A Long-Term Micrometeorological and Hydrological Dataset Across an Elevation Gradient in Sagehen Creek, Sierra Nevada, California

We compile and release ~55 years of daily and ~20 years of hourly Micrometeorological and hydrological data from Sagehen Creek a 28 km〖^2〗 watershed with observation sites spanning 1771 to 2670 m. A USGS gauging station measures streamflow at the catchment outlet. There are three Snow Telemetry (SNOTEL) stations: Independence Camp(2128 m), Independence Creek (1962 m) and Independence Lake (2541 m) that measure hourly precipitation, temperature, soil moisture (at 5, 20, and 50 cm), as well as daily snow water equivalent (SWE) and snow depth.  A new method was used to estimate hourly precipitation data using quality controlled daily totals. A NOAA cooperative observer (COOP) station measures daily precipitation, temperature, SWE, and snow depth from 1953-1997 and then measures hourly precipitation, temperature, SWE, and snow depth, relative humidity, and solar radiation from 2001 through 2017 2001-present. There are an additional three towers with data beginning in 2009 measuring snow depth, SWE,        solar radiation, barometric pressure, precipitation, relative humidity, and temperature: Tower 1 (1934m), Tower 3 (2114 m), and Tower 4 (2350 m). Wind speed, temperature, and relative humidity measured at 7.6 and 30.5 m at each site. Data from all stations were checked for poor QA/QC and substantial and sophisticated gap-filling techniques were deployed. This dataset holds potential for improving understanding of orographic processes and their implications for streamflow generation in a groundwater-dominated watershed.