Changes in water temperature in streams with progressive hemlock mortality at 8 Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory study sites from 2004 to 2013

The purpose of this study was to document changes in water temperature in 8 streams in areas affected by hemlock mortaity. Beginning in August 2004, one temperature logger was submerged at the downstream end of each of 8 small stream sites. Temperature was recorded a minimum of every 4 h. This study was conducted at Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, Otto, North Carolina. Stream sites were located on 1st and 2nd order streams reaches affected by hemlock death. Six sites were located in areas that have not been logged since the area became National Forest in the late 1920s and where streams passed through or were adjacent to permanent vegetation plots in which trees were measured in 1934-35, 1969-73 and 1988-93 (Elliott and Swank, 2008). Also included are data from two sites on WS 7 (Big Hurricane Branch), which was logged in 1977.