USA Detailed Water Bodies represents the major lakes, reservoirs, large rivers, lagoons, and estuaries in the United States. To download the data for this layer as a layer package for use in ArcGIS desktop applications, refer to USA Detailed Water Bodies.

This North American Atlas data are standardized geospatial data sets at 1:10,000,000 scale. A variety of basic data layers (e.g. roads, railroads, populated places, political boundaries, hydrography, bathymetry, sea ice and glaciers) have been integrated so that their relative positions are correct. This collection of data sets forms a base with which other North American thematic data may be integrated. Any data outside of Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America included in the North American Atlas data sets is strictly to complete the context of the data.The North American Environmental Atlas – Lakes and Rivers dataset displays the coastline, linear hydrographic features (major rivers, streams, and canals), and area hydrographic features (major lakes and reservoirs) of North America at a reference spatial scale of 1:1,000,000.This map offers a seamless integration of hydrographic features derived from cartographic products generated by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), United States Geological Survey (USGS), National Institute of Statistics and Geography, (Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía-Inegi), National Water Commission (Comisión Nacional del Agua-Conagua).This current version of the North America Lakes and Rivers dataset supersedes the version published by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation in 2011.Files Download

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) sets out the basic principles for sustainable water policy. Its purpose is to establish a framework for the protection of inland surface waters, transitional waters, coastal waters and groundwater. The WFD aims to achieve good water status.The body of water is the elementary territorial division of aquatic environments intended to be the evaluation unit of the WFD.This data concerns the Master Plan for Water Management 2016-2021 (SDAGE) of the Seine Normandy Basin. It provides for all water bodies in the basin the status of the water body and the objectives assigned to it in the SDAGE 2016-2021

Water supply lakes are the primary source of water for many communities in northern and western Missouri. Therefore, accurate and up-to-date estimates of lake capacity are important for managing and predicting adequate water supply. Many of the water supply lakes in Missouri were previously surveyed by the U.S. Geological Survey in the early 2000s (Richards, 2013) and in 2013 (Huizinga, 2014); however, years of potential sedimentation may have resulted in reduced water storage capacity. Periodic bathymetric surveys are useful to update the area/capacity table and to determine changes in the bathymetric surface. From July 2019 to June 2020, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and various cities in northwestern Missouri, completed bathymetric surveys of twelve (12) lakes using a marine-based mobile mapping unit, which consists of a multibeam echosounder (MBES) and an inertial navigation system (INS) mounted on a marine survey vessel. Bathymetric data were collected as the vessel traversed longitudinal transects to provide nearly complete coverage of the lake. The MBES was electronically tilted in some areas to improve data collection along the shoreline, in coves, and in areas that are shallower than about 2.0 meters deep (the practical limit of reasonable and safe data collection with the MBES). At some lakes, supplemental data were collected in shallow areas using an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) mounted on a remote-controlled vessel equipped with a differential global positioning system (DGPS). Bathymetric quality-assurance data also were collected at each lake to evaluate the vertical accuracy of the gridded bathymetric point data from the MBES. As part of the survey at each of these lakes, one or more reference marks or temporary bench marks were established to provide a point of known _location and elevation from which the water surface could be measured or another survey could be referenced at a later date. In addition, the elevation of a primary spillway or intake was surveyed, when present. These points were surveyed using a real-time kinematic (RTK) Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver connected to the Missouri Department of Transportation real-time network (RTN), which provided real-time survey-grade horizontal and vertical positioning, using field procedures as described in Rydlund and Densmore (2012) for a Level II real-time positioning survey. Bethany New Lake was resurveyed in March 2020 because the original data collected in July 2019 were found to have corrupted position data. Mozingo Lake and Maryville Reservoir were surveyed in June 2020 as part of the group of lakes surveyed in 2020. However, extraordinary interest in the bathymetry at Mozingo Lake by the city of Maryville necessitated these data being released earlier than the other 2020 lakes. The MBES data can be combined with light detection and ranging (lidar) data to prepare a bathymetric map and a surface area and capacity table for each lake. These data also can be used to compare the current bathymetric surface with any previous bathymetric surface. Data from each of the surveys are provided in ESRI Shapefile format (ESRI, 2021). Each of the 10 lakes surveyed in 2019 has a child page containing the metadata and two zip files, one for the bathymetric data, and the other for the bathymetric quality-assurance data. Data from the surveys at Mozingo Lake and Maryville Reservoir in 2020 are in four zip files on a single child page, one for the bathymetric data and one for the bathymetric quality assurance data for each of the two lakes, and a single summary metadata file. The zip files follow the format of "####YYYY_bathy_pts.zip" or ####YYYY_QA_raw.zip", where "####" is the lake name, and "YYYY" is the survey year. Each of these zip files contains a shapefile with an attribute table. Attribute/column labels of each table are described in the "Entity and attribute" section of the metadata file. The various reference marks and additional points from all the lake surveys are provided in ESRI Shapefile format (ESRI, 2021) with an attribute table on the main landing page. Attribute/column labels of this table are described in the "Entity and attribute" section of the metadata file. References Cited: Environmental Systems Research Institute, 2021, ArcGIS: accessed May 20, 2021, at http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/ Huizinga, R.J., 2014, Bathymetric surveys and area/capacity tables of water-supply reservoirs for the city of Cameron, Missouri, July 2013: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014–1005, 15 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141005. Richards, J.M., 2013, Bathymetric surveys of selected lakes in Missouri—2000–2008: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2013–1101, 9 p. with appendix, http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2013/1101. Rydlund, P.H., Jr., and Densmore, B.K., 2012, Methods of practice and guidelines for using survey-grade global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) to establish vertical datum in the United States Geological Survey: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods, book 11, chap. D1, 102 p. with appendixes, https://doi.org/10.3133/tm11D1. First posted - May 27, 2021 Revised - September 30, 2021, ver 1.1 Version History 1.1

