The Arikaree River (ARIK) is core aquatic field site within NEON's Central Plains Domain 10. NEON's ARIK field site is located in the Fox Ranch, a 14,070-acre ranch owned by the Nature Conservancy, in northeastern Colorado, southwest of Wray, between the towns of Joes and Idalia. ARIK was once a major waterway flowing through the plains of northeastern Colorado. Large water withdrawals for agriculture have now reduced it to a stream, with highly variable flow rates across the growing season. The Arikaree is also impacted by agricultural runoff and cattle grazing. The Nature Conservancy conducts extensive research at the site on invasive weed management, sustainable grazing practices and native landscape management. Cattle graze freely on surrounding pastureland and also have free access to the stream here, providing an opportunity to investigate their impact on the aquatic ecosystem. Remote sensing surveys of this site collect lidar, spectrometer and high resolution RGB camera data. This site has one meteorological station located in the riparian area and one meteorological station above water on a buoy. The met stations are outfitted with the a subset of the same sensors used at terrestrial sites. Measurements include wind speed and direction, air temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity, shortwave radiation, and PAR. This site has one buoy-mounted sensor station and an inlet station and outlet station. At the buoy, the automated instrument measurements are: PAR at water surface, PAR below water surface, temperature at a specific depth in surface water, water quality (specific conductivity, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen content, pH turbidity, and fDOM), and nitrate. At the inlet and outlet stations, the measurements are: PAR below water surface, elevation of surface water, and temperature in surface water. Eight groundwater wells throughout the site collect specific conductivity, water tempertaure, and elevation of groundwater. Field ecologists collect the following types of observational data at this site: aquatic organisms (Aquatic Microbes (surface water), macroinvertebrates microalgae, plants and macroalgae, zooplankton. Biogeochemical data on plants,sediment water and particulates.As well as physical aquatic data on bathymetric maps, stage,secchi depth and depth profiles, and riparian assessment. Total data products planned for this site: 79

Mayfield Creek (MAYF) is a core aquatic site and encompasses NEON's Ozarks Complex Domain. MAYF is located in dense forest wetlands about 20 miles southeast of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. A small stream that is maybe 15-20 feet across and just a few feet deep. Remote sensing surveys of this site collect lidar, spectrometer and high resolution RGB camera data. This site has one meteorological station located in the riparian area. The met station is outfitted with a subset of the same sensors used at terrestrial sites. Measurements include wind speed and direction, air temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity, shortwave radiation, and PAR. This site has one upstream sensor station and one downstream sensor station. Measurements include PAR, temperature, water quality [specific conductivity, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen content, pH, turbidity, and fluorescent dissolved organic matter (only downstream)], and nitrate is measured at the downstream station.Three groundwater wells throughout the site collect specific conductivity, water tempertaure, and elevation of groundwater. Field ecologists collect the following types of observational data at this site: aquatic organisms (Aquatic Microbes (surface water),macroinvertebrates microalgae, plants and macroalgae, zooplankton. Biogeochemical data on plants,sediment water and particulates.As well as physical aquatic data on bathymetric maps, stage,secchi depth and depth profiles, and riparian assessment. Total data products planned for this site: 78

