State Wildlife Action Plan, Conservation, Aquatic Habitat
This data set represents aquatic habitats used for the 2015 revision of West Virginia’s State Wildlife Action Plan (West Virginia Division of Natural Resources 2015).
The foundation for this classification was NHDPlus (enhanced National Hydrography Dataset) as attributed by Olivero and Anderson (2008) for the Northeast Aquatic Habitat Classification (NEAHC). WVDNR Staff extracted all streams within WV boundaries and exported these to a new layer. New fields were created to collapse attributes by combining classes to a more simplified model that fit WV’s locality more appropriately than the regional models.
Classes Used:
Stream Size (n=4) Headwaters and Creeks; Small Rivers; Medium Rivers; Large Rivers
Stream Segment Slope (Gradient) (n=3) Low; Moderate; High Temperature (n=3) Cold; Cool; Warm
Staff abandoned “Geology” as a classification for water quality, consolidating all classes into a single uniform water quality class. The NEAHC class was used as a surrogate for water quality and it lacked utility for describing the water quality features at the scales necessary for the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP). Water quality in WV is more of a local condition than one that can be modeled at the landscape scale. Poor correlation was noted between the modeled condition and known local conditions at the stream reach scale.
Staff combined the new classification used for the SWAP into the field “D_CL_4_3_2”. A Definition Query was then applied to select the desired category from the field and symbolized to a line width adjusted to an appropriate scale for visual acuity in the digital and print maps.
The eighteen classes of aquatic stream habitats are generally congruent to the NEAHC classes, defined in their text based on 4 size classes, 3 slope/gradient classes, and 3 temperature classes, with geology removed. Two notable exceptions are the Medium Gradient categories within the Medium Rivers and Large Rivers. These two classes are only observed in WV among the states included in the NEAHC. The reaches described by these categories are hydrologically and ecologically significant in WV and needed to be addressed accordingly in the WV SWAP.
Literature Cited:
Olivero, A. P., and M. G. Anderson. 2008. Northeast Aquatic Habitat Classification System. The Nature
Conservancy, Boston, MA.
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Elkins Operations Center, PO Box 67, Elkins, WV 26241, Ph: (304) 637-0245.
Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the accuracy or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. Please check sources, scale, accuracy, currentness and other available information. Please confirm that you are using the most recent copy of both data and metadata. Acknowledgement of the WVDNR would be appreciated.
ArcGIS Metadata ►
THEMES OR CATEGORIES OF THE RESOURCE biota, environment
PLACE KEYWORDS West Virginia
PLACE KEYWORDS Northeast United States
PLACE KEYWORDS United States THEME KEYWORDS Aquatic THEME KEYWORDS Planning
THEME KEYWORDS State Wildlife Action Plan
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TITLE West Virginia Aquatic Habitat Classification
CREATION DATE 2015-10-30 00:00:00
PUBLICATION DATE 2015-10-30 00:00:00
PRESENTATION FORMATS digital map
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RESPONSIBLE PARTY
ORGANIZATION'S NAME West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
CONTACT INFORMATION ►
PHONE
VOICE (304) 637-0245
FAX (304) 637-0250
ADDRESS TYPE
DELIVERY POINT Elkins Operation Center, PO Box 67
CITY Elkins ADMINISTRATIVE AREA WV POSTAL CODE 26241
HOURS OF SERVICE M-F, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
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DATASET LANGUAGES English (UNITED STATES)
DATASET CHARACTER SET utf8 - 8 bit UCS Transfer Format
SPATIAL REPRESENTATION TYPE vector
PROCESSING ENVIRONMENT Microsoft Windows 7 Version 6.1 (Build 7601) Service Pack 1; ESRI ArcGIS 10.0.5.4400
CREDITS
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Elkins Operations Center, PO Box 67, Elkins, WV 26241, Ph: (304) 637-0245.
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EXTENT
VERTICAL EXTENT
MINIMUM VALUE 0.000000
MAXIMUM VALUE 0.000000
EXTENT
GEOGRAPHIC EXTENT
BOUNDING RECTANGLE
EXTENT TYPE Extent used for searching
WEST LONGITUDE -82.702883
EAST LONGITUDE -77.661531
NORTH LATITUDE 40.637332
SOUTH LATITUDE 37.161853
EXTENT CONTAINS THE RESOURCE Yes
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RESOURCE MAINTENANCE
UPDATE FREQUENCY as needed
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CONSTRAINTS LIMITATIONS OF USE
Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the accuracy or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. Please check sources, scale, accuracy, currentness and other available information. Please confirm that you are using the most recent copy of both data and metadata. Acknowledgement of the WVDNR would be appreciated.
