Precipitation Chemistry along an Inland Transect on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington

Metadata:

• Identification_Information
• Data_Quality_Information
• Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
• Spatial_Reference_Information
• Entity_and_Attribute_Information
• Distribution_Information
• Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Roger D. Blew and Robert L. Edmonds

Publication_Date: 1995

Title:

Precipitation Chemistry along an Inland Transect on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington

Series_Information:

Series_Name: Journal of Environmental Quality

Issue_Identification: 24: 239-245

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Madison, WI

Publisher:

Published cooperatively by American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America

Description:

Abstract:

Little is known about the changes in precipitation chemistry associated with the ocean/continent interface. The objective of this study was to examine oceanic influences, seasonal variation, and effect of distance from the ocean on the chemistry of bulk precipitation falling on the Pacific coast of Washington state. Bulk precipitation was collected at sites 4, 13, 24 and 31 km inland from the Pacific Ocean. Mean electrical conductivity of precipitation ranged from 0.47 to 1.02 mS m-1 and mean pH ranged from 5.3 to 5.6. Annual precipitation increased from 2780 mm at 4 km to approximately 3500 mm at 13 km from the coast and remained constant through 31 km inland. Precipitation was highest in the late fall and winter months and lowest during the summer. Rates of deposition of sea salt ions had a similar seasonal pattern to that of precipitation. Concentrations of Cl, SO4, Mg, Na, and excess Ca were highest nearest to the coast and were reflected in higher electrical conductivity in precipitation falling closest to the coast. Much of the change in precipitation chemistry occurred between 4 and 13 km from the coast. This corresponds to the change in precipitation and suggests that the changes in chemistry are dilution effects due to increased rainfall. Annual deposition of Na, K, Mg, Ca, excess Ca, NO3 and Cl were lower at the collection site farthest from the ocean. Sulfate deposition remained relatively unchanged with increased distance from the ocean, however, excess SO4 deposition increased and deposition of SO4 from sea salt (total minus excess) decreased with increasing distance from the ocean.

Purpose:

interfaces. The present study attempted to assess changes in precipitation chemistry at the Pacific Ocean/Olympic Peninsula interface on a finer spatial scale. Objectives were to: (i) determine the effect of distance inland from the Pacific Ocean on concentrations of major cations and anions in bulk precipitation, (ii) determine spatial and seasonal variation in deposition rates of major cations and anions on coastal temperate rain forests, and (iii) examine oceanic influences on precipitation chemistry on the Pacific coast.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 198902

Ending_Date: 199209

Currentness_Reference: Observed

Status:

Progress: Complete

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None Planned

Spatial_Domain:

Description_of_Geographic_Extent:

The study site was located in the Hoh River Valley on the western side of Olympic National Park, WA and extended from the Pacific Ocean to the edge of Olympic National Park

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -124.4

East_Bounding_Coordinate: -124

North_Bounding_Coordinate: 47.8

South_Bounding_Coordinate: 47.75

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Theme_Keyword: bulk precipitation

Theme_Keyword: transect

Theme_Keyword: water chemistry

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Place_Keyword: Washington

Place_Keyword: Olympic Peninsula

Place_Keyword: Hoh River valley

Place_Keyword: USA

Stratum:

Stratum_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Temporal:

Temporal_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Access_Constraints: Must contact author for data

Use_Constraints: Must cite author if using data in publication

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Georgia Murray

Contact_Organization: University of Washington

Contact_Position: Research Scientist

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Mailing and Physical Address

Address: University of Washington

Address: PO Box 352100

City: Seattle

State_or_Province: WA

Postal_Code: 98195

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: (206) 543-8242

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: gmurray@u.washington.edu

Security_Information:

Security_Classification_System: None

Security_Classification: None

Security_Handling_Description: None

Cross_Reference:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Robert L. Edmonds

Originator: Roger D. Blew

Originator: James L. Marra

Originator: Amy K. Barg

Originator: Georgia Murray

Originator: Ted B. Thomas

Publication_Date: In press

Title:

Vegetation Patterns, Hydrology, and Water Chemistry in Small Watersheds in the Hoh River Valley, Olympic National Park

Series_Information:

Issue_Identification: Scientific Monograph NPSD/NRUSGS/NRSM - 98/02

Publication_Information:

Publisher:

United States Department of Interior, National Park Service

Data_Quality_Information:

Lineage:

Methodology:

Methodology_Type: Field

Methodology_Identifier:

Methodology_Keyword_Thesaurus: none

Methodology_Keyword: precipitation collection

Methodology_Keyword: chemical analysis

Methodology_Description:

