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Calibration data and model archive summaries for suspended-sediment, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus concentration surrogate models in York County, Pennsylvania, 2019-2023

March 27, 2024

Total Nitrogen models are still in development and are not yet available. Anticipated availability is early April 2024. Information on this page will be edited as needed.
 
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the York County Planning Commission and York County Conservation District, has collected discrete stream samples for analysis of suspended-sediment, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus concentrations at six real-time streamflow and water-quality monitoring (turbidity and nitrate) stations located in York County, Pennsylvania. Data were collected from 2019-2023 at these stations for the application of predicting suspended-sediment, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus concentrations using real-time continuous turbidity, nitrate, and streamflow. Regression equations were developed by relating discrete-sample suspended sediment and continuous turbidity, discrete sample total nitrogen and continuous nitrate, and total phosphorus and continuous turbidity data, and streamflow data. Regression equations included possible explanatory variables (independent variables) of continuous turbidity, continuous nitrate, streamflow, and calculated seasonal terms; and the response variables (dependant variables) of suspended-sediment, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus concentration using base-10 logarithmic (log10) or natural log (ln) transformations as appropriate on both the discrete and continuous data.
 
Data files in .csv format for SSC and TP models include the variables of datetime (nearest 15-minutes), sample datetime (exact time of sample), suspended sediment, and total phosphorus concentrations (in milligrams per liter, mg/L), turbidity (in formazin nephelometric units, FNU), streamflow (Q, cubic feet per second, cfs), suspended-sediment particles classified as “fine” (smaller than 0.0625 millimeters, in percent), the log base 10 transformed variables of suspended-sediment and phosphorus concentrations, log-10 turbidity, log-10 streamflow, and the calculated seasonal terms of JulianDay (Julian Day, integer representation of day of year), sin(2*pi*Julian Day/365), and cos(2*pi*Julian Day/365), and sand (suspended-sediment particles classified as “sand”, 100 – fines, in percent).
 
Models were developed for 6 stream sites at or near these USGS stream gages:
 
01573660 Fishing Creek at Goldsboro, PA
01574000 West Conewago Creek near Manchester, PA
01575598 Codorus Creek near Saginaw, PA
01576007 Kreutz Creek at Strickler, PA
01576045 Fishing Creek at Craley, PA
01577500 Muddy Creek at Castle Fin, PA

Data sources for models:
 
For the models developed for station 01573660, discrete and continuous data are based on data from station 01573660.
For the models developed for station 01574000, discrete and continuous data are based on data from station 01574000.
For the models developed for station 01575598, discrete and continuous data are based on data from station 01575598.
For the models developed for station 01576007, discrete and continuous data are based on data from station 01576007.
For the models developed for station 01576045, discrete and continuous data are based on data from station 01576045.
For the models developed for station 01577500, discrete and continuous data are based on data from station 01577500.

Publication Year 2024
Title Calibration data and model archive summaries for suspended-sediment, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus concentration surrogate models in York County, Pennsylvania, 2019-2023
DOI 10.5066/P9B8XYEL
Authors Natalie K Schmer, Joseph W Duris, Matthew C Gyves, Lisa G Carper, Victor S Cortes, Hilary J. Dozier, Mitchell R Weaver
Product Type Data Release
Record Source USGS Digital Object Identifier Catalog
USGS Organization Pennsylvania Water Science Center