Beaver Creek Watershed

Weather Data

A weather station was located in the Utah juniper type on watershed 3 (WS3) (0001), in the alligator juniper type on WS4 (0009), and 3 stations in the ponderosa pine type on WS8 (0020), on WS17 (0035), and on WS20 (0038), as shown in figure 2. Additional stations were installed at various periods of time at WS 12 (0012), 14 (0014), WS19 (0065), SWS 84 (0084), Schnebly Hill Highway Maintenance Camp (0088), and at Rattle Burn SWS 2 (00RB). Analog hygrothermographs were used with a weekly chart. Period of record is usually from calender year (CY) 1957 through 1982.

The Weather data includes daily maximum, minimum, and average air temperature and humidity, wind speed and direction, and snow course information. Hygrothermograph charts were digitized and entered into a computer via data entry. These data were then processed through error check and processing programs that created the various files. Temperature and humidity data are arranged on a calender year bases. The following is a brief description of the files that are available (see documentation for list and formats of files).

• Raw input data - data (temperature and humidity) from recording hygrothermograph charts for period of record, typically for calender years 1957 through 1982.
• Temp and Hum output files - Daily maximum, minimum, and average air temperature and humidity for period of record, typically for calender years 1957 through 1982.
• TA and HA output files -- Monthly and annual averages temperature and humidity for period of record, typically calender years 1957 through 1982.

Wind data (wind run and direction) were collected utilizing MRI recorders (analog charts) and 16-channel tapes recorders. Strip charts were digitized and tapes were translated and stored as raw data files. The 3 major stations for wind data are Schnebly Hill Highway Maintenance Camp (88), Hutch Mountain (HM), and WS 19 or Woods Canyon (Wood). Basically wind run (miles) by hour or day and cardinal direction are stored. (Currently there is some question of what is stored, possibly only wind run counter numbers and therefore totals would be obtained by substraction, note by Malchus B. Baker, Jr., 12/2/99).

Snow data were collected using a Mount Rose snow tube. See documentation for information for specific files and formats.

References

Baker, Jr., M.B. Compiler. 1999. History of research in the Central Highlands of Arizona. Gen. Tech. Rep. RS. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. (www.rmrs.nau.edu/publications/RMRS_GTR_29/).RMS-GTR-29. Fort Collins, CO: U.

Beschta, R. L. 1974. Climatology of the ponderosa pine type in central Arizona. Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station, Technical Bulletin 228.

Campbell, R. E.; Ryan, M. G. 1982. Precipitation and temperature characteristics of forested watersheds in central Arizona. USDA Forest Service, General Technical Report RM-93.