Boundaries of new and resampled ground-water land use studies (LUS), major aquifer studies (MAS), and principal aquifer studies (PAS) conducted during cycle 2 of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program
During its second decade (2001-2012), the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program is resampling selected ground-water land use studies (LUS) and major aquifer studies (MAS) that were assessed during the first decade of the program (1991-2001) and also is sampling some new LUS, MAS, and PAS (Principal Aquifer studies.
This is a set of digital maps of cycle 2 LUS, MAS and PAS boundaries.
The purpose of this data set is to describe the hydrogeologic units and predominant land uses that the NAWQA study units used for selecting wells for their LUS and MAS ground-water sampling networks.
The boundaries will be the basis for computing nationally consistent GIS ancillary characteristics for the ground-water studies, which will be used in the analysis of water quality data.
DATA FORMAT
The boundaries are in ARCGIS coverage format.
NAMING CONVENTION
The coverage naming convention is netcode_bnd (for example, LUSCR1_BND), or netcode_trg (for example LUSCR1_TRG). The BND coverages represent the entire areal extent of the hydrogeologic unit defined for study, for example, a major aquifer. The TRG coverages represent the targeted land use within the overall area described by the BND coverage. The targeted land use coverage is supposed to nest within the overall boundary coverage, but this is not always the case.
COVERAGE DOCUMENTATION
The coverages have an ascii metadata file named "covername.met" that contains information regarding each particular coverage. A metadata.xml file also is present in the coverage folder. Some of the coverages are copies of those that were collected during cycle 1 and might have the old-style document.aml metadata. The old-style metadata is in INFO files called "covername.nar," "covername.ref," "covername.att," and "covername.doc."
For the most part, the boundaries for studies being resampled in cycle 2 are the same as the corresponding boundaries for cycle 1. Some exceptions are listed below.
CHANGES SINCE CYCLE 1
The boundaries for acfbluscr3, acfbsus1, albelusag1, nvbrsus2, trinsus3, sanjluscr1a, and sanjlusor2a changed from cycle 1 to cycle 2. GAFL supplied higher resolution boundaries for gaflluscr1.
CHECKS APPLIED TO THE COVERAGES
We plotted the ground-water study boundary submitted by the study units and the wells in the NAWQA data warehouse for each ground-water network to make sure that most of the wells fell within the study boundary and that the wells were distributed throughout the study area.
If necessary, we renamed coverages to match the appropriate network codes and to match the type of boundary represented, either BND (overall area) or TRG (targeted land use).
We checked the coverages using checkdata.aml and the metadata using the MP metadata parser. We corrected some of the errors discovered by checkdata, such as missing polygon labels and small dangling arcs. However, checkdata still reports some errors such as multiple labels in a polygon in a few of the coverages. Many of the metadata files still produce errors despite the efforts to have them corrected.
To accommodate the NAWQA data warehouse requirements for one data record per ground-water polygon, we duplicated some of the coverages. For example, if the overall areal extent of a land use study was the same as the major aquifer study boundary, we have two identical coverages, one for the overall boundary of the land use study and one for the boundary of the major aquifer study. Analysts should keep this in mind when compiling ancillary data or analyzing water quality data to avoid double counting.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
NACP submitted two pas1a_bnd coverages - these area named pas1a_bnd and pas1a_trg. pas1a_bnd is the aquifer coverages and pas1a_trg is the area of the aquifer that was the targeted area.
Sample.aml cells for LUS, MAS and PAS were requested during the Winter 2011 and Fall 2012 data request, are now part of this data set. When available they are listed below.
