[LTER-im] Network Climate and Hydrology database transition

[Diane McKnight]

LTER Lead PI's and IM's,

For more than 20 years, LTER sites have been sharing standardized climate and hydrologic data through the climDB/hydroDB database.  While originally a mandated program, site participation is currently voluntary.  With no dedicated funding or designated owner, ClimDB/HydroDB has grown antiquated. Over the past year, a team of information managers from LTER, USFS, and EDI has been meeting to identify a sustainable strategy that would more effectively integrate LTER and USFS data with other data streams while making the data available in a standardized, easily accessible format.

The already existing, NSF supported, data systems of CUAHSI (Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc., https://www.cuahsi.org/<https://www.cuahsi.org/data-models>) make similar data available from a variety of other programs, including CZOs as well as 130 other institutions.  The clim/hydro team found that it would also make a suitable home for LTER data. Making LTER climate and hydrological data available through CUAHSI will improve access, consistency, and exploratory data capabilities with very few downsides. The attached document describes a thoroughly vetted transition plan, as well as the  specifics of how the current databases will be archived.

Participation will require some upfront effort from sites' data teams to create scripts or other systems for porting their climate and/or hydrologic data into the CUAHSI data model, followed by regular, periodic uploads of new data. By making these data accessible in standardized format through a single interface, LTER sites present a unified presence, and encourage greater access and use of this valuable data, including for educational purposes. The LTER Executive Board strongly recommends that each site with appropriate data streams make the commitment to participate. (CUAHSI may not be the most appropriate home for fully marine sites. That question will be considered in the next few months.)

The current climDB/hydroDB databases will cease to accept new or revised data on August 1, 2020 (the July 1 deadline in the attached plan has been extended by a month) as EDI and information managers enact this new strategy.

On behalf of the LTER network, I want to thank the team involved in developing this excellent plan for their thoughtful consideration of options and commitment to maintaining and enhancing access to LTER data.

Happy 4th of July and stay safe! Cheers Diane


--
Diane McKnight
Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, 450 UCB
4001 Discovery Drive
Boulder, CO 80303

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