Long-term oceanographic observations from 1989 to 2002 at two stations in western Massachusetts Bay. The data, collected by the U.S. Geological Survey with partners, document currents, hydrography, and suspended-matter concentration. This report updates the record through December 2002.
Use Cases
- Analyze seasonal and inter-annual changes in current velocity and direction at Site A and Site B.
- Model sediment resuspension and transport by correlating suspended-matter concentration data with storm event records.
- Test numerical circulation models using the long-term time series of hydrographic observations.
- Assess the environmental impact of the Boston sewage outfall by examining water column data from the nearby monitoring Site A post-2000.
Strengths
- Time series spans 13 years at Site A (1989-2002) and 5 years at Site B (1997-2002).
- Data from two distinct geographic locations (Site A at 33m depth, Site B at 21m depth) allows for spatial comparison.
- Includes observations of multiple physical oceanographic variables: currents, hydrography, and suspended-matter concentration.
Limitations
- Data collection ended in December 2002, making the dataset over 20 years old.
- Sample size is limited to two fixed monitoring stations.
- Specific row counts, column details, and data formats for the underlying time series are not provided in the description.
Provenance
- Source
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in partnership with the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA).
- Collection Method
- Long-term observations from instrumented stations at fixed geographic coordinates.
- Time Range
- December 1989 through December 2002.
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Western Massachusetts Bay, offshore of Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Specific coordinates for Site A and Site B.