Secchi depth data and discrete depth profiles of photosynthetically active radiation, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH for Beaverdam Reservoir, Carvins Cove Reservoir, Falling Creek Reservoir, Gatewood Reservoir, and Spring Hollow Reservoir in southwestern Virginia, USA 2013-2021

Discrete depth profiles of temperature, dissolved oxygen, oxidation-reduction potential, conductivity, and pH were collected with YSI water quality probes and discrete depth profiles of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) were collected with a LI-COR underwater light meter from 2013 to 2021 in five drinking water reservoirs in southwestern Virginia, USA. Secchi disk depth data complement the PAR data to estimate water transparency. All YSI and PAR depth profiles were collected on approximately 1-meter intervals. 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. The data package consists of two datasets: 1) YSI and PAR profiles; and 2) Secchi depth data. The YSI and PAR depth profiles and Secchi depths were measured at the deepest site of each reservoir adjacent to the dam (Site 50) and other in-reservoir transects (Sites 45, 30, 20, 10). YSI measurements were also collected at a gauged weir on the primary inflow tributary at Falling Creek (Site 100), inflows and outflows at Falling Creek (Sites 99, 101, 102, 200, 01) inflows and outflows at Beaverdam (Sites 100, 200, 01), and inflows at Carvins Cove (Sites 100, 101, 200, 300, 301, 400). In 2021, YSI profiles were also collected from a littoral site in Beaverdam (Site 51). The samples 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).