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USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program

Field Activity Details for field activity 2020-638-FA

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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):

photo of on foot
on foot

Publications

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.

Portals/Viewers

Data Acquired

Survey EquipmentSurvey InfoData 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

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