url <- "https://amnh1.osn.mghpcc.org/bio230121-bucket01/vera4cast/targets/project_id=vera4cast/duration=P1D/daily-insitu-targets.csv.gz"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:
url_inflow <- "https://amnh1.osn.mghpcc.org/bio230121-bucket01/vera4cast/targets/project_id=vera4cast/duration=P1D/daily-inflow-targets.csv.gz"library(tidyverse)
targets <- read_csv(url, show_col_types = FALSE)
inflow_targets <- read_csv(url_inflow, show_col_types = FALSE)
targets <- dplyr::bind_rows(targets, inflow_targets)Description of Target File Columns
| Column_Name | Data_Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| project_id | character | unique project identifier |
| site_id | character | unique site identifier |
| datetime | POSIXct | datetime of the observed value (ISO 8601) |
| duration | character | temporal duration of target (hourly = PT1H, daily = P1D, etc.); follows ISO 8601 duration convention |
| depth_m | numeric | depth (meters) in water column of observation |
| variable | character | observation variable |
| observation | numeric | observed value for variable |
Sites
site_list <- read_csv("https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LTREB-reservoirs/vera4cast/main/vera4cast_field_site_metadata.csv", show_col_types = FALSE)| site | site_id | max_depth_m | surface_area_km2 | latitude | longitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaverdam Reservoir | bvre | 13.4 | 0.39 | 37.31291 | -79.81594 |
| Falling Creek Reservoir | fcre | 9.3 | 0.12 | 37.30315 | -79.83722 |
| Tunnel Branch | tubr | NA | NA | 37.30782 | -79.83568 |
Target variable list
Physical variables
| variable | duration | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Temp_C_mean | P1D | 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)
url2 <- "https://amnh1.osn.mghpcc.org/bio230121-bucket01/vera4cast/targets/project_id=vera4cast/duration=P1D/daily-inflow-targets.csv.gz"
inflow_targets <- read_csv(url2, show_col_types = FALSE)| variable | duration | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Flow_cms_mean | P1D | daily discharge from inflow stream cubic meters per second |
| Temp_C_mean | P1D | daily mean water temperature in degrees C |
Other variables measured in at the stream inflow:
| variable | duration | Description |
|---|---|---|
| TP_ugL_sample | P1D | daily sampled total phosphorus concentration in mg/L |
| NH4_ugL_sample | P1D | daily sampled ammonium concentration in ug/L |
| NO3NO2_ugL_sample | P1D | daily sampled nitrate concentration in ug/L |
| SRP_ugL_sample | P1D | daily sampled soluble reactive phosphorus concentration ug/L |
| DOC_mgL_sample | P1D | daily sampled dissolved organic carbon concentration in mg/L |
| DRSI_mgL_sample | P1D | daily sampled silica concentration in mg/L |
| TN_ugL_sample | P1D | daily sampled total nitrogen concentration mg/L |
| CO2_umolL_sample | P1D | daily sampled dissolved carbon dioxide in umol/L, taken at the surface |
| DIC_mgL_sample | P1D | daily sample dissolved organic carbon concentration in mg/L |
| DC_mgL_sample | P1D | daily sample dissolved carbon concentration in mg/L |
| DN_mgL_sample | P1D | daily sample dissolved nitrogen concentration in mg/L |
Falling Creek Reservoir meteorology
Daily time-step variables measured at the meteorological station (located on the dam at Falling Creek Reservoir)
url3 <- "https://amnh1.osn.mghpcc.org/bio230121-bucket01/vera4cast/targets/project_id=vera4cast/duration=P1D/daily-met-targets.csv.gz"
met_targets <- read_csv(url3, show_col_types = FALSE)
#glimpse(met_targets)| variable | duration | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PAR_umolm2s_mean | P1D | Daily mean PAR |
| BP_kPa_mean | P1D | Daily mean surface pressure |
| AirTemp_C_mean | P1D | Daily mean air temperature |
| RH_percent_mean | P1D | Daily mean relative humidity |
| WindSpeed_ms_mean | P1D | Daily mean wind speed |
| WindDir_degrees_mean | P1D | Daily mean wind direction |
| ShortwaveRadiationUp_Wm2_mean | P1D | Daily mean shortwave radiation |
| InfraredRadiationUp_Wm2_mean | P1D | Daily mean longwave radiation |
| Albedo_Wm2_mean | P1D | Daily mean surface albedo |
| Rain_mm_sum | P1D | Daily sum of precipitation |
Hourly time-step variables measured at the meteorology station (located on the dam at Falling Creek Reservoir)
url3 <- "https://amnh1.osn.mghpcc.org/bio230121-bucket01/vera4cast/targets/project_id=vera4cast/duration=PT1H/hourly-met-targets.csv.gz"Other variables measured in the reservoirs
| variable | duration | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SpCond_uScm_mean | P1D | 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 |
| NH4_ugL_sample | P1D | daily sampled ammonium concentration in ug/L |
| NO3NO2_ugL_sample | P1D | daily sampled nitrate concentration in ug/L |
| SRP_ugL_sample | P1D | daily sampled soluble reactive phosphorus concentration ug/L |
| DOC_mgL_sample | P1D | daily sampled dissolved organic carbon concentration in mg/L |
| DIC_mgL_sample | P1D | daily sample dissolved organic carbon concentration in mg/L |
| DC_mgL_sample | P1D | daily sample dissolved carbon concentration in mg/L |
| DN_mgL_sample | P1D | daily sample dissolved nitrogen concentration in mg/L |
| CO2_umolL_sample | P1D | daily sampled dissolved carbon dioxide in umol/L, taken at the surface |
| DRSI_mgL_sample | P1D | daily sampled silica concentration in mg/L |