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Water Monitoring Data

Metadata Updated: October 28, 2023

To determine inundation patterns and calculate site-specific tidal datums, we deployed water level data loggers (Model 3001, Solinst Canada Ltd., Georgetown, Ontario, Canada and Model U-20-001-01-Ti, Onset Computer Corp., Bourne, MA, USA) at all sites over the study period. Each site had one or two loggers (n = 16). We placed loggers at the mouth and upper reaches of second-order tidal channels to capture high tides and determine seasonal inundation patterns. Water loggers collected water level readings every six minutes starting on the date of deployment and continuing to the present. We used data from the lowest elevation logger at each site to develop local hydrographs and inundation rates. We surveyed loggers with RTK GPS at the time of deployment and at each data download that occurred quarterly, to correct for any vertical movement. We corrected all raw water level data with local time series of barometric pressure. For Solinst loggers, we deployed independent barometric loggers (Model 3001, Solinst Canada Ltd., Georgetown, Ontario, Canada); for Hobo water level loggers, we used barometric pressure from local airports (distance less than 10 miles). To determine tidal channel salinities, we deployed one conductivity logger at each site next to the lower elevation water level logger (Odyssey conductivity/temperature logger, Dataflow Systems Pty Limited, Christchurch, New Zealand). We converted specific conductance values obtained with the Odyssey loggers to practical salinity units using the equation from UNESCO (1983). We used water level data to estimate local tidal datums for all sites using procedures outlined in the NOAA Tidal Datums Handbook (NOAA 2003). We only calculated local MHW and MHHW because the loggers were positioned in the intertidal, which is relatively high in the tidal frame, and therefore did not capture MLW or MLLW and could not be used to compute these lower datums. We estimated mean tide level (MTL) for each site by using NOAA’s VDATUM 3.4 software (vdatum.noaa.gov), except at Bandon where we used MTL directly from historic NOAA data. Many results in this report are reported relative to local MHHW calculated from local water data. Water level loggers deployed within marsh channels recorded variation in water levels and salinity throughout the study duration. Loggers often did not capture lower portions of the tidal curve because of their location in tidal marsh channels which frequently drain at lower tides. From peak water levels, we calculated site-specific tidal datums (MHW and MHHW), and information on the highest observed water level (HOWL) during the time series. Our site specific tidal datum calculations generally closely matched tidal datums computed at nearby NOAA stations (tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov). Differences likely reflect site-specific tidal and bathymetric conditions in local estuarine hydrology. We collected salinity data at all sites, however, due to equipment recalls and failure we do not have salinity data for the duration of the study. We report weekly maximum salinities since many of our salinity loggers were not submerged during the entire tidal cycle at all sites, except for Grays Harbor due to recalled loggers and loggers being washed away during storm events. We observed a high level of variation in salinity between and within sites. Siletz experienced the greatest variation in salinity during the study period, ranging from 0.8 to 32 ppt. Willapa was the freshest system, ranging from 12-15 ppt and had very little temporal variation. The largest variation in salinity at most sites occurred from September through December. All sites had salinity below 35 ppt throughout most of the year; however the highest salinities were measured in August. See appendices for detailed site specific results.

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

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Dates

Metadata Created Date May 31, 2023
Metadata Updated Date October 28, 2023

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI EDI

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date May 31, 2023
Metadata Updated Date October 28, 2023
Publisher Climate Adaptation Science Centers
Maintainer
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Identifier 81318732-a9bc-4119-a25f-b5468c9ab0a7
Data Last Modified 2015-07-21
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:00
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://datainventory.doi.gov/data.json
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Harvest Object Id 84eb781c-5606-4a2d-9330-2595ed98f770
Harvest Source Id 52bfcc16-6e15-478f-809a-b1bc76f1aeda
Harvest Source Title DOI EDI
Metadata Type geospatial
Old Spatial -124.406547,43.12466,-122.32929,48.453718
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash 1502193952a5bf9101e5636e84902c1fd5ba5bc0227c074b7fa1eae3d0a3ecd9
Source Schema Version 1.1
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