ClimHyrdoDB Archive: Meteorologic and hydrologic observations from LTER and USFS sites, 2001-2020 - orignal database format

This dataset is an archive of the ClimHydroDB database, which was
actively used from early 2001 to mid 2020. The database contained
contributions from 62 contributors (primarily from the LTER Network
and US Forest Service) and 672 research sites. Data records total
approximately 16 million (raw) or 1.6 million (aggregated) for 22
meteorologic or hydrologic variables. This archive contains the 23
core tables of the ClimHydroDB database as text tables of comma
separated values, plus the database entity relationship diagram (ERD),
User Guide, database table descriptions (DDL, SQL script), and a zip
file of related documents and presentations. Database design: At last upgrade, the database was implemented in
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (see DDL for more information). Database
tables are primarily in a key-value pair arrangement, with controlled
input for many fields, and extensive cross referencing. This design
allows many types of descriptors to be assigned, e.g., for the types
of activities taking place at research stations, or for physical
parameters to describe a research area itself. The EML metadata for
tables holding controlled vocabularies are described using the string
“List of …”. Cross reference tables are described in metadata as such,
including the parent table names. Database history: To facilitate intersite research within the LTER
network, site data managers developed a system to provide climatic
summaries dynamically, called ClimDB. Later funding from the U. S.
Forest Service allowed the original database to be expanded to include
hydrologic variables, and the combined database was renamed
ClimHydroDB in 2003. The database also harvested real-time streamflow
data from USGS gauging stations, using code developed by the Georgia
Coastal Ecosystem LTER. As of 2021, the ClimHydroDB content is
available as data packages from individual contributing sites, each
containing identically formatted text tables in the ODM 1.1 format,
for integration with CUAHSI tools (https://cuahsi.org). Contact
[e-mail] for more details.