Precipitation collectors at the Loch Vale NADP site

Data

Monitoring of surface-water quality, precipitation chemistry, hydrology, and climate allows analysis of long-term trends and distinction between natural and human-caused disturbances. Species lists have been compiled for vegetation, lichens, phytoplankton, and zooplankton to characterize the biological community in Loch Vale. Spatial data are used for model configuration and to analyze watershed characteristics. The following datasets for the Loch Vale Watershed, along with explanatory notes and documentation, are available from this webpage:

All data questions should be directed to the Program Manager or Principal Investigator. Please review the Terms of Use prior to downloading data from this website.

Glacier project data from Tim Fegel

Glacial project master datasheet
16S
Fluorescence
Taxonomy
Supplemental information

Surface water chemistry data:

Surface-water chemistry data for sites affiliated with the Loch Vale Watershed are available for download through the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) from the links below:

Andrews Creek (1983-2018)
Andrews Tarn Inlet (1982-2018)
Andrews Tarn Surface (1988-1997)
Emerald Lake Inlet (1981-1993)
Emerald Lake Hypolimnion (1982-1992)
Emerald Lake Surface (1981-2008)
Emerald Lake Outlet (1981-present)
Glass Lake Inlet (1982-1984)
Glass Lake Hypolimnion (1982-1988)
Glass Lake Metalimnion (1982-1984)
Glass Lake Surface (1982-1997)
Glass Lake Outlet (1982-2004)
Haiyaha Lake Hypolimnion (1982-1988)
Haiyaha Lake Surface (1981-1988)
Haiyaha Lake Outlet (1981-present)
Husted Lake Hypolimnion (1982-1988)
Husted Lake Surface (1981-1995)
Husted Lake Outlet (1983-1997)
Little Loch Creek (1982-2001)
Loch Inlet (1982-present)
Loch Lake Hypolimnion (1982-2002)
Loch Lake Metalimnion (1982-2016)
Loch Lake Surface (1982-present)
Loch Outlet (1982-present)
Louise Lake Inlet (1981-present)
Louise Lake Hypolimnion (1982-present)
Louise Lake Surface (1981-1995)
Louise Lake Outlet (1981-present)
Sky Pond Inlet South (1982-present)
Sky Pond Hypolimnion (1982-2001)
Sky Pond Metalimnion (1982-1988)
Sky Pond Surface (1982-present)
Sky Pond Outlet (1982-present)

There are additional sites associated with the Loch Vale Watershed research program that are not included in the NWIS. The complete Loch Vale surface-water chemistry database and explanatory notes can be downloaded as comma-separated values (.csv) files from the links below:

Loch Vale water chemistry database - all sites (1981-2016)
Loch Vale water chemistry metadata

Precipitation data:

Precipitation chemistry and depth data are available from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) website. Data from the two co-located NADP sites in the Loch Vale Watershed can be downloaded from the links below:

Rocky Mountain National Park - Loch Vale CO98 (1983-present)

Snowpack chemistry data:

Snow chemistry has been monitored in Loch Vale as part of the long-term research program (1982-1989) and USGS Rocky Mountain Regional Snowpack Chemistry Monitoring Study (1993-present). Snowpack chemistry data with explanatory notes can be downloaded as comma-separated values (.csv) or MS Excel (.xls) files from the links below:

Loch Vale snowpack chemistry data (1982-1989)
Loch Vale snowpack chemistry explanatory notes (1982-1989)
Loch Vale snowpack chemistry data (1993-2009)

Hydrological data:

Streamflow is monitored by the USGS Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budgets (WEBB) program at three sites within the Loch Vale Watershed, and data are available for download from the links below:

Andrews Creek (1992-present)
Icy Brook (1993-2007)
Loch Outlet (2006-present)

The complete streamflow record for the Loch Outlet is not currently available through the NWIS, but is available for download with explanatory notes as comma-separated values (.csv) files from the links below:

Loch Outlet streamflow data (1983-2015)

Meteorological data:

Meteorological variables are currently monitored by the USGS Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budgets (WEBB) program at three sites within the Loch Vale Watershed. Data from these sites can be downloaded from the links below:

Andrews Meadow Weather Station (1991-present)
Main Loch Vale Weather Station (1991-present)
Sharkstooth Weather Station (1992-present)

