National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) - Medium-resolution at 1:100,000
Dataset Identification:
Resource Abstract:
The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) is a feature-based database that interconnects and uniquely identifies the sream segments
or reaches that comprise the nation's surface water drainage system. Medium resolution NHD is based on the content of the
U.S. Geological Survey 1:100,000-scale Digital Line Graph (DLG) hydrography data, integrated with reach-related information
from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Reach File Version 3.0 (RF3). More specifically, it contains reach codes for
networked features and isolated lakes, flow direction, names, stream level, and centerline representations for areal water
bodies. Reaches are also defined to represent water bodies and the approximate shorelines of the Great Lakes, the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans and the Gulf of Mexico. The NHD also incorporates the National Spatial Data Infrastructure framework criteria
established by the Federal Geographic Data Committee. For data outside of Wyoming or most recent versions goto http://nhd.usgs.gov.in
order to download the most up to date NHD data, go to USGS NHD Geodatabase at http://nhdgeo.usgs.gov/viewer.htm, where data
can be extracted by polygon.Other sections: Spatial Data Organization: Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: VectorPoint_and_Vector_Object_Information:
Spatial_Reference_Information: Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition: Geographic: Latitude_Resolution:0.000001Longitude_Resolution:
0.000001 Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal degrees Geodetic_Model:Horizontal_Datum_Name: North American Datum of 1983 Ellipsoid_Name:Geodetic
Reference System 1980 Semi-major_Axis: 6378137.000000Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257222Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Altitude_System_Definition: Altitude_Datum_Name: National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 Altitude_Resolution:0.1 Altitude_Distance_Units:
meters Altitude_Encoding_Method: Attribute valuesEntity_and_Attribute_Information: Overview_Description:Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
The National Hydrography Dataset is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring
and constructed bodies of water, paths through which water flows, and related entities. The information encoded about features
includes a feature date, classification by type, other characteristics, a unique common identifier, the feature length or
area, and (rarely) elevation of the surface of water pools and a description of the stage of the elevation. For reaches, encoded
information includes a reach code. Names and their identifiers in the Geographic Names Information System, are assigned to
most feature types. The direction of flow is encoded for networked features. The data also contains relations that encode
metadata, and information that supports the exchange of future updates and improvements to the data. The names and definitions
of all feature types, characteristics, and values are in the Standards for National Hydrography Dataset: Reston, Virginia,
U.S. Geological Survey, 1999. The document is available online through http://mapping.usgs.gov/standards/.Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
The names and definitions of all feature types, characteristics, and values are in U.S. Geological Survey, 1999, Standards
for National Hydrography Dataset: Reston, Virginia, U.S. Geological Survey. The document is available online through http://mapping.usgs.gov/standards/.
Information about tables and fields in the data is available from the user documentation for the National Hydrography Dataset
at http://nhd.usgs.gov. The National Map - Hydrography Fact Sheet is also available at:http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/factsheets/fs06002.html.
Citation
Title National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) - Medium-resolution at 1:100,000
Title U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, 1999, Standards for National Hydrography Dataset. (<http://mapping.usgs.gov/standards/>)
Location keywords:
US
Wyoming
thesaurus name >
Title U.S. Department of Commerce, 1977, Countries, dependencies, areas of sovereignty, and their principal administative divisions
(Federal Information Processing Standard 10-3): Washington, D.C., National Institute of Standards and Technology.
other Citation Details
Cinergi keyword enhanced.File generated at Wed Jun 27 22:56:00 UTC 2018
purpose:
The National Hydrography Dataset combines elements of the DLG and RF3: spatial accuracy and comprehensiveness from the DLG
and network relationships, names, and a unique identifier (reach code) for surface water features from RF3. The NHD supersedes
DLG and RF3 by incorporating them, not by replacing them. Users of DLG and RF3 will find the National Hydrography Dataset
both familiar and greatly expanded and refined. The NHD provides a national framework for assigning reach addresses to water-related
entities such as industrial dischargers, drinking water supplies, fish habitat areas, wild and scenic rivers. Reach addresses
establish the locations of these entities relative to one another within the NHD surface water drainage network in a manner
similar to street addresses. Once linked to the NHD by their reach addresses, the upstream/downstream relationships of these
water-related entities and any associated information about them can be analyzed using software tools ranging from spreadsheets
to Geographic Information Systems (GIS). GIS can also be used to combine NHD-based network analysis with other data layers,
such as soils, land use, and population, to help better understand and display their respective effects upon one another.