The SRTM Water Body Data files are a by-product of the data editing performed by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) to produce the finished SRTM Digital Terrain Elevation Data Level 2 (DTED® 2). In accordance with the DTED® 2 specification, the terrain elevation data have been edited to portray water bodies that meet minimum capture criteria. Ocean, lake and river shorelines were identified and delineated. Lake elevations were set to a constant value. Ocean elevations were set to zero. Rivers were stepped down monotonically to maintain proper flow. After this processing was done, the shorelines from the one arc second (approx. 30-meter) DTED® 2 were saved as vectors in ESRI 3-D Shapefile format. In most cases, two orthorectified image mosaics (one for ascending passes and one for descending passes) at a one arc second resolution were available for identifying water bodies and delineating shorelines in each 1 x1 cell. These were used as the primary source for water body editing. The guiding principle for this editing was that water must be depicted as it was in February 2000 at the time of the shuttle flight. A Landcover water layer and medium-scale maps and charts were used as supplemental data sources, generally as supporting evidence for water identified in the image mosaics. Since the Landcover water layer was derived mostly from Landsat 5 data collected a decade earlier than the Shuttle mission and the map sources had similar currency problems, there were significant seasonal and temporal differences between the depiction of water in the ancillary sources and the actual extent of water bodies in February 2000 in many instances. In rare cases, where the SRTM image mosaics were missing or unusable, Landcover was used to delineate the water in the SRTM cells. The DTED® header records for those cells are documented accordingly.