Climate was monitored at a Remote Area Weather Station (RAWS) prior to installation of the Main Loch Vale Weather Station. Co-located data from the RAWS and Loch Vale Main Weather Station are compared in Allstott and others (1999). Sensors at the RAWS station began to fail sometime in 1994. Meteorological data from the Loch Vale RAWS and explanatory notes can be downloaded as comma-separated values (.csv) files from the links below:

Loch Vale Remote Area Weather Station (1982-1994)
Loch Vale Remote Area Weather Station explanatory notes

Vegetation data:

Lists of plant species were obtained from three 1000 square-meter Modified-Whittaker plots in 2002. Plant species lists for the Loch Vale Watershed can be downloaded as a MS Excel (.xls) file from the link below:

Loch Vale Watershed plant species lists

Lichen data:

This list of lichen species for the Loch Vale Watershed was obtained in 2002 and can be downloaded as a MS Excel (.xls) file from the link below:

Loch Vale Watershed lichen species list

Phytoplankton and Zooplankton data:

Taxa lists for phytoplankton and zooplankton were obtained from mesocosm experiments, as well as lake monitoring and survey studies. The phytoplankton and zooplankton species lists for the Loch Vale Watershed and Snowy Range, Wyoming are available for download as a MS Excel (.xls) file from the link below:

Loch Vale Watershed phytoplankton and zooplankton species lists

Spatial data:

Spatial data for the Loch Vale Watershed have been compiled and derived from a variety of sources. All spatial data were edited with ArcGIS 9.3, and are projected in the North American Datum 1983 Universal Transverse Mercator Zone 13 North coordinate system. The following Geographic Information System (GIS) dataset, including shapefiles, raster datasets, metadata and documentation, is provided for data users:

Active Monitoring Sites (6 KB)
Basin Boundary (6 KB)
Digital Elevation Model - 1 meter (18,878 KB)
Digital Elevation Model - 10 meter (250 KB)
Geology (973 KB)
Glaciers (14 KB)
Lakes (13 KB)
National Agricultural Imagery Program - 2005 image (44,722 KB)
National Agricultural Imagery Program - 2009 image (45,196 KB)
Orthophoto (6,321 KB)
Rock Glacier (9 KB)
Soils (1,132 KB)
Streams (14 KB)
Vegetation (2,116 KB)

Quality Assurance Reports

As results from the long-term research and monitoring program are used by resource managers, scientists, policy makers, and students, it is important that all data collected in Loch Vale meet high standards of quality. Quality assurance reports for the Loch Vale Watershed can be downloaded as PDF files from the links below:

Loch Vale Watershed Quality Assurance Report: 1983-1987
Loch Vale Watershed Quality Assurance Report: 1989-1990
Loch Vale Watershed Quality Assurance Report: 1991-1994
Loch Vale Watershed Quality Assurance Report: 1995-1998
Loch Vale Watershed Quality Assurance Report: 1999-2002
Loch Vale Watershed Quality Assurance Report: 2003-2009

Methods Manual

The Loch Vale Watershed Methods Manual is intended to serve as a guide for technicians, students, and other participants in the long-term ecological research program. Procedures are described for sample collection, analyses, quality assurance, and data management. The manual is a living document and is revised frequently. The most current version can be downloaded from the link below:

Loch Vale Watershed Methods Manual (2017)

Terms of Use

The following acknowledgment should accompany any publication or citation of these data:

"Logistical support and/or data were provided by the USGS supported Loch Vale Watershed Long-term Ecological Research and Monitoring program and Colorado State University."

The user of Loch Vale Watershed (LVWS) data agrees to provide proper acknowledgment with each usage of the data. Citation of the name(s) of the investigator(s) responsible for the dataset, in addition to the generic statement above, constitutes proper acknowledgment. Author(s) of published material that make use of previously unpublished LVWS data agree to provide the LVWS Program Manager and/or Principal Investigator with a copy of that material as soon as it becomes available. The user of LVWS data agrees not to sell or redistribute shared data. The user of these data should be aware that, while efforts have been taken to ensure that these data are of the highest quality, there is no guarantee of perfection for the data contained herein and the possibility of errors exists.