AKA: CZU wildfire geochemistry
Other ID: CZU wildfire geochemistry
Status: Completed
Organization(s): USGS, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Funding Program(s): Other (Other), Wildfire geochemistry: signatures and effects (GX24ZP00JTV0600)
Contact(s): Renee Takesue Information Specialist(s): Renee Takesue Data Type(s): Environmental Data: Meteorology, Location-Elevation: Navigation, Sampling: Chemistry Scientific Purpose/Goals: Characterize sediment geochemical, carbon, and contaminant changes associated with wildfire and potential loading to coastal systems. Vehicle(s): Mitsubishi Outlander G61-0912R Start Port/Location: Santa Cruz, California End Port/Location: Santa Cruz, California Start Date: 2020-09-09 End Date: 2026-09-30 Equipment Used: Onset HOBO RG3-M Rain Gauge, Handheld GPS, Hand-grab sample Information to be Derived: Grain size, carbon, charcoal, detrital zircon, carbon isotopes, radiocarbon, rare earth elements, metals, PAHs Summary of Activity and Data Gathered: Stream nutrient samples were collected approximately monthly. Stream sediment was collected two or three times a year around the first flush, winter high flow, and low flow conditions. In situ ash was collected every six months. Notes: End date was changed from original 3/31/21 to a 5-year period ending 9/30/26 to allow for sample collection for a weathering study post-fire.
Location:
Santa Cruz county and San Mateo county coastal watersheds, California, United States
| Boundaries | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| North: 37.60378762 | South: 36.92179151 | West: -122.64260752 | East: -121.83870808 |
Platform(s):
 on foot |
East, A.E., and Dailey, E.T., 2021, Rain measurements in and near the CZU Lightning Complex Fire area, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, 2020 to 2021: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9Y9HJSN.
East, A.E., and Williamson, J.L., 2022, Rain measurements in and near the CZU Lightning Complex Fire area, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, 2021 to 2022: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9J7JOMP.
| Survey Equipment | Survey Info | Data Type(s) | Data Collected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onset HOBO RG3-M Rain Gauge | --- | Meteorology | Rain measurements in and near the CZU Lightning Complex Fire area, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, 2021 to 2022 (Rainfall measurements were collected in and near the CZU Lightning Complex Fire (hereafter, "CZU Fire") burn area, Santa Cruz Mountains, California. This data release contains rain records from the Big Basin, Berry Creek, Brookdale, and Green Valley locations, measured over the second wet season after the CZU Fire.) Rain measurements in and near the CZU Lightning Complex Fire area, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, 2020 to 2021 (Rainfall measurements were collected in and near the CZU Lightning Complex Fire (hereafter, "CZU Fire") burn area, Santa Cruz Mountains, California. The CZU Fire ignited in the Santa Cruz Mountains, California, on August 16, 2020. ) |
| Handheld GPS | --- | Navigation | |
| Hand-grab sample | --- | Biology Chemistry Geology | Parent and alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ash, stream sediment, steelhead, crayfish, and marine mussels after the 2020 CZU Wildfire (Seventy-six parent and alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were quantified in wildfire ash (airborne and in situ), stream sediment, steelhead, crayfish, and marine mussels after the August 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Wildfire and at regular intervals over three years.) Charcoal counts, stable isotopes, and elemental chemistry of particulate materials after the 2020 CZU Wildfire (After the CZU Wildfire in August 2020, stream sediment (7 burned, 1 unburned drainages), airborne ash, in situ ash, and regolith were collected from August 2020 to August 2023 to characterize wildfire effects. Solid-phase parameters include sand-sized charcoal counts, total carbon (TC), total inorganic carbon (TIC), total organic carbon (TOC), bulk stable carbon 13/12 isotope ratios (d13C), bulk stable nitrogen 15/14 isotope ratios (d15N), and concentrations of 60 elements in the less than 63 micron fine fraction.) |
