Field Notes

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Gilbert Tract: 2025-03-06 11:00:00 (DOY 65)
Author: Joe Verfaillie
Others: Daphne

Summary: Batteries stolen again, new security cameras, new cable runs for water sensors, boardwalk legs. Channel miniCH4 reading -10, EXO will be reinstalled tomorrow, cleaned ADCP.

Gilbert Tract
2025-03-06

Daphne and I arrived at 11:00 PST. It was mostly sunny and cool with calm winds and lots of fluffy sheets and puffs of clouds. The wetland is still mostly brown but there are new tules coming up and buds on the willows. Tide was high with standing water below the towers. The staff gauge read 99cm at 11:24 PST.

The batteries have been stolen again. There were only two batteries this time and they were strapped together with a steel strap which was left on the side of the road. Whoever took them had to have lifted 120lbs off of a 7ft high platform and carried them up the bank before figuring out how to get the strap off. Whoever is was were nice and didn't cut my wires this time even leaving me their adjustable wrench. Seems like the data stopped just after we left the site on 2/18 around 6:30pm.

Coincidentally, Nate and Taylor from MBK were there today installing security cameras. There's one pointed directly at our towers (be on your best behavior). They will send us a link so that we can have real time access to the camera. Another phenocam!?

Also by chance, we had two more batteries with us planning to increase the battery bank back sn BB-GT up to a total of four batteries. After dithering about what to do, I lifted the two batteries up to the platform and hooked them up so that we had power while we there. I went to look for a lockable metal box at nearby hardware/auto parts stores but had no luck. We decided to take the batteries home tonight and I could come back tomorrow with a lock box and do a stronger installation. And Daphne and Arman could visit some of the other sites tomorrow.

We prepared six 5ft treated 2x4 posts to replace the beaver chewed legs on the last boardwalk section. But installation will have to wait. I also need to figure out something to prevent future chewing. We also cut some plywood for new boardwalks at BC. We ran conduit from the tower to the boardwalk and then down the boardwalk for two new longer cables. One 12 conductor cable to the junction box on the boardwalk to replace the current one that runs diagonally in the air and has to be fished out from under the reeds each winter. And a new four conductor cable to provide power and coms to the miniCH4 instead of running on battery. All seemed well.

Daphne did the usual data collection although not much data because of the battery loss. She collected both the floating and fixed miniDot data. She copied the data off the Song Meter but it needs new batteries (tomorrow). We downloaded the minCH4 data with the new cable. The flux, met and camera data were collect such as it was. I cleaned the eddy and radiation sensors.
The 7500 read: 428ppm CO2, 339mmol/m3 H2O, 14.1C, 101.4kPa, 98SS - 99 after cleaning
The 7700 read: 2.0ppm CH4, 26RSSI - 77 after cleaning - no power.

Daphne measured surface water conductivity.
Surface,240uS,11.3C

We went to the channel at 14:13 PST. We were supposed to reinstall the calibrated EXO but forgot to bring it with us (tomorrow). The ADCP didn't connect at first but was found with a full scan. It was missing data since 3/1 - power issues? The miniCH4 started reading -10 for CH4 around 3/4. Its serial connection and interface seemed stable and it temperature and pressure seemed okay so I don't think it a system wide problem but some specific to the CH4 sensor. I will swap it out tomorrow. We pulled up the sensor cart to visually inspect things and didn't see any problems. I cleaned muck off the ADCP.

On our way out we stopped at the tower to collect the batteries. I turned off all the breakers.

We left at 14:52 PST.

4 photos found

20250307GT_NewBatteryBox.jpg ( 2025-03-07 10:34:58 ) Full size: 1920x1440
view of field site

20250307GT_InsideNewBatteryBox.jpg ( 2025-03-07 10:34:18 ) Full size: 1440x1920
view of field site

20250306GT_FloatingSensors.jpg ( 2025-03-06 13:48:43 ) Full size: 1440x1920
Floating sensors replaced back in the water after downloading their data. The miniCH4 is on a new PVC float and wired for power/comms directly at the tower, so we don't need a battery pack anymore.