datafile for the exact period of data collection for each sensor. All sensors were not collecting data at all locations for the entire study period, refer to the completeness section of this metadata record for explanations of gaps in the continuous record.
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Comma Separated Text files (*.csv).
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      Indirect_Spatial_Reference: Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) placenames
      This is a Point data set.
    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 1.0E-5. Longitudes are given to the nearest 1.0E-5. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees. The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.0.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222101.
      Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:
      Altitude_System_Definition:
      Altitude_Datum_Name: North American Vertical Datum of 1988
      Altitude_Resolution: 0.01
      Altitude_Distance_Units: meters
      Altitude_Encoding_Method: Attribute values
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    HR_Wells_2021_2024.csv
    Continuous monitoring of well water level, temperature, and salinity in tidally restricted wetlands within the Herring River Estuary. Raw pressure data, used to calculate water level, is reported as atmospherically corrected pressure as exported from manufacturers' software. The CSV file also includes latitude and longitude of sensor placement. The dataset includes 955,706 records. (Source: Producer-defined)
    site_name
    A text identifier for the general location of the study site. (Source: Producer-defined)
    ValueDefinition
    Herring RiverA data point collected from a tidally restricted wetland within the Herring River Estuary.
    status
    Hydrological management status of the sampling location (Source: Producer-defined)
    ValueDefinition
    ImpoundedAt this sampling location, water is retained but tidal exchange is limited or excluded by infrastructure such as dikes, roads, or culverts.
    OverwashedIndicates a dune breach has resulted in periodic flooding of seawater at this sampling location.
    ExperimentalIndicates the data were collected from an experimental field site including study plots amended with thin layer sediment deposition, a common practice used in wetland restoration.
    veg_type
    Dominant vegetation at sampling location. (Source: Producer-defined)
    ValueDefinition
    Dry ForestData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is now "dry" or drained and forested (dominated by upland tree species).
    Typha WetlandData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is now dominated by Typha (cattail).
    Wet ShrubData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is now dominated by shrubs tolerant of periodic standing water.
    Phragmites WetlandData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is now dominated by Phragmites australis.
    WetlandData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is now dominated by various wetland vegetation types.
    ForestData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is now dominated by various tree species.
    Logged ForestData point collected from the Herring River Estuary in a location that was a forest of standing dead trees that were logged and chipped in place. Little to no vegetation coverage during sample collection period.
    Salt MarshData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is dominated by salt marsh vegetation (e.g. Spartina alterniflora).
    Surface WaterData point collected from open water within the Herring River Estuary.
    experimental_unit_name
    A text abbreviation for the study site as used in field logs. (Source: Producer-defined)
    ValueDefinition
    HRPHRP is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Phragmites" study site, located off Way 672 in Wellfleet, MA.
    HRHKHRHK is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Hopkins Road" study site, located in the wet shrub area near the intersection of Hopkins Road and High Toss Road in Wellfleet, MA.
    HRHTHRHT is an abbreviation for the "Herring River High Toss Road" study site, located in the dry forest area off High Toss Road in Wellfleet, MA.
    HROHRO is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Old County Road" study site, located in the Typha wetland off Old County Road in Wellfleet, MA.
    HRDHWHRDHW is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Duck Harbor Wetland" study site, located in the Duck Harbor area of Wellfleet, MA that had wetland vegetation during the sampling period.
    HRDHFHRDHF is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Duck Harbor Forest" study site, located in the Duck Harbor area of Wellfleet, MA that had a forest of standing dead trees during the sampling period.
    HRBBHRBB is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Bound Brook" study site, located in a wetland off Old County Road in Wellfleet, MA.
    HRUPDHRUPD is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Upper Pole Dike" study site, located in a wetland off Route 6 in Wellfleet, MA.
    HRDHAHRDHA is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Duck Harbor A" study site, located along a transect spanning upstream from a dune breach in the Duck Harbor area of Wellfleet, MA. Site A is about 200 meters upstream from the dune breach. At all sites along this transect, the sampling period was shortly after a forest of standing dead trees were logged and chipped in place, leaving the site unvegetated.
    HRDHBHRDHB is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Duck Harbor B" study site, located along a transect spanning upstream from a dune breach in the Duck Harbor area of Wellfleet, MA. Site B is about 600 meters from the dune breach. At all sites along this transect, the sampling period was shortly after a forest of standing dead trees were logged and chipped in place, leaving the site unvegetated.
    HRDHCHRDHC is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Duck Harbor C" study site, located in the Duck Harbor area of Wellfleet, MA spanning a transect upstream from a dune breach. Site C is about 950 meters from the dune breach. At all sites along this transect, the sampling period was shortly after a forest of standing dead trees were logged and chipped in place, leaving the site unvegetated.
    HRTLP-Creek_174cmAn abbreviation for the deep well installed adjacent to the tidal creek within thin layer placement (TLP) experimental salt marsh upstream from the Herring River dike in Wellfleet, MA; 174cm indicates the depth of sensor deployment within the well.
    HRTLP-Creek_33cmAn abbreviation for the shallow well installed adjacent to the tidal creek within thin layer placement (TLP) experimental salt marsh upstream from the Herring River dike in Wellfleet, MA; 33cm indicates the depth of sensor deployment within the well.
    HRTLP-Upland_38cmAn abbreviation for the shallow well installed on the upland fringe within thin layer placement (TLP) experimental salt marsh upstream from the Herring River dike in Wellfleet, MA; 38cm indicates the depth of sensor deployment within the well.
    HRTLP-Upland_114cmAn abbreviation for the first deep well installed on the upland fringe within thin layer placement (TLP) experimental salt marsh upstream from the Herring River dike in Wellfleet, MA; 114cm indicates the depth of sensor deployment within the well.