Toolik Lake (TOOK) is a relocatable aquatic site within NEON's Domain 18: Tundra. Toolik Lake stretches from the Dalton Highway on the east to Jade Mountain on the west. The closest city, Fairbanks, Alaska is 400 miles away. The Dalton Highway (also known as the Haul Road or Pipeline Road), which traverses the middle of the state from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay, provides access to the area. Remote sensing surveys of this site collect lidar, spectrometer and high resolution RGB camera data. This site has one meteorological station located in the riparian area and one meteorological station above water on a buoy. The met stations are outfitted with the a subset of the same sensors used at terrestrial sites. Measurements include wind speed and direction, air temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity, shortwave radiation, and PAR. This site has one buoy-mounted sensor station and an inlet station and outlet station. At the buoy, the automated instrument measurements are: PAR at water surface, PAR below water surface, temperature at a specific depth in surface water, water quality (specific conductivity, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen content, pH turbidity, and fDOM), and nitrate. At the inlet and outlet stations, the measurements are: PAR below water surface, elevation of surface water, and temperature in surface water. Eight groundwater wells throughout the site collect specific conductivity, water tempertaure, and elevation of groundwater. Field ecologists collect the following types of observational data at this site: aquatic organisms (Aquatic Microbes (surface water),macroinvertebrates microalgae, plants and macroalgae, zooplankton. Biogeochemical data on plants,sediment water and particulates.As well as physical aquatic data on bathymetric maps, stage,secchi depth and depth profiles, and riparian assessment. Total data products planned for this site: 78

LeConte Creek (LECO) is one of Domain 07's relocatable aquatic sites, and is co-located with Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Twin Creeks (GRSM) .Specifically located in the southwest area of Tennessee bordering North Carolina. The watershed size is approximately 9.39 km^2. Remote sensing surveys of this site collect lidar, spectrometer and high resolution RGB camera data. This site has one meteorological station located in the riparian area. The met station is outfitted with a subset of the same sensors used at terrestrial sites. Measurements include wind speed and direction, air temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity, shortwave radiation, and PAR. This site has one upstream sensor station and one downstream sensor station. Measurements include PAR, temperature, water quality [specific conductivity, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen content, pH, turbidity, and fluorescent dissolved organic matter (only downstream)], and nitrate is measured at the downstream station. Due to logistical and permitting issues, this aquatic site does not have groundwater wells. Field ecologists collect the following types of observational data at this site: aquatic organisms (Aquatic Microbes (surface water),macroinvertebrates microalgae, plants and macroalgae, zooplankton. Biogeochemical data on plants,sediment water and particulates.As well as physical aquatic data on bathymetric maps, stage,secchi depth and depth profiles, and riparian assessment.

Red Butte Creek (REDB) is NEON's Core Aquatics site for the Domain 15: Great Basin. The creek flows down the east-west trending Red Butte Canyon through the Wasatch Mountains and opens into the Salt Lake Valley. Red Butte Creek once served as the primary water source for the U.S. Army's Fort Douglas. Red Butte Canyon is held by the U.S. Forest Service and is designated as a Research Natural Area (RNA) which is closed to public access. As a largely pristine watershed at the urban-wilderness interface, NEON's data from Red Butte Creek will inform researchers and decision makers on changes to the health of this and other Great Basin watersheds. This site has one meteorological station located in the riparian area and one meteorological station above water on a buoy. The met stations are outfitted with the a subset of the same sensors used at terrestrial sites. Measurements include wind speed and direction, air temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity, shortwave radiation, and PAR. Remote sensing surveys of this site collect lidar, spectrometer and high resolution RGB camera data. Five groundwater wells throughout the site collect specific conductivity, water tempertaure, and elevation of groundwater. This site has one buoy-mounted sensor station and an inlet station and outlet station. At the buoy, the automated instrument measurements are: PAR at water surface, PAR below water surface, temperature at a specific depth in surface water, water quality (specific conductivity, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen content, pH turbidity, and fDOM), and nitrate. At the inlet and outlet stations, the measurements are: PAR below water surface, elevation of surface water, and temperature in surface water. Field ecologists collect the following types of observational data at this site: aquatic organisms (Aquatic Microbes (surface water),macroinvertebrates microalgae, plants and macroalgae, zooplankton. Biogeochemical data on plants,sediment water and particulates.As well as physical aquatic data on bathymetric maps, stage,secchi depth and depth profiles, and riparian assessment. Total data products planned for this site: 81

