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Streams and Waterbodies of the United States
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Frequently-anticipated questions:
- Title: Streams and Waterbodies of the United States
- Abstract:
-
This map layer shows areal and linear water features of the United States,
Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The original file was produced
by joining the individual State hydrography layers from the 1:2,000,000-
scale Digital Line Graph (DLG) data produced by the USGS. This map layer
was formerly distributed as Hydrography Features of the United States.
This is a revised version of the January 2003 map layer.
- How should this data set be cited?
National Atlas of the United States, 200512, Streams and Waterbodies of the United States: National Atlas of the United States, Reston, VA.
Online Links:
- What geographic area does the data set cover?
- West_Bounding_Coordinate: 170
- East_Bounding_Coordinate: -64
- North_Bounding_Coordinate: 72
- South_Bounding_Coordinate: 17
- What does it look like?
- Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
- Beginning_Date: 1995
- Ending_Date: 2002
- Currentness_Reference: Ground condition
- What is the general form of this data set?
- How does the data set represent geographic features?
- How are geographic features stored in the data set?
- Indirect_Spatial_Reference:
-
U.S. Department of Commerce, 1987, Codes for the Identification of the
States, the District of Columbia and The Outlying Areas of the United
States, and Associated Areas (FIPS 5-2): Washington, DC, National
Institute of Standards and Technology.
This is a Vector data set.
It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
- GT-polygon composed of chains (21868)
- Complete chain (76975)
- What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude.
Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.000278.
Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.000278.
Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees.
The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
The ellipsoid used is GRS1980.
The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.
The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222.
- How does the data set describe geographic features?
- Water bodies (described by Hydrogp020.dbf)
- Areal water features in the United States.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
- Shape
- The representation of the entity in the data.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Value | Definition |
Polygon | 2-dimensional element
|
- Area
- The size of the shape in coverage units. In the distributed file,
coverage units represent square decimal degrees.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Range of values |
Minimum: | 0.000 |
Maximum: | 447.874 |
- Perimeter
- The perimeter of the shape in coverage units. In the distributed file,
coverage units represent decimal degrees.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Range of values |
Minimum: | 0.008 |
Maximum: | 816.651 |
- Hydrogm020
- Internal feature number.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Range of values |
Minimum: | 2 |
Maximum: | 21869 |
- Feature
- The type of water body.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Value | Definition |
Bay or Estuary or Ocean | A body of salt water.
|
Canal | An artificial open waterway constructed to transport water, to
irrigate or drain land, to connect two or more bodies of water, or
to serve as a waterway for water craft.
|
Glacier | A field of ice.
|
Lake | A standing body of water with a predominately natural shoreline
surrounded by land.
|
Lake Dry | An area that at one time contained a standing body of water.
|
Lake Intermittent | A standing body of water that contains water for only part of the
year.
|
Null | Not a water feature.
|
Reservoir | A constructed basin formed to contain water.
|
Reservoir Intermittent | A constructed basin formed to contain water for only part of the
year.
|
Stream | A body of flowing water.
|
Swamp or Marsh | A noncultivated, vegetated area that is inundated or saturated for a
significant part of the year.
|
- F_Code
- The numeric code indicating the type of water body described by the
feature label.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Value | Definition |
0 | Bay or Estuary or Ocean
|
1 | Lake
|
2 | Reservoir
|
4 | Stream
|
5 | Canal
|
7 | Glacier
|
10 | Lake Dry
|
11 | Lake Intermittent
|
12 | Reservoir Intermittent
|
26 | Swamp or Marsh
|
90 | Null
|
- Name
- The name of the water feature.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Value | Definition |
<blank> | The name of the water feature is unknown, or the area is not a water
feature.
|
There is no predefined set of valid water feature names.
