Pesticides and pharmaceuticals data collected during two consecutive years in a Mediterranean micro-estuary
The Alexander micro-estuary, located at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, is a typical example of small water bodies that suffer from a combination of urban and agricultural pollution, and overuse of their natural water sources. It is ~6.5 km long, with a maximum depth of 3 m and maximum width of 45 m. To evaluate the anthropogenic stress on the system and its ability to mitigate pollution, water samples were collected within the framework of Ruppin’s Estuarine and Coastal Observatory. Water samples were collected from the estuary head, which drains about 510 km², and at a point 300 m upstream from the estuary mouth before water flows into the Mediterranean Sea. A total of 236 stormwater and 44 base-flow water samples were collected between December 2016 and December 2018.
Stormwater samples were collected every 0.25-4 hours along the entire course of the flow events using automated samplers, while base-flow samples were taken once a month using a horizontal grab sampler. Chemical analysis was performed using liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). The targeted analysis, which included 15 fungicides, 25 herbicides, 18 insecticides, and 19 pharmaceuticals, concluded with a total of 21,142 entries, organized in a worksheet along with location, date, flood section duration, discharge rate, and total water volume discharged during the relevant period. The data offers an opportunity to explore the sources, transport, and impact of a large mixture of organic pollutants in a confined aquatic system located in an urbanized coastal environment.
Citation: Topaz, T., Ben-Ari, J., Banchik, E. K., Bassa, O., Egozi, R., Suari, Y., Sade, T., Zedaka, H., Gilboa, M., Yahel, G., & Chefetz, B. (2023). Pesticides and pharmaceuticals data collected during two consecutive years in a Mediterranean micro-estuary. Data in Brief, 50, 109456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2023.109456
A long term physical and biogeochemical database of a hyper-eutrophicated Mediterranean micro-estuary
Ruppin’s Estuarine and Coastal Observatory (RECO) is a Long-Term Ecological Research station positioned on the East Mediterranean shoreline between Tel-Aviv and Haifa, Israel. We present a comprehensive online database and an accompanying website that provides direct access to the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the local coastal marine ecosystem and the Alexander micro-estuary. It includes three databases updated continuously since 2014: a) in-situ stationary sensor data (10-minute intervals) of surface and bottom temperature, salinity, oxygen and water level at three stations along the estuary; b) monthly profiles and discrete biogeochemical samples at four stations located in the inland part of the estuary, including chlorophyll-a, microalgae and bacteria concentrations, nutrients, particulate organic matter, total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, and Secchi depth; and c) bi-weekly profiles, chlorophyll-a concentrations and cell counts at two marine stations adjacent to the estuary.
The database also includes historical data for the Taninim micro-estuary (2014-2016). The RECO observatory provides a unique dataset documenting the interaction of highly eutrophicated estuarine water with the ultra-oligotrophic seawater of the Eastern Mediterranean, offering an important resource for the coastal shelf research community and a long-term baseline for science-based management and environmental planning.
Citation: Suari, Y., Dadon-Pilosof, A., Sade, T., Amit, T., Gilboa, M., Gafny, S., Topaz, T., Zedaka, H., Boneh, S., & Yahel, G. (2019). A long term physical and biogeochemical database of a hyper-eutrophicated Mediterranean micro-estuary. Data in Brief, 27, 104809. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2019.104809
Bathymetric data for Israeli coastal micro-estuaries
Data from a bathymetric mapping project conducted in seven Israeli coastal micro-estuaries (Lachish, Sorek, Yarkon, Alexander, Hadera, Taninim, and Kishon) is presented. The data were collected by rowing a kayak along an S-shaped track through the estuaries, using an echosounder equipped with a GPS unit mounted on the kayak. Data preparation included manual removal of outliers, correction of the measured water level to sea level, and interpolation of the sampling points into a regular grid using a terrain-following interpolation algorithm.
For each estuary, both the raw measurements and the interpolated data are provided as CSV files, and the interpolated data is also provided as a GeoTiff file.
Citation: Suari, Y., Suari, D., Suari, Y., Sade, T., Sedaka, H., & Topaz, T. (2023). Bathymetric data for Israeli coastal micro-estuaries. Data in Brief, 49, 109444. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2023.109444