West St. Louis Creek (WLOU) is a relocatable aquatic site within NEON's Domain 13: Southern Rockies & Colorado Plateau. WLOU is a mountain stream near Arapaho National Forest, southwest of the NIWO and COMO sites. WLOU is at 3,100 m (10,000 feet) in rugged mountainous terrain near the continental divide. The site is hosted by the U.S. Forest Service at Fraser Experimental Forest, which is used for a variety of research programs focused on forest management, water yield and physical and biological processes in high-elevation subalpine watersheds. The stream flows through a subalpine landscape dominated by aspen. This site has one meteorological station located in the riparian area and one meteorological station above water on a buoy. The met stations are outfitted with the a subset of the same sensors used at terrestrial sites. Measurements include wind speed and direction, air temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity, shortwave radiation, and PAR. Remote sensing surveys of this site collect lidar, spectrometer and high resolution RGB camera data. Eight groundwater wells throughout the site collect specific conductivity, water tempertaure, and elevation of groundwater. This site has one buoy-mounted sensor station and an inlet station and outlet station. At the buoy, the automated instrument measurements are: PAR at water surface, PAR below water surface, temperature at a specific depth in surface water, water quality (specific conductivity, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen content, pH turbidity, and fDOM), and nitrate. At the inlet and outlet stations, the measurements are: PAR below water surface, elevation of surface water, and temperature in surface water. Field ecologists collect the following types of observational data at this site: aquatic organisms (Aquatic Microbes (surface water),macroinvertebrates microalgae, plants and macroalgae, zooplankton. Biogeochemical data on plants,sediment water and particulates.As well as physical aquatic data on bathymetric maps, stage,secchi depth and depth profiles, and riparian assessment. Total data products planned for this site: 79

Sycamore Creek (SYCA) is a core aqautic site within NEON's Domain 14: Desert Southwest. Sycamore Creek is a shallow desert stream situated roughly 35 km northeast of Phoenix, Arizona in the Tonto National Forest. This core aquatic NEON site is hosted and managed by the United States Forest Service. The catchment area of the drainage basin is 505 km². The creek's headwaters begin on the eastern slopes of the Mazatzal Mountains and head south toward its confluence with the Verde River. This site has one meteorological station located in the riparian area and one meteorological station above water on a buoy. The met stations are outfitted with the a subset of the same sensors used at terrestrial sites. Measurements include wind speed and direction, air temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity, shortwave radiation, and PAR. Remote sensing surveys of this site collect lidar, spectrometer and high resolution RGB camera data. Four groundwater wells throughout the site collect specific conductivity, water tempertaure, and elevation of groundwater. This site has one buoy-mounted sensor station and an inlet station and outlet station. At the buoy, the automated instrument measurements are: PAR at water surface, PAR below water surface, temperature at a specific depth in surface water, water quality (specific conductivity, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen content, pH turbidity, and fDOM), and nitrate. At the inlet and outlet stations, the measurements are: PAR below water surface, elevation of surface water, and temperature in surface water. Field ecologists collect the following types of observational data at this site: aquatic organisms (Aquatic Microbes (surface water),macroinvertebrates microalgae, plants and macroalgae, zooplankton. Biogeochemical data on plants,sediment water and particulates.As well as physical aquatic data on bathymetric maps, stage,secchi depth and depth profiles, and riparian assessment.Total data products planned for this site: 53

