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HF022
Physical hydrology and meteorology of the Upper Oak Creek Watershed in Western Oregon, 2001-2006

CREATOR(S): Arne Edward Skaugset
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S): Arne Edward Skaugset
ORIGINATOR(S): Arne Edward Skaugset
OTHER RESEARCHER(S): Amy Simmons
DATA SET CONTACT PERSON: Amy Simmons
METADATA CONTACT: Arne Edward Skaugset, Amy Simmons
METHOD CONTACT: Arne Edward Skaugset, Amy Simmons
DATA SET CREDIT:
Arne Skaugset and Amy Simmons. Funded in part by a USGS Small Grant through the Oregon State University Center for Water and Environmental Sustainibility (CWEST) entitled "Development of a web-based database of hydrologic data for the upper Oak Creek Watershed”.
METADATA CREATION DATE:
19 Dec 2012
MOST RECENT METADATA REVIEW DATE:
19 Dec 2012
KEYWORDS:
meteorology, precipitation, air temperature, solar radiation, streamflow
PURPOSE:
The database was created to support teaching and research in the Oak Creek Watershed by making available commonly used and requested data to the University and local hydrological community.
METHODS:
Field Methods - HF022: Water Discharge:
Description: 2002-2003 stage height was measured using a TruTack WTHT-500 Capacitance Rod. 2004-2006 stage height was measured using a Druck 1320 Pressure Transducer in stilling well. Datalogger was a Campbell Scientific CR10X.
Field Methods - HF022: Air Temp/Rel Humidity:
Description: Air Temperature and Relative Humidity were measured using a Vaisala, Inc. HMP-45C with 10-Plate Gill Radiation Shield.
Field Methods - HF021: PAR:
Description: PAR measured using LI-COR Silicon Pyranometer.
Field Methods - HF022: Wind Speed:
Description: Wind speed measured using R.M. Young Wind Sentry Set.
Laboratory Methods - HF022: Precipitation:
Description: Rain gages were calibrated annually using Nova Lynx Rain Gauge Calibration (Model 260-2595) using the 1/32” orifice. Instrumentation used: Nova Lynx Tipping bucket rain gauges (Model 2501) with Hobo Dataloggers
Statistical methods - HF022: Water Discharge:
Description:

Rating curve used to calculate discharge is a two part function:

  • When x > 0 feet and x < 0.85 feet, use equation 1: y = 71.228x^1.7513
  • When x > 0.85 feet, use equation 2: y = 42.902x^1.6965

where

  • in equation 1, x is measured stage in feet
  • in equation 2, x is measured stage in feet plus 0.2 feet (to account for shift in staff plates over time)
  • y is discharge cubic feet per second

Equation 1 is a rating curve developed at the cross section from 2003-2006.

Equation 2 is a historical rating curve developed at the cross section from 1978-79 using the closed vortex/staff gauge by Pete Klingeman.

Processing Procedure - HF022: Precipitation:
Description: Data was binned hourly using a macro (bindata.xls) created by Richard Keim
SITE DESCRIPTION:
Oak Creek Watershed is a 824 hectare watershed in the McDonald-Dunn Research Forest. In the Oak Creek Watershed, there are 4.57 km of road and 4.87 km of stream. There are 115 culverts on the roads in the Oak Creek Watershed. Twenty-three are stream-crossing culverts and the rest are drainage-relief culverts. A stream crossing culvert is defined as a culvert that ran surface water at least part of the year and was directly connected to the stream channel as evidenced by a defined channel for at least 10 meters upslope of the culvert invert and a defined channel below the culvert outlet that converged with another stream channel.

The Oregon Coast Range and the Oak Creek watershed in particular experience cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Mean annual precipitation is approximately 1400 mm falling mainly between October and May. Snow falls at the higher elevations in the watershed.

TAXONOMIC SYSTEM:
None
GEOGRAPHIC EXTENT:
Western Oregon, MacDonald-Dunn Research Forest, Oak Creek Watershed
ELEVATION_MINIMUM (meters):
160
ELEVATION_MAXIMUM (meters):
592
MEASUREMENT FREQUENCY:
Irregular
PROGRESS DESCRIPTION:
Complete
UPDATE FREQUENCY DESCRIPTION:
notPlanned
CURRENTNESS REFERENCE:
Ground condition