High resolution water quality and dissolved carbon data from a coastal Louisiana salt marsh from 2019 to 2022

Continuous water quality sensor data were collected at USGS 292939089544400 Wilkinson Bayou cutoff north of Wilkinson Bay, LA gage. Field water-quality measurements were collected using a YSI EXO2 water-quality sonde equipped with a data logger to capture hourly data using sensors for measuring water temperature, specific conductance, salinity, pH, oxidation and reduction potential (ORP), fluorescent dissolved organic matter (fDOM), and turbidity. The monitor was housed in an 8-inch diameter polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe attached to a temporary wooden structure near the gage. Measurements were collected from a fixed mid-depth point in the water column. All data were collected using U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) protocols and data are stored in the National Water Information System (NWIS) database. Records processing of measurement results for fouling and drift corrections of the data followed the USGS Techniques and Methods for continuous water-quality monitors (Wagner, et al., 2006), except for ORP and drift corrections for fDOM. ORP were uncorrected and were reported from the sonde directly. fDOM was evaluated for drift using periodic side by side comparisons with a new factory calibrated sensor to check for lamp degradation in the sensor and calibration checks were performed using onsite prepared fDOM standard. fDOM data have not been corrected for temperature, turbidity, or inner-filter effects (Booth et al., 2023). Turbidity drift corrections were applied using Wagner et al. (2006) except in some cases where it was determined not helpful to apply the correction based on unstable site conditions during the site visit. Sample results from July of 2019 to May 2022 are reported in this data release. Booth, A., Fleck, J., Pellerin, B.A., Hansen, A., Etheridge, A., Foster, G.M., Graham, J.L., Bergamaschi, B.A., Carpenter, K.D., Downing, B.D., Rounds, S.A., and Saraceno, J., 2023, Field techniques for fluorescence measurements targeting dissolved organic matter, hydrocarbons, and wastewater in environmental waters: Principles and guidelines for instrument selection, operation and maintenance, quality assurance, and data reporting: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods, book 1, chap. D11, 41 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/tm1D11. Wagner, R.J., Boulger, R.W., Jr., Oblinger, C.J., and Smith, B.A., 2006, Guidelines and standard procedures for continuous water-quality monitors—Station operation, record computation, and data reporting: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods 1–D3, 51 p. + 8 attachments; accessed August 3, 2022, at https://pubs.usgs.gov/tm/2006/tm1D3/pdf/TM1D3.pdf.