CALM SITE

Hess Creek

 

Site Code

 U49

Site Name

Hess Creek

CAPS 1 Metadata form

 

CAPS 2 Metadata form

 

Site Photograph

DATA

Responsible for data submission

Edda Mutter

Email Address

emutter@yritwc.org

Institution/Organization

YRITWC

Location Description

Alaska Subarctic

Location Lat.

N65.65724

Location Long.

W149.08443

Elevation avg. (m)

218

Methods Grid

100

Methods Other

Soil moisture, soil temp., air temp

Landscape Description

Boreal black spruce forest, lowland

Vegetation/Classification

Large tussocks, sparse black spruce, low bush blueberries

Soils (or Material)

Nutrient rich peat

Thaw depth measurements (year started)

 

2009

Air temp. measurements (year started)

2009

Snow Cover measurements (year started)

N/A

Soil temp. measurements (start year)

2009

Soil moisture measurements (start year)

2009

General description of soil moisture

moist

Soil texture: if non organic describe texture, if organic indicate thickness of organic layer (cm)

 Organic: ~40cm

 

 

 

DESCRIPTION OF AREA CONTAINING SITE:

The Hess Creek grid site is located on the south side of the haul road approx 1 mile SE of the Hess Creek Bridge.  The 100m2 grid is located in an area of sparse black spruce forest, large tussocks, grasses, and low-bush blueberries. The 100mx100m grid, established in 2009, is marked with survey stakes at 10m intervals.  The grid center (N61.88, W162.06) contains continuous soil temperature & soil moisture sensors at ‘above permafrost’ & ‘just below surface’ levels.  An air temperature sensor also records on a 30 min continuous cycle.  The grid was established in 2009 through a cooperative agreement with Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council & the U.S. Geological Survey.

 

SOIL DESCRIPTION:

The soil is poorly drained non-rocky organic nutrient rich peat in an area of flat bog, extremely hummocky. 

 

 

 

SAMPLING DESIGN AND METHOD:

The grid consisted of 100 survey stakes at 10-meter intervals, creating a 100mx100m square grid with a maximum of 100 data points.  Active Layer measurements were taken manually every 10m.  The measurements were taken at the lowest surface level within about 0.3m of the designated point.  The "surface level" was determined to be the top of the low-lying vegetation (i.e. moss, lichen, low-bush berries). 

 

The HOBO micro station was established in early September 2009 and is located at grid center. The station monitors soil temperature & soil moisture.  A ~30cm2 hole was dug down to the permafrost layer approx 50 cm. One set of soil moisture and soil temperature sensors were placed just above the permafrost layer (48cm) and one set just below surface level.  Soil samples were cut from each level (2x2in cubes) to be analyzed for soil moisture content.

 

The HOBO pro v2 temp/ext temp sensor was installed, recording air temperature, near the grid center about one meter off the ground surface. The Hobo data logger is set to store data on 30min intervals for up to 428 days. 

 

GPS points were taken at the four corners of the grid, as well as the center point where the sensors were located.  Site elevation is 218m, recorded at grid center.

     

 

 

REFERENCES: