A US Geological Survey Next Generation Water Observing Systems (NGWOS) Research and Development 'testbed' site was established near the Mason-Tazewell Drainage Ditch (also known as Quiver Creek) in Mason County, IL for the purpose of better understanding the effects of groundwater and surface water interactions on the fate and transport of excess nutrients, specifically nitrate. A Fiber Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing (FO-DTS) survey was conducted within the stream reach adjacent to the well cluster to pinpoint areas of discrete groundwater discharge to the river. DTS data were used to identify locations where longer-term deployments of vertical temperature profilers (VTP) were conducted to indirectly estimate vertical groundwater discharge (m/d) at the shallow streambed interface through time using collected temperatures time-series. Point measurements of streambed thermal properties were made using a Tempos thermal property analyzer where the DTS survey suggested discrete groundwater seepage was occurring. This was done in efforts to support the future modeling of groundwater discharge rates (1D, i.e., L/T) using collected vertical temperature profiles from installed VTP's.
Seepage meter measurements were made at select locations on the streambed to better understand flux occurring at the streambed interface from direct measurements of discharge. When these meters were emplaced piezometers were installed next to them for determining vertical hydraulic gradients. This information was used to determine estimates of vertical hydraulic conductivity when combined with measured discharge flux rates from the seepage meters. Additionally, these piezometers were pumped, and instantaneous water quality information was collected using water quality sondes (YSI EXO2) in the field. Continuous water level information was also collected (In-Situ LevelTroll) in some of the piezometers to identify diurnal changes that might occur during the deployment period. Two piezometers were left in place at 80 cm and 160 cm below the stream bed to look at head gradients under different hydrologic conditions. There are two infrared images included in this data release and both were taken with a FLIR E8 camera. One is taken in the stream looking back towards the wells, a large seep was identified in this area. Another was taken downstream of the wells on the southern bank.
This data release includes 6 compressed folders: 1) FO_DTS_PROCESSED_MASON.zip includes all processed FO-DTS data including a local readme.txt file that explains the contents in detail. 2) FO_DTS_RAW_MASON.zip includes all raw FO-DTS data including a local readme.txt file that explains the contents in detail. 3) SEEPAGE_AND_GRADIENTS_MASON.zip includes all the information related to piezometers and seepage meters including a local readme.txt file that explains the contents in detail. 4) VTP_DATA_MASON.zip includes all information related to VTP and thermal property measurements made in the streambed sediments including a local readme.txt file that explains the contents in detail. 5) MASONCO_DTSCABLELINE includes an ESRI ArcGIS shapefile and associated files that show the FODTS line layout as interpolated between GPS points collected along the line for georeferencing. 6) MASONCO_MEASUREMENT_LOCATIONS includes and ESRI ArcGIS shapefile and associated files that show locations where measurement contained in this data release were made. References for methods and data contained in this data release: Barclay, J. R., Briggs, M. A., Moore, E. M., Starn, J. J., Hanson, A. E. H., & Helton, A. M. (2022). Where groundwater seeps: Evaluating modeled groundwater discharge patterns with thermal infrared surveys at the river-network scale. Advances in Water Resources, 160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2021.104108 Briggs, M. A., Jackson, K. E., Liu, F., Moore, E. M., Bisson, A., & Helton, A. M. (2022). Exploring Local Riverbank Sediment Controls on the Occurrence of Preferential Groundwater Discharge Points. Water, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/w14010011 Tyler, S.W., Selker, J.S., Hausner, M.B., Hatch C.E., Torgersen, T., Thodal C.E., Schladow, G.S. (2008). Environmental temperature sensing using Raman spectra DTS fiber-optic methods. Water Resources Research, Vol. 45. doi:10.1029/2008WR007052, 2009 Rosenberry & Hayashi (2013). Assessing and Measuring Wetland Hydrology, Chpt. 3. Cunningham, W.L., and Schalk, C.W., comps., 2011, Groundwater Technical Procedures of the U.S. Geological Survey: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods, book 1, chap. A1, 151 p.https://doi.org/10.3133/tm1A1