Greenhouse Gases in Dead Run Data
The Urban Critical Zone project investigates how geology, urbanization, and human activities influence water quality in metropolitan streams along the Eastern Seaboard. This dataset focuses on the concentrations of trace gases—carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O)—as well as the nitrogen-to-argon (N2:Ar) ratio in stream water, providing insight into biological and chemical processes affecting aquatic ecosystems.
Bi-weekly samples were collected from February 2021 to February 2024 at three nested sites in the Dead Run watershed in Baltimore, MD. These gases serve as key indicators of metabolic activity, greenhouse gas fluxes, and human impacts such as fertilizer runoff and gas leaks. Laboratory analysis using standard procedures helps assess how stream ecosystems process carbon and nitrogen, offering valuable data for understanding urban watershed dynamics and informing water management strategies.