Plum Island Ecosystems LTER Database

Acceptance and utilization of LTER data requires that:

(1) The Principal Investigator be sent a notice stating reasons for acquiring any data and a description of the publication intentions.
(2) The Principal Investigator of the data set be sent a copy of the report or manuscript prior to submission and be adequately cited in any resultant publications.
(3) A copy of any resultant publications should be sent to:

Principal Investigator
Ecosystems Center
Marine Biological Laboratory
7 MBL St.
Woods Hole, MA 02543

Dataset URLs:METADATA: HTML, Rich Text, XML(EML compliant)
DATA: Comma Delimited, Excel file with Metadata and data
Dataset ID:WAT-VA-Load.03
Dataset Title:Annual Nutrient Loading and Yield to Plum Island Estuary, As Measured at the Ipswich and Parker Dams
Investigator 1: 
First Name:Wilfred
Last Name:Wollheim
Address line 1:Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space
Address line 2:University of New Hampshire
Address line 3:Morse Hall, Room 452
City:Durham
State:NH
Zip Code:03824
Country:USA
Investigator 2: 
First Name:Charles
Last Name:Hopkinson
Address line 1:Georgia Sea Grant College Program
Address line 2:University of Georgia
Address line 3:229 Marine Sciences
City:Athens
State:GA
Zip Code:30602
Country:USA
Investigator 3: 
First Name:Hap
Last Name:Garritt
Address line 1:Marine Biological Laboratory
Address line 2:The Ecosystems Center
Address line 3:7 MBL Street
City:Woods Hole
State:MA
Zip Code:02543
Country:USA
Investigator 4: 
First Name:Emily
Last Name:Gaines
Address line 1:Marine Biological Laboratory
Address line 2:The Ecosystems Center
Address line 3:7 MBL Street
City:Woods Hole
State:MA
Zip Code:02543
Country:USA
Investigator 5: 
First Name:Rebecca
Last Name:Prosser
Address line 1:Marine Biological Laboratory
Address line 2:The Ecosystems Center
Address line 3:7 MBL Street
City:Woods Hole
State:MA
Zip Code:02543
Country:USA
Associate Investigators:Catherine Caruso, Mac Lee, Corey Lawrence, John Logan, Josh Goldstein, Greg Peterson, Nat Weston, Ishi Buffam
Keywords:PIE LTER, organic matter, inorganic nutrients, Ipswich River, Parker River, dam, loading, nutrient, Plum Island Estuary
Abstract:Nutrient concentrations for various forms of N, P, C, as well as suspended sediments, are determined from monthly grab samples taken at the Ipswich and Parker dams. These nutrient concentrations are then used in conjunction with USGS discharge data (recorded at gages in the Parker River at Byfield, MA and the Ipswich River at Ipswich, MA) to calculate annual nutrient loading to the Estuary, coming over each dam. Annual yield is also calculated for both dams.
Contact: Plum Island Ecosystems LTER Information Manager
The Ecosystems Center
Marine Biological Lab
7 MBL St
Woods Hole, MA 02543
Phone (508) 289 7485
Email: pie_im@mbl.edu
Online URL: http://ecosystems.mbl.edu/PIE/
DATA FILE INFORMATION:
Data File URL http://ecosystems.mbl.edu/PIE/data/WAT/data/WAT-VA-Load.csv
Data File Name WAT-VA-Load
Beginning Date 9/5/1993
End Date 9/19/2010
Number of Data Records 34
Other Files to Reference WAT-VA-Inputs
Availability Status Type 1
Quality Control Information Loading is calculated using measured nutrient concentrations and USGS-reported discharge values. Nutrient concentrations are determined from monthly grab samples, and are measured using various chemical methods. Error (accuracy and precision) is generally less than 5%. USGS applies its own quality control methods to its discharge data.
Maintenance Description Nutrient samples continue to be taken monthly. Monthly nutrient concentrations are updated annually in WAT-VA-Inputs. Every 2-3 years, WAT-VA-Load is updated with loading calculated from concentrations in WAT-VA-Inputs.
Log of Changes: Version 01, 27-Sep-2006 EML metadata created level ~3.5 includes attribute information
Version 02, data updates, 11Jan2010
Version 03: February 1, 2012, updated data and metadata to Dec 2010. Used MarcrosExportEML_HTML (working)pie_excel2007.xlsm 2/1/12 4:54 PM for QA/QC to EML 2.1.0
 
RESEARCH LOCATION: WAT-IP-IpswichDam WAT-PR-ParkerDam Site 3
Geographic Description Ipswich River, Sylvania Dam, Ipswich, MA , input water nutrient sampling Parker River, Central St. Dam, Newbury, MA, input water nutrient sampling  
Location Bounding Box      
West Bounding Coordinate -71.22 -71.22  
East Bounding Coordinate -70.75 -70.75  
North Bounding Coordinate 42.83 42.83  
South Bounding Coordinate 42.5 42.5  
OR if single point location      
Latitude 42.677702 42.750141  
Longitude -70.837844 -70.929029  
Elevation      
       
       
 
TAXONOMIC COVERAGE:
Taxonomic Protocols
Organisms studied
 
Methods:Sample Collection:
Grab samples are collected monthly at the Parker and Ipswich dams. Water is filtered and/or partitioned for analysis for suspended solids, particulate organic nitrogen (PON), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), ammonium (NH4), nitrate (NO3), dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), particulate phosphorus (PPO4), total dissolved phosphorus (TDP), phosphate (PO4), particulate organic carbon (POC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Analyses are conducted according to PIE-LTER protocols (http://ecosystems.mbl.edu/pie/data/method.htm).

