Data from: Effects of stream restoration by legacy sediment removal and floodplain reconnection on water quality

Moore, Joel 1 ; McMahon, Patrick1; Beauchamp, Vanessa B1; Casey, Ryan E1; Salice, Christopher J1; Bucher, Kyle1; Marsh, Melinda1

Published Jun 02, 2026 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.kh18932pb

Data files

Jun 02, 2026 version files 161.72 KB

README.md

34.55 KB
water_quality_data_mcmahon21.csv

127.17 KB

Abstract

Data supporting a study focused on the effectiveness of stream restoration (focused on legacy sediment removal and/or floodplain reconnection) on water quality. The nine study sites are located in central Maryland, United States near Baltimore. Six sites were restored, and three were comparison sites. Concentrations for dissolved constituents, including major ions and nutrients, and for suspended sediments as measured from discrete water samples are included in this dataset.

Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.kh18932pb

Description of the data and file structure

One CSV data with water quality data for discrete samples used in the manuscript.

We sampled nine stream locations by collected discrete water samples: six where stream restoration had been, or was, done with sampling at upstream and downstream ends and three reference/comparison sites. More data about each of the locations, including the latitude and longitude of each sampling site, can be found in the published paper.

Files and variables

File: water_quality_data_mcmahon21.csv

Sites (including abbreviations used in table in field Site_Name)

Restored

Bear Cabin Branch-Downstream (BCBD)
Bear Cabin Branch-Upstream (BCBU)
Beetree Run-Downstream (BTRD)
Beetree Run-Upstream (BTRU)
Cabbage Run-Downstream (CBRD)
Cabbage Run-Upstream (CBRU)
First Mine Branch-Downstream (FMBD)
First Mine Branch-Upstream (FMBU)
North Stirrup Run-Downstream (NSRD)
North Stirrup Run-Upstream (NSRU)
Plumtree Run-Downstream (PTRD)
Plumtree Run-Upstream (PTRU)

Reference/Comparison

Pond Branch at USGS gage #01583570 (POBR)
Baisman Run at USGS gage #01583580 (BARN)
Plumtree Run-Gage at USGS gage #01581752 (PTRG)

Sample collection date/times (Defined at time of sampling, that is either standard time or daylight saving): Beginning Time (24 hours), End Time (24 hours). The time datum is Eastern Standard Time and Eastern Daylight Saving Time as applicable on each sampling date (UTC –5:00 and UTC –4:00, respectively).

Construction Status

Pre-restoration at the three restoration sites for which restoration occurred during the study period (Pre)
Post-restoration at the six restoration sites (Post)

Not applicable for 3 reference/comparison sites (NA)

Discharge Methods

Discharge_ft3/s: Discharge is reported in cubic feet per second and was measured via multiple methods delineated below.

Method	Code in table	Details
Flowtracker	FT	Sontek Flow Tracker used to measure discharge via area-velocity method
MF Ott Pro	MF	MF Ott Pro used to measure discharge via area-velocity method
Dilution gaging	DG	YSI ProDSS logged specific conductance at 1 sec intervals to record movement of conductivty slug induced by adding 60 or 120 mg of NaCl in 4 L of water upstream of logger
Rating Curve	Rating Curve	Discharge at 5-minute intervals calculated using rating curve based on manually measured discharge data, a water pressure logger, and a barometric logger
USGS Gage	US	Data downloaded from US Geological Survey for relevant time intervals at gaging stations indicated (where available)

