Natural vs. trawling-induced water turbidity and sediment transport variability within the Palamós Canyon (NW Mediterranean) [Dataset]

Data of hydrographic properties (pressure, temperature, salinity and turbidity) collected by an autonomous hydrographic profiler deployed in the axis of the Palamós Canyon (NW Mediterranean), and near-bottom time series of turbidity and currents. Additionally, data (temperature, salinity and turbidity) collected during an hydrographic CTD transect across the Palamós Canyon's head is also provided

Increases of water turbidity and suspended sediment transport in submarine canyons have been associated with high-energy events such as storms, river floods and dense shelf water cascading (DSWC), and occasionally with bottom trawling along canyon flanks and rims. To assess the variations on the water column turbidity and sediment transport in the Palamós Canyon linked to both natural and trawling-induced processes, an autonomous hydrographic profiler, as well as a near-bottom current meter and a turbidimeter were deployed in the canyon axis (929 m depth) from February to June 2017, covering a trawling closure (February) and trawling activities (March-June). Periods of enhanced water turbidity during the trawling closure were mostly associated with storms and DSWC events, transporting turbid dense waters into the canyon. In absence of such events, the water column displayed low suspended sediment concentrations (~ 0.3 mg L− 1) until the trawling season began, when particulate matter detachments, ranging between > 1 mg L− 1 and 3.8 mg L− 1, were observed at the water depths where the trawling grounds are found. During the trawling closure, high near-bottom suspended sediment fluxes (35–44 g m− 2 s− 1) were sporadically registered at ~  920 m depth associated with a major storm and DSWC event. Smaller but more frequent increases of near-bottom suspended sediment fluxes (0.1–1.4 g m− 2 s− 1) were recorded during trawling activities. Despite these smaller trawling-induced suspended sediment fluxes, 30 days of continuous bottom trawling activity transported a total amount of 40 kg m− 2, of similar magnitude to that generated by a major DSWC event (50 kg m− 2). Since bottom trawling in Palamós Canyon is practiced on a daily basis throughout the year, a much larger contribution of anthropogenically derived water turbidity and suspended sediment transport can be expected

Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España) MINECO/CTM2015-65142-R, MINECO/BES-2016-076983; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España): AGAUR/2017/SGR-863, AGAUR/2017/SGR-1241

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