    HRTLP-Upland_110cmAn abbreviation for the second deep well installed on the upland fringe within thin layer placement experimental salt marsh upstream from the Herring River dike in Wellfleet, MA; 110cm indicates the depth of sensor deployment within the well.
    latitude
    Latitude decimal degrees north, NAD83 (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:41.9343916
    Maximum:41.963282
    Units:decimal degrees
    longitude
    Longitude decimal degrees west, NAD83. The negative value indicates a location in the western hemisphere. (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-70.0728837
    Maximum:-70.0334475
    Units:decimal degrees
    date_time
    A text string identifier for the date and time the data point was logged in the format mm-dd-yyyy hh:mm (UTC). (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:8/12/2021 20:00
    Maximum:11/27/2024 17:30
    Units:mm-dd-yyyy hh:mm (UTC)
    temp
    A numeric data value of logged well water or logged surface water temperature. (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-0.355
    Maximum:35.75
    Units:degrees Celsius
    The value "NaN" is defined as a textual representation of an erroneous measurement that was excluded from the dataset. The completeness section of this metadata record describes instances when data may have been excluded. The entity, "HR_WellSensorDeploymentHeights_2021_2024.csv", may be referenced for specific sensor deployment dates; the process description lists specific dates the logger was removed from the well for downloading. The attribute "temp" has 9640 records with the "NaN" domain.
    sal
    A numeric data value of logged well water or logged surface water salinity. Salinity is converted in the manufacturer's software from measured conductivity which has a manufacturer's specification for accuracy of +/- 0.5 percent of the reading + 1 microsiemens per centimeter when reading less than 80,000 microsiemens per centimeter and a resolution of 0.1 microsiemens per centimeter. (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.1440
    Maximum:38.005
    Units:practical salinity units (PSU)
    The value "NaN" is defined as a textual representation of a measurement that was excluded from the dataset. The completeness section of this metadata record describes instances when data may have been excluded. The entity, "HR_WellSensorDeploymentHeights_2021_2024.csv", may be referenced for specific sensor deployment dates; the process description lists specific dates the logger was removed from the well for downloading. The attribute "sal" has 42,792 records with the "NaN" domain.
    press_atm
    A numeric data value of atmospheric pressure logged by the barometer. The manufacturer's accuracy specification for this sensor is +/- 0.05 percent full-scale from -5 to 50 degrees Celsius, long-term stability is specified as less than 0.1 percent full-scale; the manufacturer's specification for resolution is 0.005 percent full-scale or better. (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:14.218
    Maximum:15.163
    Units:pounds per square inch (PSI)
    The value "NaN" is defined as a textual representation of a measurement that was excluded from the dataset. The completeness section of this metadata record describes instances when data may have been excluded. The attribute "press_atm" has 393 records with the "NaN" domain.
    press_corr
    A numeric data value of corrected pressure. For non-vented pressure loggers corrected pressure is calculated (in the manufacturers' software) as the difference between the absolute pressure (press_abs) logged by the water level sensor and the atmospheric pressure (press_atm) logged by the barometer. Water level was measured using an In-Situ Aqua TROLL 200-30psia (30 psi maximum pressure; "a" indicates an absolute pressure sensor that is not vented to the atmosphere). The manufacturer's accuracy specification for this sensor is +/- 0.05 percent full-scale from -5 to 50 degrees Celsius, long-term stability is less than 0.1 percent full-scale; the manufacturer's specification for resolution is 0.005 percent full-scale or better. (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.030
    Maximum:3.442
    Units:pounds per square inch (PSI)
    The value "NaN" is defined as a textual representation of a measurement that was excluded from the dataset. The completeness section of this metadata record describes instances when data may have been excluded. Logged data points when the logger was removed from the well for maintenance and downloading were excluded from the dataset. The entity, "HR_WellSensorDeploymentHeights_2021_2024.csv", may be referenced for specific sensor deployment dates. The attribute "press_corr" has 20,759 records with the "NaN" domain.
    dbs
    A numeric data value of well water depth below land surface ("dbs") calculated from field measured sensor deployment depth and pressure logged by the water level sensor. Data reported were collected from wells installed in wetlands or drained wetlands; the land surface upon which the well was installed may have been periodically inundated with surface water. "Positive" dbs were periods of land surface inundation by surface water (water over the land surface); "negative" dbs were periods when the land surface was not inundated with surface water and water level was below the land surface. (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-0.809
    Maximum:1.584
    Units:meters
    The value "NaN" is defined as a textual representation of a measurement that was excluded from the dataset; data may have been excluded if water level dropped below the sensor deployment depth or when the sensor was removed from the well for maintenance. The completeness section of this metadata record describes instances when data may have been excluded. The entity, "HR_WellSensorDeploymentHeights_2021_2024.csv", may be referenced for specific sensor start dates. The attribute "dbs" has 34,324 records with the "NaN" domain.
    WL_NAVD88
    A numeric data value of water elevation calculated from field measured land surface elevation or elevation of the instrument as deployed, sensor deployment depth, and pressure logged by the water level sensor. Calculations for this attribute are described in the process steps. Positive values are above the datum and negative values below. (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-0.499
    Maximum:2.08
    Units:meters
    The value "NaN" is defined as a textual representation of an erroneous measurement that was excluded from the dataset; data may have been excluded if water levels dropped below the sensor deployment depth or when the sensor was removed from the well for maintenance. The completeness section of this metadata record describes instances when data may have been excluded. The entity, "HR_WellSensorDeploymentHeights_2021_2024.csv", may be referenced for specific sensor start dates. The attribute "WL_NAVD88" has 20,759 records with the "NaN" domain.
    HR_Temp_2022_2024.csv
    Continuous monitoring of soil and air temperature in tidally restricted wetlands within the Herring River Estuary. The CSV file also includes latitude and longitude of sensor placement. The dataset includes 170,619 records. (Source: Producer-defined)
    site_name
    A text identifier for the general location of the study site. (Source: Producer-defined)
    ValueDefinition
    Herring RiverA data point collected from a tidally restricted wetland within the Herring River Estuary.
    status
    Hydrological management status of the sampling location (Source: Producer-defined)
    ValueDefinition
    ImpoundedAt this sampling location, water is retained but tidal exchange is limited or excluded by infrastructure such as dikes, roads, or culverts.
    OverwashedIndicates a dune breach has resulted in periodic flooding of seawater at this sampling location.
