Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative

Nitrate Transport in Snowmelt in the Green Mountains, Northern Vermont: Nitrate Transport in Snowmelt in the Green Mountains

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Metadata Provider

  • Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative

    • Address:
      705 Spear Street
      South Burlington, Vermont 05403
      United States of America

      Phone: (802) 391-4135
      Email: femc@uvm.edu
      Website: www.uvm.edu/femc

Abstract

    To determine processes important to the transport of nitrate in snowmelt and quantify overwinter nitrate inputs and outputs.

People

  • Tim Scherbatskoy: Content Provider

  • Dennis Daly: Principal Investigator

Keywords

  • ph, snow, streamflow, water chemistry,

Geographic Coverage

  • Coordinates

Data Table

  • Title: Nitrate Transport in Snowmelt in the Green Mountains
  • Start Date: 1993-10-01
  • End Date: 1994-10-01
  • Description: Measurement of chemical components, pH, and flow volume in 54 stream samples

  • Purpose: To determine processes important to the transport of nitrate in snowmelt and quantify overwinter nitrate inputs and outputs.

  • Condensed Title: Z0014_NBCHEMD

  • Object Name: VMC.14.194

  • Data Type: mySQL
  • Citation: Dennis Daly. 1994. Nitrate Transport in Snowmelt in the Green Mountains. University of Vermont. FEMC. Can be found at: https://www.uvm.edu/femc/data/archive/project/nitrate-transport-snowmelt-green-mountains-northern/dataset/nitrate-transport-snowmelt-green-mountains

  • Online Distribution: https://www.uvm.edu/femc/data/archive/project/nitrate-transport-snowmelt-green-mountains-northern/dataset/nitrate-transport-snowmelt-green-mountains

Attribute List

    Attribute Name: Date
    • Label: Date
    • Description: Date of sample collection
    • Storage Type: datetime
    • Measurment Type: datetime
    • String Format: MM/DD/YYYY
    Attribute Name: CONTROL_num
    • Label: Control Number
    • Description: Sample control number
    • Storage Type: int
    • Measurment Type: nominal
    Attribute Name: FLOW_cfs
    • Label: Flow Volume
    • Description: Daily average volume of stream flow
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: cubicFeetPerSecond
    • Precision: 0.0001
    • Unit: cubicFeetPerSecond
    • Number Type: real
    Attribute Name: pH_AVG
    • Label: Average pH
    • Description: Daily average pH
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: dimensionless
    • Precision: 0.001
    • Number Type: real
      • Bounds:
      • Minimum: 0
      • Maximum: 14
    Attribute Name: NO3_N_AVG_mg_L
    • Label: Average Fraction Nitrate
    • Description: The daily average fraction of the nitrate sample attributable to nitrogen alone
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Precision: 0.001
    • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Number Type: real
    Attribute Name: Cl_AVG
    • Label: Average Chlorine
    • Description: The concentration of chloride in the sample
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Precision: 0.001
    • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Number Type: real
    Attribute Name: SO4_S_AVG_mg_L
    • Label: Average Fraction Sulfate
    • Description: The daily average fraction of the sulfate sample attributable to sulfur alone
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Precision: 0.001
    • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Number Type: real
    Attribute Name: Ca_AVG_mg_L
    • Label: Average Calcium
    • Description: Daily average of the concentration of calcium in the sample
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Precision: 0.001
    • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Number Type: real
    Attribute Name: K_AVG_mg_L
    • Label: Average Potassium
    • Description: Daily average of the concentration of potassium in the sample
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Precision: 0.001
    • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Number Type: real
    Attribute Name: Mg_AVG_mg_L
    • Label: Average Magnesium
    • Description: Daily average of the concentration of magnesium in the sample
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Precision: 0.001
    • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Number Type: real
    Attribute Name: Na_AVG_mg_L
    • Label: Average Sodium
    • Description: The concentration of sodium in the sample
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Precision: 0.001
    • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Number Type: real
    Attribute Name: Al_AVG_mg_L
    • Label: Average Aluminum
    • Description: Daily average of the concentration of aluminum in the sample
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Precision: 0.001
    • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Number Type: real
    Attribute Name: Si_AVG_mg_L
    • Label: Average Silicon
    • Description: Daily average of the concentration of silicon in the sample
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Precision: 0.001
    • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
    • Number Type: real

Methods

  • Current Methods
    • Monitoring streamflow
      • Method Description: Streamflow at the mouth of the catchment is monitored by a US Geological Survey weir. Stage is recorded at 5 minute intervals. Stream discharge was calculated from the stage above the 90 degree v-notch weir. Air, water, soil, and snowpack temperatures as well as snowpack depth and reflected short radiation were also recorded at the site of the weir.

    • Air quality monitoring station data
      • Method Description: Wet and dry deposition inputs and ambient meteorological data were measured at the VMC air quality monitoring station, located approximately 2 km away at about the same elevation as the weir.

    • Sampling snowpack
      • Method Description: The snowpack was sampled near the weir at three depths, two weeks before the start of the spring snowmelt event.


  • Past Methods (no longer in use)
    • Stream samples
      • Started: 1993-10-01
        Ended: 1994-09-30
      • Method Description: 54 stream water samples obtained at the stream weir, draining 11 hectare catchment.

Sampling Equipment

  • Current Equipment
    • Chromatograph
      • Sampling Description: Dionex 2000i ion chromatograph was used for anion analysis.

    • Measurement and control system
      • Sampling Description: Campbell Scientific CR-10 used to record stage at 5-minute intervals.

    • Spectrometer
      • Sampling Description: Leeman 2.5 Plasma Spec was used for analysis of cations.

Site Characteristics

  • Site Description: Nettle Brook, the study site catchment area, is located on the southwest slope of Mount Mansfield in the Green Mountains of northern Vermont. The drainage basin of the catchment has an estimated area of 0.11 km^3 and is drained by a small first-order stream, Nettle Brook.



  • Site Description: The catchment elevation extends from 445 m to 665 m above sea level. The bedrock in this area is predominantly mica-albite-quartz schist and the soils are dominated by Peru extremely stony loam, Marlow extremely stony loam, Cabot extremely stony silt loam and Lyman-Marlow very rocky loam.



  • Site Description: Nettle Brook flows intermittently from east of the boggy area, and year round west of the boggy area. Nettle Brook is groundwater dominated except during floods.