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U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Open-File Report 2008-1015

In cooperation with the University of Wisconsin–Madison Discovery Farms program and the University of Wisconsin–Platteville Pioneer Farm program

Methods of Data Collection, Sample Processing, and Data Analysis for Edge-of-Field, Streamgaging, Subsurface-Tile, and Meteorological Stations at Discovery Farms and Pioneer Farm in Wisconsin, 2001–7

By Todd D. Stuntebeck, Matthew J. Komiskey, David W. Owens, and David W. Hall

Revised: July 22, 2011

Abstract

The University of Wisconsin (UW)–Madison Discovery Farms (Discovery Farms) and UW–Platteville Pioneer Farm (Pioneer Farm) programs were created in 2000 to help Wisconsin farmers meet environmental and economic challenges. As a partner with each program, and in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Sand County Foundation, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Wisconsin Water Science Center (WWSC) installed, maintained, and operated equipment to collect water-quantity and water-quality data from 25 edge-of-field, 6 streamgaging, and 5 subsurface-tile stations at 7 Discovery Farms and Pioneer Farm. The farms are located in the southern half of Wisconsin and represent a variety of landscape settings and crop- and animal-production enterprises common to Wisconsin agriculture. Meteorological stations were established at most farms to measure precipitation, wind speed and direction, air and soil temperature (in profile), relative humidity, solar radiation, and soil moisture (in profile). Data collection began in September 2001 and is continuing through the present (2008). This report describes methods used by USGS WWSC personnel to collect, process, and analyze water-quantity, water-quality, and meteorological data for edge-of-field, streamgaging, subsurface-tile, and meteorological stations at Discovery Farms and Pioneer Farm from September 2001 through October 2007. Information presented includes equipment used; event-monitoring and sample-collection procedures; station maintenance; sample handling and processing procedures; water-quantity, water-quality, and precipitation data analyses; and procedures for determining estimated constituent concentrations for unsampled runoff events.

Download the report (pdf, 5.28 MB)

Revised: December 29, 2008

This report is available online in Portable Document Format (PDF). If you do not have the Adobe Reader, it is available for free download from Adobe Systems Incorporated.

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Send questions or comments about this report to the author, Todd Stuntebeck, (608) 821-3872.

For more information, visit the Wisconsin Water Science Center.