Water level elevation data for monitoring wells and surface water gages at the Colorado State University Mountain Campus, 2019 – 2023
Data files
Feb 07, 2024 version files 32.03 MB
Abstract
This dataset contains groundwater and surface water levels measured between 2019 and 2023 at the Colorado State University Mountain Campus. The study site is situated within a formerly glaciated valley traversed by a modern perennial stream, the South Fork Cache la Poudre River, and occurs near the subalpine-montane ecosystem transition at an approximate elevation of 2,750 meters above sea level. Water levels were measured at two transects (the upstream and downstream transects). Each transect includes a surface water gage, two shallow hand-augered monitoring wells on the valley floor within the riparian zone, and a deeper water table observation well located on the adjacent terrace. Water levels were measured at a subhourly frequency using a combination of vented and non-vented pressure transducers. All data from non-vented transducers were corrected for barometric pressure fluctuations.
README
This dataset includes the following primary data files with water level elevations for eight locations during the monitoring period:
S1.csv, R1a.csv, R1b.csv, MW1.csv, S2.csv, R2a.csv, R2b.csv, MW2.csv
Description of locations:
S1 -- Upstream surface water gage.
R1a -- Upstream riparian well near stream.
R1b -- Upstream riparian well further from stream.
MW1 -- Upstream water table observation well.
S2 -- Downstream surface water gage.
R2a -- Downstream riparian well near stream.
R2b -- Downstream riparian well further from stream.
MW2 -- Downstream water table observation well.
Description of columns in each csv file:
Column 1 -- Date and time (Mountain Time Zone)
Column 2 -- Water temperature (degrees C)
Column 3 -- Water level elevation (meters above mean sea level)
Column 4 -- Data collection period (see corresponding date range in the file 'MtnCampus Data Collection Periods.xlsx')
Description of pressure transducers deployed at each location:
S1 -- Solinst Model 3001 LTC Levelogger Edge, M5
R1a -- Solinst Model 3001 LTC Levelogger Edge, M5
R1b -- Solinst Model 3001 LTC Levelogger Edge, M5
S2 -- Campbell Scientific, Inc. CS451 Stainless-Steel Pressure Transducer
R2a -- Campbell Scientific, Inc. CS451 Stainless-Steel Pressure Transducer
R2b -- Campbell Scientific, Inc. CS451 Stainless-Steel Pressure Transducer
MW1, MW2 -- Solinst Model 3001 LTC Levelogger Edge, M10/C80
Baro station -- Solinst Model 3001 LT Barologger Edge, M1.5
Data processing and QA/QC comments:
- All of the raw level data from non-vented pressure transducers were corrected for barometric pressure fluctuations. Barometric pressure conversion from kPa to meters of water assumed the density of water at 10 deg Celsius (rho = 999.7 kg/m3).
- Water level elevations (WLEs) calculated from pressure transducer readings were dependent on the deployed sensor depth. Accurate sensor depths were ensured by comparing the calculated WLEs to manually measured water levels (via staff gage readings or depth-to-water measurements in wells). Manual measurements were collected 4-6 times per year; these supporting data are available upon request.
- All files include gaps in data collection. Time periods without data may be explained by seasonal deployments/retrievals of equipment; for example, instrumentation was pulled from surface water stations and selected shallow monitoring wells during November-May. Additionally, water level records affected by sampling disturbances were removed from the published data files.
- Water temperature data (reported in Column 2 of csv files) have not been independently checked. Anomalous temperature data have been identified for the sensor deployed in MW1.
Associated data file with barometric pressure data:
'MC_Baro.csv' -- data from Baro Logger deployed near MW1.
Column 1 -- Date and time (Mountain Time Zone)
Column 2 -- Air temperature (degrees C)
Column 3 -- Barometric pressure (kPa)
Column 4 -- Data collection period (see corresponding date range in the file 'MtnCampus Data Collection Periods.xlsx')
Additional files included with this publication:
'MCgwswLocs.csv' (Location data for each measurement location. Lat/long in decimal degrees.)
'WLdata_Locs.tif' (Map showing the groundwater and surface water measurement locations)
'MtnCampus Data Collection Periods.xlsx' (Data collection time periods. Indicates temporal availability of measurements for each location.)
'MCRTK10.29.2020.xlsx' (Mountain Campus RTK data)
This file contains additional details on the Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) surveying method and data processing that were used to determine Lat/Long coordinates and elevations for the eight locations with water level data. In the worksheet "Survey Points," the columns Corrected Lat, Corrected Long, and Corrected Elev contain the finalized coordinates after making corrections using base station files. Note that these Lat/Long/Elev values are consistent with the values provided in related csv file 'MCgwswLocs.csv'. Corrections were performed using the NOAA online positioning user service. See detailed information in the "NOTES" and "OPUS info" worksheets within the file.
Methods
See README file