Delaware (DEL) NERR Meteorological Metadata January - December 2001 Latest Update: June 21, 2004

Meteorological monitoring is conducted at 26 National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERR)
from at least one location within or adjacent to the reserve. Data are collected every 5 seconds
and averages are produced from this data at quarterly (15 minutes), hourly (60 minutes) and
daily (1440 minutes) intervals. The parameters collected within these intervals are: averages,
maximums and minimums of air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed,
wind direction, precipitation and photosynthetically active solar radiation. Research objectives
The principal objective is to record long-term meteorological data for the St. Jones Estuary in
order to observe any environmental changes or trends over time. The data is also used for
specific research studies relating to migrating shorebirds, horseshoe crab spawning, atmospheric
deposition of nutrients and pesticides.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
Associated researchers and projects The NERR Water Quality Monitoring Project also has three stations located at the DNERR.
The principal objective of this study is to record long-term water quality data for St. Jones
and Blackbird watersheds in order to observe any physical changes or trends in water quality
over time. The three sites represent a pristine site and the other two to represent impacted
sites. Measurements are taken every 30 minutes over roughly two-week collecting periods. In
addition atmospheric deposition of rainfall events is performed in the DNERR watersheds to
monitor and characterize the nutrient input to the estuary from differing storm events and
seasonally. Three samplers are positioned across the St. Jones watershed and one is in the
Blackbird watershed. Other remarks/notes The Centralized Data Management Office converted all
SWMP weather data collected with CR10X program versions prior to version 4.0 which was
distributed in October 2003. This was necessary in order to merge the old data format (12 array
output) with the new data format found in version 4.0 (3 array output). The new format produces
averages, maximums and minimums every fifteen minutes (array 15), every hour (array 60) and
every day (array 144) for any sensors hooked up to the CR10X. Specifically, the 150 and 151
fifteen minute data were converted to the new 15 array; the hourly 101, 102, 105 and 106 data
were converted to the new 60 array; and the daily 241, 242, 243, 244, 245 and 246 data were
converted to the new 144 array. With the new format, the use of 55555's to code for deleted data
and 11111's to code for missing data has been abandoned. Hence, all 55555's or 11111's contained
in the SWMP weather data collected prior to Version 4.0 of the CR10X program were removed and
left blank. LiCor: Prior to the installation of the new NERR_4.CSI program, all values less than
0 were altered in the raw data to read 0. These values may indicate an incorrect multiplier,
calibration problems, or a sensor malfunction. Because these values are changed in the raw data,
we cannot confirm that they are all valid data points. Relative Humidity: Prior to the
installation of the new NERR_4.CSI program, all values over 100% were altered in the raw data to
read 100%. These values may indicate super saturated air, calibration problems, or a sensor
malfunction. Because these values are changed in the raw data, we cannot confirm that they are
all valid data points. January Rainamount (mm) 5 .254 6 .254 8 6.096 14 2.286 15 1.016 16 .762
18 .762 19 29.464 20 21.082 21 .508 22 .254 30 6.604 February Rainamount (mm) 2 .254 5 31.242 9
.254 10 1.524 12 3.302 13 2.032 14 .254 15 1.524 16 17.780 17 4.064 23 5.334 25 3.556 March
Rainamount (mm) 4 16.256 5 4.318 9 3.810 12 5.588 13 9.652 15 8.636 16 1.524 17 .508 20 2.540 21
41.910 24 .508 26 3.556 29 18.034 30 11.176 April Rainamount (mm) 2 .254 6 .254 7 .254 8 1.016 9
5.334 11 11.176 12 .254 13 .508 15 6.350 16 2.794 17 2.540 18 .254 24 2.286 May Rainamount (mm)
17 .254 19 .508 20 1.778 21 20.828 22 8.128 23 .254 25 .762 26 44.450 27 13.462 28 .254 30 .508
June Rainamount (mm) 1 3.810 2 4.064 3 .254 5 5.080 7 18.034 15 .508 16 21.590 17 55.880 21 .254
23 37.846 July Rainamount (mm) 1 10.160 4 6.096 5 14.224 8 .508 9 .508 10 .254 11 1.778 18
13.716 23 .254 26 52.832 29 13.208 August Rainamount (mm) 10 3.810 11 21.082 12 3.810 13 2.794
14 3.810 19 23.622 20 .254 23 16.510 27 .508 28 1.016 31 1.778 September Rainamount (mm) 4
11.684 14 3.048 17 .254 20 4.572 21 1.778 24 4.826 25 3.302 26 .254 27 1.270 28 .508 30 12.446
October Rainamount (mm) 1 8.636 6 4.064 14 4.826 15 .762 16 2.032 November Rainamount (mm) 3
1.016 19 .508 20 .762 24 .508 25 13.462 26 .254 December Rainamount (mm) 7 .254 8 13.970 9 1.016
11 6.858 12 2.032 13 .508 14 .508 15 .254 17 3.556 18 4.572 19 8.128 23 1.270 24 9.906

CURRENTNESS REFERENCE:
Observed

SPATIAL DATA ORGANIZATION INFORMATION:
Indirect Spatial Reference: Site location and character The Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve is comprised of two
component sites, the St. Jones River and Blackbird Creek components. Both components are located
along the Delaware Bay Coast. The St. Jones River Component is located in central Kent County
Delaware, east of the State capitol city, Dover. The Blackbird Creek component is located in the
unincorporated area of Southern New Castle County. The meteorological station site, is located
in the St. Jones DNERR component. It is located in a tidal marsh area with a wooded fringe area
100 m to the north, 75 m to east, 75 m to the west and 1+ km to south. The wooded area is of an
approximate average height of 16 m. Position: Latitude 39 degree 05' 20.05" N Longitude 75
degree 26' 12.78" W The unit is mounted on a 3-meter tower adjacent to the boardwalk that
crosses the marsh. The elevations above the marsh surface are as follows; Barometric pressure -
2.2 m, temperature and relative humidity - 2.9 m , wind and PAR - 4.5 m, highest point on tower
(lightning rod) - 4.9 m. The rain gauge is 2.4 m above the surface and 3 m south of the tower.
The adjacent boardwalk is 1.1 m above the surface with a railing height of 1.0 m. A vegetative
cover of spartina surrounds the area with an average height of 1 m. The tower and rain gauge are
both 1 m east of the boardwalk. The weatherstation is located approximately 2 km from the water
quality datasonde at Scotten Landing.