Stable isotope and nutrient data for sites in the Sacramento River and northern San Francisco Bay Delta (2009-2011)

Metadata:

Identification Information:

Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: C. Kendall
Originator: M.B. Young
Originator: S.R. Silva
Originator: T. Kraus
Originator: S. Peek
Originator: M. Guerin
Publication Date: 2015
Title:
Stable isotope and nutrient data for sites in the Sacramento River and northern San Francisco Bay Delta (2009-2011)
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: Excel file - .xlsx
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Menlo Park, CA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Online Linkage: http://water.usgs.gov/nrp/isotope-tracers/Kendall-etal-2015-san-francisco-bay-estuary-data.xlsx
Description:
Abstract:
This dataset contains isotope and chemical data for samples collected during several overlapping studies in the Sacramento River and Delta conducted 2009-2011 to evaluate the potential usefulness of stable isotope techniques for testing hypotheses about sources of nutrients and algae, and biogeochemical processes in section of the San Francisco Estuary. One main focus of the studies was to provide an independent test of the hypothesis that ammonium derived primarily from waste-water treatment plants was inhibiting phytoplankton uptake of nitrate. This goal was accomplished by collecting approximately monthly samples from 15-20 sites along transects of the river and delta to assess the temporal and spatial variations in the sources, transport, and sinks of nutrients and organic matter in the Sacramento River and Delta -- and then analyzing the samples for the stable isotopic compositions of ammonium, nitrate, particulate organic matter, dissolved organic carbon, and water. Another main focus was to assess whether there were significant differences between the chemistry and isotopic compositions of mainstem Sacramento River samples and (1) samples from tributaries within the Cache/Yolo Slough Complex, and (2) samples from the main two distributaries of the Sacramento River downstream of the waste-water treatment plant: Miner Slough and Steamboat Slough.
Purpose:
Samples were collected and analyzed for stable isotope and chemical composition to provide "proof of concept" of the usefulness of isotope techniques combined with water chemistry and hydrological modeling for tracing nutrient sources and cycling in the Sacramento River and Delta ecosystems.
Time Period of Content:
Time Period Information:
Range of Dates/Times:
Beginning Date: 03/26/2009
Ending Date: 12/12/2011
Currentness Reference:
ground condition
Status:
Progress:
Complete
Maintenance and Update Frequency: as needed
Spatial Domain:
Description of Geographic Extent:
Sacramento River and San Francisco Bay, California
Bounding Coordinates:
West Bounding Coordinate: -122.5
East Bounding Coordinate: -121.4
North Bounding Coordinate: 38.6
South Bounding Coordinate: 37.8
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme Keyword Thesaurus: none
Theme Keyword: stable isotopes
Theme Keyword: nutrient isotopes
Theme Keyword: nutrient cycling
Theme Keyword: biogeochemical processes
Theme Keyword: organic matter
Theme Keyword: phytoplankton
Theme Keyword: nitrification
Place:
Place Keyword Thesaurus: none
Place Keyword: Sacramento River
Place Keyword: San Joaquin River
Place Keyword: San Francisco Bay Delta
Place Keyword: San Francisco Estuary
Place Keyword: Cache/Yolo Slough Complex
Place Keyword: Miner Slough
Place Keyword: Steamboat Slough
Place Keyword: Cache Slough
Place Keyword: Sacramento Regional Water Treatment Plant
Access Constraints: none
Use Constraints:
none
Point of Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Carol Kendall
Contact Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact Address:
Address: 345 Middlefield Road, MS-434
City: Menlo Park
State or Province: CA
Postal Code: 94025
Country: USA
Contact Voice Telephone: 650-329-4576
Contact Electronic Mail Address: ckendall@usgs.gov
Browse Graphic:
Browse Graphic File Name: http://water.usgs.gov/nrp/isotope-tracers/figures/Fig1_location.png
Browse Graphic File Description:
overview of study area
Browse Graphic File Type: PNG
Data Set Credit:
This study would not have taken place without the financial support of the State Water Contractors, the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, the State and Federal Contractors Water Agency, and the California Interagency Ecological Program; we are grateful for their support. We would like to thank Dick Dugdale (SFSU) and Alex Parker (formerly SFSU and now CSUM) for letting us piggyback our isotope sample collection onto their March and April 2009 transects, and for providing access to their chemical data prior to publication in Parker et al. (2010, 2012). We also thank Chris Foe (CVRWQCB) for collecting isotope samples for us from his May 2009 through February 2010 transects, for providing access to their chemical data prior to publication in Foe et al. (2010), and for providing a lot of useful advice over the years. We also sincerely thank Randy Dahlgren (UCD) for providing chemical data for the slough project samples collected spring 2010 through December 2012. And last, but not least, we thank Brian Bergamaschi (USGS) for letting us rent his boat and a skipper to collect the slough study samples.
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Data Quality Information:

Attribute Accuracy:
Attribute Accuracy Report:
No formal attribute accuracy tests were conducted
Logical Consistency Report:
Data has been checked for self-consistency and for outliers. Data has been checked for duplication.
Completeness Report:
Data set was produced from samples taken along representative river transects, collected monthly.
Positional Accuracy:
Horizontal Positional Accuracy:
Horizontal Positional Accuracy Report:
No formal positional accuracy tests were conducted
Lineage:
Methodology:
Methodology Type: Both
Methodology Description:
Sample collection: Samples were collected from a boat in approximately the center of the river or slough, between the water surface and 1 m depth. One to three liters of water were collected in 1-liter HDPE bottles on the listed date. Samples were stored on ice and filtered in the lab the following day.

Sampling locations and times: GPS points are listed to reflect a single "standard" site. Actual sampling locations may vary by a few meters. River miles (RM Sac) are computed by measuring from the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. Upstream (river) locations have positive RM; downstream (bay) locations have negative RM.

POM d13C, d15N, and d34S; POM C:N and C:S ratio: Samples were filtered through pre-combusted 0.7 micron glass fiber filters. Organic matter was scraped from the filters, weighed, vapor-acidified (N and C), and combusted in an elemental analyzer coupled to a mass spectrometer.

DOC d13C: Sample water was filtered to 0.2 microns using a pre-rinsed syringe and filter cartridge. Sample water was acidified and stored refrigerated in 40 mL glass vials topped with septa. Analysis was conduced via wet chemical oxidation on an OI 1010 "TIC-TOC" total carbon analyzer coupled to an Isoprime mass spectrometer.

NO3 d15 and d18O: Sample water was filtered to 0.2 microns and stored frozen in 60 mL HDPE bottles. Sample water was injected into vials containing Pseudomonas aurofaciens bacteria to convert nitrate to nitrous oxide (N2O). Vials were analyzed on a modified Gilson autosampler coupled to an Isoprime mass spectrometer.

NH4 d15N: Samples were filtered to 0.2 microns and freeze-dried if applicable. NH4 was extracted by diffusion from alkaline-shifted sample water to an acidified filter. The resulting material was combusted on an elemental analyzer coupled to a mass spectrometer.

H2O d18O and d2H: Sample water was filtered to 0.2 microns and stored in tightly-capped vials. Samples were analyzed using an LGR laser spectrometer.
Process Step:
Process Description:
Isotope samples were analyzed in the Isotope Tracers lab at the USGS in Menlo Park. Chemistry data was provided by Randall Dahlgren at UC Davis.
Process Date: 7/31/2015
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Spatial Data Organization Information:

Indirect Spatial Reference Method:

no other

Direct Spatial Reference Method:

Point
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Entity and Attribute Information:

Overview Description:
Entity and Attribute Overview:
From March 2009 to December 2011, surface water samples were collected approximately monthly in the Sacramento Bay and Delta region. The samples were analyzed for nutrient and organic matter levels and stable isotopic compositions
Entity and Attribute Detail Citation:
http://water.usgs.gov/nrp/isotope-tracers/Kendall_etal_2015_DRAFT_data.xlsx
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Distribution Information:

Distributor:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Carol Kendall
Contact Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact Address:
Address Type: mailing and physical
Address: 345 Middlefield Road, MS-434
City: Menlo Park
State or Province: CA
Postal Code: 94025
Country: USA
Contact Voice Telephone: 650-329-4576
Contact Electronic Mail Address: ckendall@usgs.gov
Distribution Liability:
This database has been approved for release and publication by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Although this database has been subjected to rigorous review and is substantially complete, the USGS reserves the right to revise the data pursuant to further analysis and review. Furthermore, it is released on condition that neither the USGS nor the U.S. Government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from its authorized or unauthorized use.
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Metadata Reference Information:

Metadata Date: 8/13/2015
Metadata Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Sara Peek
Contact Organization: U.S. Geological Survey
Contact Position: Physical Science Technician
Contact Address:
Address Type: mailing and physical
Address: 345 Middlefield Road, MS-434
City: Menlo Park
State or Province: CA
Postal Code: 94025
Country: USA
Contact Voice Telephone: 650-329-4509
Contact Electronic Mail Address: speek@usgs.gov
Metadata Standard Name: FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata Standard Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
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