- State
- The 2-letter Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code for the
State in which the water feature is located. If the water feature falls
in two States, both codes are listed, separated by a dash.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Value | Definition |
<blank> | The area is not a water feature.
|
Formal codeset |
Codeset Name: | Codes for the Identification of the States, the District of Columbia and the Outlying Areas of the United States, and Associated Areas, FIPS 5-2. |
Codeset Source: | U.S. Department of Commerce |
- State_fips
- The 2-digit Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code for the
State in which the water feature is located. If the water feature falls
in two States, both codes are listed, separated by a dash.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Value | Definition |
<blank> | The area is not a water feature.
|
Formal codeset |
Codeset Name: | Codes for the Identification of the States, the District of Columbia and the Outlying Areas of the United States, and Associated Areas, FIPS 5-2. |
Codeset Source: | U.S. Department of Commerce |
- Name_uc
- The name of the water feature in upper-case letters.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Value | Definition |
<blank> | The name of the water feature is unknown, or the area is not a water
feature.
|
There is no predefined set of valid water feature names.
- Linear water features (described by Hydrogl020.dbf)
- Linear water features in the United States.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
- Shape
- The representation of the entity in the data.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Value | Definition |
Polyline | 1-dimensional element that may or may not surround a 2-dimensional
element.
|
- Fnode_
- Internal number of the from-node.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Range of values |
Minimum: | 1 |
Maximum: | 65787 |
- Tnode_
- Internal number of the to-node.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Range of values |
Minimum: | 1 |
Maximum: | 65787 |
- Lpoly_
- Internal number of the polygon to the left of the arc.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Range of values |
Minimum: | 1 |
Maximum: | 21868 |
- Rpoly_
- Internal number of the polygon to the right of the arc.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Range of values |
Minimum: | 1 |
Maximum: | 21869 |
- Length
- The length of the arc in coverage units. In the distributed file,
coverage units represent decimal degrees.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Range of values |
Minimum: | 0.000 |
Maximum: | 5.160 |
- Hydrogm020
- Internal feature number.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Range of values |
Minimum: | 1 |
Maximum: | 76975 |
- Feature
- The type of linear water feature.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Value | Definition |
Apparent Limit | A naturally occurring line of contact between a body of water and
the land. Conditions prevent the feature from being confidently
positioned.
|
Aqueduct | A structure designed to transport domestic or industrial water from
a supply source to a distribution point, often by gravity.
|
Braided Stream | A stream or river that flows in an intricate network of interlacing
channels.
|
Canal | An artificial open waterway constructed to transport water, to
irrigate or drain land, to connect two or more bodies of water, or
to serve as a waterway for water craft.
|
Canal Intermittent | An artificial open waterway, that contains water only part of the
year, constructed to transport water, to irrigate or drain land, to
connect two or more bodies of water, or to serve as a waterway for
water craft.
|
Closure Line | A line separating two different water features.
|
Dam | A barrier constructed to control the flow or raise the level of
water.
|
Falls | A vertical or near vertical descent of water over a step or ledge in
the bed of the river.
|
Intracoastal waterway | A system of rivers, canals, and designated channels along the
northern border and the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United
States.
|
Left Bank | A naturally occurring line of contact between a body of water and
the land. This is the left side facing downstream.
|
Null | Not a water feature.
|
Right Bank | A naturally occurring line of contact between a body of water and
the land. This is the right side facing downstream.
|
Shoreline | A naturally occurring line of contact between a body of water and
the land.
|
Shoreline Intermittent | A naturally occurring line of contact between a body of water and
the land. The water body exists for only part of the year.
|
Stream | A body of flowing water.
|
Stream Intermittent | A body of flowing water that contains water for only part of the
year.
|
- F_Code
- The numeric code indicating the type of water feature described by the
feature label.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Value | Definition |
0 | Closure line
|
2 | Shoreline
|
3 | Right or left bank.
|
4 | Stream
|
5 | Canal
|
6 | Aqueduct
|
7 | Braided stream
|
8 | Intracoastal waterway
|
9 | Falls
|
10 | Apparent limit
|
12 | Shoreline Intermittent
|
14 | Stream Intermittent
|
15 | Canal Intermittent
|
22 | Dam
|
90 | Null
|
- Name
- The name of the water feature.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Value | Definition |
N/A | Not Applicable. Features such as shorelines, left or right banks,
apparent limits, and closure lines do not have names.
|
NONE GIVEN | No name was found in the source material. The feature most likely
has a name, but it was not shown on the source maps.
|
<blank> | The name of the water feature is unknown. Names for linear features
in Alaska have not yet been researched using detailed topographic
maps. Names for dams have not yet been completely researched using
detailed topographic maps and other sources.
|
There is no predefined set of valid water feature names.
