Ronald B. Zelt and Laura L. Hallberg 2000 Version 1.2, March 24, 2000 map Cheyenne, Wyoming U.S. Geological Survey http://water.usgs.gov/lookup/getspatial?wshed_yell As part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program, an investigation of the Yellowstone River Basin study unit is being conducted to document status and trends in surface- and ground-water quality. Surface-water samples are collected from streams (or lakes) at specific sampling stations. Water-quality characteristics at each station are influenced by the natural and cultural characteristics of the drainage area upstream from the sampling station. Efficient quantification of the drainage area characteristics requires a digital map of the drainage area boundary that may be processed, together with other digital thematic maps (such as geology or land use), in a geographic information system (GIS). Digital drainage-area data for 24 selected stream-sampling stations in the Yellowstone River Basin are included in this data release. The drainage divides were identified chiefly using 1:100,000-scale (50 m accuracy) hypsography. Drainage areas based on 1:100,000-scale hypsography data generally agree to within 5 percent with drainage areas measured at 1:24,000 scale, for areas larger than 50 km2. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began full implementation of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program in 1991. The program objectives are to describe current water-quality conditions and trends over time; and to improve our understanding of the natural and human factors that affect water quality. The Yellowstone River Basin (YRB) is one of more than 50 areas to be studied for this program. Among the principal program activities, water, bed-sediment, and tissue samples are collected from streams (or lakes) at specific sampling stations and analyzed for a large suite of chemical and physical constituents. Water-quality characteristics at each station are influenced by the natural and cultural characteristics of the drainage area upstream from the sampling station. Efficient quantification of drainage area characteristics requires a digital map of the drainage area boundary that may be processed, together with other digital thematic maps (such as geology or land use), in a geographic information system (GIS). For NAWQA, sampling stations typically have drainage areas ranging from 50 to 500 km2 (indicator sites) or are located downstream of large river basins. Drainage areas based on 1:100,000-scale hypsography data generally agree to within 5 percent with drainage areas measured at 1:24,000 scale, for areas larger than 50 km2. Therefore, the digital drainage-area data for 24 selected stream-sampling stations in the Yellowstone River Basin were based chiefly on 1:100,000-scale (50 m accuracy) hypsography. For the Montana part of the YRB study unit, an existing source of digital drainage area boundaries was available at a nominal scale of 1:100,000. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service had delineated hydrologic unit boundaries at their Watershed (11-digit) level. The digital data were converted to Arc/Info vector format by the Montana State Library. Existing watershed boundaries often do not correspond exactly with the drainage area for a sampling station because watersheds typically begin at stream confluences, whereas sampling stations typically are located upstream from confluences. Digital raster graphic (DRG) images of USGS topographic quadrangles recently became available at nominal scales of 1:24,000 and 1:100,000. These georeferenced images contain the necessary hypsographic information to guide the delineation and digitization of drainage area boundaries. Where modifications or additions to existing watershed boundaries were needed, DRG images were used as the base for new drainage divide data. For the Wyoming part of the YRB study unit, no existing source of digital drainage area boundaries was identified at a scale larger than 1:250,000. However, hypsographic digital data at 1:100,000 scale were available statewide from the USGS Geodata web server. Those data are in digital line graph (DLG) format, which is readily converted to Arc/Info vector format. The eight DLG files of hypsography data that compose each USGS 30- by 60-minute quadrangle were processed in a standardized fashion to produce a single Arc/Info-format hypsography data set per quadrangle. Delineation and digitization of drainage divides for Wyoming was based on the digital hypsography data. Final steps in the data set production included the assembly of polygons, addition of polygon label points (coded as to station number), and checks for various types of errors. Additional details are presented in the Data Quality section of the metadata. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this Federal Geographic Data Committee-compliant metadata file is intended to document the data set in nonproprietary form, as well as in ARC/INFO format, this metadata file may include some ARC/INFO-specific terminology. 1996 latest publication date among data sources Complete As Needed -111.26828878 -103.82351562 47.83710942 42.423781 none drainage area drainage basin river basin watershed inlandWaters none Yellowstone River Yellowstone River Basin Montana North Dakota Wyoming none These data are not for use at map scales greater than 1:100,000. Ronald B. Zelt U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologist mailing address