LIST OF GROUND-WATER STUDIES
Here are the ground-water studies included in this data set:
SUID Boundary Notes ---- ----------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- acad sus3_bnd new MAS acad sus4_bnd new MAS acad sus4_suba new MAS cells acad sus5_bnd new MAS acad sus5_suba new MAS cells acfb luscr3_bnd resampled AgLUS - cycle 1 = cycle 2, but cycle 1 coverage replaced acfb luscr3_trg resampled AgLUS - cycle 1 = cycle 2, but cycle 1 coverage replaced acfb sus1_bnd resampled MAS - cycle 1 = cycle 2, but cycle 1 coverage replaced albe lusag1_bnd resampled AgLUS - boundaries changed between cycle 1 and cycle 2 albe lusag1_trg resampled AgLUS - boundaries changed between cycle 1 and cycle 2 albe sus7_bnd new MAS albe sus8_bnd new MAS ccyk lusag2b_bnd resampled AgLUS (ccptlusag2b); lusag2b_bnd = lusor1b_bnd ccyk lusag2b_trg " ccyk lusor1b_bnd resampled AgLUS (ccptlusor1b); lusor1b_bnd = lusag2b_bnd ccyk lusor1b_trg " ccyk sus1b_bnd resampled MAS (ccptsus1b) cnbr luscr1_bnd new AgLUS cnbr luscr1_trg " conn lusrc1_bnd new UrLUS conn lusrc1_trg " conn sus2_bnd new MAS delr lusrc2_bnd new UrLUS delr lusrc2_trg new UrLUS delr lusrc2_suba new UrLUS cells eiwa sus3_bnd new MAS gafl luscr1_bnd resampled AgLUS - higher resolution coverage than cycle 1, cycle 1 replaced gafl luscr1_trg " gafl lusrc1_bnd new UrLUS (gafllusrc1a+b); lusrc1_bnd = lusrc1a_bnd = lusrc1b_bnd gafl lusrc1_trg " lusrc1_trg = lusrc1a_trg = lusrc1b_trg gafl lusrc1a_bnd " lusrc1_bnd = lusrc1a_bnd = lusrc1b_bnd gafl lusrc1a_trg " lusrc1_trg = lusrc1a_trg = lusrc1b_trg gafl lusrc1b_bnd " lusrc1_bnd = lusrc1a_bnd = lusrc1b_bnd gafl lusrc1b_trg " lusrc1_trg = lusrc1a_trg = lusrc1b_trg gafl sus2_bnd new MAS gafl sus3_bnd new MAS gafl sus4_bnd new MAS grsl sus2_bnd new MAS hdsn sus3_bnd new MAS hpgw sus4_bnd new MAS kans luscr1_bnd new AgLUS kans luscr1_trg new AgLUS linj lusrc1_bnd resampled UrLUS linj lusrc1_trg resampled UrLUS linj lusrc2_bnd new UrLUS linj lusrc2_trg new UrLUS linj sus2_bnd resampled MAS lirb lusrc1_bnd new UrLUS lirb lusrc1_trg new UrLUS mise lusrc1_bnd resampled UrLUS mise lusrc1_trg resampled UrLUS mise sus4_bnd new MAS mobl lusrc2_bnd new UrLUS luscr2_bnd = sus3_bnd mobl lusrc2_trg new UrLUS mobl sus3_bnd new MAS mobl sus3_suba new MAS cells nacp pas1a_bnd new PA nacp pas1a_trg new PA nacp pas1a_suba new PA cells nacp pas1b_bnd new PA nacp pas1b_suba new PA cells nvbr lusrc1_bnd new UrLUS nvbr lusrc1_trg " nvbr sus2_bnd resampled MAS - boundaries changed between cycle 1 and cycle 2 nvbr sus4_bnd new MAS podl lusag1_bnd resampled AgLUS (potolusag1) podl lusag1_trg " podl luscr1_bnd resampled AgLUS (dlmvluscr1); luscr1_bnd = sus1_bnd podl luscr1_trg " podl lusrc1_bnd new UrLUS podl lusrc1_trg " podl sus1_bnd resampled MAS (dlmvsus1) podl sus2_bnd new MAS pugt luscr1_bnd resampled AgLUS pugt luscr1_trg resampled AgLUS pugt lusrs1_bnd resampled UrLUS pugt lusrs1_trg resampled UrLUS riog lusag1_bnd resampled AgLUS riog lusag1_trg resampled AgLUS riog lusrc1_bnd new UrLUS riog lusrc1_trg new UrLUS sacr luscr1_bnd resampled AgLUS sacr luscr1_trg resampled AgLUS sacr lusrc1_bnd resampled UrLUS sacr lusrc1_bnd resampled UrLUS sacr sus3_bnd new MAS sacr sus3_suba new MAS cells sacr sus4_bnd new MAS sacr sus4_suba new MAS cells sanj luscr1a_bnd resampled AgLUS luscr1a_bnd = lusor1a_bnd = lusor2a_bnd = sus1_bnd sanj luscr1a_trg resampled AgLUS - boundaries changed between c1 and c2; also, c1 boundary replaced sanj luscr1a_suba resampled AgLUS - cycle 2 cells differ from cycle 1 cells sanj lusor1a_bnd resampled AgLUS