Furthermore, because the NHD provides a nationally consistent framework for addresses and analysis, water-related information
linked to reach addresses by one organization (national, state, local) can be shared with other organizations and easily integrated
into many different types of applications to the benefit of all. The National Hydrography Dataset is designed to provide comprehensive
coverage of hydrologic data for the US.
Resource language:
eng
Resource progress code:
completed
Resource Maintenance Information
maintenance or update frequency:
Constraints on resource usage:
Legal Constraints
Access Constraints
otherRestrictions
use constraint:
otherRestrictions
Other constraints
Access constraints: None. Use Limitation: None. Acknowledgment of the originating agencies would be appreciated in products
derived from these data.. Distribution Liability:
Spatial representation type code:
vector
Resource extent
Geographic Extent
Geographic Bounding Box
westBoundLongitude
-111.05
eastBoundLongitude
-104.05
northBoundLatitude
45
southBoundLatitude
41
Additional information on resource:
While initially based on 1:100,000-scale data, the NHD is designed to incorporate and encourage the development of higher-resolution
data required by many users. It will facilitate the improved integration of water-related data in support of the application
requirements of a growing national user community and will enable shared maintenance and enhancement.
Credits:
See dataset specific metadata.
point of contact
-
pointOfContact
individual Name
organisation Name
Earth Science Information Center, U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Telephone
Voice 1 888 ASK USGS; 1 888 275 8747
Fax
Address
507 National Center, Reston, VA, 20192
Country USA
In addition to the address above there are other ESIC offices throughout the country. A full list of these offices is at URL:
http://mapping.usgs.gov/esic/esic_index.html
description This process converted Digital Line Graph data to the features and converted the coordinate system to geographic (longitude-latitude)
coordinates in the North American Datum of 1983, in five steps:1. The U.S. Geological Survey's Batch DLG-3 to DLG-F Conversion
System converted DLG-3 nodes, lines, areas, and associated attribute codes to temporary features and associated characteristics.
Known conversion problems or uncertain conversions (for example, the DLG-3 attribute code for reservoir sometimes should convert
to the feature type Reservoir and other times to feature type Lake/Pond) were flagged for later inspection. Only known conversion
problems were flagged and no additional steps to detect or repair discrepancies in the original DLG-3 or the converted NHD
were taken.2. A default value of a characteristic was added in cases where the description was incomplete.3. All instances
in which problems and uncertainties were flagged were inspected and resolved interactively.4. Feature delineation rules were
applied tothe temporary features in a batch process to create the final version of features.5. Coordinate values were converted
to geographic coordinates, the North American Datum of 1983, using version 2.1 of NADCON software (National Geodetic Survey,
n.d.). This process generated the features data.
source
source citation
Title DLG-3 data file (see dataset specific metadata for file name and date)
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
presentationForm
mapDigital
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
Processing Step
date and time 1998-01-01T12:00:00
description The basic steps for building reaches are:1. Convert RF3 to R3 double prime. This batch operation processed Reach File version
3 to delete duplicate reaches, reassign reaches to the correct cataloging unit, validate geographic names assigned to reaches
against data from the Geographic Names Information System (December 1996 extract), apply updates supplied by the States of
California and Arizona, redelineate reaches based on the standards used for the National Hydrography Dataset, and identify
inflow/outflow points where transport reaches entered and exited water bodies.2. Create artificial paths. Using waterbodies
from the features data and inflow/outflow points extracted from RF3 double prime, this process automatically generated the
lines used to delineate artificial paths within water bodies using the ARC/INFO GRID routine.3. Blind pass. This batch step
conflated RF3 double prime reaches, and transferred reach information (reach code, reach date, name, stream level, and flow
relationships) to the features. It also integrated the artificial paths generated in the previous step with the other features,
built reaches on the artificial paths, and assigned geographic names to water bodies (February 1995 extract).
source
source citation
Title Reach File Version 3
publication Date
1997-06-22T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title Centerlines
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title 1:250,000-scale cataloging unit boundaries
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title 1:250,000-scale cataloging unit boundaries
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
The states of CT, DE, FL, KY, MN, NC, OK, SC, WV, WA, OR, ID and MT.