The National Hydrography Dataset Plus (NHDplus) maps the lakes, ponds, streams, rivers and other surface waters of the United States. Created by the US EPA Office of Water and the US Geological Survey, the NHDPlus provides mean annual and monthly flow estimates for rivers and streams. Additional attributes provide connections between features facilitating complicated analyses. For more information on the NHDPlus dataset see the NHDPlus v2 User Guide.Dataset SummaryPhenomenon Mapped: Surface waters and related features of the United States and associated territories not including Alaska.Geographic Extent: The United States not including Alaska, Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, Marshall Islands, Northern Marianas Islands, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, and American SamoaProjection: Web Mercator Auxiliary Sphere Visible Scale: Visible at all scales but layer draws best at scales larger than 1:1,000,000Source: EPA and USGSUpdate Frequency: There is new new data since this 2019 version, so no updates planned in the futurePublication Date: March 13, 2019Prior to publication, the NHDPlus network and non-network flowline feature classes were combined into a single flowline layer. Similarly, the NHDPlus Area and Waterbody feature classes were merged under a single schema.Attribute fields were added to the flowline and waterbody layers to simplify symbology and enhance the layer's pop-ups. Fields added include Pop-up Title, Pop-up Subtitle, On or Off Network (flowlines only), Esri Symbology (waterbodies only), and Feature Code Description. All other attributes are from the original NHDPlus dataset. No data values -9999 and -9998 were converted to Null values for many of the flowline fields.What can you do with this layer?Feature layers work throughout the ArcGIS system. Generally your work flow with feature layers will begin in ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Pro. Below are just a few of the things you can do with a feature service in Online and Pro.ArcGIS OnlineAdd this layer to a map in the map viewer. The layer is limited to scales of approximately 1:1,000,000 or larger but a vector tile layer created from the same data can be used at smaller scales to produce a webmap that displays across the full range of scales. The layer or a map containing it can be used in an application. Change the layer’s transparency and set its visibility rangeOpen the layer’s attribute table and make selections. Selections made in the map or table are reflected in the other. Center on selection allows you to zoom to features selected in the map or table and show selected records allows you to view the selected records in the table.Apply filters. For example you can set a filter to show larger streams and rivers using the mean annual flow attribute or the stream order attribute. Change the layer’s style and symbologyAdd labels and set their propertiesCustomize the pop-upUse as an input to the ArcGIS Online analysis tools. This layer works well as a reference layer with the trace downstream and watershed tools. The buffer tool can be used to draw protective boundaries around streams and the extract data tool can be used to create copies of portions of the data.ArcGIS ProAdd this layer to a 2d or 3d map. Use as an input to geoprocessing. For example, copy features allows you to select then export portions of the data to a new feature class. Change the symbology and the attribute field used to symbolize the dataOpen table and make interactive selections with the mapModify the pop-upsApply Definition Queries to create sub-sets of the layerThis layer is part of the ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World that provides an easy way to explore the landscape layers and many other beautiful and authoritative maps on hundreds of topics.Questions?Please leave a comment below if you have a question about this layer, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

This data release is a subset of the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) water bodies, specifically lakes Mendocino and Sonoma in the Russian River watershed. The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) is a feature-based database that interconnects and uniquely identifies the stream segments or reaches that make up the nation's surface water drainage system. NHD data was originally developed at 1:100,000-scale and exists at that scale for the whole country. This high-resolution NHD, generally developed at 1:24,000/1:12,000 scale, adds detail to the original 1:100,000-scale NHD. (Data for Alaska, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands was developed at high-resolution, not 1:100,000 scale.) Local resolution NHD is being developed where partners and data exist. The NHD contains reach codes for networked features, flow direction, names, and centerline representations for areal water bodies. Reaches are also defined on waterbodies 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. 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/. The names and definitions of all feature types, characteristics, and values are in U.S. Geological Survey, 1999, Standards for National Hydrography Dataset High Resolution: 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 are 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.

The USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Downloadable Data Collection from The National Map (TNM) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs), paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers), and related entities such as point features (springs, wells, stream gages, and dams). The information encoded about these features includes classification and other characteristics, delineation, geographic name, position and related measures, a "reach code" through which other information can be related to the NHD, and the direction of water flow. The network of reach codes delineating water and transported material flow allows users to trace movement in upstream and downstream directions. In addition to this geographic information, the dataset contains metadata that supports the exchange of future updates and improvements to the data. The NHD supports many applications, such as making maps, geocoding observations, flow modeling, data maintenance, and stewardship. For additional information on NHD, go to https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/national-hydrography.

DWR was the steward for NHD and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) in California. We worked with other organizations to edit and improve NHD and WBD, using the business rules for California. California's NHD improvements were sent to USGS for incorporation into the national database. The most up-to-date products are accessible from the USGS website. Please note that the California portion of the National Hydrography Dataset is appropriate for use at the 1:24,000 scale.

For additional derivative products and resources, including the major features in geopackage format, please go to this page: https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-major-features Archives of previous statewide extracts of the NHD going back to 2018 may be found at https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/nhd-archive.

In September 2022, USGS officially notified DWR that the NHD would become static as USGS resources will be devoted to the transition to the new 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). 3DHP will consist of LiDAR-derived hydrography at a higher resolution than NHD. Upon completion, 3DHP data will be easier to maintain, based on a modern data model and architecture, and better meet the requirements of users that were documented in the Hydrography Requirements and Benefits Study (2016). The initial releases of 3DHP will be the NHD data cross-walked into the 3DHP data model. It will take several years for the 3DHP to be built out for California. Please refer to the resources on this page for more information.

The FINAL,STATIC version of the National Hydrography Dataset for California was published for download by USGS on December 27, 2023. This dataset can no longer be edited by the state stewards.

The first public release of the 3D Hydrography Program map service may be accessed at https://hydro.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/3DHP_all/MapServer.

Questions about the California stewardship of these datasets may be directed to nhd_stewardship@water.ca.gov.

This layer was developed by the Natural Resources Department of the Atlanta Regional Commission. The dataset contains polygonal hydrographic features including lakes, ponds, reservoirs, swamps, and marshes in the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District.Original data were captured from the NHDWaterbody geospatial data layer included in the High Resolution National Hydrography Dataset Plus (NHDPlus HR). Features in the NHDWaterbody geospatial layer that intersected the Georgia State boundary were selected and spatially joined to Georgia county boundaries and the WBDHU8 geospatial data layer found in the U.S. Geological Survey's Watershed Boundary Dataset. Layers were spatially joined using the Largest Overlap matching method. The spatial join was removed upon calculating values for the COUNTY_FIPS, COUNTY_NAME, HUC8_ID, and HUC8_SUBBASIN attributes. The CLASS attribute was created to identify Lakes equal to or larger than 10 acres as Major and less than 0.5 acres as Minor. Data in the HYDRO_CAT and RESERVOIR_TYPE attributes were sourced from values encoded in the Feature Code (FCode) field of the NHDWaterbody geospatial data layer.Attributes:FEATURE = Type of hydrologic featureCLASS = Class used to identify major and minor waterbodiesGNIS_ID = A permanent, unique number assigned by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) to a geographic feature name for the sole purpose of uniquely identifying that name application as a record in any information system database, dataset, file, or documentGNIS_NAME = The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) assigned proper name, specific term, or expression by which a particular geographic entity is known.HUC8_ID = 8-digit hydrologic unit code used to identify subbasins in the hydrologic unit systemHUC8_SUBBASIN = Subbasin name of the 8-digit hydrologic unit code in the hydrologic unit systemCOUNTY_FIPS = County Federal Information Processing System (FIPS) codeCOUNTY_NAME = County nameHYDRO_CAT = Hydrographic feature categoryRESERVOIR_TYPE = Type of reservoirACRES = Area of the feature in acresELEVATION = The vertical distance from a given datumGlobalID = A type of UUID (Universal Unique Identifier) in which values are automatically assigned by the geodatabase when a row is createdlast_edited_user = User to last edit featurelast_edited_date = Date feature was last editedShape = Feature geometryShape_Length = Length of the feature, which may differ from the field measured length due to differences in calculation. Units are map units.Shape_Area = Area of feature in map units squaredSource: U.S. Geological Survey, National Geospatial ProgramDate: 2023