Flow conditions (Qualitative assessment): Storm flow, Base flow

Analysis	Parameter/column header	Parameter info/units	Approximate detection limit	Instrument/method information
Field/in-situ measurements	Temp_deg_C	Temperature in degrees Celsius	–	If includes DO_percent, then measured with YSI ProDSS
	DO_percent	Dissolved oxygen as a % of that predicted based on water temperature. Values >100% indicate oversaturation due to photosynthesis or other processes.	–	If does not include DO_percent, then measured with Thermo Orion A325 meter
	Specific_conductance_µS/cm	Specific conductance (µS/cm)	–	If STORM and includes only Temperature and Conductivity, then data are from Onset HOBO U24 in-situ sensor
	pH	pH	–	YSI and Thermo meters/probes were calibrated 24 hours or less before field sampling
Preparation and storage of dissolved samples	All samples analyzed for dissolved constituents (all except TSS) were filtered with 0.45 µm filters. Baseflow samples and some hand-collected storm samples were filtered in the field. Storm samples collected with automated (Isco) samplers were filtered in the laboratory within 24–48 hours after storm completion. Most samples were stored at 4°C until analysis. Samples with the `Frozen_` prefix were frozen immediately after filtering. Frozen and unfrozen samples generally matched well for NO3. NH3, PO4, and TP often matched, though unfrozen NH3, PO4, and TP values are best viewed as semi-quantitative.
Laboratory measurements	Alk_mg_L_HCO3	Alkalinity as HCO3 (mg/L)	–	Automatic titration to pH 3.00 with Mettler-Toledo G20 autotitrator and Rondolino autosampler. Alkalinity calculated using the Gran method with titration data from pH <4.10 to 3.00.
	NPOC_mg_L	Non-purgeable organic carbon	–	Shimadzu TOC-CSN
	TDN_mg_L	Total dissolved nitrogen	–	Shimadzu TOC-CSN
	Cl_mg_L	Chloride	–	Dionex ICS-5000 ion chromatograph
	NO3_as_NO3_IC_mg_L	Nitrate as N	0.4–0.5	Dionex ICS-5000 ion chromatograph
	PO4_IC_mg_L	Phosphate as P	0.4–0.5	Dionex ICS-5000 ion chromatograph
	SO4_mg_L	Sulfate	–	Dionex ICS-5000 ion chromatograph
	Na_mg_L	Sodium	–	Dionex ICS-5000 ion chromatograph
	K_mg_L	Potassium	–	Dionex ICS-5000 ion chromatograph
	Mg_mg_L	Magnesium	–	Dionex ICS-5000 ion chromatograph
	Ca_mg_L	Calcium	–	Dionex ICS-5000 ion chromatograph
	Note	Cl and Na concentrations >250 mg/L are overestimates because the highest calibration standard was 200 mg/L.
	NO3+NO2_AA_mg_L	Nitrate + nitrite by automated colorimetry	0.05	Seal AQ1; equivalent to USEPA Method 353.2 Rev 2.0 (1993) and Standard Methods 4500-NO3F
	Frozen_NO3+NO2_AA_mg_L	Frozen nitrate + nitrite by automated colorimetry	0.05	Same as above
	NH3_AA_mg_L	Ammonia by automated colorimetry	0.01–0.02	Seal AQ1; equivalent to USEPA Method 350.1 Rev 2.0 (1993) and Standard Methods 4500-NH3 G
	Frozen_NH3_AA_mg_L	Frozen ammonia by automated colorimetry	0.01–0.02	Same as above
	PO4_AA_mg_L	Phosphate by automated colorimetry	0.005, 0.05	Seal AQ1; equivalent to USEPA Method 365.1 Rev. 2 and Standard Methods 4500-PF
	Frozen_PO4_AA_mg_L	Frozen phosphate by automated colorimetry	0.005, 0.05	Lower value is the method detection limit; method range begins at 0.05 mg P/L
	Frozen_TP_AA_mg_L	Total phosphorus (frozen sample)	0.002, 0.01	Seal AQ1; equivalent to USEPA Method 365.1 (modified) and Standard Methods 4500-PB.5 & F
	Unfrozen_TP_AA_mg_L	Total phosphorus (unfrozen sample)	0.002, 0.01	Lower value is the method detection limit; method range begins at 0.01 mg P/L
	Si_AA_mg_L	Silica	–	Seal AQ1; equivalent to Standard Methods 4500-SiO2
	TSS_mg_L	Total suspended solids	1–2	Standard Methods 2540D

Non-numeric codes for analyses and/or measurements

BDL: below detection limit, estimated detection limits are reported above as applicable
NM: not measured
NR: not reported

Notes_field_and_sampling: Contains information about field and sampling conditions, e.g., qualitative information about weather or discharge conditions relevant for sample interpretation. Most rows contain "null" because nothing was notable or out of the ordinary.

Sample collection is described in detail in the paper. In short, base flow samples were collected as discrete grab samples and filtered in the field. Most storm flow samples were collected using an Isco sampler and so do not have accompanying field data (pH, specific conductance, etc.) from a handheld meter; some storm flow samples do have specific conductance data taken from an in-situ probe.

Code/software

The CSV file can be opened in spreadsheet software such as Excel or in R or other similar programs.

Access information

Other publicly accessible locations of the data:

Data was derived from the following sources: