British Columbia Lightstation Sea-Surface Temperature and Salinity Data (Pacific), 1914-present

British Columbia Lightstation Sea-Surface Temperature and Salinity Data (Pacific), 1914-present Daily sea surface temperature and salinity observations have been carried out at several locations on the coast of British Columbia since the early part of the 20th century. Observations started at the Pacific Biological Station (Departure Bay) in 1914; 11 stations were added in the mid-1930s and several more in the 1960s. The number of stations reporting at any given time has varied as sampling has been discontinued at some stations and started or resumed at others. Presently termed the British Columbia Shore Station Oceanographic Program (BCSOP), there are 12 active participating stations. Most of the stations are at lighthouses staffed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, but three (Race Rocks, Amphitrite Point, and Active Pass) are sampled by contracted observers. Observations are made daily using seawater collected in a bucket lowered into the surface water at or near the daytime high tide. This sampling method was designed long ago by Dr. John P. Tully and has not been changed in the interests of a homogeneous data set. This means, for example, that if an observer starts sampling one day at 6 a.m., and continues to sample at the daytime high tide on the second day the sample will be taken at about 06:50 the next day, 07:40 the day after etc. When the daytime high-tide gets close to 6 p.m. the observer will then begin again to sample early in the morning, and the cycle continues. Since there is a day/night variation in the sea surface temperatures the daily time series will show a signal that varies with the14-day tidal cycle. This artifact does not affect the monthly sea surface temperature data. 2024-02-15 Fisheries and Oceans Canada DFO.PAC.SCI.IOSData-DonneesISO.SCI.PAC.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca Nature and EnvironmentPacificBritish ColumbiaVancouver IslandHaida GwaiiSea Surface TemperatureSea Surface SalinityBritish Columbia Shore Station Oceanographic Program (BCSOP)Climate archivesScientific informationOceansOceanographyLighthousesClimate BC Lightstations and Other Sample SitesCSV https://api-proxy.edh.azure.cloud.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/catalogue/records/719955f2-bf8e-44f7-bc26-6bd623e82884/attachments/BC_Lightstations_and_Other_Sample_Sites_V2_EN.csv BC Lightstations and Other Sample SitesCSV https://api-proxy.edh.azure.cloud.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/catalogue/records/719955f2-bf8e-44f7-bc26-6bd623e82884/attachments/BC_Lightstations_and_Other_Sample_Sites_V2_FR.csv DATA - Active SitesCSV https://api-proxy.edh.azure.cloud.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/catalogue/records/719955f2-bf8e-44f7-bc26-6bd623e82884/attachments/Data_Active_Sites_20230930.zip DATA - In-active SitesCSV https://pacgis01.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/FGPPublic/BCLightstations/DATA_-_In-active_Sites.zip DATA - Archived SitesCSV https://api-proxy.edh.azure.cloud.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/catalogue/records/719955f2-bf8e-44f7-bc26-6bd623e82884/attachments/DATA_-_Archived_Sites.zip Data DictionaryHTML https://pacgis01.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/FGPPublic/BCLightstations/Lightstation_Data_Dictionary_-_Dictionnaire_de_données_de_Phares_V2.htm DATA - BC Lightstations and Other Sample SitesSHP https://api-proxy.edh.azure.cloud.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/catalogue/records/719955f2-bf8e-44f7-bc26-6bd623e82884/attachments/BC_Lightstation_Data_SHP_Files_EN.zip DATA - BC Lightstations and Other Sample SitesSHP https://api-proxy.edh.azure.cloud.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/catalogue/records/719955f2-bf8e-44f7-bc26-6bd623e82884/attachments/BC_Lightstation_Data_SHP_Files_FR.zip BC Lightstations and Other Sample SitesESRI REST https://gisp.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/arcgis/rest/services/FGP/BC_Lightstations_and_other_Sample_Sites/MapServer/0 BC Lightstations and Other Sample SitesESRI REST https://gisp.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/arcgis/rest/services/FGP/BC_Lightstations_and_other_Sample_Sites/MapServer/1

Daily sea surface temperature and salinity observations have been carried out at several locations on the coast of British Columbia since the early part of the 20th century. Observations started at the Pacific Biological Station (Departure Bay) in 1914; 11 stations were added in the mid-1930s and several more in the 1960s. The number of stations reporting at any given time has varied as sampling has been discontinued at some stations and started or resumed at others.

Presently termed the British Columbia Shore Station Oceanographic Program (BCSOP), there are 12 active participating stations. Most of the stations are at lighthouses staffed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, but three (Race Rocks, Amphitrite Point, and Active Pass) are sampled by contracted observers.

Observations are made daily using seawater collected in a bucket lowered into the surface water at or near the daytime high tide. This sampling method was designed long ago by Dr. John P. Tully and has not been changed in the interests of a homogeneous data set. This means, for example, that if an observer starts sampling one day at 6 a.m., and continues to sample at the daytime high tide on the second day the sample will be taken at about 06:50 the next day, 07:40 the day after etc. When the daytime high-tide gets close to 6 p.m. the observer will then begin again to sample early in the morning, and the cycle continues. Since there is a day/night variation in the sea surface temperatures the daily time series will show a signal that varies with the14-day tidal cycle. This artifact does not affect the monthly sea surface temperature data.

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Contact Information

Delivery Point: Institute of Ocean Sciences, PO Box 6000, 9860 West Saanich Road

City: Sidney

Administrative Area: British Columbia

Postal Code: V8L 4B2

Country: Canada

Electronic Mail Address: DFO.PAC.SCI.IOSData-DonneesISO.SCI.PAC.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

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