The NHD and the Future of Stream Mapping

The NHD and the Future of Stream Mapping in West Virginia Evan Fedorko West Virginia GIS Technical Center www. wvgis. wvu. edu Jackie Strager (NRAC) www. nrac. wvu. edu Kevin Kuhn Kurt Donaldson WVGISTC

Introduction • Outline: – Existing stream map: 24 K NHD • Issues with 24 K NHD – Current stream mapping: Local NHD • Pilot projects, results and future plans – What’s next: Stewardship and the future of NHD • NHD successes and challenges – Case study: Stream modifications in the Coal River • Future of NHD • • Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship

NHD Status in WV • National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) • NHD is complete in WV for: – Medium resolution (1: 100, 000 scale) – High resolution (1: 24, 000) • Local resolution NHD (1: 4, 800) – Pilot projects complete – Gauley – Upper Guyandotte • • Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship

Evaluating the NHD • • • What could be improved in 24 K NHD in WV? • How was this determined? – – Track known issues (NRAC) Stream naming/coding process (NRAC/WVDEP) Systematic statewide review by WVDEP Case study: mining impacts in the Coal River watershed (stewardship section) Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship

Issues with 24 K NHD • • • Main Issues: – – Errors in geometry Errors in attributes Errors in NHD formatting, reach coding Changes in stream geometry since streams were mapped • Source data for 24 K NHD: – 24 K DLG data – Topo map blue lines – GNIS names Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship

The big picture… Quantifying issues with the NHD Primarily based on WVDEP review • • Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship

The big picture… Quantifying issues with the NHD Primarily based on WVDEP review • • Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship

The big picture (2)… • • • Quantifying 24 K NHD issues as identified by WVDEP review Type of problem Possible geometry error NHD attribute error (FCODE) Karst/sinking streams NHD format error (reaches) Name issues (possible) Name issues TOTAL Number of Segments % of Segments Total Length (mi) 614 0. 28 254 6 0. 00 3 291 0. 13 107 6 0. 00 n/a 204 0. 09 89 1, 337 0. 62 657 216, 579 94, 796 Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship

Local resolution NHD • Local streams mapped from 2003 SAMB aerial photography and 3 m DEM • Benefits: – Better cartographic base for local mapping – Captures changes in stream geometry, length • Status: – Pilot projects complete for Gauley, Upper Guyandotte watersheds in late 2008 – Not currently downloadable from USGS • • Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship

LR-NHD Conclusions • • Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship • Two pilot watersheds completed – not available for download yet • WV is the first state to complete conflation using USGS’ new (beta) conflation tools • At this time, continued development of LR NHD is NOT recommended. Summary of reasons: – Issues with 1: 4, 800 scale source data – inconsistent collection and inclusion of “special features” such as ditches and culverts – Comparative difficulty of conflation process – Propagation of HR-NHD errors – General lack of interest by the WV NHD community – The persistent generalization question – Continued changes in stream geometry

Future of NHD for WV… • • Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship • Goal: Establish a stewardship program for NHD in WV – Data updates – Ensures data maintenance – Central point of contact • Steps taken: – Drafted a business plan for NHD in WV – Drafted an MOU between potential NHD steward and the USGS – Working with potential NHD steward

Stewardship Status • • Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship • Successes – Completed business plan for NHD – Stakeholders have been engaged in an active discussion – Survey conducted in 2008 revealed a great deal of interest in establishing a stewardship program

Stewardship Status • • Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship • Challenges – Data policy issues within potential stewardship agency – Community concerns over what scale of data will be maintained – fear that preferred scale will be “left behind” – Front loading of needed edits to HR-NHD resulting in initial… – Challenge of funding and personnel commitment to NHD stewardship

Coal River case study • Goal: Quantify amount of stream drainage change related to mining for southern WV watershed • Input datasets: – – 24 K NHD stream lines 1: 4, 800 local stream lines 2003 SAMB aerial photos 2007 NAIP aerial photos • • Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship

Original 24 K NHD • • Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship

2003 Aerial photos • • 2003 Photo Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship

Mining visible in 2003 • • 2003 Photo Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship

Aerial photos 2007 • • 2007 Photo Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship

Mining visible 2007 • • 2007 Photo Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship

Summary for 24 K NHD in Coal Description Entire Coal watershed Impacted by mining (2003) Impacted by newer mining (2007) Area (acres) Length of 24 K streams (mi) 570, 000 2, 232 12, 321 10, 757 59 33

Coal case study: Local • • Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship

Coal case study: Local Description Entire Coal watershed Area (acres) • • Length of streams (mi) 24 K 1: 4, 800 Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship 570, 000 2, 232 2, 829 Impacted by mining (2003) 12, 321 59 n/a Impacted by newer mining (2007) 10, 757 33 38

Stewardship • • Introduction NHD 24 K NHD local Stewardship • West Virginia’s next steps – Identify principal steward(s) – Consolidate key stakeholders and come to consensus on key issues – Implement stewardship plan – Compile errors and begin editing

Discussion Natural Resource Analysis Center West Virginia University www. nrac. wvu. edu WV GIS Technical Center West Virginia University wvgis. wvu. edu