USGS Water-Year Summary 2023

473423095053301 WLN04 147N35W02CDCBDD Bemidji 310D

Sand and gravel aquifers (glaciated regions)
Glacial Surficial Sand and/or Gravel

LOCATION - Lat 47°34'22.48", long 95°05'34.17" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, in SW 1/4 SE 1/4 SW 1/4 sec.02, T.147 N., R.35 W., Beltrami County, MN, Hydrologic Unit 07010101, 12 miles NW of Bemidji, Minnesota, 2.3 miles SE of Pinewood, Minnesota.

REVISIONS HISTORY -

On 07 Mar. 2024, it was decided that the original prorated 4.01% total correction that was applied to the specific conductance (33.0 ft. BLS) dataset during 28 Apr. 2021 to 26 Oct. 2021 should be revised to a 0% total correction. After collecting several more years of specific conductance data, it was more apparent that originally applying this solo non-zero correction to the data created accuracy concerns to the data during this period. The revised 0% total correction now agrees with all the other 0% total corrections on this dataset during Oct. 2019 - Feb. 2024.

All water temperature data during 21 Mar. 2007 at 00:00 CDT to 19 Nov. 2015 at 09:00 CST were adjusted by -0.1°C. This adjustment was made to correct the previously uncalibrated water temperature data during this period against a newly installed, calibrated transducer thermistor, which was installed on 19 Nov. 2016 at 10:00 CST.

GROUNDWATER RECORDS

WELL CHARACTERISTICS - Depth 35.25 ft. Upper casing diameter 2.04 in; top of first opening 30.08 ft, bottom of last opening 33.08 ft. The hole for well WLN04 (aka 310D) was drilled with an 8.25-inch-diameter, hollow-stem auger drill rig to a depth of 110 feet. The well is constructed of a 3-feet-long, 2.04-inch-diameter, schedule-40 PVC, 0.010-inch slotted, flush-threaded well screen attached to length/s of 10.00 feet of 2.04-inch-diameter, schedule-40 PVC casing. The casing measuring point (stickup) was 2.70 feet above land surface when measured on 01 May 1985. The open interval of the well is between 30.08 and 33.08 feet below land surface and the well is 35.25 feet deep.

DATUM - Land-surface datum is 1,422.63 ft above North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Measuring point: Top of PVC casing that rising slightly above shelter floor, 2.7 ft above land-surface datum, May. 1, 1985 to present. The measuring point is a black mark on the top of the 2-inch diameter PVC well casing (slightly elevated from the base of the shelter), which was 2.70 feet above land surface on May 01, 1985. Elevation of the measuring point is 1425.32 ± 0.056 feet above sea level, North American Vertical Datum of 1988, based on differential GPS Survey on Oct. 25, 2010.

PERIOD OF RECORD -

Periodic water levels were recorded from 13 August 1985 to 16 June 1992. Daily water levels are recorded from 15 June 1993 to 30 June 2003 with a pressure transducer and data logger. Four-hourly water levels are recorded from 12-18 August 2003 with a pressure transducer and data logger. Hourly water levels are recorded from 19 August 2003 at 10:00 CDT to the present with a pressure transducer and data logger, except during the following periods:

Nov. 26, 2003 at 05:00 CST - Dec. 01, 2003 at 07:00 CST: due to station failure.
Dec. 23, 2003 at 10:00 CST - Dec. 29, 2003 at 06:00 CST: due to station failure.
Jan. 22, 2004 at 02:00 CST - Jan. 27, 2004 at 07:00 CST: due to station failure.
Jan. 24, 2006 at 00:00 CST - Jan. 30, 2006 at 04:00 CST: due to station failure.
Jul. 13, 2006 at 11:00 CDT - Jul. 18, 2006 at 10:00 CDT: due to station failure.
Dec. 18, 2008 at 06:00 CST - Dec. 19, 2008 at 04:00 CST: due to station failure.
Dec. 15, 2009 at 15:00 CST - Jan. 15, 2010 at 15:00 CST: due to a dead station battery.
06 Jun. 2015 at 06:00 CDT - 07 Jun. 2015 at 06:00 CDT: due to a dead station battery.
12 Jun. 2015 at 06:00 CDT - 13 Jun. 2015 at 04:00 CDT: due to a dead station battery.
Intermittent gaps: 01-10 Jul. 2015: due to a dead station battery.
10 Jul. 2015 at 16:00 CDT - 15 Jul. 2015 at 00:00 CDT: due to a dead station battery.
Aug. 12, 2015 at 17:00 CDT - Nov. 19, 2015 at 08:00 CDT: due to malfunctioning transducer.
17 Jun. 2016 at 10:00 CDT: due to an unknown WL spike.
01 Aug. 2016 at 14:00 CDT: due to a WL spikes during QW sampling at this and adjacent wells.
29 Aug. 2016 at 00:00 CDT: due to an unknown WL spike.
19 Oct. 2016 at 11:00 CDT: due to a WL spike during site visit.
16 Jun. 2018 at 11:00 CDT - 22 Jun. 2018 at 11:00 CDT: due to unknown station failure.
29 Jun. 2018 at 06:00 CDT - 30 Jun. 2018 at 08:00 CDT: due to unknown station failure.
15 Jul. 2018 at 06:00 CDT - 18 Jul. 2018 at 12:00 CDT: due to unknown station failure.
27 Aug. 2018 at 01:00 CDT - 19 Sept. 2018 at 10:00 CDT: due to unknown station failure. 
30 Jun. 2019 at 01:00-04:00 CDT: due to unknown transducer failure during this period. 

