Data are stored in ASCII text files with a file extension of .txt and JPEG images with a file extension of .jpg.

Missing data are identified by "-999". Double quotes are used to delimit text within fields, and commas contained within the double quotes do not indicate a new field. Because of the general lack of snow in North Park, all the depth data were collected on the first day of ground observations.

There are three depth transect files (one per ISA) per MSA. Snow transect filenames are depth_iopNMI_v1.txt, where:

Depth_iop indicates snow depth data
N = IOP number (1-4)
M = MSA letter code
I = ISA letter code
v1 = Data release version 1
.txt = plain text file

Early copies of files with filenames that do not include "_v1" are obsolete and should be replaced with the v1 copies.

Transect files contain one record per transect location, with the following fields:

	Column 1: TRANSECT - transect ID
                  1-letter code for MSA: 
		        F = Fraser
		        N = North Park
		        R = Rabbit Ears
                  1-letter code for ISA: 
		        A = Alpine
		        B = Buffalo Pass
		        F = Fool Creek
		        I = Illinois River
		        M = Michigan River
		        P = Potter Creek
		        S = Spring Creek (if MSA Code = R) or
		              St. Louis Creek (if MSA Code = F)
		        W = Walton Creek
                  1-letter sector ID: A,B,C, or D
                  2-digit cell number: 01-25
                  . decimal point
                  1-digit location number: 1-5
	Column 2: IOP - IOPx (x = 1-4)
	Column 3: DATE - yyyymmdd
	Column 4: TIME - hhmm
	Column 5: UTME - UTM Easting (m)
	Column 6: UTMN - UTM Northing (m)
	Column 7: DEPTH - snow depth (cm)
	Column 8: SWET - surface wetness:
	          d = Dry
	          m = Moist 
	          w = Wet
	          vw = Very Wet
	Column 9: SRUF - surface roughness photo taken (Y or N)
	Column 10: CNPY - canopy 
	          c = Coniferous
	          cs = Snow-covered Coniferous
	          g = Deciduous
	          ds = Snow-covered Deciduous
	          g = Grass (only used in North Park)
	          s = Sage (only used in North Park)
	          n = No Canopy
	Column 11: TEMP(F) - soil temperature, degrees Fahrenheit (only measured in North Park)
	Column 12: SURVEYOR - surveyor names
	Column 13: COMMENTS - surveyor comments, prepended with Quality Control flags for this record ["QC(XXX)", see below for QC flags]

Field comments for depth data were recorded per cell of an ISA sector. For purposes of data consistency, they were reproduced for each data point within that cell.

There are three depth transect summary files (one per ISA) per MSA. Snow transect summary filenames are depth_iopNMI_v1_summary.txt, where: 

Depth_iop indicates snow depth data
N = IOP number (1-4)
M = MSA letter code
I = ISA letter code
v1 = data release number 1
summary = content is summary record for each transect
.txt = plain text file

Transect summary files contain one record per transect, with the following fields:

	Column 1: TRANSECT - transect ID
                  1-letter code for MSA: 
		        F = Fraser
		        N = North Park
		        R = Rabbit Ears
                  1-letter code for ISA: 
		        A = Alpine
		        B = Buffalo Pass
		        F = Fool Creek
		        I = Illinois River
		        M = Michigan River
		        P = Potter Creek
		        S = Spring Creek (if MSA Code = R) or
		              St. Louis Creek (if MSA Code = F)
		        W = Walton Creek
                  1-letter sector ID: A,B,C, or D
                  2-digit cell number: 01-25
	Column 2: IOP - IOPx (x = 1-4)
	Column 3: DATE - yyyymmdd
	Column 4: TIME - hhmm
	Column 5: UTME - UTM Easting (m)
	Column 6: UTMN - UTM Northing (m)
	Column 7: #DONE - number of points measured / number of points expected
	Column 8: MEAN - mean of non-missing depth measurements (cm)
	Column 9: SDEV - standard deviation of non-missing depth measurements (cm)
	Column 10: MIN - minimum depth measured (cm)
	Column 11: MAX - maximum depth measured (cm)
	Columns 12,13,14,15,16: WETNESS - count of wetness values by category (dry/moist/wet/very wet/missing
        Column 17: SRUF@PNT - transect point number where surface roughness photo was taken
	Column 18: SURVEYOR - surveyor names
	Column 14: QC() - list of quality control flags triggered by this transect
        Column 15: COMMENTS_FOUND? - YES or NO indicator that surveyors included comments at this transect

Photos

Each JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) file contains one digital photo. At least one snow roughness photo should have been taken at each sector cell. A photo of the general terrain was taken out along the depth transects. These photos should contain a card identifying the location of the photo using the misc.n convention.

Additional photos may also have been taken to show the general field work in progress for public relations purposes.

The following code, known as "misc.n", are used in filenames (and for site names in the raw data):

  MSA Code 
        F = Fraser
        N = North Park
        R = Rabbit Ears

  ISA Code 
        A = Alpine
        B = Buffalo Pass
        F = Fool Creek
        I = Illinois River
        M = Michigan River
        P = Potter Creek
        S = Spring Creek (if MSA Code = R) or
                St. Louis Creek (if MSA Code = F)
        W = Walton Creek

  ISA Sector 
        A = Lower Left Quadrant - SW
        B = Upper Left Quadrant - NW
        C = Upper Right Quadrant - NE
        D = Lower Right Quadrant - SE

  Sector Cell Number (1-25, referring to 100-m x 100-m grid cells)

  Transect point number (1-5)

Fraser, North Park, and Rabbit Ears MSAs in northern Colorado, US.

Schematic diagram of the nested study areas for the CPLX 
Study area map 
Location of MSAs 
Location and characteristics of ISAs

IOP1 Transects Measured:

IOP2 Transects Measured:

*An extra transect was taken near location RWB08. The pole was moved from its location in IOP1. Surveyors measured at the pole's new location, and at the original location.

IOP3 Transects Measured:

IOP4 Transects Measured:

Parameters include snow depth, surface wetness, surface roughness (photos only), canopy, and soil temperature.

For a complete description of parameters and measurements, please refer to the Measurements section of the CLPX Plan.