Turbidity of a Salt Marsh within the Chesapeake Bay, VA, USA, 2016-2017

We measured turbidity along a transect from channel to marsh interior from December 2015 to January 2017 at a salt mash at the mouth of the York River in the Chesapeake Bay, VA, USA. We measured turbidity (NTU) with three optical back scatter sensors (YSI EXO) to in a shore normal transect, with one in the channel and two on the marsh surface at 1m from the marsh edge and 12m from the marsh edge, respectively. The sensors measured every 15 minutes and were equipped with automatic wipers to reduce biofouling. Following retrieval, the turbidity time series data was filtered to remove any erroneous points and times when the sensors were fouled or exposed (Coleman et al. 2020). Turbidity was then calibrated to suspended sediment concentration with local sediment resulting in the calibration equation SSC (mg/L) =1.667*Sensor Turbidity (NTU)