Point sampling of environmental data collected in Kachemak Bay and Lynn Canal, 2019–2022

Climate change is accelerating glacial melt in Gulf of Alaska watersheds and concomitant changes in runoff will affect coastal and estuarine habitat dynamics. This dataset consists of water quality measurements in Southeast and Southcentral Alaskan estuaries. Southeast Alaska sites were located in Gastineau Channel and Lynn Canal, near Juneau, and Southcentral Alaska sites were in Kachemak Bay, near Homer. Watersheds adjacent to estuary sites varied in their degree of glacierization (i.e., contemporary ice cover), ranging from 0% to 60% glacier cover. Estuary sites were sampled between April and October in 2019–2022. Two types of data are included in this dataset: (1) Point measurements of temperature, conductivity, salinity, and dissolved oxygen taken using a hand-held YSI meter at discrete points in time and space; and 2) Turbidity of water samples collected in conjunction with point sampling. These data were collected as part of the Alaska EPSCoR Phase 5 “Fire and Ice” Program by the EPSCoR Coastal Margins team.