This dataset and associated Shiny App was developed to allow users to visualise quality controlled data collected under the Scotland River Temperature Monitoring Network (SRTMN; https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/marine/Salmon-Trout-Coarse/Freshwater/Monit...) and other collaborative projects, at either national or catchment scales. A range of temperature summary metrics have been generated for each of the sites, from daily maximum, mean or minimum river temperatures depending on the metrics selected. Metrics are only generated where data is available for >95% of the time period. Users should familarise themselves with the 'Metrics' and 'How to use data' pages of the associated Shiny App for details on how each of the metrics are calculated and how they should be interpreted.

SRTMN sites are not a random sample of locations across Scottish rivers. Instead they were strategically chosen to cover a wide environmental and geographic range to allow statistical models to be developed. This means that sites often have unusual combinations of environmental characteristics (e.g. high altitude and short distance to coast) that make them useful in this context, however, they are not representative of Scottish rivers more generally. Consequently, although maps and boxplots of national and catchment summary metrics are provided, care should be taken in making broader inferences. To extrapolate from SRTMN sites to Scotland's rivers more generally requires the use of complex spatio-temporal river temperature models which can make predictions across the full river network.

Information on network design can be found here: https://iwaponline.com/hr/article/47/3/569-590/1326

Spatial predictions of river temperature can be found here: https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/marine/Salmon-Trout-Coarse/Freshwater/Monit...

Citation:
Jackson, F.L. Proudlock, P. Malcolm, I.A (2019) Scotland River Temperature Monitoring Network Summary Data. DOI: 10.7489/12202-1

Collaborating Organisations
The following collaborating organisations are thanked for their valuable efforts in facilitating or delivering data collection, without whom this work would not be possible: River Dee Trust, Tweed Foundation, Caithness District Salmon Fishery Board, River Brora District Salmon Fishery Board, Kyle of Sutherland Fisheries Trust, Argyll Fisheries Trust, Ayrshire Rivers Trust, Galloway Fisheries Trust, Spey Foundation