luscr1a_bnd = lusor1a_bnd = lusor2a_bnd = sus1_bnd sanj lusor1a_trg resampled AgLUS - cycle 1 = cycle 2, but cycle 1 boundary replaced sanj lusor1a_suba resampled AgLUS - cycle 2 cells differ from cycle 1 cells sanj lusor2a_bnd resampled AgLUS luscr1a_bnd = lusor1a_bnd = lusor2a_bnd = sus1_bnd sanj lusor2a_trg resampled AgLUS - boundaries changed between c1 and c2; also, c1 boundary replaced sanj lusor2a_suba resampled AgLUS - cycle 2 cells differ from cycle 1 cells sanj sus1_bnd resampled MAS luscr1a_bnd = lusor1a_bnd = lusor2a_bnd = sus1_bnd sant lusrc1_bnd resampled UrLUS sant lusrc1_trg resampled UrLUS sctx lusrc1_bnd resampled UrLUS sctx lusrc1_trg resampled UrLUS sctx lusrc2_trg new UrLUS sctx lusrc2_bnd new UrLUS sctx sus1_bnd resampled MAS sctx sus4_bnd new MAS sctx sus5_bnd new MAS sctx sus5_suba new MAS cells solf lusrc2_bnd new UrLUS sofl lusrc2_trg new UrLUS sofl sus2_bnd new MAS splt luscr1_bnd resampled AgLUS splt luscr1_trg " splt luscr2_bnd new AgLUS splt luscr2_trg " splt lusrc2_bnd new UrLUS splt lusrc2_trg " splt sus2_bnd new MAS splt sus3_bnd new MAS splt sus4_bnd new MAS splt sus5_bnd new MAS tenn luscr2_bnd new AgLUS tenn luscr2_trg new AgLUS tenn luscr2_suba new AgLUS cells trin lusrc1_bnd new UrLUS trin lusrc1_trg " trin sus3_bnd resampled MAS - boundaries changed between cycle 1 and cycle 2 trin sus4_bnd new MAS uirb sus3_bnd new MAS umis luscr1_bnd resampled AgLUS umis luscr1_trg resampled AgLUS umis lusrc1_bnd resampled UrLUS umis lusrc1_trg resampled UrLUS usnk luscr2_bnd resampled AgLUS usnk luscr2_trg resampled AgLUS usnk luscr3_bnd resampled AgLUS usnk luscr3_trg resampled AgLUS whmi luscr1_bnd resampled AgLUS (whitluscr1) whmi luscr1_trg " will lusag3_bnd resampled AgLUS - same as cycle 1 lusag2_bnd will lusag3_trg resampled AgLUS - same as cycle 1 lusag2_trg wmic lusag2_bnd resampled AgLUS wmic lusag2_trg " wmic sus1_bnd resampled MAS wmic sus2_bnd new MAS yell luscr1_bnd new AgLUS yell luscr1_trg new AgLUS yell luscr1_suba new AgLUS cellsHere are the nationally consistent NETCODEs and default descriptions from the Cycle 2 NAWQA data dictionary:
NETCODE NETDESC lusag(#) = ground-water land-use study in agricultural area luscr(#) = ground-water land-use study in cropland area lusor(#) = ground-water land-use study in orchard or vineyard area luspa(#) = ground-water land-use study in pastured area lusre(#) = ground-water land-use study in rangeland area lusur(#) = ground-water land-use study in urban area lusrc(#) = ground-water land-use study in new residential and commercial areas lusrs(#) = ground-water land-use study in residential (only) area lusci(#) = ground-water land-use study in commercial or industrial areas lusin(#) = ground-water land-use study in industrial (only) area (see also "lusci") lusco(#) = ground-water land-use study in commercial (only) area (see also "lusci") lusfo(#) = ground-water land-use study in forested area lusmi(#) = ground-water land-use study in mining area lusot(#) = ground-water land-use study in "other" areas (includes mixed land-use) pas(#) = principal aquifer study sus(#) = ground-water subunit survey refcr(#) = SUCODE reference well in cropland area *** refor(#) = SUCODE reference well in orchard or vineyard area refpa(#) = SUCODE reference well in pasture area refre(#) = SUCODE reference well in rangeland area reffo(#) = SUCODE reference well in forested area refot(#) = SUCODE reference well in "other" areas (includes mixed landuse) ***SUCODE is the land-use study linked to the reference well(s). For example, USNKluscr1.