Water supply lakes are the primary source of water for many communities in northern and western Missouri. Therefore, accurate and up-to-date estimates of lake capacity are important for managing and predicting adequate water supply. Many of the water supply lakes in Missouri were previously surveyed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the early 2000s (Richards, 2013) and in 2013 (Huizinga, 2014); however, years of potential sedimentation may have resulted in reduced water storage capacity. Periodic bathymetric surveys are useful to update the area/capacity table and to determine changes in the bathymetric surface. In April and May 2022, the USGS, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) and in collaboration with the cities of Cameron, Springfield, and Unionville, Missouri, completed bathymetric surveys of seven (7) lakes using a marine-based mobile mapping unit, which consists of a multibeam echosounder (MBES) and an inertial navigation system (INS) mounted on a marine survey vessel. Bathymetric data were collected as the vessel traversed longitudinal transects to provide nearly complete coverage of the lake. The MBES was electronically tilted in some areas to improve data collection along the shoreline, in coves, and in areas that are shallower than about 2.0 meters deep (the practical limit of reasonable and safe data collection with the MBES). At some lakes, supplemental data were collected in shallow areas using an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) mounted on a remote-controlled vessel equipped with a differential global positioning system (DGPS). Bathymetric quality-assurance data also were collected at each lake to evaluate the vertical accuracy of the gridded bathymetric point data from the MBES. As part of the survey at each of these lakes, one or more reference marks or temporary bench marks were established to provide a point of known location and elevation from which the water surface could be measured or another survey could be referenced at a later date. In addition, the elevation of a primary spillway or intake was surveyed, when present. These points were surveyed using a real-time kinematic (RTK) Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver connected to the Missouri Department of Transportation real-time network (RTN), which provided real-time survey-grade horizontal and vertical positioning, using field procedures as described in Rydlund and Densmore (2012) for a Level II real-time positioning survey. The MBES data can be combined with light detection and ranging (lidar) data to prepare a bathymetric map and a surface area and capacity table for each lake. These data also can be used to compare the current bathymetric surface with any previous bathymetric surface. Data from each of the surveys are provided in ESRI Shapefile format (ESRI, 2023). Each of the seven lakes surveyed in 2022 has a child page containing the metadata and two zip files, one for the bathymetric data, and the other for the bathymetric quality-assurance data. The zip files follow the format of "####2022_bathy_pts.zip" or ####2022_QA_raw.zip," where "####" is the lake name. Each of these zip files contains a shapefile with an attribute table. Attribute/column labels of each table are described in the "Entity and attribute" section of the metadata file. The various reference marks and additional points from all the lake surveys are provided in ESRI Shapefile format (ESRI, 2023) with an attribute table on the main landing page. Attribute/column labels of this table are described in the "Entity and attribute" section of the metadata file. References Cited: Environmental Systems Research Institute, 2023, ArcGIS: accessed July 12, 2023, at https://www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/about-arcgis/overview Huizinga, R.J., 2014, Bathymetric surveys and area/capacity tables of water-supply reservoirs for the city of Cameron, Missouri, July 2013: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014–1005, 15 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141005. Richards, J.M., 2013, Bathymetric surveys of selected lakes in Missouri—2000–2008: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2013–1101, 9 p. with appendix, https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20131101. Rydlund, P.H., Jr., and Densmore, B.K., 2012, Methods of practice and guidelines for using survey-grade global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) to establish vertical datum in the United States Geological Survey: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods, book 11, chap. D1, 102 p. with appendixes, https://doi.org/10.3133/tm11D1. First posted November 29, 2023 Revised July 31, 2024, ver. 1.1

This data set provides the water quality classifications of New York State's lakes, rivers, streams and ponds, collectively referred to as water bodies. All water bodies in the state are provided a water quality classification based on existing, or expected best usage, of each water body or water body segment. Under New York State's Environmental Conservation Law (ECL), Title 5 of Article 15, certain waters of the state are protected on the basis of their classification. Streams and small water bodies located in the course of a stream that are designated as C (T) or higher (i.e., C (TS), B, or A) are collectively referred to as "protected streams.For more information see https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/water/water-quality/standards-classifications1. The public should not make any business decisions and/or financial commitments based on the water quality classification data until they have secured the necessary permissions from the Department of Environmental Conservation. 2. The NYSDEC asks to be credited in derived products. 3. Secondary distribution of the data is not allowed. 4. Any documentation provided is an integral part of the data set. Failure to use the documentation in conjunction with the digital data constitutes a misuse of the data. 5. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, errors may be reflected in data supplied. The user must be aware of data conditions and bear responsibility for the appropriate use of the information with respect to possible errors, original map scale, collection methodology, currency of data, and other condition.

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD), found in the A-16 National Geospatial Data Asset Portfolio, contains information related to naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water in the United States. This United States Geological Survey service from The National Map is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about lakes, ponds, and reservoirs, paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers), and related entities such as point features (springs, wells, stream gauges, and dams). The information encoded about these features includes classification and other characteristics, delineation, geographic name, position and related measures, a "reach code" through which other information can be related to the NHD, and the direction of water flow. The network of reach codes delineating water and transported material flow allows users to trace movement in upstream and downstream directions. The NHD is available nationwide in two seamless datasets, one based on a neighborhood or larger scale (1:24,000) and referred to as high resolution NHD, and the other based on a city scale (1:100,000) and referred to as medium resolution NHD. The National Map allows free downloads of public domain NHD data in either Esri File Geodatabase or Shapefile formats. The NHD also incorporates the National Spatial Data Infrastructure framework criteria established by the Federal Geographic Data Committee.Thumbnail source image courtesy of: Sharon Mollerus

