Water-Quality Assessment of the Potomac River Basin:
Water-Quality and Selected Spatial Data, 1992-96


Selected spatial data --


Identification_Information
     Abstract 
     Purpose 
     Supplemental Information 
Data_Quality_Information
Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
Entity_and_Attribute_Information
     Detailed Description
     Overview 
Distribution_Information
Metadata_Reference_Section


Identification_Information

Citation_Information Originator: Derosier, Brakebill, Denis, Kelley Publication_Date: Title:Water-Quality Assessment of the Potomac River Basin: Water-Quality and Selected Spatial Data, 1992-96 Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Format: map Scale_Denominator: 24,000

Description Abstract The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program's Potomac River Basin study unit is an integrated water-quality assessment designed to address a broad array of water-quality properties in several environmental media at various spatial and temporal scales. These properties are then related to natural and human factors that can influence the quality of water. During a 3-year period of intensive data collection and analysis, hundreds of water-quality characteristics were measured in five environmental media within surface-water and ground-water systems. Sampled surface-water media include streamwater, streambed sediment, aquatic biological communities, and aquatic biological tissues. This investigation was conducted as part of a nationwide study to help assess the Nation's water-quality conditions. From 1993 - 1995, 89 selected small streams were sampled within 4 different subunits of the Potomac River Basin. This coverage represents the drainage basin boundaries for these surface-water synoptic sites. Keywords: Potomac River Basin, Basin Boundaries, Drainage Boundaries, Synoptic Survey, Digital, NAWQA, Subunit Purpose The purpose of this data is to provide the Potomac NAWQA study unit with basin boundary information, such as location and area. This coverage was combined with other spatial data to perform statistical analysis within the drainage areas in an attempt to relate water quality with natural and human factors that may affect water quality. Supplemental_Information Procedures_Used Sampling sites were located on U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 1:24,000 paper topographic maps. Drainage basin boundaries were delineated on these maps. Each boundary was digitized into a Geographic Information System using ARC/INFO Software, a quad sheet at a time. Once the digitizing was complete, each sheet was projected into ALBERS EQUAL AREA -78 00 00 central meridian. The nodes of the vector endpoints were adjusted withn a twenty meter radius to match the nodes from adjacent quad sheets. The vector data (arcs) was then appended with the data from adjacent quad sheets. Root Mean Square (RMS) errors were < .005. Once appended, polygon topology was created and USGS Station Identification numbers were added to the polygon attribute table (.pat). Boundaries for each Subunit were compiled separately (Gerhart and Brakebill, 1996). Once all boundaries for sample sites in all subunits were completed, the basin boundaries were joined into one coverage (SYN_BND). Revisions As needed Reviews_Applied Colleague, District Chief Approval The data you have secured from the USGS have not received Director's approval and as such are provisional and subject to revision. The data are released on the condition that neither the USGS nor the United States Government may be held liable for any damages resulting from their authorized or unauthorized use. Related_Spatial_and_Tabular_Data_Sets SYN_SIT - Point coverage of Synoptic Sampling Sites Other_References_Cited Blomquist,J.D., Fisher,G.T., Denis,J.M., Brakebill,J.W., and Werkheiser,W.H., 1996, Water-Quality Assessment of the Potomac River Basin: Basin Description and Analysis of Available Nutrient Data, 1970-90. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-4221, 88 pp. Gerhart, J.M., and Brakebill, J.W., 1996, Design and Implementation of a Sampling Strategy for a Water-Quality Assessment of the Potomac River Basin. U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Investigations Report 96-4034, 31pp. Notes ARC/INFO rev. 6.0 was used to begin digitizing. When the final sites of the last subunit (Valley & Ridge) were completed, ARC/INFO rev 7.0.3 was being used. The use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Time_Period_of_Content Currentness_Reference Status Progress: Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency Irregular updates were made only on a case by case basis where errors were noted. No further updates are planned. Spatial_Domain Bounding_Coordinates West_Bounding_Coordinate: -79.64029495 East_Bounding_Coordinate: -76.88080319 North_Bounding_Coordinate: 39.93998068 South_Bounding_Coordinate: 38.04288582

Keywords Theme Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None Theme_Keyword: Potomac NAWQA Synoptic Basin Boundaries Place Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None Place_Keyword: Stratum Stratum_Keyword_Thesaurus: None Stratum_Keyword: Temporal Temporal_Keyword_Thesaurus: None Temporal_Keyword:

Access_Constraints NONE Use_Constraints This data was digitized from paper 1:24,000 USGS topographic maps. Drainage basin boundaries were drawn on these quads prior to digitizing.

Data_Set_Credit Security_Information Security_Classification_System: None Security_Classification: UNCLASSIFIED Security_Handling_Description: None

Native_Data_Set_Environment: dgux UNIX, ARC/INFO version 7.0.4

Cross_Reference Originator: Derosier, Brakebill, Denis, Kelley Publication_Date: Publication_Time: Title: Water-quality and selected spatial data, 1992-1996, Potomac River Basin Edition: Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: map Series_Information Series_Name: Issue_Identification: Publication_Information Publication_Place: Publisher: Other_Citation_Details: Online_Linkage: Larger_Work_Citation:


Data_Quality_Information

Attribute_Accuracy Attribute_Accuracy_Report: See Entity_Attribute_Information

Quantitative_Attribute_Accuracy_Assessment Attribute_Accuracy_Value: See Explanation Attribute_Accuracy_Explanation: Attribute accuracy is described, where present, with each attribute defined in the Entity and Attribute Section.