Field Sampling Procedures Precipitation The precipitation transect was located immediately west of the Olympic National Park boundary (32 km from the Pacific coast) and extended to within 4 km of the coast (Fig. 1). Four sampling sites were located in clearcuts on Washington State Department of Natural Resources land. Sampling sites were located 4, 13, 24, and 31 km from the ocean at elevations of 120, 100, 170, and 200 m respectively. At each sampling location there were two bulk precipitation collectors and a Belfort standard raingage. Each bulk collector consisted of a 20 cm diam. polyethylene funnel with a netted top to exclude debris. The precipitation drained from the funnel into a polyethylene bag. Samples were poured into triple rinsed 1 L polyethylene bottle and transported to the Analytical Laboratory at the College of Forest Resources, University of Washington within 48 h of collection and stored at 4 (C. Samples used in this analysis were collected between February 1989 and September 1992. Sampling at the intermediate sites (13 and 24 km from ocean) was discontinued in October 1991. Samples were collected at two week intervals through June of 1990 and then at four week intervals thereafter. Laboratory Analytical Procedures Solution Chemical Analysis Electrical conductivity, pH and alkalinity were determined on non-filtered samples within a few days after arrival at the laboratory. Electrical conductivity was determined with a YSI Model 31 Conductivity Bridge (Yellow Springs Instrument Co., Yellow Springs, OH 45387) and pH with a Radiometer PHM85 pH meter (Radiometer, Copenhagen, Denmark). Alkalinity was determined by titration (Rhoades, 1982) to an end point of pH 5. Remaining samples were filtered through Whatman GF/A filters, stored at 4 (C and analyzed within a month after arrival at the laboratory. Solutions were analyzed for Ca, Mg, K, and Na, using a IL 951 Atomic Absorption Analyzer (Instrumentation Laboratory, Wilmington, MA 01887). Ammonium and NO3 were determined with a Technicon Autoanalyzer II (Technicon, Tarrytown, NY 10591). Sulfate, Cl, and PO4 were determined with a Dionex 2100 Ion Chromatograph (Dionex, Sunnyvale, CA 94088). Macro Kjeldahl digests were done on all samples having sufficient volume and those digests were analyzed for N and P.

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

Data Analysis Data screening was a three step processes based on the procedures of Vong (1989). First, samples were eliminated if field notes made at the time of sample collection indicated any obvious problems with the sample's quality. The next screening step excluded those samples with an Ion Percent Difference (IPD) greater than 40%. Finally, samples were screened on the basis of the Cl:Na ratio. Precipitation collected within several hundred kilometers of the ocean generally has the same Cl:Na ratio as sea water (Junge, 1963). Samples with Cl:Na ratios that deviated from the sea salt ratio of 1.17 (1.8 mass ratio) by of factor greater than 2 were excluded from the data set. This screening insured the accurate evaluation of Na necessary for determination of sea salt corrections for SO4 and Ca. Sulfate and Ca in excess of that expected from sea salt were calculated based on ratios with Na in sea salt. Correlation coefficients and their Bonferroni probabilities (Wilkinson, 1990) were calculated to investigate relationships between concentrations of measured chemical parameters and with precipitation depth. The effect of distance from the ocean on concentrations in precipitation was investigated using volume weighted mean concentrations from each collector at each site (n = 2). Volumes were based on precipitation depth in Belfort raingages at each site. Statistical analysis included ANOVA and multiple comparisons by Tukey's HSD (Wilkinson, 1990). Mean deposition rates were calculated by totaling deposition for each of 13 four-week periods each year and then averaging equivalent periods across years. Annual deposition rates were determined by totaling the 13 four-week means. This method of calculation was necessary due to missing data for several four-week periods that did not allow for calculation of annual totals for each individual year. Unfortunately, this calculation allowed only for an estimate of the average annual deposition and did not allow for any estimation of the variability associated with annual deposition. Wet deposition data from the Hoh Ranger Station (National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network, 1992) was used for comparison to the data collected in this study as an extension of the transect to 41 km inland.

Process_Date: 1989-1992

Process_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Georgia Murray

Contact_Organization: University of Washington

Contact_Position: Research Scientist

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Mailing and Physical Address

Address: University of Washington

Address: PO Box 352100

City: Seattle

State_or_Province: WA

Postal_Code: 98195

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: (206) 543-8242

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: gmurray@u.washington.edu

Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Georgia Murray

Contact_Organization: University of Washington

Contact_Position: Research Scientist

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Mailing and Physical Address

Address: University of Washington

Address: PO Box 352100

City: Seattle

State_or_Province: WA

Postal_Code: 98195

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: (206) 543-8242

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: gmurray@u.washington.edu

Resource_Description: Excel spreadsheet

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 19980923

Metadata_Review_Date: 19990909

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: Olympic Natural Resources Center

Contact_Position: GIS Specialist

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing address

Address: PO Box 1628

City: Forks

State_or_Province: WA

Postal_Code: 98331

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 360.374.3220 x258

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 360.374.3336

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: onrc@u.washington.edu

Hours_of_Service: M-F 8-5

Contact_Instructions: Email preferred

Metadata_Standard_Name:

Content Standards for National Biological Information Infrastructure Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version:

NBII Draft of December 1995, Based FGDC of June 8, 1994

Metadata_Access_Constraints: None

Metadata_Use_Constraints: None

Metadata_Security_Information:

Metadata_Security_Classification_System: None

Metadata_Security_Classification: Unclassified

Metadata_Security_Handling_Description: None