This Dept. of State Office of the Geographer World Water Body Limits data set has both detailed and simplified versions posted here, along with a centroid point file. All are intended as non-authoritative reference guides for the placement of water body names on maps. This data set includes 158 water bodies worldwide: all tidal water bodies exceeding both 250 kilometers in length and, at some point, 100 kilometers in width, plus some notable smaller ones.….Numerous smaller water bodies are not included. In many locations, there are overlapping water body names (e.g. Golfo di Genova/ Ligurian Sea/ Mediterranean Sea) and the second field in this data set includes the more notable secondary/overlapping names. Also note that the shoreline of these water bodies is approximate and most small to medium sized islands are excluded. Names conform with the US Board on Geographic Names approved conventional and standard forms. While a member, the US has never and continues to generally not conform to various International Hydrographic Office water body limits documents and drafts since the 1940’s. Relatively recently, 13 IHO states voted to add a fifth ocean, the “Southern Ocean”, south of 60 degrees South latitude; many authorities continue to consider the world as having just four oceans.

This map shows the total change in the average July–September surface water temperatures in 34 North American lakes from 1985 to 2009, as measured by satellites. Red circles represent warming; blue circles represent cooling. Larger circles indicate larger changes. Circles with black borders represent lakes where the trend was statistically significant.

The Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) from The National Map (TNM) defines the perimeter of drainage areas formed by the terrain and other landscape characteristics. The drainage areas are nested within each other so that a large drainage area, such as the Upper Mississippi River, is composed of multiple smaller drainage areas, such as the Wisconsin River. Each of these smaller areas can further be subdivided into smaller and smaller drainage areas. The WBD uses six different levels in this hierarchy, with the smallest averaging about 30,000 acres. The WBD is made up of polygons nested into six levels of data respectively defined by Regions, Subregions, Basins, Subbasins, Watersheds, and Subwatersheds. For additional information on the WBD, go to https://nhd.usgs.gov/wbd.html. The USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) service is a companion dataset to the WBD. The NHD is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs), paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers), and related entities such as point features (springs, wells, stream gages, and dams). The information encoded about these features includes classification and other characteristics, delineation, geographic name, position and related measures, a "reach code" through which other information can be related to the NHD, and the direction of water flow. The network of reach codes delineating water and transported material flow allows users to trace movement in upstream and downstream directions. In addition to this geographic information, the dataset contains metadata that supports the exchange of future updates and improvements to the data. The NHD is available nationwide in two seamless datasets, one based on 1:24,000-scale maps and referred to as high resolution NHD, and the other based on 1:100,000-scale maps and referred to as medium resolution NHD. Additional selected areas in the United States are available based on larger scales, such as 1:5,000-scale or greater, and referred to as local resolution NHD. For more information on the NHD, go to https://nhd.usgs.gov/index.html. Hydrography data from The National Map supports many applications, such as making maps, geocoding observations, flow modeling, data maintenance, and stewardship. Hydrography data is commonly combined with other data themes, such as boundaries, elevation, structures, and transportation, to produce general reference base maps. The National Map viewer allows free downloads of public domain WBD and NHD data in either Esri File or Personal Geodatabase, or Shapefile formats. The Watershed Boundary Dataset is being developed under the leadership of the Subcommittee on Spatial Water Data, which is part of the Advisory Committee on Water Information (ACWI) and the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC). The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), along with many other federal agencies and national associations, have representatives on the Subcommittee on Spatial Water Data. As watershed boundary geographic information systems (GIS) coverages are completed, statewide and national data layers will be made available via the Geospatial Data Gateway to everyone, including federal, state, local government agencies, researchers, private companies, utilities, environmental groups, and concerned citizens. The database will assist in planning and describing water use and related land use activities. Resources in this dataset:Resource Title: Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD). File Name: Web Page, url: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/water/watersheds/dataset/?cid=nrcs143_021630 Web site for the Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD), including links to:

Review Data Availability (Status Maps) Obtain Data by State, County, or Other Area Obtain Seamless National Data offsite link image
Geospatial Data Tools National Technical and State Coordinators Information about WBD dataset

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) is a feature-based database that interconnects and uniquely identifies the stream segments or reaches that make up the nation's surface water drainage system. NHD data was originally developed at 1:100,000-scale and exists at that scale for the whole country. This high-resolution NHD, generally developed at 1:24,000/1:12,000 scale, adds detail to the original 1:100,000-scale NHD. (Data for Alaska, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands was developed at high-resolution, not 1:100,000 scale.) Local resolution NHD is being developed where partners and data exist. The NHD contains reach codes for networked features, flow direction, names, and centerline representations for areal water bodies. Reaches are also defined on waterbodies 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 Ge ...

