Field Notes

Gilbert Tract: 2023-03-02 16:20:00 (DOY 61)
Author: Daphne Szutu
Others: Kyle

Summary: Regular data collection/cleaning, retrieved 1 teabag, deployed 3 teabags for Knightsen field trip, dropped off rope for Marc, checked channel's north bank for submerged aquatic vegetation

2023-03-02
Gilbert Tract

Kyle and I arrived at 16:20 PST at the tower. The water level was relatively low and ebbing. The staff gauge read 50cm, but I forgot to write down the time I read it.

The upper boardwalk was on the ground, slightly upslope of the tower. We did not remove the boardwalk at our last visit, so either someone else did (unlikely) or the wind blew it off (also seems unlikely). Kyle and I replaced the boardwalk up on the tower.

I downloaded met, cam, USB GHG, and miniDOT data. I changed the eddy clock +1:30min from 16:39 to 16:40:30 and restarted logging. The eosGP temperature data has been bad since January. This probe should probably be replaced.

The phenocam CF card did not seem to mount properly the first time (it did not show up in LoggerNet’s FileControl), but it was ok after I ejected it and reinserted it. This card was empty the last time I downloaded it, so maybe it just has trouble mounting the previous time as well. I checked the card before we left and it had two photos at the usual time.

Kyle cleaned flux and rad sensors and we topped off the wash reservoir. I also swapped the desiccant for the miniDOT.

I got in the water off of the boardwalk to retrieve last year’s teabags. I only saw one obvious PVC post. The vegetation has grown in a lot so it was hard to dig up the fishing lines through all of their roots. I retrieved one intact teabags, and the others are lost to the wetland. There should be 2 more posts according to last year’s field notes, but it was getting late in the day so I’ll look for them another time.

I installed three more teabags on a white fiberglass rod by the water sensor fence posts. The teabgs are in the water, about 32cm above the soil surface.

I also checked the Campbell conductivity orifice as part of its routine check; the orifice was clear.

We went to the channel around 17:20 PST to download Flo’s data. I talked Kyle through downloading the data while I got in the water to try to clear out any submerged aquatic vegetation. Even though the water level was relatively low, the low sun angle and maybe turbidity made it hard to see much below the water surface. I pushed the rake around on the concrete panels in front of the sensor but didn’t feel much. The depth data from the last few weeks has been pretty smooth, so the vegetation probably isn’t a huge problem now.

We also dropped off a rope by the ADCP solar panel for Marc of Hydrofocus. They will use it next week for their final 24hr sampling campaign. We left around 17:40 PST and drove to the north side of the channel to look at the submerged aquatic vegetation opposite of the ADCP. We could see some vegetation, but again it was hard to see much below the water surface. We admired the nice sunset and left around 17:55 PST to go home.

4 photos found

20230302GT_NorthBank.jpg ( 2023-03-02 17:47:41 ) Full size: 1440x1920
View from the north bank of Little Dutch Slough channel, looking south toward the ADCP. There are some submerged aquatic vegetation visible, but we'll try to come at lower tide next time to remove them.

20230302GT_SouthBank.jpg ( 2023-03-02 17:36:56 ) Full size: 1440x1920
View from the south bank where the ADCP is installed, looking north across the channel. Not much submerged aquatic vegetation is visible today.

20230302GT_Sunset.jpg ( 2023-03-02 17:36:22 ) Full size: 1920x1440
Sunset behind Mt. Diablo

20230302GT_TeabagAfter.jpg ( 2023-03-02 17:34:39 ) Full size: 1440x1920
Sole retrieved teabag from the batch installed in May 2022. This was attached to a white PVC pole on the north side of the boardwalk, about 3m from the shore. Multiple roots were growing into the teabag.