    ExperimentalIndicates the data were collected from an experimental field site including study plots amended with thin layer sediment deposition.
    veg_type
    Dominant vegetation at sampling location. (Source: Producer-defined)
    ValueDefinition
    Phragmites WetlandData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is now dominated by Phragmites australis.
    Logged ForestData point collected from the Herring River Estuary in a location that was a forest of standing dead trees that were logged and chipped in place. Little to no vegetation coverage during sample collection period.
    Salt MarshData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is dominated by salt marsh vegetation (e.g. Spartina alterniflora).
    experimental_unit_name
    A text abbreviation for the study site used in field logs. (Source: Producer-defined)
    ValueDefinition
    HRPHRP is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Phragmites" study site, located off Way 672 in Wellfleet, MA.
    HRDHAHRDHA is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Duck Harbor A" study site, located along a transect spanning upstream from a dune breach in the Duck Harbor area of Wellfleet, MA. Site A is about 200 meters upstream from the dune breach. At all sites along this transect, the sampling period was shortly after a forest of standing dead trees were logged and chipped in place, leaving the site unvegetated.
    HRDHBHRDHB is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Duck Harbor B" study site, located along a transect spanning upstream from a dune breach in the Duck Harbor area of Wellfleet, MA. Site B is about 600 meters from the dune breach. At all sites along this transect, the sampling period was shortly after a forest of standing dead trees were logged and chipped in place, leaving the site unvegetated.
    HRDHCHRDHC is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Duck Harbor C" study site, located in the Duck Harbor area of Wellfleet, MA spanning a transect upstream from a dune breach. Site C is about 950 meters from the dune breach. At all sites along this transect, the sampling period was shortly after a forest of standing dead trees were logged and chipped in place, leaving the site unvegetated.
    HRTLP-CreekAn abbreviation for the instrument deployment site adjacent to the tidal creek within thin layer placement experimental salt marsh upstream from the Herring River dike in Wellfleet, MA.
    HRTLP-UplandAn abbreviation for the instrument deployment site along the upland fringe of the thin layer placement experimental salt marsh upstream from the Herring River dike in Wellfleet, MA.
    latitude
    Latitude decimal degrees north, NAD83 (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:41.9346067
    Maximum:41.94750761
    Units:decimal degrees
    longitude
    Longitude decimal degrees west, NAD83. The negative value indicates a location in the western hemisphere. (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-70.07274139
    Maximum:-70.0546965
    Units:decimal degrees
    date_time
    A text string identifier for the date and time the data point was logged in the format mm-dd-yyyy hh:mm:ss (UTC). (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:5/12/2022 20:00
    Maximum:3/22/2024 15:00
    Units:mm-dd-yyyy hh:mm:ss (UTC)
    temp_air
    A numeric data value of logged air temperature. (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-19.18
    Maximum:36.092
    Units:degrees Celsius
    The value "NaN" is defined as a textual representation of a measurement that was not included in the dataset. Air temperature was not logged at all sites for all time periods. Refer to the process description for specific dates temperature loggers were deployed at each site. The completeness section of this metadata record describes instances when erroneous data may have been excluded. The attribute "temp_air" has 73,448 records with the "NaN" domain.
    temp_10cm
    A numeric data value of logged soil temperature from 10cm below the land surface. (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.94
    Maximum:29.015
    Units:degrees Celsius
    The value "NaN" is defined as a textual representation of a measurement that was not included in the dataset. Refer to the process description for specific dates temperature loggers were deployed at each site. The completeness section of this metadata record describes instances when erroneous data may have been excluded. The attribute "temp_10cm" has 2 records with the "NaN" domain.
    temp_100cm
    A numeric data value of logged soil temperature from 100cm below the land surface. (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:9.65
    Maximum:17.54
    Units:degrees Celsius
    The value "NaN" is defined as a textual representation of a measurement that was not included in the dataset. Soil temperature from 100cm below the land surface was only logged at one location over this study period. Refer to the process description for specific dates temperature loggers were deployed at each site. The completeness section of this metadata record describes instances when erroneous data may have been excluded. The attribute "temp_100cm" has 150,090 records with the "NaN" domain.
    HR_WellSensorDeploymentHeights_2021_2024.csv
    Summary of land surface elevation, deployment length, and well height measurements for water level loggers deployed at Herring River sites between August 2021 and November 2024 used in final calculation of water elevation and water depth below land surface. There are 64 records in the table. (Source: Producer-defined)
    site_name
    A text identifier for the general location of the study site. (Source: Producer-defined)
    ValueDefinition
    Herring RiverA data point collected from a tidally restricted wetland within the Herring River Estuary.
    status
    Hydrological management status of the sampling location (Source: Producer-defined)
    ValueDefinition
    ImpoundedAt this sampling location, water is retained but tidal exchange is limited or excluded by infrastructure such as dikes, roads, or culverts.
    OverwashedIndicates a dune breach has resulted in periodic flooding of seawater at this sampling location.
    ExperimentalIndicates the data were collected from an experimental field site including study plots amended with thin layer sediment deposition.
    veg_type
    Dominant vegetation at sampling location. (Source: Producer-defined)
    ValueDefinition
    Dry ForestData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is now "dry" or drained and forested (dominated by upland tree species).
    Typha WetlandData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is now dominated by Typha (cattail).
    Wet ShrubData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is now dominated by shrubs tolerant of periodic standing water.
    Phragmites WetlandData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is now dominated by Phragmites australis.
    WetlandData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is now dominated by various wetland vegetation types.
    ForestData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is now dominated by various tree species.
    Logged ForestData point collected from the Herring River Estuary in a location that was a forest of standing dead trees that were logged and chipped in place. Little to no vegetation coverage during sample collection period.
    Salt MarshData point collected from the Herring River Estuary that is dominated by salt marsh vegetation (e.g. Spartina alterniflora).
    experimental_unit_name
    A text abbreviation for the study site as used in field logs. (Source: Producer-defined)
    ValueDefinition
    HRPHRP is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Phragmites" study site, located off Way 672 in Wellfleet, MA.
    HRHKHRHK is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Hopkins Road" study site, located in the wet shrub area near the intersection of Hopkins Road and High Toss Road in Wellfleet, MA.