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that contains information about surface water features such as lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, springs and wells. Within the NHD, surface water features are combined to form reaches, which provide the framework for linking water-related data to the NHD surface waterdrainage network. These linkages enable the analysis and display of these water-related data in upstream and downstream order.

The NHD is based upon the content of USGS Digital Line Graph (DLG) hydrography data integrated with reach-related information from the EPA Reach File Version 3 (RF3). The NHD supersedes DLG and RF3 by incorporating them, not by replacing them. Users of DLG or RF3 will find the National Hydrography Dataset both familiar and greatly expanded and refined.

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.

The NHD data are distributed as tarred and compressed ARC/INFO workspaces. Each workspace contains the data for a single hydrologic cataloging unit. Cataloging units are drainage basins averaging 700 square miles (1,813 square kilometers) in area. Within a workspace, there are three ARC/INFO coverages plus several related INFO tables. There is also a folder containing the metadata text files.

The NHD data support many applications, such as: making maps; geocoding observations (i.e., the means to link data to water features); modeling the flow of water along the Nation's waterways (e.g., information about the direction of flow, when combined with other data, can help users model the transport of materials in hydrographic networks, and other applications); and cooperative data maintenance.

This dataset is a line and a polygon feature-based layer compiled at 1:24,000 scale that includes water quality classification information for surface waters for all areas of the State of Connecticut. The Surface Water Quality Classifications and the Ground Water Quality Classifications are usually presented together as a depiction of water quality classifications in Connecticut. Water Quality Classifications, based on the adopted Water Quality Standards, establish designated uses for surface and ground waters and identify the criteria necessary to support those uses. This edition of the Surface Water Quality Classifications is based on the Water Quality Standards adopted on February 25, 2011. Surface Water means the waters of Long Island Sound, its harbors, embayments, tidal wetlands and creeks; rivers and streams, brooks, waterways, lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps, bogs, federal jurisdictional wetlands, and other natural or artificial, public or private, vernal or intermittent bodies of water, excluding groundwater. The surface waters includes the coastal waters as defined by Section 22a-93 of the Connecticut General Statutes and means those waters of Long Island Sound and its harbors, embayments, tidal rivers, streams and creeks, which contain a salinity concentration of at least five hundred parts per million under the low flow stream conditions as established by the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection. The Surface Water Quality Classes are AA, A, B, SA and SB. All surface waters not otherwise classified are considered as Class A if they are in Class GA Ground Water Quality Classifications areas. Class AA designated uses are: existing or proposed drinking water, fish and wildlife habitat, recreational use (maybe restricted), agricultural and industrial supply. Class A designated uses are: potential drinking water, fish and wildlife habitat, recreational use, agricultural and industrial supply. Class B designated uses are: fish and wildlife habitat, recreational use, agricultural and industrial supply and other legitimate uses including navigation. Class B* surface water is a subset of Class B waters and is identical in all ways to the designated uses, criteria and standards for Class B waters except for the restriction on direct discharges. Coastal water and marine classifications are SA and SB. Class SA designated uses are: marine fish, shellfish and wildlife habitat, shellfish harvesting for direct human consumption, recreation and other legitimate uses including navigation. Class SB designated uses are: marine fish, shellfish and wildlife habitat, shellfish harvesting for transfer to approved areas for purification prior to human consumption, recreation and other legitimate uses including navigation. There are three elements that make up the Water Quality Standards which is an important element in Connecticut's clean water program. The first of these is the Standards themselves. The Standards set an overall policy for management of water quality in accordance with the directive of Section 22a-426 of the Connecticut General Statutes. The policies can be simply summarized by saying that the Department of Environmental Protection shall: Protect surface and ground waters from degradation, Segregate waters used for drinking from those that play a role in waste assimilation, Restore surface waters that have been used for waste assimilation to conditions suitable for fishing and swimming, Restore degraded ground water to protect existing and designated uses, Provide a framework for establishing priorities for pollution abatement and State funding for clean up, Adopt standards that promote the State's economy in harmony