The Black Warrior River (BLWA) near Dead Lake is a relocatable aquatic site within NEON's Ozarks Complex Domain 7. The Black Warrior River is a waterway in west-central Alabama in the southeastern United States. The river rises in the extreme southern edges of the Appalachian Highlands and flows 178 miles (286 km) to the Tombigbee River, of which the Black Warrior is the primary tributary. Remote sensing surveys of this site collect lidar, spectrometer and high resolution RGB camera data. This site has one meteorological station located in the riparian area. The met station is outfitted with a subset of the same sensors used at terrestrial sites. Measurements include wind speed and direction, air temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity, shortwave radiation, and PAR. This site has one upstream sensor station and one downstream sensor station. Measurements include PAR, temperature, water quality [specific conductivity, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen content, pH, turbidity, and fluorescent dissolved organic matter (only downstream)], and nitrate is measured at the downstream station.Three groundwater wells throughout the site collect specific conductivity, water tempertaure, and elevation of groundwater. Field ecologists collect the following types of observational data at this site: aquatic organisms (Aquatic Microbes (surface water),macroinvertebrates microalgae, plants and macroalgae, zooplankton. Biogeochemical data on plants,sediment water and particulates.As well as physical aquatic data on bathymetric maps, stage,secchi depth and depth profiles, and riparian assessment. Total data products planned for this site: 68

Blacktail Deer Creek is a core aquatic site within NEON's Domain 12: Northern Rockies. Blacktail Deer Creek is a small, fast freshwater stream in the Blacktail Deer Plateau. It supports trout, pike and other game species. Blacktail Deer Creek (BLDE) is located in the Northern Range of Yellowstone National Park just south of the Montana-Wyoming state line. It is a wadeable stream aquatic site covering a 1000-m reach of Blacktail Deer Creek, one of several creeks and streams running through the Blacktail Deer Plateau at the northern edge of the park. It is part of a watershed area encompassing 35 km2 (13.5 square miles) of the Northern Range. BLDE is located just two miles from NEON's Yellowstone Northern Range/Frog Rock (YELL) terrestrial site. The sites are easily accessed from Yellowstone's Grand Loop Road. The site is a ¾-mile off-trail hike from the Frog Rock gravel pit, where the park stores gravel for maintenance of roads and trails. The land outside the park is sparsely populated. The nearest communities (Gardiner, population 875, and Cooke City, population 150) are located in Montana on the northern border of the park. This site has one meteorological station located in the riparian area and one meteorological station above water on a buoy. The met stations are outfitted with the a subset of the same sensors used at terrestrial sites. Measurements include wind speed and direction, air temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity, shortwave radiation, and PAR.Remote sensing surveys of this site collect lidar, spectrometer and high resolution RGB camera data. Seven groundwater wells throughout the site collect specific conductivity, water tempertaure, and elevation of groundwater. This site has one buoy-mounted sensor station and an inlet station and outlet station. At the buoy, the automated instrument measurements are: PAR at water surface, PAR below water surface, temperature at a specific depth in surface water, water quality (specific conductivity, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen content, pH turbidity, and fDOM), and nitrate. At the inlet and outlet stations, the measurements are: PAR below water surface, elevation of surface water, and temperature in surface water. Field ecologists collect the following types of observational data at this site: aquatic organisms (Aquatic Microbes (surface water), macroinvertebratesmicroalgae, plants and macroalgae, zooplankton. Biogeochemical data on plants,sediment water and particulates. As well as physical aquatic data on bathymetric maps, stage,secchi depth and depth profiles, and riparian assessment.

Caribou Creek, Caribou-Poker Creeks (CARI) a core aquatic site and part of NEON's Domain 19: Tagia. CARI is collocated with Caribou-Poker Creeks Research Watershed. Remote sensing surveys of this site collect lidar, spectrometer and high resolution RGB camera data. This site has one upstream sensor station and one downstream sensor station. Measurements include PAR, temperature, water quality [specific conductivity, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen content, pH, turbidity, and fluorescent dissolved organic matter (only downstream)], and nitrate is measured at the downstream station. Eight groundwater wells throughout the site collect specific conductivity, water tempertaure, and elevation of groundwater.Field ecologists collect the following types of observational data at this site: aquatic organisms (Aquatic Microbes (surface water),macroinvertebrates microalgae, plants and macroalgae, zooplankton. Biogeochemical data on plants,sediment water and particulates.As well as physical aquatic data on bathymetric maps, stage,secchi depth and depth profiles, and riparian assessment. Total data products planned for this site: 78.