Discharge:
Discharge data is mined from the USGS website (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis) for the Parker River gage at Byfield, MA and the Ipswich River gage at Ipswich, MA. Since the gages are NOT located directly at the dams where nutrient sampling occurs, the USGS discharge data is multiplied by a correction factor (1.1812 for the Parker data, and 1.1964 for the Ipswich data) to obtain discharge over the respective dams.

Loading/Yield Calculations:
Monthly nutrient concentrations are multipli0ed by total monthly discharge over the dams to estimate nutrient loading on a monthly timescale. Monthly loading numbers are added together to obtain annual loading per water year. Water years are determined according to USGS data updates, and generally start in September. The numerical year given to a water year is the new year reached in January during the September-September cycle (i.e. Sept 2003 - Sept 2004 is water year 2004). Yield calculations are derived from the loading calculations by dividing the nutrient loading by watershed area upstream of the dam (at Parker this is 65.2km2, and Ipswich this is 387.4km2). Total N and P loads and yields reflects organic and inorganic forms of nitrogen. Total C loads and yields reflect only organic forms of carbon, ie dissolved inorganic carbon was not measured and is not included.

Sample yield calculation:

1 tonne = 1000kg

1km^2 = 100 hectares

Ipswich Dam, Nitrogen Yield, 1994

126 tonnes x (1000 kg/tonne) = 126,000 kg

387.4 km^2 x (100 hectares/km^2) = 38,740 hectares

126,000 kg / 38,740 hectares = 3.25 kg / hectare / year

Data Table

Variable Name Variable Description Units Measurement Scale Code Information Number Type DateTime Format Missing Value Code Missing Value Code Explanation
Water Year USGS-assigned water year   datetime     YYYY   blank cell
Year Start Start date of the given water year   datetime     DD-MMM-YYYY   blank cell
Year End End date of the given water year   datetime     DD-MMM-YYYY   blank cell
Days number of days in water year number ratio   whole     blank cell
Dam Dam site (Ipswich or Parker)   nominal         blank cell
Annual Discharge Total water discharge over the dam per year meterCubedPerYear ratio   real     blank cell
Mean Daily Discharge Average water discharge over the dam per day meterCubedPerDay ratio   real     blank cell
Total N Load Annual loading of total nitrogen as N tonnePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
Total N Yield Annual yield of total nitrogen as N kilogramPerHectarePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
PON Load Annual loading of particulate organic nitrogen as N tonnePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
PON Yield Annual yield of particulate organic nitrogen as N kilogramPerHectarePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
TDN Load Annual loading of total dissolved nitrogen as N tonnePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
TDN Yield Annual yield of total dissolved nitrogen as N kilogramPerHectarePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
NH4 Load Annual loading of ammonium as N tonnePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
NH4 Yield Annual yield of ammonium as N kilogramPerHectarePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
NO3 Load Annual loading of nitrate as N tonnePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
NO3 Yield Annual yield of nitrate as N kilogramPerHectarePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
DIN Load Annual loading of dissolved inorganic nitrogen as N tonnePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
DIN Yield Annual yield of dissolved inorganic nitrogen as N kilogramPerHectarePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
DON Load Annual loading of dissolved organic nitrogen as N tonnePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
DON Yield Annual yield of dissolved organic nitrogen as N kilogramPerHectarePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
Total P Load Annual loading of total phosphorus as P tonnePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
Total P Yield Annual yield of total phosphorus as P kilogramPerHectarePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
PPO4 Load Annual loading of particulate phosphorus as P tonnePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
PPO4 Yield Annual yield of particulate phosphorus as P kilogramPerHectarePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
TDP Load Annual loading of total dissolved phosphorus as P tonnePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
TDP Yield Annual yield of total dissolved phosphorus as P kilogramPerHectarePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
PO4 Load Annual loading of phosphate as P tonnePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
PO4 Yield Annual yield of phosphate as P kilogramPerHectarePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
Total C Load Annual loading of total organic carbon as C tonnePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
Total C Yield Annual yield of total organic carbon as C kilogramPerHectarePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
POC Load Annual loading of particulate organic carbon as C tonnePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
POC Yield Annual yield of particulate organic carbon as C kilogramPerHectarePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
DOC Load Annual loading of dissolved organic carbon as C tonnePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
DOC Yield Annual yield of dissolved organic carbon as C kilogramPerHectarePerYear ratio   real     blank cell
Total N:P Ratio of annual total nitrogen moles-N to annual total phosphorus moles-P dimensionless ratio   real     blank cell
Total C:N Ratio of annual total organic carbon moles as C to annual total nitrogen moles as N dimensionless ratio   real     blank cell
Susp Sed Load Annual loading of suspended sediment (dry weight) kilogramPerYear ratio   real     blank cell
Susp Sed Yield Annual yield of suspended sediment (dry weight) kilogramPerHectarePerYear ratio   real     blank cell