Methods for Processing and Summarizing Time …

[Pages:34]National Water-Quality Assessment Program

Methods for Processing and Summarizing Time-Series Temperature Data Collected as Part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program Studies on the Effects of Urbanization on Stream Ecosystems

Data Series 330

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

Methods for Processing and Summarizing Time-Series Temperature Data Collected as Part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program Studies on the Effects of Urbanization on Stream Ecosystems

By Thomas F. Cuffney and Robin A. Brightbill

National Water-Quality Assessment Program

Data Series 330

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Department of the Interior DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Mark D. Myers, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2008

For product and ordering information: World Wide Web: Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS For more information on the USGS--the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: World Wide Web: Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS

Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report.

Suggested citation: Cuffney, T.F., and Brightbill, R.A., 2008, Methods for processing and summarizing time-series temperature data collected as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program studies on the effects of urbanization on stream ecosystems: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 330, 23 p. (available only online at ds330/).

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Foreword

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is committed to providing the Nation with credible scientific information that helps to enhance and protect the overall quality of life and that facilitates effective management of water, biological, energy, and mineral resources (. gov/). Information on the Nation's water resources is critical to ensuring long-term availability of water that is safe for drinking and recreation and is suitable for industry, irrigation, and fish and wildlife. Population growth and increasing demands for water make the availability of that water, now measured in terms of quantity and quality, even more essential to the long-term sustainability of our communities and ecosystems.

The USGS implemented the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program in 1991 to support national, regional, State, and local information needs and decisions related to water-quality management and policy (). The NAWQA Program is designed to answer: What is the condition of our Nation's streams and ground water? How are conditions changing over time? How do natural features and human activities affect the quality of streams and ground water, and where are those effects most pronounced? By combining information on water chemistry, physical characteristics, stream habitat, and aquatic life, the NAWQA Program aims to provide science-based insights for current and emerging water issues and priorities. From 1991?2001, the NAWQA Program completed interdisciplinary assessments and established a baseline understanding of water-quality conditions in 51 of the Nation's river basins and aquifers, referred to as Study Units ().

Multiple national and regional assessments are ongoing in the second decade (2001?2012) of the NAWQA Program as 42 of the 51 Study Units are reassessed. These assessments extend the findings in the Study Units by determining status and trends at sites that have been consistently monitored for more than a decade, and filling critical gaps in characterizing the quality of surface water and ground water. For example, increased emphasis has been placed on assessing the quality of source water and finished water associated with many of the Nation's largest community water systems. During the second decade, NAWQA is addressing five national priority topics that build an understanding of how natural features and human activities affect water quality, and establish links between sources of contaminants, the transport of those contaminants through the hydrologic system, and the potential effects of contaminants on humans and aquatic ecosystems. Included are topics on the fate of agricultural chemicals, effects of urbanization on stream ecosystems, bioaccumulation of mercury in stream ecosystems, effects of nutrient enrichment on aquatic ecosystems, and transport of contaminants to public-supply wells. These topical studies are conducted in those Study Units most affected by these issues; they comprise a set of multi-Study-Unit designs for systematic national assessment. In addition, national syntheses of information on pesticides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nutrients, selected trace elements, and aquatic ecology are continuing.

The USGS aims to disseminate credible, timely, and relevant science information to address practical and effective water-resource management and strategies that protect and restore water quality. We hope this NAWQA publication will provide you with insights and information to meet your needs, and will foster increased citizen awareness and involvement in the protection and restoration of our Nation's waters.

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The USGS recognizes that a national assessment by a single program cannot address all waterresource issues of interest. External coordination at all levels is critical for cost-effective management, regulation, and conservation of our Nation's water resources. The NAWQA Program, therefore, depends on advice and information from other agencies--Federal, State, regional, interstate, Tribal, and local--as well as nongovernmental organizations, industry, academia, and other stakeholder groups. Your assistance and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Robert M. Hirsch Associate Director for Water

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Contents

Foreword.........................................................................................................................................................iii Abstract............................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1 Purpose and Scope........................................................................................................................................1 Processing Water Temperature Data.........................................................................................................2

Acquiring Water Temperature Data...................................................................................................2 Selecting Annual and Summer Periods.............................................................................................2 Selecting a Common Data Granularity..............................................................................................5 Summarizing Water Temperature Data.............................................................................................5 Summary Statistics for Annual and Summer Periods of Record..................................................5 Estimating Annual Degree Days.........................................................................................................7 Extracting 7-Day Running Average Daily Mean Temperatures.....................................................8 Summary..........................................................................................................................................................8 References Cited............................................................................................................................................9 Appendix 1. Granularity Program (GRAN)...............................................................................................11 Capabilities...........................................................................................................................................11 Sources of Data Used by GRAN.......................................................................................................11 Installation............................................................................................................................................11 Updates.................................................................................................................................................13 Help and Documentation...................................................................................................................13 Using GRAN..........................................................................................................................................13

Importing Data............................................................................................................................18 Edit Menu Options......................................................................................................................19

Missing Values...................................................................................................................19 Period of Record................................................................................................................19 Granularity Menu Options.........................................................................................................21 Statistics Menu Options............................................................................................................22 Export Menu................................................................................................................................23

Figures

1. Map showing locations of nine metropolitan areas from which water temperature data were collected across the conterminous United States...............................................1

2. Graphs showing annual daily mean water temperature data for Deep Creek (Raleigh-Winston Salem, NC, metropolitan area) showing (A) original data with missing values, (B) data with missing values estimated by linear regression, and (C) data expressed as 7-day running average temperatures........................................8

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Tables

1. Descriptions of data files containing site information, water temperature statistics, and examples of file formats used or generated by the GRAN program.............................3

2. Water temperature data file in tab-delimited ASCII (RDB) format produced by the U.S. Geological Survey's Automated Data Processing System (ADAPS)................4

3. Example of a water temperature data file (table 2) converted to the six-column format used for importing data into the GRAN program from Excel? or Access?..........4

4. Summary water temperature statistics calculated by the GRAN program for daily, annual, and summer periods of record.....................................................................................6

5. Time-interval data and water temperature values generated by the GRAN program in the process of setting data granularity.................................................................7

Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Definitions

Temperature in degrees Celsius (?C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (?F) as follows: ?F = (1.8 ? ?C) + 32

Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (?F) may be converted to degrees Celsius (?C) as follows: ?C = (?F ? 32) / 1.8

Project and metropolitan area abbreviations and definitions

ACFB ALBE ATL BIR BOS CITY DEN DFW EUSE GRSL MGB MOBL NAWQA NECB PORT RAL SLC SPLT Study Units SUID TRIN USGS WILL WMIC

Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River basins Albemarle-Pamlico drainages Atlanta, GA, metropolitan area Birmingham, AL, metropolitan area Boston, MA, metropolitan area Metropolitan area studied Denver, CO, metropolitan area Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, metropolitan area Effects of Urbanization on Stream Ecosystems studies Great Salt Lake basins Milwaukee-Green Bay, WI, metropolitan area Mobile River basin National Water-Quality Assessment Program New England Coastal basins Portland, OR, metropolitan area Raleigh-Winston Salem, NC, metropolitan area Salt Lake City, UT, metropolitan area South Platte River basin Geographical areas representing major river basins in the NAWQA

Program A four-letter abbreviation used to identify NAWQA Program Study

Units Trinity River basin U.S. Geological Survey Willamette River basin Western Lake Michigan drainages

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