Watersheds and stream networks in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico.

Hydrological mapping in the Luquillo Experimental Forest: Opportunities and challenges to improve watershed ecological knowledge

The streams and rivers of the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico, have been the subject of extensive watershed and aquatic and research since the 1980’s. This research includes understanding stream export of nutrients, physicochemical constituents, coarse particulate organic matter export dynamics, and aquatic fauna populations. However, many of these studied streams and watersheds do not show up in standard hydrological maps. We document the recent collaborative work delineating long-term research watersheds and identifying gaps in hydrological network information. We describe the trade-offs and caveats of achieving appropriate stream densification to represent sites of on-going research. The methods used to delimit and densify stream networks include incorporation of updated new vertical datum for Puerto Rico, LIDAR derived elevation, and a combination of visual-manual and automated digitalization processes. The outcomes of this collaborative effort have resulted in improved watershed delineation, densification of hydrologic networks to reflect the scale of on-going studies, and the identification of constraining factors such as unmapped roadways, culverts, and other features of the built environment that interrupt water flow and obstruct runoff identification. This work contributes to enhance knowledge for watershed management, including riparian areas, road and channel intersections, and ridge to reef initiatives with broad application to other watersheds.

This dataset contains watershed delineations, and stream networks for El Verde Research Area and the Bisley Experimental Watershed (BEW)
This data can also be viewed via this story map:
https://arcg.is/1S5qSX

卢奎略实验林（Luquillo Experimental Forest）水文制图：提升流域生态认知的机遇与挑战

自20世纪80年代起，波多黎各境内的卢奎略实验林（Luquillo Experimental Forest）内的溪流与河流便成为流域、水生生态及相关研究的核心对象。此类研究涵盖溪流养分输出、水体理化组分、粗颗粒有机质输移动力学及水生动物种群等方向的探究。然而，多数此类研究涉及的溪流与流域并未在标准水文地图中得到标注。本文记录了近期开展的协作研究工作：划定长期研究流域，梳理水文网络信息存在的缺口，并阐述了为匹配当前在研研究的点位与尺度，实现合理的溪流网络加密所面临的权衡与注意事项。用于划定并加密溪流网络的方法包括：采用波多黎各更新后的垂直基准面、激光雷达（LIDAR）获取的高程数据，以及人工目视与自动化数字化相结合的流程。此次协作研究的成果优化了流域划定工作，加密了水文网络以匹配当前研究的尺度与点位，并明确了制约研究开展的各类因素，例如未标注的道路、涵洞及其他干扰水流、阻碍径流识别的人工设施特征。本研究有助于完善流域管理相关认知，涵盖河岸带、道路与河道交汇处，以及可推广至其他流域的从山脊到珊瑚礁（ridge to reef）相关倡议。

本数据集包含埃尔维尔德研究区（El Verde Research Area）与比斯利实验流域（Bisley Experimental Watershed, BEW）的流域划定成果及溪流网络数据。用户可通过以下故事地图查看该数据：https://arcg.is/1S5qSX