Abstract:

In-situ oceanographic data were collected in Spring 2018 for eleven sites to assess the influx of water into the northwest Mississippi Sound. Lander platforms were outfitted with sensors for measuring water quality parameters and deployed in a line between Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and Cat Island. Conductivity (low and high range), (μS/cm), specific conductance (μS/cm), and dissolved oxygen (mg/L) were collected 2018-03-14 to 2018-04-25, with a sample taken every five minutes. Temperature (°F) and light intensity (lum/sq ft) were collected for ten sites 2018-03-14 to 2018-05-15 with a sample taken every five minutes. Turbidity (FTU) was collected at one site 2018-03-14 to 2018-03-22 with a sample taken every minute. In addition to the temperature measurement from the temperature and light sensor, the conductivity and dissolved oxygen sensors also reported temperature values, which were included.

Suggested Citation:

Bell, Jarett; Easson, Greg; Slattery, Marc. 2020. Conductivity, dissolved oxygen, temperature, light intensity, and turbidity data collected in the Bay St. Louis, Mississippi from 2018-03-14 to 2018-05-15. Distributed by: Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information and Data Cooperative (GRIIDC), Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/GFKSVW5R

Purpose:

To investigate the effects of freshwater influx on the northwestern Mississippi Sound during the 2018 opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway.

Data Parameters and Units:

Observation #, Date and Time [M/DD/YYYY HH:MM], Conductivity (low range) [uS/cm], Conductivity (high range) [uS/cm], Temperature [degrees F], Specific conductance [uS/cm], Dissolved oxygen [mg/L], Temperature [degrees F], Temperature [degrees F], Light intensity [lum/ft^2]. Turbidity data has the format: Observation #, Date and Time [M/DD/YYYY HH:MM], Turbidity [FTU]. The file "Site_Locations.csv" includes site #, Latitude (decimal degrees), Longitude (decimal degrees).

Methods:

Each lander is composed of an aluminum housing approximately 14 inches width and 14 inches height with a rubber bottom approximately 8 inches in height. The rubber (a vehicle tire) is used to keep the lander housing out of the loose, fine-grained sediment. The conductivity sensor and dissolved oxygen sensor were mounted approximately 9 inches off the seafloor and the temperature and light sensor approximately 12 inches. An additional all aluminum lander placed at Site_1 housed the turbidity sensor horizontally, 7 inches off the seafloor. The average water depth for the landers was 4.6 meters. Depth sensors were not used.

Instruments:

Onset Conductivity Logger Onset Dissolved Oxygen Logger Onset Temperature/Light Logger Aquatec AQUAlogger® 310TY Advanced Turbidity Logger

Individual Files: