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Spatial distribution of Rhodamine WT dye concentration measured in the Des Plaines River near Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Rockdale, Illinois (October 20-21, 2015)

Metadata Updated: September 24, 2025

Two survey boats equipped with differential Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and Turner Designs C3 submersible fluorometers were used to survey the spatial distribution of the Rhodamine WT dye in the Des Plaines River downstream of the Brandon Road Lock and Dam (BRLD) near Rockdale, Ilinois. Mapping of the dye plume commenced after the lock chamber at BRLD was dyed with 4 liters of Rhodamine WT dye during a routine filling procedure. Measurements of dye concentration downstream collected by these survey boats capture the leakage of dyed water from the lock, the pulse of dyed water exiting the lock during routine emptying of the lock, and the mixing of the dyed water downstream during a 17-minute flushing operation of the lock. The fluorometers were installed in a fixed, downlooking orientation approximately 1 foot below the water surface. Fluorometer readings were taken at a frequency of 1 measurement per second. Data were acquired on personal computers running Tera Term to log serial communication from the fluorometers. Raw (not georeferenced) data were stored internally on the fluorometers and downloaded following the survey. Survey techniques included streamwise transects through the dye plume in both the upstream and downstream direction, serpentine surveys, and near-bank surveys to capture the full spatial distribution. The boat survey crews also performed periodic, simultaneous discharge measurements at key locations in the approach channel to the BRLD and further downstream near the intakes and outfall of a power plant. Mooring of barges and active barge traffic restricted surveys in some locations and led to some contamination of fluorometer data by increasing local turbidity concentrations near the active vessels. These data have been screened out during processing. The C3 turbidity sensors were not calibrated and therefore reported only relative changes in background turbidity and not absolute turbidity values (in relative fluoroescence units (RFU)).

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

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Dates

Metadata Created Date September 12, 2025
Metadata Updated Date September 24, 2025

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI USGS DCAT-US

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date September 12, 2025
Metadata Updated Date September 24, 2025
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Maintainer
Identifier http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/usgs-57976b62e4b021cadec978a4
Data Last Modified 2020-08-14T00:00:00Z
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:12
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://ddi.doi.gov/usgs-data.json
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Harvest Object Id e82c1aa1-1bcd-4546-8088-d13e8c585a86
Harvest Source Id 2b80d118-ab3a-48ba-bd93-996bbacefac2
Harvest Source Title DOI USGS DCAT-US
Metadata Type geospatial
Old Spatial -88.135331, 41.482548, -88.103996, 41.502742
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash 7cdf06bbc62333fa61519bc58d2508aeb3cd730e02dbfc432dee8a5d5d0c94a6
Source Schema Version 1.1
Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": -88.135331, 41.482548, -88.135331, 41.502742, -88.103996, 41.502742, -88.103996, 41.482548, -88.135331, 41.482548}

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