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REFERENCE SYSTEM IDENTIFIER VALUE 26917 CODESPACE EPSG VERSION 7.4.1
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VECTOR ►
LEVEL OF TOPOLOGY FOR THIS DATASET geometry only
GEOMETRIC OBJECTS
OBJECT TYPE composite
OBJECT COUNT 30720
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DISTRIBUTION FORMAT
NAME File Geodatabase Feature Class
TRANSFER OPTIONS
TRANSFER SIZE 0.000
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DETAILS FOR OBJECT AquaticStreamClassificationWVSWAP2015 ►
FIELD OBJECTID ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Internal feature number.
DESCRIPTION SOURCE
ESRI
DESCRIPTION OF VALUES Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
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FIELD Shape ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Feature geometry.
DESCRIPTION SOURCE
ESRI
DESCRIPTION OF VALUES Coordinates defining the features.
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FIELD COMID ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
common identifier of a NHD feature or relationship; from NHD+ (example record = 8420522)
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FIELD FDATE ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
feature currency date; from NHD+ (example record = 8/1/2004)
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FIELD RESOLUTION ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
always "Medium"; from NHD+
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FIELD GNIS_ID ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Geographic Names Information Systems ID for the value in GNIS_Name; from NHD+
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FIELD GNIS_NAME ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Name as found in the Geographic Names Information System
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FIELD REACHCODE ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Reach Code assigned to feature or reach on which an event is located; from NHD+ (example record = 02070001000796)
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FIELD FLOWDIR ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Flow direction is "With Digitized" or "Unitialized"
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FIELD WBAREACOMI ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
ComID of an NHD polygonal water feature through which an NHD "Artificial Path" flowline flows; from NHD+ (example record = -9999)
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FIELD FTYPE ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
NHD feature type; from NHD+ (example record = StreamRiver)
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FIELD FCODE ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
numeric code that contains the feature type and its attributes as found in the NHDF code lookup table; from NHD+ (example record = 46003)
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FIELD NESZCL ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Northeast Stream Size Class: 1a: Headwaters 0<3.861 sq.mi., 1b: Creeks
>=3.861<38.61 sq.mi., 2: Small Rivers >= 38.61<200 sq.mi., 3a: Medium Tributary Rivers >=200<1000 sq.mi., 3b: Medium Mainstem Rivers >=1000<3861 sq.mi., 4: Large Rivers >=3861<9653 sq.mi., 5: Great Rivers >=9653 sq.mi. (example record = 1a)
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FIELD D_NESZCL ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
description of the northeast size class (example record = Headwaters:0<3.861 sq.mi.)
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FIELD NETEMPCL ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Northeast Temperature Class: 33:Cold, 31:Cool-warm, 13:Warm-cool, 11:Warm; from complex rules based on CART analysis (example record = 33)
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FIELD D_NETEMPCL ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
description of the northeast temperature class; from complex rules based on CART analysis (example record = Cold)
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FIELD NESLPCL ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Northeast Class for Slope or Gradient along length of comid: 1: <0.02%, 2:>= 0.02 < 0.1%, 3:>= 0.1 < 0.5%, 4:>=0.5 < 2%, 5:>=2 < 5%, 6:>5% (example record = 6)
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FIELD D_NESLPCL ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
description of northeast stream reach slope class (example record = >5%)
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FIELD NENORTCL ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Northeast Class for Local Norton Geology of comid: 1: 100<200 Low Buffered, Acidic; 2: >= 200 <300 Moderately Buffered, Neutral; 3:>= 300 Highly Buffered, Calc- Neutral (example record = 2)
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FIELD D_NENORTCL ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
description of northeast norton geology class (example record = Moderately Buffered)
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FIELD FULL_CL4 ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
(399 unique combinations) Concatenation of NESZCL, NETEMPCL, NESLPCL, NENORTCL (example record = 1a_33_6_2)
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FIELD MOD_CL4 ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
(124 unique combinations) Concatenation of SIMP_SZ, NETEMPCL, SIMP_SLP, SIMP_NORT (example record = 1_33_4_2)
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FIELD MOD_CL3 ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
