Secchi depth data and discrete depth profiles of water temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, specific conductance, photosynthetic active radiation, oxidation-reduction potential, and pH for Beaverdam Reservoir, Carvins Cove Reservoir, Falling Creek Reservoir, Gatewood Reservoir, and Spring H

Discrete depth profiles of water temperature, dissolved oxygen, oxidation-reduction potential, conductivity, specific conductance, and pH were collected with multiple handheld water quality probes and discrete depth profiles of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) were collected with a LI-COR underwater light meter from 2013 to 2024 in five drinking water reservoirs in southwestern Virginia, USA. These reservoirs are: Beaverdam Reservoir (Vinton, Virginia), Carvins Cove Reservoir (Roanoke, Virginia), Falling Creek Reservoir (Vinton, Virginia), Gatewood Reservoir (Pulaski, Virginia), and Spring Hollow Reservoir (Salem, Virginia). Beaverdam, Carvins Cove, Falling Creek, and Spring Hollow Reservoirs are owned and operated by the Western Virginia Water Authority as primary or secondary drinking water sources for Roanoke, Virginia, and Gatewood Reservoir is a drinking water source for the Town of Pulaski, Virginia. All discrete depth profiles were collected on approximately 1-meter intervals. The data package consists of two datasets: 1) Secchi depth data; and 2) discrete depth profiles of multiple water quality variables measured by handheld sensors. The Secchi data and discrete depth profiles were measured at the deepest site of each reservoir adjacent to the dam, as well as other in-reservoir sites. Handheld sensor measurements were also collected at a gauged weir on the primary inflow tributary, other inflows, and outflows at Falling Creek Reservoir; inflows and outflows at Beaverdam Reservoir; and inflows at Carvins Cove Reservoir. In 2021, YSI handheld data were also collected from a littoral site in Beaverdam Reservoir. Data were collected approximately fortnightly in the spring months (March - May), weekly in the summer and early autumn (June - September), and monthly in the late autumn and winter (October - February) in Falling Creek and Beaverdam Reservoirs; data coverage in the other three reservoirs varies among years. Note there are some YSI depth profiles and Secchi observations that were measured at night during overnight sampling. All of these observations have the correct time associated with them. There was a major revision of this dataset from its previous version, which included correcting times of observations, including values of negative ORP, and adding observations from an outflow at Falling Creek Reservoir.