Field Notes

Gilbert Tract: 2023-07-11 07:35:00 (DOY 192)
Author: Daphne Szutu
Others: Carlos

Summary: Regular data collection/cleaning, cleared weeds from Flo's path

2023-07-11
Gilbert Tract

Carlos and I arrived at the channel at 7:35 PDT. We started early today because the forecast high will be 35C (95F). There will be another heat wave this weekend with temperatures >36C Friday through Monday. For now though, it was still mild, clear, and sunny. The Dutch Slough gate was wide open and we drove in following a truck with a canoe in the back.

The second reason we started early is because we wanted to catch low tide which was around 7:00 PDT so that we could get in the water to clear weeds from Flo’s path.
At the levee breach, the vegetation has been steadily filling in and it’s getting harder to pick a path through the vegetation to the SL post. There was a tiny turtle hanging out on the SL mounting frame, but it slipped away as soon as we noticed it. Carlos got in the water with the telescoping rake and worked on clearing the submerged aquatic vegetation in front of the sensor. There were a lot of drops in the depth data when I downloaded data at the last site visit. Today I downloaded Flo’s data (there were fewer drops this time compared to the last data download), reset it clock, and restarted logging.

We got to the tower at 8:00 PDT. The wetland is tall and green, although a patch of green tules on the edge of the pond (south of the boardwalk) has been blown down or otherwise pushed down. The staff gauge read 34.5cm at 7:12 PST.

Carlos cleaned flux and rad sensors and topped off the wash reservoir. I downloaded met, USB GHG, and miniDOT data. I had left my USB-ethernet dongle here last time, so it was convenient that we started here today. I thought I had swapped the camera card, but back in the lab the “GT” card was empty. I’ll have to check it next time. We swapped the miniDOT desiccant. Some of its copper tape is coming off.

I updated the hours for the 7700 heater to reflect summertime hours. Old hours = 18:00 to 08:00. New hours = 20:00 to 07:00. I’ll have to set a reminder to adjust the hours in a few months when the days are shorter, cooler, and more humid.

There were plenty of dead ants in the met box. I left some more prophylactic mothballs in there.

The 7500 read: 430ppm CO2, 740mmol/m3 H2O, 18.1C, 101.2kPa, 104SS --> 104 after cleaning
The 7700 read: 2.12ppm CH4, 54RSSI –> 86 after cleaning

We left at 8:25 PDT.

0 photos found

8 sets found

Can't check MBWPEESWGT_mixed
Can't check MBEEWPSWEPGT_cam
16 GT_met graphs found