GSR_042 Databases of Stream Reach Descriptors

The NHD-Plus project was initiated by EPA and USGS to facilitate consistent national and interstate stream assessments. The NHD-Plus hydrography layer provides a unique spatial code for each stream reach within the U.S. and is used for a rapidly growing number of applications. Some advanced user groups have developed databases comprised of reach-scale descriptors (e.g., elevation, slope, drainage area, etc.). Hundreds of those descriptors now exist and can be used with the NHD-Plus and NSI networks as predictor variables in stream analyses. Brief descriptions of those databases and hyperlinks to relevant websites or contact persons knowledgeable about accessing the data are given below. Users are responsible for assessing the utility of these databases and should conduct a thorough review of all metadata and any associated publications prior to their use in analysis. If you are part of a group that has developed a significant database of reach descriptors available on a website and would like to have it described on this website, please contact us regarding the possibility.