When possible, the missing daily-average water levels (above) were estimated based on the trend of the hydrograph during these periods until 1 July 2016.

Soil moisture and soil temperature data are recorded hourly from 18 Oct. 2019 at 12:00 CDT to the present.

GAGE -

Continuous water level and water temperature is currently measured with a WaterLOG H-3123 submersible pressure transducer. Data are recorded hourly by a Campbell Scientific, Inc. CR10X data logger. The datalogger is housed in a 12 in. x 14 in. fiberglass shelter, which is mounted on the side of a 2 ft. x 2 ft. aluminum shelter, which is mounted on top of the well protection post. The gage is powered by direct 110V AC power and a 12V, 18Ah station battery and is telemetered by a Sierra Wireless AirLink LX60 cellular modem.

An unheated Texas Electronic Inc. TR-525I was added to the station on 21 Aug. 2014 at 09:00 CDT. Precipitation data were published at this site during 21 Aug. 2014 at 09:00 CDT to 22 Apr. 2020 at 10:30 CDT. The rain gage is mounted on an arm that is attached to solar panel mast, and wired into the CR10X datalogger inside the shelter. The datalogger records quarter-hourly rainfall data. Rain gage is nominally accurate to 0.01 inches.

On 18 Oct. 2019, three Campbell Scientific, Inc. CS655 soil moisture/temperature probes were wired into the CR10X datalogger. These probes were installed horizontally into the side of a borehole near this well. Sensors were installed at 1.5 meters (4.92 ft.) BLS, 3.0 meters BLS (9.84 ft.), and 4.5 meters BLS (14.74 ft). Also, a Campbell Scientific, Inc. CS547A-L specific conductance and water temperature sensor was installed in the well and wired into the CR10X datalogger. This sensor is hanging at 33.0 ft. BLS in the well. All of these data are recorded hourly by the CR10X datalogger.

Soil temperature is accurate to 0.1°C, and differences in temperature are accurate to 0.1°C.

Soil moisture is accurate to 3%, and differences in soil moisture are accurate to <0.05%. The sensors used to record soil moisture at these sites measure liquid water. When soil water freezes in the vicinity of the sensors, the sensors record an apparent decrease in soil moisture. This apparent decrease in soil moisture is caused by the sensors’ inability to detect frozen water rather than actual changes in soil water content. At nearby sites, the uppermost sensor (0-30cm), soil moisture values are variably affected by freezing beginning with the onset of soil frost in the fall and continuing through spring thaw. It is difficult to ascertain how much of the soil moisture changes during the fall to spring periods are due to freezing/thawing of soil water versus infiltration of precipitation or thawing snow. At this site, the sensor installed at 150cm has a much more pronounced decrease in soil moisture when soil water freezes, followed by a subsequent sharp increase when soil water thaws. 

Specific conductance is accurate to 5%.

COOPERATION - Well WLN04 is operated in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey's Toxic Substances Hydrology Program, U.S. Geological Survey's Climate Response Network (CRN) Program, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Enbridge Energy Inc., and Beltrami County. This well is located at the National Crude-Oil Spill Research Site near Bemidji, Minnesota.

REMARKS - NOTE: Continuous water level data during winter months commonly noisier and oscillating. This is likely due to influences from the frozen ground. There is typically some noise in the water level record during the summer months as well, but not as much as during winter months. This is common among the continuous water level GW sites at the Bemidji research site. Also, sharp rises and falls in water level unit values are real, when compared against nearby sites at the Bemidji research site.

