For the VERA Challenge, we are forecasting a range of physical, chemical, and biological reservoir variables, called “targets”. The targets for the VERA Challenge are in a specific daily time step format. To see the current focal targets we are soliciting submissions for in the VERA Challenge, explore the variables described below. Note that additional target variables related to the primary inflow stream to Falling Creek Reservoir as well as meteorological variables at Falling Creek Reservoir are provided in separate files under the section “Additional target variables” below.
Targets Overview
Daily time-step variables measured within the reservoirs:
daily mean water temperature in degrees C, focal depths bvre = 1.5 m, fcre = 1.6 m, measured using EXO and thermistor
Secchi_m_sample
P1D
Secchi depth in meters
Flow_cms_mean
P1D
daily discharge from inflow stream cubic meters per second
Chemical variables
variable
duration
Description
fDOM_QSU_mean
P1D
daily mean fluorescent dissolved organic matter (quinine sulfate units) from EXO; focal depths bvre = 1.5 m, fcre = 1.6 m
DO_mgL_mean
P1D
daily mean oxygen in milligrams per liter from EXO; focal depths bvre = 1.5 m, fcre = 1.6 m, measured using EXO and RDO
CO2flux_umolm2s_mean
P1D
mean daily flux of carbon dioxide from reservoir surface umol per meter squared per second
CH4flux_umolm2s_mean
P1D
mean daily flux of methane from reservoir surface umol per meter squared per second
CH4_umolL_sample
P1D
daily sampled dissolved methane in umol/L, taken at the surface
Biological variables
variable
duration
Description
Chla_ugL_mean
P1D
daily mean chlorophyll a in micrograms per liter from Exo; focal depths bvre = 1.5 m, fcre = 1.6 m
Bloom_binary_mean
P1D
binary indicator of bloom occurrence (Chla_ugL_mean > 20 ugL)
Additional target variables
We are collecting many additional datasets in near-real time at the reservoirs that can be used for forecasting, even though they are not the focal target variables evaluated in the VERA Challenge.
Stream inflow to Falling Creek Reservoir
Daily time-step variables measured in the monitored stream (Tunnel Branch; site_id = tubr)
daily mean specific conductance in microsiemens per centimeter from EXO
Turbidity_FNU_mean
P1D
daily mean turbidity in Formazin Nephelometric Units from EXO
DOsat_percent_mean
P1D
daily mean oxygen percent saturation from EXO
GreenAlgae_ugL_sample
P1D
the total biomass of green algae in micrograms per liter at 1.6 m
Bluegreens_ugL_sample
P1D
the total biomass of cyanobacteria in micrograms per liter at 1.6 m
BrownAlgae_ugL_sample
P1D
the total biomass of brown algae in micrograms per liter at 1.6 m
MixedAlgae_ugL_sample
P1D
the total biomass of cryptophytes in micrograms per liter at 1.6 m
GreenAlgaeCM_ugL_sample
P1D
the total biomass of green algae in micrograms per liter at the deep chlorophyll maximum
BluegreensCM_ugL_sample
P1D
the total biomass of bluegreen algae in micrograms per liter at the deep chlorophyll maximum
BrownAlgaeCM_ugL_sample
P1D
the total biomass of brown algae in micrograms per liter at the deep chlorophyll maximum
ChlorophyllMaximum_depth_sample
P1D
the depth of the maximum chlorophyll concentration
DeepChlorophyllMaximum_binary_sample
P1D
the presence or absence of a deep chlorophyll maximum, defined as ((1) a peak was present, with a biomass maximum at least 0.5 μg L−1 greater and 1.5× the magnitude of mean photic zone biomass (following Leach et al. 2018); and (2) the peak was deep, with a depth of maximum biomass below the top 10% of the water column); definition taken from Lofton et al. 2020
MOM_binary_sample
P1D
presence or absence of metalimnetic oxygen minimum
ThermoclineDepth_m_mean
P1D
daily mean thermocline depth meters
SchmidtStability_Jm2_mean
P1D
daily mean schimdt stability joules per square meter
TN_ugL_sample
P1D
daily sampled total nitrogen concentration mg/L
TP_ugL_sample
P1D
daily sampled total phosphorus concentration in mg/L