    HRHTHRHT is an abbreviation for the "Herring River High Toss Road" study site, located in the dry forest area off High Toss Road in Wellfleet, MA.
    HROHRO is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Old County Road" study site, located in the Typha wetland off Old County Road in Wellfleet, MA.
    HRDHWHRDHW is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Duck Harbor Wetland" study site, located in the Duck Harbor area of Wellfleet, MA that had wetland vegetation during the sampling period.
    HRDHFHRDHF is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Duck Harbor Forest" study site, located in the Duck Harbor area of Wellfleet, MA that had a forest of standing dead trees during the sampling period.
    HRBBHRBB is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Bound Brook" study site, located in a wetland off Old County Road in Wellfleet, MA.
    HRUPDHRUPD is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Upper Pole Dike" study site, located in a wetland off Route 6 in Wellfleet, MA.
    HRDHAHRDHA is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Duck Harbor A" study site, located along a transect spanning upstream from a dune breach in the Duck Harbor area of Wellfleet, MA. Site A is about 200 meters upstream from the dune breach. At all sites along this transect, the sampling period was shortly after a forest of standing dead trees were logged and chipped in place, leaving the site unvegetated.
    HRDHBHRDHB is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Duck Harbor B" study site, located along a transect spanning upstream from a dune breach in the Duck Harbor area of Wellfleet, MA. Site B is about 600 meters from the dune breach. At all sites along this transect, the sampling period was shortly after a forest of standing dead trees were logged and chipped in place, leaving the site unvegetated.
    HRDHCHRDHC is an abbreviation for the "Herring River Duck Harbor C" study site, located in the Duck Harbor area of Wellfleet, MA spanning a transect upstream from a dune breach. Site C is about 950 meters from the dune breach. At all sites along this transect, the sampling period was shortly after a forest of standing dead trees were logged and chipped in place, leaving the site unvegetated.
    HRTLP-Creek_174cmAn abbreviation for the deep well installed adjacent to the tidal creek within thin layer placement (TLP) experimental salt marsh upstream from the Herring River dike in Wellfleet, MA; 174cm indicates the depth of sensor deployment within the well.
    HRTLP-Creek_33cmAn abbreviation for the shallow well installed adjacent to the tidal creek within thin layer placement (TLP) experimental salt marsh upstream from the Herring River dike in Wellfleet, MA; 33cm indicates the depth of sensor deployment within the well.
    HRTLP-Upland_38cmAn abbreviation for the shallow well installed on the upland fringe within thin layer placement (TLP) experimental salt marsh upstream from the Herring River dike in Wellfleet, MA; 38cm indicates the depth of sensor deployment within the well.
    HRTLP-Upland_114cmAn abbreviation for the first deep well installed on the upland fringe within thin layer placement (TLP) experimental salt marsh upstream from the Herring River dike in Wellfleet, MA; 114cm indicates the depth of sensor deployment within the well.
    HRTLP-Upland_110cmAn abbreviation for the second deep well installed on the upland fringe within thin layer placement experimental salt marsh upstream from the Herring River dike in Wellfleet, MA; 110cm indicates the depth of sensor deployment within the well.
    start_date
    A text string identifier for the date the deployment started (in the format yyyy-mm-dd). (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:08-12-2021
    Maximum:05-14-2024
    Units:date format mm-dd-yyyy
    end_date
    A text string identifier for the date the deployment ended (in the format yyyy-mm-dd). (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:11-17-2021
    Maximum:11-27-2024
    Units:date format mm-dd-yyyy
    latitude
    Latitude decimal degrees north, NAD83. (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:41.9346067
    Maximum:41.963282
    Units:decimal degrees
    longitude
    Longitude decimal degrees west, NAD83. The negative value indicates a location in the western hemisphere. (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-70.0728837
    Maximum:-70.0334475
    Units:decimal degrees
    land_surface_elevation
    A manual measurement of the land surface elevation (NAVD88; measurement made using the RTK GPS). (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.0237
    Maximum:1.01
    Units:meters
    height_above_land_surface
    A manual measurement (using a measuring stick) of the height above land surface of the well that was used for water level logger deployment. (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.285
    Maximum:1.680
    Units:meters
    deployment_length
    A manual measurement (using a measuring stick) of the length of the well logger deployment cable (cable plus sensor). (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1.395
    Maximum:3.180
    Units:meters
    sensor_depth_below_land_surface
    Calculated deployment depth of the water level logger below the land surface (equal to the deployment_length minus the height_above_land_surface). (Source: Producer-defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-1.74
    Maximum:-0.04
    Units:meters
    sensor_WL
    A text identifier for the manufacturer, make, and model information of the water level sensor used to collect the given data point. (Source: Manufacturer-defined)
    ValueDefinition
    In-Situ Aqua TROLL 200-30 psiaData point collected using a water level logger manufactured by In-Situ, model type Aqua TROLL 200 (30 psi maximum pressure; "a" indicates an absolute pressure sensor that is not vented to the atmosphere).
    WL_sn
    A numeric identifier of the serial number of the water level logger; it is created by the manufacturer to uniquely tag each water level sensor. (Source: Manufacturer-defined) The serial number of each water level logger is a numeric identifier, created by the manufacturer, to uniquely tag each piece of equipment.

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • Jennifer A. O'Keefe Suttles
    • Meagan J. Eagle
    • Rebecca Sanders-DeMott
    • Sydney K. Nick
    • Thomas W. Brooks
    • Adrian G. Mann
    • Kevin D. Kroeger
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
    Collaborations with Tim P. Smith, NPS Cape Cod National Seashore, helped to inform study site selection and experimental design. Katherine Castagno (Center for Coastal Studies), Emily Tacke (USGS Physical Science Technician), Sydney Nick (USGS Interdisciplinary Geographer/Geologist), Sandra Brosnahan (USGS Physical Scientist), Barry Irwin (USGS Geophysicist), Allyson Boggess (USGS Geologist) and Jonathan Borden (USGS Electronics Technician) helped with RTK GPS data collection at these study sites. USGS interns Sophie Kuhl and Simone Gibson assisted with sensor downloads in 2021.