CLIMATOLOGICAL RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD -

Quarter-hourly precipitation is recorded from 21 August 2014 at 09:00 CDT to 22 April 2020 at 10:30 CDT, except during the following periods:

06 Jun. 2015 at 06:00 CDT - 08 Jun. 2015 at 07:00 CDT: due to program loss from dying battery.
12 Jun. 2015 at 06:00 CDT - 29 Jun. 2015 at 07:00 CDT: due to program loss from dying battery.
30 Jun. 2015 at 20:00 CDT - 15 Jul. 2015 at 00:00 CDT: due to program loss from dying battery.
18 Apr. 2016 at 17:30-18:00 CDT: due to rain gage calibration during this period.
16 Jun. 2018 at 11:00 CDT - 22 Jun. 2018 at 11:00 CDT: due to unknown station failure. 
29 Jun. 2018 at 06:00 CDT - 30 Jun. 2018 at 08:00 CDT: due to unknown station failure.
15 Jul. 2018 at 06:00 CDT - 18 Jul. 2018 at 12:00 CDT: due to unknown station failure.
27 Aug. 2018 at 01:00 CDT - 18 Sept. 2018 at 17:15 CDT: due to unknown station failure. 
18 Sept. 2018 at 17:15-18:30 CDT: due to unknown station failure. 
19 Sept. 2018 at 05:15-09:45 CDT: due to unknown station failure. 

Daily-sum values were not estimated during these missing periods.

INSTRUMENTATION -

Precipitation is measured with a Texas Electronics TRP-525I tipping-bucket rain gage, which is accurate to 0.01 inches. The rain gage is unheated and uncovered during the winter. Thus precipitation data during freezing periods (about December through early April) result from melting of snow during warm periods and do NOT represent actual precipitation.

Beginning on 22 Apr. 2020, when comparing these precipitation data with the nearby precipitation data at well 604B (USGS 473425095052602) (located in wide-open area), it was apparent these precipitation data were becoming more affected by growing pine trees surrounding the rain gage.  These precipitation data values were less than what was being recorded at well 604B, especially during heavy thunderstorm events. These precipitation data are no longer accurate throughout the non-freezing period due to the taller pine trees shielding some rainfall events. Therefore, precipitation data will no longer be processed into the final/published dataset at this site. However, the rain gage will still be calibrated every spring. These precipitation data will continue to be collected as a 'backup' precipitation dataset for the Bemidji Site, in case something happens to the raingage at well 604B.

Nearby precipitation data are still actively collected and published at site: USGS 473425095052602 - 604B Bemidji Toxics Research Site 0000273836. This precipitation record is 550 ft. NE of this site.

WATER-QUALITY RECORDS

WELL CHARACTERISTICS - Depth 35.25 ft. Upper casing diameter 2.04 in; top of first opening 30.08 ft, bottom of last opening 33.08 ft. The hole for well WLN04 (aka 310D) was drilled with an 8.25-inch-diameter, hollow-stem auger drill rig to a depth of 110 feet. The well is constructed of a 3-feet-long, 2.04-inch-diameter, schedule-40 PVC, 0.010-inch slotted, flush-threaded well screen attached to length/s of 10.00 feet of 2.04-inch-diameter, schedule-40 PVC casing. The casing measuring point (stickup) was 2.70 feet above land surface when measured on 01 May 1985. The open interval of the well is between 30.08 and 33.08 feet below land surface and the well is 35.25 feet deep.

DATUM - Land-surface datum is 1,422.63 ft above North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Measuring point: Top of PVC casing that rising slightly above shelter floor, 2.7 ft above land-surface datum, May. 1, 1985 to present. The measuring point is a black mark on the top of the 2-inch diameter PVC well casing (slightly elevated from the base of the shelter), which was 2.70 feet above land surface on May 01, 1985. Elevation of the measuring point is 1425.32 ± 0.056 feet above sea level, North American Vertical Datum of 1988, based on differential GPS Survey on Oct. 25, 2010.