with the environment. The second element is the Criteria, the descriptive and numerical standards that describe the allowable parameters and goals for the various water quality classifications. The final element is the Classification Maps which identify the relationship between designated uses and the applicable Standards and Criteria for each class of surface and ground water. Although federal law requires adoption of Water Quality Standards for surface waters, Water Quality Standards for ground waters are not subject to federal review and approval. Connecticut's Standards recognize that surface and ground waters are interrelated and address the issue of competing use of ground waters for drinking and for waste water assimilation. These Standards specifically identify ground water quality goals, designated uses and those measures necessary for protection of public and private drinking water supplies; the principal use of Connecticut ground waters. These three elements comprise the Water Quality Standards and are adopted using the public participation procedures contained in Section 22a-426 of the Connecticut General Statutes. The Standards, Criteria and Maps are reviewed and revised roughly every three years. Any change is considered a revision requiring public participation. The public participation process consists of public meetings held at various locations around the State, notification of all chief elected officials, notice in the Connecticut Law Journal and a public hearing. The Classification Maps are the subject of separate public hearings which are held for the adoption of the map covering each major drainage basin in the State. The Water Quality Standards and Criteria documents are available on the DEP website, www.ct.gov/dep. The Surface Water Quality Classifications is a line and polygon feature-based layer is based primarily on the Adopted Water Quality Classifications Map Sheets. The map sheets were hand-drawn at 1:50,000-scale in ink on Mylar which had been underprinted with a USGS topographic map base. The information collected and compiled by major drainage basin from 1986 to 1997. Ground Water Quality Classifications are defined separately in a data layer comprised of polygon features. The Ground and Surface Water Quality Classifications do not represent conditions at any one particular point in time. During the conversion from a manually maintained to a digitally maintained statewide data layer the Housatonic River and Southwest Coastal Basins information was updated. A revision to the Water Quality Standards adopted February 25, 2011. These revisions included eliminating surface water quality classes C, D, SC, SD and all the two tiered classifications. The two tiered classifications included a classification for the present condition and a second classification for the designated use. All the tiered classifications were changed to the designated use classification. For example, classes B/A and C/A were changed to class A. The geographic extent of each the classification was not changed. The publication date of the digital data reflects the official adoption date of the most recent Water Quality Classifications. Within the data layer the adoption dates are: Housatonic and Southwest Basins - March 1999, Connecticut and South Central Basins - February 1993, Thames and Southeast Basins - December 1986. Ground water quality classifications may be separately from the surface water quality classifications under specific circumstances. This data is updated.

The Waterbody Inventory/Priority Waterbodies List (WI/PWL) GIS layer provides a geospatial representation of the state’s waterbody segments for the assessment of surface water quality in accordance with Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act.This GIS layer provides waterbody segmentation information, waterbody assessment category, and a link to the waterbody assessment factsheet which is available on DECinfo Locator. Service layer was last updated on 12/2/2024.For more information please refer to: https://dec.ny.gov/nature/waterbodies/watersheds/management/assessment

This EnviroAtlas dataset shows the percentages of stream and water body shoreline lengths within 30 meters of impervious cover by 12-digit Hydrologic Unit (HUC) subwatershed in the contiguous U.S. Impervious cover alters the hydrologic behavior of streams and water bodies, promoting increased storm water runoff and lower stream flow during periods in between rainfall events. Impervious cover also promotes increased pollutant loads in receiving waters and degraded streamside habitat. This dataset shows were impervious cover occurs close to streams and water bodies, where it is likely to have a greater adverse impact on receiving waters. This dataset was produced by the US EPA to support research and online mapping activities related to the EnviroAtlas. EnviroAtlas (https://www.epa.gov/enviroatlas) allows the user to interact with a web-based, easy-to-use, mapping application to view and analyze multiple ecosystem services for the contiguous United States. The dataset is available as downloadable data (https://edg.epa.gov/data/Public/ORD/EnviroAtlas) or as an EnviroAtlas map service. Additional descriptive information about each attribute in this dataset can be found in its associated EnviroAtlas Fact Sheet (https://www.epa.gov/enviroatlas/enviroatlas-fact-sheets).