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    Jennifer A. O'Keefe Suttles
    Northeast Region: WOODS HOLE COASTAL and MARINE SCIENCE CENTER
    Chemist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    United States

    508-548-8700 x2385 (voice)
    jokeefesuttles@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

The Herring River Estuary (Wellfleet, Cape Cod, Massachusetts) has been tidally restricted for over a century by a dike constructed near the mouth of the river. Behind the dike, the tidal restriction has caused the conversion of salt marsh wetlands to various other ecosystems including impounded freshwater marshes, flooded shrub land, drained forested upland, and wetlands dominated by Phragmites australis. This estuary is now managed by the National Park Service, which has plans to replace the dike and restore tidal flow to the estuary. To assist National Park Service land managers with restoration planning, study collaborators have been investigating differences in soil properties across differing ecosystems within the Herring River Estuary. The U.S. Geological Survey has collected continuous monitoring data (including water level, water temperature, and salinity in shallow wells provided in this data release) since 2015 to support data interpretation from these studies; data in this report begin in 2021 (previous data releases are linked in the metadata).

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: 2023 (process 1 of 6)
    Well Installation: PVC wells were installed by USGS at seven of the eight sites; the High Toss Dry Forest well was previously installed by collaborators at the National Park Service (NPS).
    USGS wells consisted of two pre-manufactured sections of 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) diameter well casing that were threaded together: a length of slotted screened casing and a solid well casing that stuck above the sediment surface. The slot size was 0.010 inch (~ 0.3 millimeters). The length of slotted section was 2.5 feet (~0.762 meters) for the HRUPD well installed for drought mitigation, HRDHF, HRHK and three of the five HRTLP wells. For all other wells the length of the slotted section was about 0.5 feet or between 20 and 30 centimeters. USGS wells were installed by pushing the well section into the sediment by hand or lightly tapping the top of the well with a mallet. The tip of the slotted screened well section was pushed about 1 meter below the land surface for deep wells (except for the HRTLP-Creek_174cm, HRTLP-Upland_110cm, and HRTLP-Upland_114cm wells that were screened 120-200 cm below land surface) and 0.3-0.7m below land surface for shallow wells; the threaded portion (connecting the slotted length with the solid length) was below the sediment surface. Enough well casing remained above the sediment surface to ensure the groundwater well was not over-topped with surface water (0.3-1m). A vent hole was drilled near the top of the solid well casing. An eye-bolt was drilled into the inward facing edge of the threaded well cap; water level loggers were hung by aircraft cable threaded through the eye-bolt and through the logger cap and secured on both ends using crimped stainless-steel oval sleeves. Exact well heights and sensor deployment lengths are summarized in a separate entity and attribute section (HR_WellSensorDeploymentHeights_2021_2024.csv).
    The NPS High Toss Dry Forest well was a 1.5 inch diameter PVC well (0.010 inch slotted screen) loosely capped with a PVC cap socket. The water level logger was hung using the same aircraft cable used in the other wells; however it was not attached to the cap, it hung from a bolt between holes drilled approximately 4 cm from the top of the well casing.
    One sand-packed well was installed at the Duck Harbor B site after examining logged CTD data from the initial well installation. To avoid the possibility of clogging the slotted screen section with very fine mud from this site, a second well was installed into a pre-dug shallow hole and backfilled with sand to aid in porewater exchange with the surrounding sediment.
    The process date represents the latest process date.
    Date: 2023 (process 2 of 6)
    Surface water CTD measurements at an experimental salt marsh study site, the Herring River Thin Layer Placement (HRTLP), were logged over two different time periods. From May to October 2022, a CTD was deployed in the river directly offshore from the salt marsh study site (refer to site_name "HRTLP-River"). The CTD was installed inside of a stilling well affixed to a sign post driven about 1 meter into the sediment. Deployment heights were measured upon initial deployment and when the sensor was retrieved at the end of the field season; the sensor was deployed about 10 cm from the sediment surface. Water level (NAVD88) calculations were based on deployment measurements made at the end of the deployment period 10/20/22 because they were made concurrently with RTK elevation measurements. A few centimeters of uncertainty over the course of the time series (due to the apparent slight movement of the stilling well from its initial deployment position or from sand infilling around the deployment post) is not corrected for in these calculations. In September 2023 a CTD was deployed on the marsh surface (refer to site_name "HRTLP-Marsh") at the HRTLP-Creek edge well site; a CTD was deployed horizontally along the marsh surface and affixed to adjacent wells. The last download date for this logger was November 2023. Data were excluded from the final dataset during periods when the sensors were not completely covered by site water. Description of elevation calculations are detailed in following process descriptions.
    The process date represents the latest process date.
    Date: 2024 (process 3 of 6)
    Logger Deployments: Well data loggers were initially deployed at two sites in September 2015; in subsequent years, additional sites, wells, and sensors were added to the study and this data was previously released in two ScienceBase publications cross referenced in this metadata record (O'Keefe Suttles and others, 2020; O'Keefe Suttles and others, 2022). The present data release includes well data logged between 8/12/2021 and November 2024. Data loggers were periodically downloaded in the field using instrument manufacturers' software (WinSitu for CTDs and HOBOPro for temperature loggers); data were inspected for general accuracy. In May 2022 a new well at the Herring River Phragmites (HRP) site was installed closer to the eddy co-variance flux tower deployment. CTD data from the previous HRP well ends 5/18/2022 and data from the new well begins 5/25/2022; soil and air temperature data is reported from both sites from 5/18/2022 - 12/30/22 and then only from the new site until 9/1/2023.