- State
- The 2-letter Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code for the
State or State equivalent in which the water feature is located. If the
water feature falls in two States, both codes are listed, separated by a
dash.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Value | Definition |
<blank> | The line is not a water feature.
|
Formal codeset |
Codeset Name: | Codes for the Identification of the States, the District of Columbia and the Outlying Areas of the United States, and Associated Areas, FIPS 5-2. |
Codeset Source: | U.S. Department of Commerce |
- State_fips
- The 2-digit Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code for the
State in which the water feature is located. If the water feature falls
in two States, both codes are listed, separated by a dash.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Value | Definition |
<blank> | The line is not a water feature.
|
Formal codeset |
Codeset Name: | Codes for the Identification of the States, the District of Columbia and the Outlying Areas of the United States, and Associated Areas, FIPS 5-2. |
Codeset Source: | U.S. Department of Commerce |
- Name_uc
- The name of the water feature in upper-case letters.
(Source: National Atlas of the United States)
Value | Definition |
N/A | Not Applicable. Features such as shorelines, left or right banks,
apparent limits, and closure lines do not have names.
|
NONE GIVEN | No name was found in the source material. The feature most likely
has a name, but it was not shown on the source maps.
|
<blank> | The name of the water feature is unknown. Names for linear features
in Alaska have not yet been researched using detailed topographic
maps. Names for dams have not yet been completely researched using
detailed topographic maps and other sources.
|
There is no predefined set of valid water feature names.
- Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
- National Atlas of the United States
- Who also contributed to the data set?
- To whom should users address questions about the data?
Greg Manuel
National Atlas of the United States
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, VA 20192
703-648-6433 (voice)
atlasmail@usgs.gov
These data are intended for geographic display and analysis at the
national level, and for large regional areas. The data should be
displayed and analyzed at scales appropriate for 1:2,000,000-scale data.
No responsibility is assumed by the National Atlas of the United States in
the use of these data.
- From what previous works were the data drawn?
- 2MILHY (source 1 of 9)
-
U.S. Geological Survey, 1995, 1:2,000,000-scale Digital Line Graphs - Hydrography: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.
- Type_of_Source_Media: CD-ROM
- Source_Scale_Denominator: 2000000
- Source_Contribution: Spatial and attribute information
- 1:100,000-scale maps (source 2 of 9)
-
U.S. Geological Survey, Unknown, 1:100,000-scale USGS topographic maps: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.
- Type_of_Source_Media: Paper
- Source_Scale_Denominator: 100000
- Source_Contribution: Spatial and attribute information
- 1:250,000-scale maps (source 3 of 9)
-
U.S. Geological Survey, Unknown, 1:250,000-scale USGS topographic maps for Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.
- Type_of_Source_Media: Paper
- Source_Scale_Denominator: 250000
- Source_Contribution: Attribute information
- State base maps (source 4 of 9)
-
U.S. Geological Survey, Unknown, State base maps: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.
- Type_of_Source_Media: Paper
- Source_Scale_Denominator: 500000
- Source_Contribution: Spatial and attribute information
- ATLASHY98 (source 5 of 9)
-
National Atlas of the United States, 1998, Hydrography Features of the United States: National Atlas of the United States, Reston, VA.
- Type_of_Source_Media: Online
- Source_Scale_Denominator: 2000000
- Source_Contribution: Spatial and attribute information
- ATLASHY9903 (source 6 of 9)
-
National Atlas of the United States, 199903, Hydrography Features of the United States: National Atlas of the United States, Reston, VA.
- Type_of_Source_Media: Online
- Source_Scale_Denominator: 2000000
- Source_Contribution: Spatial and attribute information
- ATLASHY9911 (source 7 of 9)
-
National Atlas of the United States, 199911, Streams and Waterbodies of the United States: National Atlas of the United States, Reston, VA.
- Type_of_Source_Media: Online
- Source_Scale_Denominator: 2000000
- Source_Contribution: Spatial and attribute information
- ATLASHY0301 (source 8 of 9)
-
National Atlas of the United States, 200301, Streams and Waterbodies of the United States: National Atlas of the United States, Reston, VA.
