Treeline

DCEW Site: Treeline Weather
Location (Lat/Long): 43.73019, -116.140143
Elevation: 1610 m
Reporting Since:1999

Site Notes: The Treeline site encompasses 0.02 km² and is located at a mean elevation of 1610 m within the Dry Creek Experimental Watershed (DCEW). Total relief of site is 70 meters. The Treeline site trends northwest to southeast, represents all aspects, and encompasses land surface slopes of 20-40˚ over mostly concave and convex angles. Soils are derived from weathering of the Idaho Batholith, a biotite granodiorite intrusion 75-85 million years in age.

Soils are classified as sandy-loam (Yenko, 2003). Soil depth ranges from 0.25 m-1.2 m and averages 0.45 m. Soil depth is greatest along lower slopes adjacent to the stream channel in the center of the catchment. The primary vegetation includes sagebrush, forbs, grasses, and scattered trees (Pinus ponderosa; Pseudotsuga menziesii), and live canopy cover ranges from 9-11% during fall and winter months and 35-5% in spring and summer seasons.

Precipitation (annual average 570 mm) falls mostly during the cold season, with approximately half the annual precipitation falling as snow. Rain on snow events are common during the late fall and early spring seasons. A persistent snowpack remains from mid-December through March of most years. Winter air temperatures range from 5 to -10 ˚C. Summer months are hot and dry (air temperature ranges from 20-28˚C) with infrequent thunderstorm events. The site is drained by an ephemeral stream. Streamflow typically begins in early fall with the onset of fall rains, but remains low or episodic with the development of the snowpack. Late fall and early winter rain on snow events and/or complete melt on southerly aspects generate small hydrograph peaks. Snowpack on the north facing slope is usually maintained from the onset of snowfall. The annual hydrograph peak usually occurs in March or April depending on the duration of snowmelt.

Instrumentation at the site is currently measuring the following variables: air temperature, relative humidity, solar in and net radiation, wind direction and speed, soil moisture, soil temperature, shielded and unshieded rain gages, and snow depth. Stream flow measurements were established initially in 1999 and operated in conjunction with short term research, periodically through 2007, providing in stream water level and temperature. Another weir was installed October 1, 2007 at an elevation of 1595 m, providing continuous water level, discharge, temperature, and conductivity measurements through 2022. Water samples have been collected at this site seasonally since 2004, initially for major ions, and more recently to include cations and oxygen isotopes. Stream flow at this site is intermittent with flow typically occurring January through June.  Soil Pits 3 and 4 continue to operate while Soil Transects North and South were decommissioned in late 2020.

Snowmelt at Treeline, Spring 2010

Weather Station Data

(Weather Station Data file description)

Meteorological Variables

1999 variables
2000 variables
2001 variables
2002 variables
2003 variables
2004 variables
2005 variables
2006 variables
2007 variables*
2008 variables
2009 variables
2010 variables
2011 variables
2012 variables**
2013 variables
2014 variables
2015 variables
2016 variables
2017 variables
2018 variables
2019 variables
2020 variables
2021 variables
2022 variables
2023 variables

4-Component Radiation

2010 component radiation
2011 component radiation
2012 component radiation
2013-2016 component radiation
2017 component radiation
2018 component radiation
2019 component radiation
2020 component radiation
2021 component radiation
2022 component radiation
2023 component radiation

*Upon request, heatflux data available at main tower since 2007. **Transect snowdepth and air temperature data available 2012-present.

Stream Data

(Stream Data file description)
1999*
2000*
2001*
2002*
2003*
2004*
2005*
2006*
2007 stream data
2008 stream data
2009 stream data
2010 stream data
2011 stream data
2012 stream data
2013 stream data
2014 stream data
2015 stream data
2016 stream data
2017 stream data
2018 stream data
2019 stream data
2020 stream data
2021 stream data
2022 stream data

*Data available upon request.

Soil Data

Pits 3 and 4
(Soil Data file description)
1999 soil data
2000 soil data
2001 soil data
2002 soil data
2003 soil data
2004 soil data
2005 soil data
2006 soil data
2007 soil data
2008 soil data
2009 soil data
2010 soil data
2011 soil data
2012 soil data
2013 soil data
2014 soil data
2015 soil data
2016 soil data
2017 soil data
2018 soil data
2019 soil data
2020 soil data
2021 soil data
2022 soil data
2023 soil data

TL transects (North and South)
(Soil Data file description, North and South)
1999*
2000*
2001*
2002*
2003*
2004*
2005*
2006*
2007*
2008*
2009*
2010*
2011*
2012**
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020 (up through 12/2/20)

* Early transect data available upon request. **Transect snowdepth and air temperature data available 2012-present. Minimal transect heatflux and solar data available.