    Soil or air temperature sensors were co-deployed at some sites as needed for specific research purposes. Soil temperature sensors were attached to a wooden stick and pushed by hand so that the bottom of the temperature sensor was 10 cm below the land surface; at one site, HRTLP-Creek, we also installed a soil temperature sensor 100cm below the land surface. The air temperature sensor was inserted into a draft shield and attached to the groundwater well about 1 meter above the land surface. Site specific temperature sensor manufacturer make, model, serial numbers, and dates of deployment are as follows: HRTLP-Upland Onset HOBO MX2303 serial number 21079739; 5/12/2022-12/12/2022 (logged: temp_air and soil temp_10cm). HRTLP-Creek Onset HOBO MX2303 serial number 21058593; 5/12/2022-12/12/2022 (logged: soil temp_10cm and soil temp_100cm). HRDHA Onset HOBO U23-003 serial number 10897046; 4/27/2023-3/22/2024 (logged soil temp_10cm). HRDHB Onset HOBO U23-003 serial number 10897045; 4/27/2023-12/13/2023 (logged: temp_air and soil temp_10cm). HRDHC Onset HOBO U23-003 serial number 10897053; 4/27/2023-12/09/2023 (logged soil temp_10cm). HRP (41.9377049, -70.0546965) Onset HOBO U23-003 serial number 10897045; 5/18/2022-12/30/2022 (logged: temp_air and soil temp_10cm). HRP (41.9378776, -70.0549772) Onset HOBO MX2303 serial number 21058594; 5/18/2022-9/1/2023 (logged: temp_air and soil temp_10cm).
    Dates of site visits are listed as follows: HR Bound Brook: 8/12/2021, 9/17/2021, 10/14/2021, 5/17/2022, 8/16/2022, 12/12/2022, 5/25/2023, 10/19/2023, 5/14/2024, 12/3/2024. HR Duck Harbor Forest: 8/12/2021, 9/17/2021, 10/14/2021, 5/26/2022, 12/12/2022, 2/17/2023. HR Duck Harbor Wetland: 8/12/2021, 9/17/2021, 10/14/2021, 5/26/2022, 5/26/2022, 8/25/2022, 1/27/2023, 4/27/2023. HR Duck Harbor A: 4/27/2023, 5/25/2023, 6/12/2023, 7/25/2023, 9/27/2023, 12/12/2023, 3/22/2024, 4/23/2024, 11/27/2024. HR Duck Harbor B: 4/27/2023, 5/25/2023, 6/12/2023, 7/25/2023, 8/16/2023, 9/27/2023, 12/12/2023, 3/22/2024, 4/23/2024, 11/27/2024. HR Duck Harbor C: 4/27/2023, 5/25/2023, 6/12/2023, 7/25/2023, 9/27/2023, 12/12/2023, 3/22/2024, 4/23/2024, 11/27/2024. HR Hopkins Wet Shrub: 11/02/2021, 5/19/2021, 6/15/2022, 8/8/2022, 12/12/2022, 5/25/2023, 10/19/2023, 4/23/2024, 12/3/2024. HR Upper Pole Dike: 10/1/2021, 10/14/2021, 12/7/2021, 5/23/2022, 8/8/2022, 8/16/2022, 12/12/2022, 6/12/2023, 10/19/2023, 4/23/2024, 12/3/2024. HR Phragmites: 11/17/2021, 5/18/2022, 5/25/2022, 7/14/2022, 12/12/2022, 3/16/2023, 5/25/2023, 9/19/2023, 10/19/2023, 5/14/2024, 12/3/2024. HR High Toss Dry Forest: 11/02/2021, 5/19/2021, 6/15/2022, 8/8/2022, 12/12/2022, 5/25/2023, 10/19/2023, 4/23/2024, 12/3/2024. HR Old County Typha: 9/17/2021, 11/2/2021, 11/17/2021, 5/12/2022, 5/18/2022, 6/28/22, 7/14/22, 8/8/22, 8/16/22, 12/12/2022, 3/16/2023, 5/25/2023, 7/25/2023, 9/19/2023, 11/16/2023, 3/22/2024, 5/14/2024, 11/27/2024. HRTLP-Creek_33cm: 5/12/2022, 6/21/2022, 6/28/2022, 8/16/2022, 10/21/2022, 9/11/2023, 11/16/2023, 4/23/2024. HRTLP-Creek_174cm: 5/12/2022, 6/21/2022, 6/28/2022, 8/16/2022, 10/21/2022, 9/11/2023, 11/16/2023, 4/23/2024. HRTLP-River: 5/23/2022, 7/25/2022, 10/21/2022. HRTLP-Upland_38cm: 5/12/2022, 6/21/2022, 6/28/2022, 8/16/2022, 10/21/2022. HRTLP-Upland_114cm: 6/21/2022, 6/28/2022, 8/16/2022, 10/21/2022. HRTLP-Upland_110cm: 8/29/2022, 10/21/2022. HRTLP-Marsh: 9/11/2023, 11/16/2023.
    The process date represents the most recent end date for this process step.
    Date: 2025 (process 4 of 6)
    A barometer was deployed in air (~1.5 meters from soil surface) in two locations over the course of the data collection time period; the first deployment was at the Herring River well sites (In-Situ BaroTroll 500; serial number 427140) until 5/25/2023 when a new logger was installed at the Old County Typha site (In-Situ BaroTroll 500; serial number 970997). Logged atmospheric pressure data from this barometer were used to correct logged pressure data from the non-vented water level sensors deployed in wells around the Herring River study sites using manufacturer software (WinSitu BaroMerge). Corrected pressure was converted to sensor depth assuming a brackish water density for all sites (WinSitu: 1.012 grams per cubic centimeter). Barometric pressure and density corrections were processed throughout the deployment period and checked while finalizing the data report. Corrected pressure and barometric pressure are reported in this data release.
    Data from all continuous monitoring sensors were exported from manufacturers' software as a .csv file and compiled using MATLAB (R2021a). Water elevation calculations were performed in MATLAB as described in the following process steps. Data resulting from erroneous measurements (malfunctioning sensors or insufficient water within a well) were excluded from the final dataset. Data were processed throughout the deployment period and checked while finalizing the data report; the process date represents the latest date of data processing.