- Type_of_Source_Media: Online
- Source_Scale_Denominator: 2000000
- Source_Contribution: Spatial and attribute information
- 1:24,000-scale maps (source 9 of 9)
-
U.S. Geological Survey, Unknown, 1:24,000-scale USGS topographic maps: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.
- Type_of_Source_Media: Paper
- Source_Scale_Denominator: 24000
- Source_Contribution: Attribute information
- How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
- Date: 1998 (process 1 of 5)
-
The 2MILHY data files were originally digitized by the National Mapping
Division based on the sectional maps contained in 'The National Atlas of
the United States of America' published by the USGS in 1970. The
1:2,000,000-scale Digital Line Graph (DLG) data were merged into a
single national water features coverage. Where necessary to effect the
merge, alignment changes were made. The names were taken from the USGS
1:100,000-scale maps. For Alaska, the names were taken from the
1:250,000-scale sheets. State lines across water bodies were removed
from the national coverage. State attributes were assigned to the
features.
Data sources used in this process:
- 2MILHY
- 1:100,000-scale maps
- 1:250,000-scale maps
- State base maps
Data sources produced in this process:
- Date: 1999 (process 2 of 5)
-
Some spatial features were added and corrected. Some name attributes
were added or corrected. All occurrences of St. were changed to Saint.
Extra spaces were removed from the attributes. Water features for
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands were added.
Data sources used in this process:
- 1:100,000-scale maps
- State base maps
- ATLASHY98
Data sources produced in this process:
- Date: 1999 (process 3 of 5)
-
A minor adjustment was made to the shoreline in Galveston Bay, Texas.
Data sources used in this process:
- ATLASHY9903
- 1:100,000 scale maps
Data sources produced in this process:
- Date: Dec-2002 (process 4 of 5)
-
The linear water feature attribute value, Intercoastal waterway, was
changed to Intracoastal waterway.
Data sources used in this process:
Data sources produced in this process:
- Date: Sep-2005 (process 5 of 5)
-
Names were researched for approximately 1,200 linear streams, canals,
aqueducts, and Intracoastal Waterway instances, in the conterminous
United States and Hawaii, that did not have names in ATLASHY0301. Names
were determined from the USGS 1:24,000-scale maps; the remaining
features without names were not labeled on the 1:24,000-scale maps, or
fall in Alaska, or represent dams that have not yet been fully
researched. Features for which no name appears within the source data
have a value of "NONE GIVEN" in the Name field. Features such as
shorelines, apparent limits, and closure lines do not have names and
have a value of "N/A" in the Name field. Several name corrections were
made. Minor spatial edits required to accommodate name changes, such as
connecting or splitting features, were made as necessary.
Data sources used in this process:
- 1:24,000-scale maps
- ATLASHY0301
- What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
- How well have the observations been checked?
- How accurate are the geographic locations?
- How accurate are the heights or depths?
- Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
This map layer includes water features for all fifty States, Puerto Rico,
and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Data completeness generally reflects the
content of the original DLG files.
- How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
The map layer was checked for topological consistency using the Arc/INFO
command BUILD. No other checks for logical consistency were performed on
this map layer.
Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
- Access_Constraints: None
- Use_Constraints:
-
None. Acknowledgment of the National Atlas of the United States of America
would be appreciated in products derived from these data.
- Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
Earth Science Information Center, U.S. Geological Survey
507 National Center
Reston, VA 20192
1-888-ASK-USGS (1-888-275-8747) (voice)
- Contact_Instructions:
-
In addition to the address above there are other ESIC offices throughout
the country. A full list of these offices is at
<http://geography.usgs.gov/esic/esic_index.html>.
- What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
- What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at
the U.S. Geological Survey, no warranty expressed or implied is made by the
U.S. Geological Survey regarding the utility of the data on any other
system, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. No
responsibility is assumed by the U.S. Geological Survey in the use of these
data.
- How can I download or order the data?
- Availability in digital form:
- Cost to order the data: There is no charge for the map layer.
- Dates:
- Last modified: 04-Oct-2005
- Metadata author:
-
Peg Rawson
National Atlas of the United States
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, VA 20192
703-648-4183 (voice)
atlasmail@usgs.gov
- Metadata standard:
- FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
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