Logical_Consistency_Report: Polygon topology present.

Completeness_Report Positional_Accuracy Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report: This data was digitized from paper 1:24,000 USGS topographic maps.

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report: N/A Lineage: See Supplemental_Information for overview.

Process_Steps Process_Step Available in download Arc/Info export file.

Cloud_Cover N/A


Spatial_Data_Organization_Information

Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Vector
Point_and_Vector_Object_Information SDTS_Terms_Description SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: Point Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 89 SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: String Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 228 SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: GT-polygon composed of chains' Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 90


Spatial_Reference_Information

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition
    Planar
        Map_Projection:
        Map_Projection_Name:  ALBERS
        Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -78
        Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 23
        Latitude_of_First_Standard_Parallel: 29.5
        Latitude_of_Second_Standard_Parallel: 45.5
        False_Easting:  0.00000
        False_Northing:  0.00000
    Geodetic Model
        Horizontal_Datum_Name:
        Ellipsoid_Name:  Clarke 1866
        Semi-major_Axis: 6,378,206.4
        Denominator_of_Flattening: 294.98


Entity_and_Attribute_Information

Detailed_Description Entity_Type Entity_Type_Label: SYN_BND.PAT Entity_Type_Definition: Polygon Attribute Table Entity_Type_Definition_Source: User defined Attribute: Attribute_Label: - Attribute_Definition: Polygon Attribute Table Attribute_Definition_Source: User defined Attribute_Domain_Values Enumerated_Domain Enumerated_Domain_Value: - Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Attribute: Attribute_Label: AREA Attribute_Definition: Area of poly/region in square coverage units Attribute_Definition_Source: Computed Attribute_Domain_Values Enumerated_Domain Enumerated_Domain_Value: Positive real numbers Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Attribute: Attribute_Label: PERIMETER Attribute_Definition: Perimeter of poly/region in coverage units Attribute_Definition_Source: Computed Attribute_Domain_Values Enumerated_Domain Enumerated_Domain_Value: Positive real numbers Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Attribute: Attribute_Label: SYN_BND# Attribute_Definition: Internal feature number Attribute_Definition_Source: Computed Attribute_Domain_Values Enumerated_Domain Enumerated_Domain_Value: Sequential unique positive integer Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Attribute: Attribute_Label: SYN_BND-ID Attribute_Definition: User-assigned feature number Attribute_Definition_Source: User-defined Attribute_Domain_Values Enumerated_Domain Enumerated_Domain_Value: Integer Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Attribute: Attribute_Label: STAID Attribute_Definition: Station Identification Attribute_Definition_Source: User defined Attribute_Domain_Values Enumerated_Domain Enumerated_Domain_Value: > 0 Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Attribute: Attribute_Label: STATION_ID Attribute_Definition: Station Identification Number Attribute_Definition_Source: User defined Attribute_Domain_Values Enumerated_Domain Enumerated_Domain_Value: Integer > 0 Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source:

Overview_Description Entity_and_Attribute_Overview STAID - Station Identification, 15, 15, Character, used to identify site. This item is also used in relating other data to the coverage. NETCODE - Sampling network identification code 12, 12, character used to identify sampling network STATION_ID - Redefined item, Station Identification, 7, 7, Integer, used to identify site as numeric number. Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: Not Available


Distribution_Information

Arc/Info Export format: Use Load to local disc:
Synoptic site basin boundaries.e00 Gunzipped SDTS Topological Vector Profile (TVP) format: Use Load to local disc:
Synoptic site basin boundaries.tgz PC Zipped SDTS Topological Vector Profile (TVP) format:
Synoptic site basin boundaries.zip STDS files were created from ARC/INFO ARCSDTS If the end user of an ARCSDTS file does not have access to the SDTSARC command, the file can be converted into an Arc coverage by first uncompressing it with the UNIX gzip command, which will create a UNIX tar file. If the compressed ARCSDTS file does not have a .tgz or .gz suffix, it must be renamed (UNIX mv command) to have one. Second, the user must perform a UNIX tar xvof command on the tar file and all SDTSEXPORT .DDF files will be loaded into the workspace the "tar xvof" command is issued. Last, the user must issue the Arc SDTSIMPORT command with the < in_transfer_prefix > being the first four characters of the prefix to the .DDF files and the < out_cover > being the prefix to the tar file. PC users can use unzip to create STDS .DDF files from downloaded .zip files. Cntact John W Brakebill Geographer U.S. Geological Survey 8987 Yellow Brick Road Baltimore, Maryland 21237 Phone: 410-238-4200 Fax: 410-238-4210 email: jwbrakeb@usgs.gov

Metadata_Reference_Section

Metadata_Date: 19980203 Metadata_Contact: jwbrakeb Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata Metadata_Standard_Version: 19940608 Metadata_Time_Convention: Local Time Metadata_Security_Information: Metadata_Security_Classification_System: None Metadata_Security_Classification: UNCLASSIFIED Metadata_Security_Handling_Description: None

Last modified: 98-02-04.14:31:00.Wed