    Date: 2025 (process 5 of 6)
    Well water level calculations: Field measured deployment heights for specific well logger deployment time periods are summarized in a comma separated text file (HR_WellSensorDeploymentHeights_2021_2024.csv) included with this data release. These deployment heights were used to convert sensor depth (calculated from pressure in the manufacturer's software; described in previous process step) to water depth below land surface (dbs) and water elevation with respect to NAVD88 (WL_NAVD88). Calculations were processed throughout the deployment period in MATLAB (R2021a). Positive dbs values indicate water above the land surface; negative dbs values indicate water below the land surface. The following parameters are used for these two calculations (units for all measurements are in meters): a: depth of sensor as calculated in manufacturer's software (see previous process step for description of measured pressure data and assumptions of density constants; positive value when sensor pressure is greater than barometric pressure) b: land surface elevation at deployment location measured by RTK (land_surface_elevation; positive above and negative below the NAVD88 datum) c: deployment well height above land surface measured periodically in the field using a meter stick (height_above_land_surface; always positive) d: total length of the deployment cable and water level sensor measured in the field using a meter stick (deployment_length; always positive)
    Well water elevation is calculated as: WL_NAVD88 = a+b+c-d
    Well water depth below land surface is calculated as: dbs = a+c-d
    Calculations were processed throughout the deployment period; the process date represents the latest date of data processing.
    Date: 2025 (process 6 of 6)
    HRTLP-River and HRTLP-Marsh surface water level calculations: Field measured deployment heights are listed below for the two different deployment installations. These deployment heights were used to convert sensor depth (calculated from pressure in the manufacturer's software; described in previous process step) to water elevation with respect to NAVD88 (WL_NAVD88). Calculations were processed throughout the deployment period in MATLAB (R2021a).
    HRTLP-River (In-Situ AquaTroll 200 serial number 845249): a: depth of sensor as calculated in manufacturer's software b: -0.178337 meters elevation (NAVD88) measured at the of the top of the stilling well at deployment location. Measured by RTK; negative elevation is below the datum. d: 0.375 meters measured distance from the top of the stilling well to the bottom of the stilling well/bottom of logger. e: 0.02 meters measured distance from the depth sensor to the bottom of the stilling well/bottom of the logger. Surface water elevation as measured from the CTD deployed in the river is calculated as: WL_NAVD88 = a+b-d-e
    HRTLP-Marsh (In-Situ AquaTroll 200 serial number 845250): a: depth of sensor as calculated in manufacturer's software b: 0.2737 meters land surface elevation (NAVD88) at deployment location. Measured by RTK; positive elevation is above the datum. Surface water elevation as measured from the surface of the marsh is calculated as: WL_NAVD88 = a+b
    Calculations were processed throughout the deployment period; the process date represents the latest date of data processing.
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
    Jennifer A. O'Keefe Suttles, Gonneea, Meagan E., Brosnahan, Sandra M., Mann, Adrian G., Brooks, Thomas W., Kroeger, Kevin D., Medeiros, Kelly, Smith, Timothy P., Wang, Faming, and Tang, Jim, 20200625, Continuous Monitoring Data from Herring River Wetlands, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 2015 to January 2020: data release DOI:10.5066/P9R4SRTR, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    This data release is the first part of the dataset, the beginning of the monitoring efforts that relate to the current data release. Note that some well locations may have changed (moved within a site, added, or removed from the study); refer to latitude and longitude of well locations within each dataset for further information.

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

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    Well sensors were bench tested for accuracy in the laboratory at the beginning and end of the field season as described below.
    Data from temperature sensors logging in air were compared to a FisherBrand National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Traceable Digital Thermometer co-deployed on the bench. Logged temperature readings that were within manufacturer's accuracy specification of temperature measured by the NIST Traceable Thermometer were deemed acceptable.
    Onset HOBO MX2303 and Onset HOBO U23-003 dual channel temperature sensors were used to log soil and air temperature at three sites. The manufacturer's reported accuracy of the MX2303 is +/-0.2 degrees Celsius from 0-70 degrees Celsius with a resolution of 0.04 degrees Celsius. The manufacturer's reported accuracy of the U23-003 is +/-0.21 degrees Celsius from 0-50 degrees Celsius with a resolution of 0.02 degrees Celsius. The manufacturer's reported accuracy and resolution for temperature of the In-Situ AquaTroll 200 well loggers is +/-0.1 degrees Celsius and 0.01 degrees Celsius or better, respectively. Refer to the process steps for locations and dates of use for soil temperature loggers. Refer to the entity HR_WellSensorDeploymentHeights_2021_2024.csv for specific well logger deployment time periods.
    Salinity sensors were checked with a purchased calibration standard (Ricca 50.000 millisiemens per centimeter, catalog number 2248-1) and re-calibrated as needed. Salinity sensors were also field checked periodically and re-calibrated as needed; field service dates are listed in the process steps.
    Water level sensors were tested in the laboratory for accuracy by comparing logged pressure readings in air to the barometers used for barometric compensation; logged pressure readings that were within manufacturer's accuracy specification of the barometer's logged pressure in air were deemed acceptable. The In-Situ BaroTROLL 500 was used for barometric compensation. The manufacturer’s accuracy specification for the BaroTROLL 500 is +/- 0.05 percent full-scale from -5 to 50 degrees Celsius, long-term stability is specified as less than 0.1 percent full-scale; the manufacturer's specification for resolution is 0.005 percent full-scale or better. All well and surface water CTD loggers for this data release were In-Situ, model type Aqua TROLL 200 (30 psi maximum pressure; "a" indicates an absolute pressure sensor that is not vented to the atmosphere). The manufacturer's accuracy specification for this sensor is +/- 0.05 percent full-scale from -5 to 50 degrees Celsius, long-term stability is less than 0.1 percent full-scale; the manufacturer's specification for resolution is 0.005 percent full-scale or better.
    Data were exported as logged by each sensor. Calculated attributes of water level ("dbs" and "WL_NAVD88") are reported to a resolution of 0.001 meters to allow for relative point-to-point comparisons. However, accuracy of these calculated parameters is dependent upon sensor accuracy, manual measurements of deployment depths, and RTK GPS elevation measurements. Additionally, the unconsolidated nature of the sediment surface at many sites (thick thatch, water above the land surface resulting in wet, fluid, dynamic sediment surface) can add uncertainty to some measurements. Overall, the approximate accuracy of this measurement technique is 1-5 centimeters.