(60 unique types) Concatenation of SIMP_SZ, NETEMPCL, SIMP_SLP (example record
= 1_33_4)
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FIELD SIMP_CL4 ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
(96 unique combinations) Concatenation of SIMP_SZ, SIMP_TEMP, SIMP_SLP, SIMP_NORT (example record = 1_3_4_2)
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FIELD SIMP_CL3 ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
(48 unique combinations) Concatenation of the SIMP_SZ, SIMP_TEMP, SIMP_SLP (example record = 1_3_4)
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FIELD SIMP_SZ ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
simplified 4 size classes: For size, recombine the northeast size classes as follows 1= 1a + 1b, 2, 3 = 3a + 3b, 4 = 4 + 5 (example record = 1)
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FIELD D_SIMPSZ ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
description of simplified size classes (example record = Headwaters/Creeks)
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FIELD SIMP_TEMP ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
simplified 3 temperature classes: combine Warm-Cool and Cool-Warm categories into a single "Transitional category, keep Cold and Warm categories as they were in NETEMPCL (example record = 3)
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FIELD D_SIMPTEMP ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
description of the simplified temperature classes (example record = Cold)
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FIELD SIMP_SLP ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
simplified slope/stream gradient classes: Different Rules for Low/Mod/High/Very High Gradient based on size class of stream. For size class 1 streams: lump northeast gradient class 1+2 into modified simple gradient class 1: low gradient, make northeast gradient class 3 into modified simple class 2: Moderate Gradient, make northeast size class 4 into modified simple class 3: High Gradient, combine northeast gradient class 5+6 into modified simple class 4: Very High Gradient. For size class 2+ rivers: leave northeast gradient class 1 as simple class: Low Gradient, leave northeast gradient class 2 as simple class Moderate Gradient, leave northesat gradient class 3 as simple class: High gradiet, and lump northeast gradient classes 4+5+6 into a new modified simple class 4: Very High Gradient. (example record = 4)
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FIELD D_SIMPSLP ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
description of simplified slope/stream gradient class (example = Very High Gradient)
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FIELD SIMP_NORT ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
simplified norton geology class: only record the geology for size class 1 and 2 rivers (no local geology influence on larger river sizes; example value = 2)
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FIELD D_SIMPNORT ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
description of simplified norton geology class (example record = Moderately Buffered)
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FIELD COMID_1 ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
legacy field from joining tables (can be removed)
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FIELD GNIS_NAM_1 ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
legacy field from joining tables (can be removed)
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FIELD D_CL_4_3_2 ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
West Virginia SWAP 2015 simplified classification - 4 size classes: headwaters and creeks, small rivers, medium rivers, and large rivers; 3 slope/gradient classes: low, moderate, high; ALL streams classed as NEUTral water quality; 3 temperature classes: cold, cool, warm. (example record = 1.HW_CR | 3.HI | NEUT | 1.COLD)
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FIELD SUBWATERSH ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
USGS/EPA HUC8 (4th level Hydralic Unit Code) or Subwatershed (example record = 02070001 South Branch Potomac)
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FIELD EcoR_ID ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Ecoregion ID interpreted from Bailey's Ecoregions of the World 1989 (example record
= AM)
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FIELD Shape_Length ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Length of feature in internal units.
DESCRIPTION SOURCE
ESRI
DESCRIPTION OF VALUES Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.
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FIELD KM_calc ►
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Length of line segment in kilometers calculated in UTM NAD 83 zone 17N projection (field must be recalculated when changes are made to the data)
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Hide Details for object AquaticStreamClassificationWVSWAP2015 ▲
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METADATA LANGUAGE English (UNITED STATES)
METADATA CHARACTER SET utf8 - 8 bit UCS Transfer Format
SCOPE OF THE DATA DESCRIBED BY THE METADATA dataset
SCOPE NAME dataset
LAST UPDATE 2016-12-05
ARCGIS METADATA PROPERTIES
METADATA FORMAT ArcGIS 1.0
STANDARD OR PROFILE USED TO EDIT METADATA FGDC
LAST MODIFIED IN ARCGIS FOR THE ITEM 2016-12-07 10:41:32
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MAINTENANCE
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THUMBNAIL
THUMBNAIL TYPE JPG
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