Surrogate regression model data for estimating nitrate concentrations at six springs in Gooding County, south-central Idaho

Endangered Banbury Springs limpet and threatened Bliss Rapids snail populations in springs along the Snake River in southern Gooding County, south-central Idaho, are declining. To protect these species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) needs to understand what affects the species' habitat such as aquatic vegetation, associated with elevated nitrate concentrations in the springs. In cooperation with the USFWS, the U.S. Geological Survey developed surrogate regression models to estimate nitrate concentration using specific conductance, day of the year, and streamflow as potential explanatory variables. These surrogate models provide a cheaper alternative than measuring nitrate concentrations directly, through discrete sampling, [...]