    Data from the initial Duck Harbor B (HRDHB) well indicated that the well slots may have been clogged from the very fine mud at this site. We installed a second well at this site by inserting the well into a pre-dug shallow hole and backfilling it with sand to aid in porewater exchange with the surrounding sediment. We compared overlapping CTD timeseries data from both wells and decided to report data from the initial well installation up to when data from the sand-packed well was acceptable. Refer to the entity HR_WellSensorDeploymentHeights_2021_2024.csv for specific deployment time periods.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    Horizontal positions for the Duck Harbor sites (DHA, DHB, DHC) were measured with an Emlid Reach RS2 Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS with Positional Dilution of Precision (PDOP) values 2.4 or less. Horizontal positions for all other sites were determined with a SpectraPrecision (SP80) Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS with Positional Dilution of Precision (PDOP) and Horizontal Dilution of Precision (HDOP) values less than or equal to 1.400 and 0.700 respectively. Based on the range in replicate measurements, the horizontal accuracy is estimated to be +/- 30 centimeters. No formal positional accuracy tests were conducted.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
    Water level loggers were deployed in wells at 8 different locations; sensor depth data from these instruments were converted to water elevation relative to NAVD88 using land surface elevations measured by Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS. Details on this calculation are described in the process steps. Vertical positions for the Duck Harbor transect sites (HRDHA, HRDHB, HRDHC) were measured with an Emlid Reach RS2 Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS; repeated measurement of established control points in the area were within 2 centimeters. Vertical positions for all other sites were determined with a SpectraPrecision (SP80) Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS with Vertical Dilution of Precision (VDOP) values of 1.200 or less. Generally, no formal positional accuracy tests were conducted with the SpectraPrecision SP80. However, on one survey date (1/27/2023), a benchmark at Wellfleet Harbor (National Geodetic Survey Point ID BBDV87) was included; the benchmark elevation measurement was within the accuracy range of the reported ortho-height (+/- 0.066m). This survey date included sites previously surveyed and comparisons of elevation measurements from all dates were also within the expected accuracy of this method of measurement; average vertical accuracy of this method is +/- 5 cm.
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    Gaps in the continuous data record for a given parameter may have been the result of one of several sources: sensor not deployed during that time period, removal of an instrument for maintenance, corrupt data file due to malfunctioning instrument, or wells with insufficient water level to produce reliable data. Exclusions of data from the continuous record are coded as the unrepresentable domain "NaN" (used in MATLAB, meaning "not a number"). The NaN count for each attribute are included in the domain definition for NaN. In some cases, the sensor error may have affected only one logged parameter. Short periods of NaN usually coincide with field maintenance and download; these dates are listed in the process steps below. Gaps in the continuous record that are not represented by NaN indicate the sensor was not deployed or a large part of a deployment was excluded from the dataset. Specific notes follow.
    Drought conditions in the summer of 2022 led to low water levels in many of our well deployments. As water levels fluctuate within the wells, occasional air bubbles may become entrained in the conductivity cell leading to jumpy or noisy salinity data; these data were excluded. Notable sites and dates with salinity data excluded include: High Toss Dry Forest 10/29/24-10/30/24, 11/15/24 - 11/27/24; Hopkins Wet Shrub 7/2/22 - 8/8/22; Old County Typha four instances in the summer of 2022; Herring River Phragmites seven instances in the summer of 2022; Upper Pole Dike summer of 2022 (to mitigate the lower water level, this logger was moved to deeper well 8/16/22 - 12/12/22).
    Logger failures included: Herring River Phragmites well logger 9/17/22-12/12/22; Hopkins Wet Shrub well logger 4/23/24 - 12/3/24; soil/air temperature loggers at two Duck Harbor sites (HRDHB, HRDHC) 12/2023 - 3/2024; Upper Pole Dike well log filled and overwrote data from 6/12/23 - 7/9/23.
    Salinity and pressure data from the original "HRTLP-Upland_114cm" well (installed in May 2022) are not reported; after a period of data collection, it was determined that this well had poor exchange with the surrounding porewater (likely due to a clogged slotted screen). However, the temperature data from this logger is included as it is comparable with overlapping time points from the other deep well installed at this site in August 2022.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    Logged parameters were queried for maximum and minimum values to be sure logged data fell within expected ranges for the environmental conditions. Data were plotted to look for any obvious instrument errors (data jumps or gaps or noisy data). Erroneous data in the logged data files may be the result of one of several sources: removal of an instrument for maintenance, corrupt data file due to malfunctioning instrument, or wells with insufficient water level to produce reliable data. These data were excluded from the final data report. Note that unusually low air temperatures logged between 02/3/2023 - 02/4/2023 do coincide with an Arctic cold front documented by the National Weather Service during that time period.

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. Please see 'Distribution Information' for details.
Use_Constraints These data are marked with a Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal License. These data are in the public domain and do not have any use constraints. Users are advised to read the dataset's metadata thoroughly to understand appropriate use and data limitations.
  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
    United States of America

    1-888-275-8747 (voice)
    sciencebase@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? This dataset contains 3 individual comma separated text files: HR_Wells_2021_2024.csv; HR_Temp_2022_2024.csv; HR_WellSensorDeploymentHeights_2021_2024.csv. The dataset also contains a browse graphic (HRDHF_Well_2022.jpg) and the FGDC CSDGM metadata in XML format (HR_wells_meta_2021_2024.xml).
  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 for other purposes, nor on all computer systems, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
  4. How can I download or order the data?
  5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
    The zip file resulting from the first network resource link contains data in CSV format. The user must have software capable of uncompressing the zip file and reading the data formats.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 23-Sep-2025
Metadata author:
Jennifer A. O'Keefe Suttles
Northeast Region: WOODS HOLE COASTAL AND MARINE SCIENCE CENTER
Chemist
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA
United States

508-548-8700 x2385 (voice)
whsc_data_contact@usgs.gov
Contact_Instructions:
The metadata contact email address is a generic address in the event the person is no longer with USGS.
Metadata standard:
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/whcmsc/SB_data_release/DR_P9T1KOTW/HR_wells_meta_2021_2024.faq.html>
Generated by mp version 2.9.51 on Wed Sep 24 10:44:34 2025