PERIOD OF RECORD -

Water temperature (34.5 ft. BLS):

Water temperature was recorded hourly from 20 May 2007 at 16:00 CDT to the present, except during the following periods: 

Dec. 18, 2008 at 06:00 CST - Dec. 19, 2008 at 04:00 CST: due to station failure.
Dec. 15, 2009 at 15:00 CST - Jan. 15, 2010 at 15:00 CST: due to a dead station battery.
06 Jun. 2015 at 06:00 CDT - 08 Jun. 2015 at 07:00 CDT: due to program loss from dying battery.
12 Jun. 2015 at 06:00 CDT - 29 Jun. 2015 at 07:00 CDT: due to program loss from dying battery.
30 Jun. 2015 at 20:00 CDT - 15 Jul. 2015 at 00:00 CDT: due to program loss from dying battery.
01 Aug. 2016 at 14:00 - 02 Aug. 2016 at 04:00 CDT: due to a WT spike during QW sampling.
15 Jun. 2018 at 10:00 CDT - 22 Jun. 2018 at 11:00 CDT: due to unknown station failure. 
29 Jun. 2018 at 06:00 CDT - 01 Jul. 2018 at 00:00 CDT: due to unknown station failure.
15 Jul. 2018 at 06:00 CDT - 18 Jul. 2018 at 12:00 CDT: due to unknown station failure.
27 Aug. 2018 at 01:00 CDT - 18 Sept. 2018 at 17:00 CDT: due to unknown station failure. 
05 Aug. 2020 at 16:00-21:00 CDT: due to transducer removal during water-quality sampling. 

When possible, the missing daily-average water temperatures (above) were estimated based on the trend of the thermograph during these periods until 1 July 2016.

Water temperature (33.0 ft. BLS):

Water temperature was recorded hourly from 18 Oct. 2019 at 10:00 CDT to the present.

Specific Conductance, uS/cm, (33.0 ft. BLS):

Specific conductance was recorded hourly from 18 Oct. 2019 at 10:00 CDT to the present, except during the following periods:

29 Jan. 2020 at 13:00 CST - 30 Jan. 2020 at 14:00 CST: due to deleting an equilibration spike after servicing the sensor.
26 Jan. 2021 at 14:00 CST - 31 Jan. 2021 at 22:00 CST: due to deleting an equilibration spike after servicing the sensor.
28 Jul. 2021 at 12:00 CDT - 03 Aug. 2021 at 17:00 CDT: due to deleting an equilibration spike after servicing the sensor.
27 Apr. 2022 at 15:00 CDT - 28 Apr. 2022 at 09:00 CDT: due to deleting an equilibration spike after servicing the sensor.
23 Jan. 2023 at 15:00 CST - 25 Jan. 2023 at 17:00 CST: due to deleting an equilibration spike after servicing the sensor.
25 Apr. 2023 at 10:00 CDT - 29 Apr. 2023 at 01:00 CDT: due to deleting an equilibration spike after servicing the sensor.
24 Jul. 2023 at 14:00 CDT - 01 Aug. 2023 at 14:00 CDT: due to deleting an equilibration spike after servicing the sensor.
21 Oct. 2023 at 14:00 CDT - 28 Oct. 2023 at 06:00 CDT: due to deleting an equilibration spike after servicing the sensor.
01 Feb. 2024 at 13:00-17:00 CST: due to deleting an equilibration spike after servicing the sensor.

COOPERATION - Well WLN04 is operated in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey's Toxic Substances Hydrology Program, U.S. Geological Survey's Climate Response Network (CRN) Program, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Enbridge Energy Inc., and Beltrami County. This well is located at the National Crude-Oil Spill Research Site near Bemidji, Minnesota.

INSTRUMENTATION -

Specific conductance data (uS/cm) (33.0 ft. BLS) are currently measured with a Campbell Scientific, Inc. CS547A-L conductance/temperature sensor during 18 Oct. 2019 at 12:00 CDT to the present, which are accurate to ±5%.

Water temperature data (33.0 ft. BLS) are currently measured with a Campbell Scientific, Inc. CS527A-L conductance/temperature sensor during 18 Oct. 2019 at 13:00 CDT to the present, which are accurate to ±0.3°C, due to noisiness of the water temperature record. Differences in temperature are also accurate to 0.3°C. 

Water temperature data (34.5 ft. BLS) are currently measured with a WaterLOG H-3123 submersible pressure transducer during 19 Nov. 2015 at 09:00 CDT to the present, which are accurate to ±0.1°C. Differences in temperature are also accurate to 0.1°C. 

Water temperature data (34.5 ft. BLS) were measured with a KPSI 500 submersible pressure transducer during 20 Mar. 2007 at 16:00 CDT to 19 Nov. 2015 at 08:00 CST, which were accurate to ±0.3°C, due to noisiness in the water temperature record. Differences in temperature are accurate to 0.3°C.