2617 E. Lincolnway, Suite B

Cheyenne WY 82001-5662 USA 1-888-275-8747 (307) 778-2764 rbzelt@usgs.gov Prefer e-mail. Prepared as part of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Windows_NT, 4.0, Intel ARC/INFO version 7.2.1 Polygon and line feature attribute values were inspected and found to be consistently coded as described in the Entity and Attribute Information. When aggregated by station drainage area, the digitized areas for the 18 stations that had pre-existing records in the NWIS site file had a mean absolute deviation of 2.1 percent (and median of 0.7 percent) from the NWIS drainage area value. However, excluding the drainage area for Clarks Fork Yellowstone River at Edgar, Mont. (for which the NWIS record appears questionable), the mean absolute deviation for the remaining 17 stations was 1.6 percent (and median of 0.5 percent) of the NWIS total drainage area. The comparative data are listed in the table below. > Table of comparative drainage-area data for selected sampling stations, > Yellowstone River Basin, Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming. > > [--, not available] > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > GIS NWIS Drainage > Drainage Drainage Area > Area Area Disparity > Station Name (sq.mi.) (sq.mi.) (percent) > --------------------------------------------- -------- --------- ---------- > Yellowstone R at outlet of Yellowstone Lake, Wyo. 991 1,006 -1.46 > Soda Butte Cr at YNP bdy nr Silvergate, Mont. 28.2 31.2 -9.57 > Yellowstone R at Corwin Springs, Mont. 2,619 2,623 -0.15 > West Fork Mill Cr nr Pray, Mont. 40.2 -- -- > Clarks Fork Yellowstone R at Edgar, Mont. 2,246 2,032 10.5 > Yellowstone R at Billings, Mont. 11,805 11,795 0.09 > Arrow Cr nr Worden, Mont. 56.2 -- -- > Wood River below Galena Cr, Wyo. 21.3 -- -- > Wood River above Middle Fork Wood River, Wyo. 44.8 -- -- > Bighorn R nr Kane, Wyo. 15,762 15,765 -0.02 > Bighorn L at Hwy 14A Bridge nr Kane, Wyo. 15,846 -- -- > Crow Cr at mouth, nr Pahaska, Wyo. 19.1 19.1 0.00 > Sage Cr at Lovell, Wyo. 363 381 -4.64 > Shoshone R at mouth nr Kane, Wyo. 2,977 -- -- > L Bighorn R at State line, nr Wyola 182 193 -5.72 > Yellowstone R at Forsyth, Mont. 40,146 40,339 -0.48 > Tongue R nr Dayton, Wyo. 206 204 0.99 > Goose Cr nr Acme, Wyo. 413 411 0.46 > Tongue R at State line nr Decker, Mont. 1,453 1,477 -1.64 > Salt Cr nr Sussex, Wyo. 769 769 0.00 > Crazy Woman Cr, upper stn, nr Arvada, Wyo. 937 945 -0.88 > L Powder R nr Weston, Wyo. 1,237 1,235 0.16 > Powder R nr Locate, Mont. 13,068 13,189 -0.92 > Yellowstone R nr Sidney, Mont. 69,083 69,103 -0.03 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Line attributes were checked using the Frequency algorithm. All source codes present are explained in the Entity and Attribute Overview. Polygon and chain-node topology present. The polygons coded as noncontributing areas are not a complete set of such areas in the YRB. Only two large noncontributing areas draining to closed basins adjacent to the northern boundary of the YRB, north of Billings, Mont., are included in the data set. Tolerances were maintained as follows: > Tolerance Value > --------------- --------------- > Fuzzy 1.000 Verified > Dangle 10.000 Verified > Node Snap 40.000 Verified > Weed 2.000 Verified > Grain 25.000 Verified The absolute horizontal accuracy, that is, actual difference in position between the physical drainage-area boundaries and the corresponding digital locations given in this data set, is unknown. The relative horizontal accuracy is source-dependent and is based on the 1:100,000-scale USGS topographic series map. The approximate horizontal accuracy of the 1:100,000-scale source data is 51 meters, assuming that the source materials meet National Map Accuracy Standards, as reported. However, the accuracy of the watershed boundaries in relation to the 1:100,000-scale topographic contour data appears to be slightly less accurate, and is considered to be positionally correct to within 80 meters wherever contour data exist in the source materials. Technical reviewers of the data set examined about 8 percent of the line