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title NHD basic features
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title GNIS
Processing Step
date and time 1998-01-01T12:00:00
description steps (cont.)4. Quadrangle-based visual pass. During this interactive step, analysts ensured that the data developed in the
previous batch processes conformed to reach delineation rules and that reaches were assigned to the appropriate cataloging
unit. Batch procedures identified and developed a list of possible errors. Using the list, software presented each case to
analysts to make appropriate edits to the data. Analysts recorded notes where repairs could not be made; these notes are encoded
in the digital update units associated with reaches.5. Build superquads. After the quadrangle-based visual pass was complete,
all quadrangles that cover all or part of each cataloging unit were paneled into a superquad. In this batch process, reaches
that cross quad boundaries were corrected to conform to reach delineation rules.6. Cataloging unit-based visual pass. Like
the quadrangle-based visual pass, analysts ensured that reaches conformed to reach delineation rules. Batch procedures identified
and developed a list of possible errors. The analysts examined each error, and corrected the data.
source
source citation
Title Reach File Version 3
publication Date
1997-06-22T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title Centerlines
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title 1:250,000-scale cataloging unit boundaries
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title 1:250,000-scale cataloging unit boundaries
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
The states of CT, DE, FL, KY, MN, NC, OK, SC, WV, WA, OR, ID and MT.
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title NHD basic features
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title GNIS
Processing Step
date and time 1998-01-01T12:00:00
description steps (cont.)7. Central quality assurance/quality control. This step (1) confirmed that integrity checks were performed successfully
during the visual pass activity, and (2) assessed statistics gathered during the earlier processes to determine if additional
review was needed. A check of data from the cataloging unit-based visual pass was run in batch; any data that did not pass
the procedure were reviewed interactively. If substantive changes were required, the data were reprocessed using procedures
(as required) described in previous steps. The edited data then were rechecked using the central quality assurance/quality
control process.8. Data preparation and database load. This batch procedure performs final processing to the data emerging
from the quality assurance/quality control step. Some of the activities include assigning the final reach codes, building
waterbody reaches, adding final artificial paths in water bodies, and implementing any recent changes in standards for the
National Hydrography Dataset. The encoding of geographic names was synchronized between the National Hydrography Dataset and
the Geographic Names Information System using the March 1999 geographic names extract. Following this procedure, reaches,
features, characteristics, geographic names, and relations were loaded into the database that holds the National Hydrography
Dataset.
source
source citation
Title Reach File Version 3
publication Date
1997-06-22T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title Centerlines
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title 1:250,000-scale cataloging unit boundaries
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title 1:250,000-scale cataloging unit boundaries
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
The states of CT, DE, FL, KY, MN, NC, OK, SC, WV, WA, OR, ID and MT.
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title NHD basic features
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title GNIS
Processing Step
date and time 1998-01-01T12:00:00
description steps (cont.)9. Flow relation correction and validation. Using an extract from the database, a batch procedure checked flow
relations for consistency and generated a list of possible errors. Software presented each case to analysts to make appropriate
edits to the data. Corrections were made to the flow relations and, occasionally, to the delineation of reaches. Changes were
posted to the database. 10. Extract distribution copies of data. Data for a cataloging unit were extracted from the database,
and converted into an ARC/INFO workspace containing coverages and other files related to the National Hydrography Dataset.
Data available in the Spatial Data Transfer Standard format were developed from the workspaces. The workspaces, and the Spatial
DataTransfer Standard-formatted files, were made available to the public.
source
source citation
Title Reach File Version 3
publication Date
1997-06-22T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title Centerlines
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title 1:250,000-scale cataloging unit boundaries
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title 1:250,000-scale cataloging unit boundaries
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
The states of CT, DE, FL, KY, MN, NC, OK, SC, WV, WA, OR, ID and MT.
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title NHD basic features
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
source
source citation
Title GNIS
Processing Step
date and time 2004-01-01T12:00:00
description Converted NHD data to geodatabase format. Conversion included assignment of FCodes, FDate, and Resolution attribute values;
assignment of reach codes to associated features; replacement of branched reaches with linear reaches; merge of area features
with identical classification that adjoin or overlap; split of large area features that exceed 100/25 sq. km. (depending on
feature type) at subbasin boundaries; reduction of feature classes, feature types, and attribution to simplify data; merge
of network flow features at vertical relationship locations; conversion of artificial paths along coastline to coastline feature
type; addition of M coordinates and values to network flow features; addition of Z coordinates, but not values, to all feature
geometry; addition of value added attributes; switch to primary flow navigation by network features (NHDFlowline, route.drain)
in place of reach features; and elimination of metadata boundaries.
source
source citation
Title NHD features
source
source citation
Title subbasin boundaries
Processing Step
date and time 2008-11-25T12:00:00
description Dataset copied.
