Extending the National

1
Extending the National Hydrography Dataset A
Spatial Framework for Water Resources
Applications in West Virginia
Jackie Strager Natural Resource Analysis
Center www.nrac.wvu.edu
Mike Strager Division of Resource Management West
Virginia University
2
Introduction

• NHD as a foundation for water resources analysis
  in GIS
• NHD overview
• Applications
• Adding information to NHD
• Deriving additional data using NHD framework
• Additional related datasets

3
What is the NHD?

• National Hydrography Dataset
• Nationwide, consistent format
• WV NHD includes
• Medium resolution (1100,000)
• High resolution (124,000)
• Local resolution pilots (14,800)
• Seminar Thursday AM

4
Properties of the NHD

• NHD includes
• Surface water features
• Flow model
• Route measure model
• Extending NHD and related applications
• Adding info WV state stream codes and names
• Derived data WV segment-level watersheds
• Additional data NHD Plus

Direction of flow
5
Extending the NHD

• Extending NHD and related applications
• Adding info WV state stream codes and names
• Derived data WV segment-level watersheds
• Additional data NHD Plus
• Used in applied projects in fisheries, ecological
  assessments

6
1. Adding info to the NHD

• NHD 124,000 flowlines
• Added WV state stream names and codes (WVDEP)
• Unique reference for each stream as a whole
• References state data to streams
• All streams have some name, even if NHD has none
• Unnamed tributaries named using reference point
  (River Mile) along mainstem stream

7
1. Applications Adding info to the NHD

• Mapping WV trout streams
• Applying WV codes NHD stream measures

8
1. Applications Adding info to the NHD

• Stream segmenting for crayfish project
• 150m segments needed
• Statewide, on stream by stream basis

Strader Run, South Branch Potomac
9
2. Derived data from NHD

• Segment-level watersheds for WV
• Statewide coverage for 24K NHD
• Custom tools developed
• Determine upstream watersheds
• Cumulatively total watershed variables
• Determine distance to upstream features

10
2. Applications Derived data

• Big sandy examples

Upper Little Sandy Cumulative area upstream
of abandoned minelands
Upper Little Sandy Distance to closest upstream
mine permit
11
2. Applications Derived data

• Application Mining intensity index (0-100)
• Lower Cheat river basin
• Function of

• Cumulative area of mining features
• Cumulative area of coal seam outcrops

12
2. Applications Derived data

• WVU Research
• Fisheries Management
• Mussel distribution modeling (Alison Mynsberge)
• Dr. Todd Petty and students
• Brook trout conservation (Jason Clingerman)
• Landscape-water quality interactions (Eric
  Merriam)
• Temperature model, swim distances (Roy Martin)
• Water Quality
• Water Research Institute, WVU
• Mass-balance water quality model using linked
  watersheds, cumulative analysis

13
3. Additional NHD related data NHD Plus

• NHD Plus
• Available nationwide at 1100,000 scale
• Includes
• New value-added attributes for streams
• Thinner code
• Flow
• Stream order
• Path length
• Segment level catchments
• Modeling tools (software)

14
3. Applications NHD Plus
15
3. Applications NHD Plus
Catchments
16
Summary

• Described in this talk
• NHD, plus WV stream codes, route measures
• WV segment-level watersheds
• NHD Plus
• Allows us to assess the influence of landscape
  factors on instream water quality and biota
• Datasets used in current ecological studies in
  Cheat, Tygart, Ohio River basins
• NHD and segment-based watershed data models
  provide useful framework for many present and
  future activities

17
Related links
Jackie Strager Natural Resource Analysis
Center West Virginia University jmstrager_at_mail.wv
u.edu [phone] ext.4455
http//nhd.usgs.gov/
http//www.horizon-systems.com/NHDPlus/