segments (including at least one segment from each data source). The reviewers found only one segment (about 300 meters in length) that deviated by more than 80 meters from the alignment they considered to be correct (based on the 1:100,000-scale topographic contour data). That short segment was corrected, but one can logically deduce that the remaining 92 percent of line segments that were not inspected may contain a similar proportion of errors. Technical reviewers also detected needed changes to linework where the location of the USGS sampling station had been updated, causing a shift in position of the downstream end of the drainage area. The needed changes to the digital boundaries were made, but the implication remains that any remaining errors in sampling station positions, or subsequent relocations of sampling stations, will cause corresponding errors in the digital drainage-area boundaries. The digital map elements were edge matched against the data for the adjacent quadrangle. Edge match locations generally do not deviate from centerline to centerline by more than 51 meters (0.02 in.). One connector segment was added where edge match locations deviated by more than 51 meters. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Montana State Office 1996 map Helena, MT Montana State Library http://nris.state.mt.us/nsdi/nris/ 100,000 digital 1996 publication date MT NRCS All lines having attribute SOURCE = 3001. U.S. Geological Survey 1985 map Reston, Virginia U.S. Geological Survey http://edc.usgs.gov/doc/edchome/ndcdb/ndcdb.html http://edc.usgs.gov/fgdc/100kdlg.html 100,000 digital 1974 1993 publication dates of topographic source maps DLG All lines having attribute SOURCE coded as 3002, 3802, 5602, or 5603. U.S. Geological Survey 1996 1.0 map Sioux Falls, S. Dak. U.S. Geological Survey http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/glis/hyper/guide/drg http://nris.mt.gov/nsdi/drg.html http://wgiac.state.wy.us/wsdc/usgs/drg/AboutDRG.html 24,000 and 100,000 digital 1998 data of access to electronic information DRG Lines having attribute SOURCE coded as 3004 or 5604 (scale 1:24,000). Lines having attribute SOURCE coded as 3005 (scale 1:100,000). Select subset of the MT NRCS data that includes boundaries of the Montana part of the target drainage areas. Processing commenced 19980828 19981109 Interactively digitize Wyoming part of the target drainage area boundary using DLG hypsography and hydrography as onscreen backdrop, and referring as needed to published color maps of topographic quadrangles at scales of 1:100,000 and 1:24,000. Processing commenced 19980902 19981109 Interactive digitizing of drainage boundary in vicinity of gaging station (or where needed elsewhere) using DRG display as backdrop for onscreen digitizing. Processing commenced 19980902 19981109 Standardize feature attribute tables > additem <cover>.aat source 4 5 b > additem <cover>.aat source 4 5 b > additem <cover>.pat staid 15 15 c 19981109 Append separate partial data sets to complete the drainage areas. Processing commenced 19980902 19981109 Interactive closure of gaps in the drainage area boundaries; placement of polygon label point at (or near) gaging-station site; and coding of line segments as to SOURCE attribute. Processing commenced 19980902 19981109 Added boundaries of non-contributing areas and added polygon feature attribute to code such areas. 19981125 Update topology and check attribute tables. 19981130 Following technical review, interactive editing was used to make corrections to several line features, particularly at the downstream ends of drainage areas where sampling station locations had been updated or corrected subsequent to initial creation of the data set in 1998. Several label points then had to be repositioned to place them back into the correct polygon. Two "dangling arcs" were deleted. Original linework (that is, not copied from another source) was processed with "UNSPLIT" to reduce the number of line segments and nodes in the data set. Also, station number 425440109152501 was changed to 435440109152501, to reflect the change made to the NWIS record. Updated topology and checked attribute tables. 