source
source citation
Title M: GeoLibrary WyomingGeoLibraryBackup_coal2 DocumentsBySource UniversityofWyoming Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center
NationalHydrographyDataset-mediumres
source
source description
Source Contribution: Spatial and attribute information online
representative resolution scale:
Scale denominator: 100000
source citation
Title DLG-3 data file (see dataset specific metadata for file name and date)
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
presentationForm
mapDigital
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
Resource extent
Temporal Extent
time Position
source
source description
Source Contribution: Spatial elements for basic features other than artificial paths and connectors. Attributes for all basic
features. online
organisation Name
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
Resource extent
Temporal Extent
begin 1990-04-01T12:00:00
end 1997-06-22T12:00:00
source
source description
Source Contribution: Artificial paths through 2-dimensional streams and other water bodies. online
representative resolution scale:
Scale denominator: 100000
source citation
Title Centerlines
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
Resource extent
Temporal Extent
time Position
source
source description
Source Contribution: Updated CU boundaries online
representative resolution scale:
Scale denominator: 250000
source citation
Title 1:250,000-scale cataloging unit boundaries
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
U.S. Geological Survey
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
Resource extent
Temporal Extent
time Position
source
source description
Source Contribution: Updated CU boundaries online
representative resolution scale:
Scale denominator: 100000
source citation
Title 1:250,000-scale cataloging unit boundaries
publication Date
1900-01-01T12:00:00
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
The states of CT, DE, FL, KY, MN, NC, OK, SC, WV, WA, OR, ID and MT.
Contact information
Address
electronic Mail Address
Resource extent
Temporal Extent
begin
end
Completeness Omission
evaluation Method Description
The completeness of the data reflects the content of the sources, which, in the initial release of the National Hydrography
Dataset, most often are U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps. Features found on the ground may have been eliminated or
generalized on the source graphic because of scale and legibility constraints. In general, streams longer than one mile (approximately
1.6 kilometers) were collected. Most streams that flow from a lake were collected regardless of their length. Only definite
channels were collected, so not all swamp/marsh features have stream/rivers delineated through them. Lake/ponds having an
area greater than 6 acres (approximately 2.4 hectares) were collected. Note, however, that these general rules were applied
unevenly among maps during compilation. Some map quadrangles have a much sparser pattern of hydrography than do adjoining
maps, and these differences continue in the digital rendition of these features. A priority for maintenance of the National
Hydrography Dataset is the rectification of these differences. Transport reaches are defined on almost all features of type
stream/river, canal/ditch, pipeline, artificial path, and connector. Water body reaches are defined on the subset of lake/pond
features that were identified as water bodies during the development of Reach File Version 3. Most attention in applying geographic
names was given to transport reaches that follow stream/rivers, and Water body reaches. Near the international boundaries
with Canada and Mexico, only the parts of features within the United States are delineated. Detailed capture conditions are
provided for every feature type in the "Standards for National Hydrography Dataset" (USGS, 1999), available online through
http://mapping.usgs.gov/standards/.This statement is generally true for the most common sources of NHD data. Other sources
and methods may have been used to create or update NHD data. In some cases, additional information may be found in the NHDMetadata
table.
ConceptualConsistency
measure Description
Points, nodes, lines, and areas conform to topological rules. Lines intersect only at nodes, and all nodes anchor the ends
of lines. Lines do not overshoot or undershoot other lines where they are supposed to meet. There are no duplicate lines.
Lines bound areas and lines identify the areas to the left and right of the lines. Gaps and overlaps among areas do not exist.
All areas close.
In addition to the address above there are other ESIC offices throughout the country. A full list of these offices is at URL:
http://mapping.usgs.gov/esic/esic_index.html
notes: This metadata was automatically generated from the FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata standard, version
FGDC-STD-001-1998 using the August 2011-REH version of the FGDC CSDGM to ISO 19115-2 transform modified and updatated by SMR
2018-05-26 to work with xslt v1.0; generates USGIN compatible ISO19139 XML. Most recent metadata content review date: indeterminate:
In addition to the address above there are other ESIC offices throughout the country. A full list of these offices is at URL:
http://mapping.usgs.gov/esic/esic_index.html
Metadata scope code
dataset
Metadata hierarchy level name:
Downloadable Data
Metadata language
eng
Metadata character set encoding:
utf8
Metadata standard for this record:
ISO 19139 Geographic Information - Metadata - Implementation Specification
standard version:
2007
Metadata record identifier:
nhdgeo.usgs.gov/viewer.htm
URI for dataset described:
> http://nhdgeo.usgs.gov/viewer.htm
Metadata record format is ISO19139-2 XML (MI_Metadata)