Catchment connectivity in an Arctic coastal plain watershed, 2018

• Main Authors: Johaneman, Taylor, Arp, Chris, Whitman, Matthew, Jones, Benjamin, Bondurant, Allen
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Arctic Data Center 2019
• Subjects: Connectivity; Hydrology; North Slope; Arctic Coastal Plain; Arctic; Watershed; Catchments; Alaska; Climate change; north slope
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.18739/a2vd6p49r; https://arcticdata.io/catalog/#view/doi:10.18739/A2VD6P49R

This dataset provides longitudinal connectivity of catchments in the Fish Creek Watershed on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska. In situ observations were made between July 7, 2018 and July 18, 2018 from 61 of the 141 total catchments. These observations informed remote sensing classification of the remaining 80 catchments. While most of the connectivity data was collected through aerial observations, some observations were made from the ground when hydrologic data was being collected. Connectivity was evaluated at two points, one upstream and one downstream, along the main stream throughout each catchment. Upstream and downstream catchment areas were given one of four classification types: no barriers, diffuse flow, subsurface flow, knickpoint. Results of upstream connectivity and downstream connectivity were used to evaluate total catchment connectivity, in which an emphasis was placed on downstream connectivity, an area which serves as the gateway to the catchment for fish traveling to vital lakes upstream. Total connectivity classes were passable, intermittently passable, partially passable, and impassable. Hydrologic connectivity of each catchment was evaluated using surficial geology and catchment area. The purpose of these data is to better inform and guide resource management in the context of land-use and climate change. These data will be particularly useful in land management decisions surrounding lake water-use and petroleum development in the Fish Creek Watershed and other lake-rich regions of the Arctic Coastal Plain.