20000324 Update of metadata by rbzelt using FGDCMETA.AML ver. 1.33 07/15/99 on ARC/INFO data set m:\yell\final\wshed_yell 20000324 Vector Point 27 String 429 GT-polygon composed of chains 28 Albers Conical Equal Area 29.5 45.5 -107.5 23 0.00000 0.00000 coordinate pair 1.0 1.0 Meters North American Datum of 1927 Clarke 1866 6378206.4 294.98 Polygon feature attributes are stored in Info table WSHED_YELL.PAT, which has the following columns structure: > >COLUMN ITEM NAME WIDTH OUTPUT TYPE N.DEC Short description > 1 AREA 8 18 F 5 > 9 PERIMETER 8 18 F 5 > 17 WSHED_YELL# 4 5 B - > 21 WSHED_YELL-ID 4 5 B - > 25 STAID 15 15 C - USGS Station identifier > 40 CONTRIB 1 1 C - contributing-area flag > Linear feature attributes are stored in Info table WSHED_YELL.AAT, which has the following columns structure: > >COLUMN ITEM NAME WIDTH OUTPUT TYPE N.DEC Short description > 1 FNODE# 4 5 B - > 5 TNODE# 4 5 B - > 9 LPOLY# 4 5 B - > 13 RPOLY# 4 5 B - > 17 LENGTH 8 18 F 5 > 25 WSHED_YELL# 4 5 B - > 29 WSHED_YELL-ID 4 5 B - > 33 SOURCE 4 5 B - Data source code > A symbol look-up table is stored in Info table WSHED_YELL.LUT, which has the following columns structure: > >COLUMN ITEM NAME WIDTH OUTPUT TYPE N.DEC > 1 SYMBOL 4 5 B - (see below) > 5 SOURCE 4 5 B - (see below) > STAID - USGS Station ID defined in NWIS Site File; unique identifier. (Exception: two polygons are coded with a STAID of 06186500. The small drainage area at Two Ocean Pass actually drains to both the larger polygon coded with a STAID of 06186500 and to the Snake River basin.) CONTRIB - Flag identifying contributing drainage areas, as follows: > Y - Area does contribute to surface drainage area of station. > N - Area is considering noncontributing area for station. SOURCE - Code identifying source of boundary segment, as follows: > 3001 - Copied or only slightly modified from MT NRCS watershed boundary data. > 3002 - Original digital data; based on Montana DLG hypsography. > 3004 - Original digital data; based on Montana 1:24,000-scale DRG. > 3005 - Original digital data; based on Montana 1:100,000-scale DRG. > 3802 - Original digital data; based on North Dakota DLG hypsography. > 5602 - Original digital data; based on Wyoming DLG hypsography. > 5603 - Continental divide; copied from Wyoming DLG hypsography. > 5604 - Original digital data; based on Wyoming 1:24,000-scale DRG. > 9999 - Connector segment needed for transition between sources > or at quadrangle boundaries. SYMBOL - Symbol number used to display the data set coded by data source. A second look-up table is stored in Info table WSHED_YELL.DISSOL, which has the following columns structure: > >COLUMN ITEM NAME WIDTH OUTPUT TYPE N.DEC Short description > 1 STANAME 50 50 C - Sampling station name > 51 STAID 15 15 C - USGS station identifier > 66 WSHEDCOV 9 9 C - Name for an output data subset > 75 ONE_STAID 1 1 C - Logical flag (see below) > 76 SIDNEY 1 1 C - Yellowstone River near Sidney, MT > 77 FORSYTH 1 1 C - Yellowstone River at Forsyth, MT > 78 BILLINGS 1 1 C - Yellowstone River at Billings, MT > 79 CORWIN 1 1 C - Yellowstone River at Corwin Springs > 80 LOCATE 1 1 C - Powder River at Locate, MT > 81 DECKER 1 1 C - Tongue River near Decker, MT > 82 BIGKANE 1 1 C - Bighorn River near Kane, WY > 83 BIGLAKE 1 1 C - Bighorn Lake at U.S. Hwy 14-alt. > 84 SHOSHONE 1 1 C - Shoshone River at mouth nr Kane, WY > 85 WOODMF 1 1 C - Wood River above Middle Fork ONE_STAID - logical flag for sampling stations whose drainage area is composed of a single polygon. Encoded as: > Y = single-polygon drainage area. > N = multiple-polygon drainage area. The use of this look-up table is illustrated by the following simple example, performed using the TABLES module of Arc/Info: > Enter Command: asel > 24 Records Selected. > > Enter Command: res BIGKANE = 'Y' > 3 Records Selected. > > Enter Command: li STAID,STANAME > Record STAID STANAME > 6 06279500 Bighorn R at Kane WY > 19 425440109152501 Wood R bl Galena Cr WY > 20 435602109095301 Wood R ab Mid Fk Wood R WY Through establishing a data base relate (using STAID as the relational key), a similar procedure can be used to select the set of polygons that compose the complete drainage area for an individual sampling station. none U.S. Geological Survey Ask USGS - Water Webserver Team mailing

445 National Center

Reston VA 20192 1-888-275-8747 (1-888-ASK-USGS) http://answers.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/gsanswers?pemail=h2oteam&subject=GIS+Dataset+wshed_yell Although this data set has been used by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior, no warranty expressed or implied is made by the U.S. Geological Survey as to the accuracy of the data and related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the U.S. Geological Survey in the use of this data, software, or related materials. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Export Full coverage zipped 1 http://water.usgs.gov/GIS/dsdl/wshed_yell.e00.gz SDTS Full coverage zipped 1 http://water.usgs.gov/GIS/dsdl/wshed_yell.tgz None. This dataset is provided by USGS as a public service. 20041108 U.S. Geological Survey Ask USGS -- Water Webserver Team mailing

445 National Center

Reston VA 20192 1-888-275-8747 (1-888-ASK-USGS) http://answers.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/gsanswers?pemail=h2oteam&subject=GIS+Dataset+wshed_yell FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata FGDC-STD-001-1998