For background information on the standard network coding schemes, go to the NAWQA data dictionary:
1. NAWQA Cycle II Network Coding Instructions and General Guidance. <URL:http://privusgs2.er.usgs.gov/display/nawqadatasynth/Cycle+II+Network+Coding+Guidance+%28historical%29>
2. NAWQA Cycle II NETCODES and NETDESC, Table 1. Nationally consistent codes (NETCODE) and descriptions (NETDESC). <URL:http://nm.water.usgs.gov/nawqa_natsyn/data%20dictionary/cycleII.dir/CycleIItable1.html>
The data set is updated as needed to refine or correct boundaries or coding. The data set also is updated periodically as new studies are completed.
For internal USGS use only.
The user must consult the metadata for each coverage to determine what is the appropriate use of the data.
The coverages were checked for inconsistencies and errors using the checkdata.aml and to make sure that the SUCODE attribute is present. Not necessarily all errors/warnings flagged by checkdata have been corrected.
The data set represents the LUS and MAS boundaries obtained from the NAWQA study units. The NAWQA study units have the ultimate responsibility for delineating the ground-water study areas and ensuring the accuracy of the coverages and metadata.
NAWQA DataSyn group sent out a data request to the first group of cycle 2 NAWQA study units (ones that began in 2001) for the LUS and MAS boundaries in Summer 2003. <URL:http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa-only/datareq/gwgis2003.html>
From fall 2003 to early 2004, the study units submitted coverages in response to the data request.
We plotted the ground-water study boundary submitted by the study units and the wells in the NAWQA data warehouse as of January 2004 for each ground-water network to make sure that most of the wells fall within the study boundary and that the wells are distributed throughout the study area.
In Winter 2005, the NAWQA DataSyn group sent out a data request to ACAD, EIWA, LINJ, LIRB, PUGT, SACR, TRIN, and USNK NAWQA study units asking for certain LUS and MAS boundaries for studies completed since fiscal year 2003. <URL:http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa-only/datareq/gwgis2005.html>
From early February to September 2006, the study units submitted coverages in response to the data request.
We plotted the ground-water study boundary submitted by the study units and the wells in the NAWQA data warehouse as of September 2006 for each ground-water network to make sure that most of the wells fall within the study boundary and that the wells are distributed throughout the study area.
In Winter 2007, the NAWQA DataSyn group sent out a data request to GAFL, HDSN, LINJ, MISE, PUGT, RIOG, SACR, SANT, SCTX, SPLT, UMIS NAWQA study units asking for certain LUS and MAS boundaries for studies completed since fiscal year 2003. <URL:http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa-only/datareq/gwgis2007.html>
From February 2007 to March 2008, the study units submitted coverages in response to the data request.
We plotted the ground-water study boundary submitted by the study units and the wells in the NAWQA data warehouse as of August 2008 for each ground-water network to make sure that most of the wells fall within the study boundary and that the wells are distributed throughout the study area.
We assembled all of the coverages available to date for distribution.
The coverages collected for 2003 and 2005 had been distributed previously.
This is the first release of LUS and MAS boundaries for:
NEW STUDIES gafl sus4_bnd new MAS hdsn sus3_bnd new MAS linj lusrc2_bnd new UrLUS linj lusrc2_trg new UrLUS riog lusrc1_bnd new UrLUS riog lusrc1_trg new UrLUS splt sus2_bnd new MAS splt sus3_bnd new MAS splt sus4_bnd new MAS splt sus5_bnd new MAS RESAMPLED STUDIES linj sus2_bnd resampled MAS mise lusrc1_bnd resampled UrLUS mise lusrc1_trg resampled UrLUS pugt luscr1_bnd resampled AgLUS pugt luscr1_trg resampled AgLUS riog lusag1_bnd resampled AgLUS riog lusag1_trg resampled AgLUS sacr luscr1_bnd resampled AgLUS sacr luscr1_trg resampled AgLUS sacr lusrc1_bnd resampled UrLUS sacr lusrc1_trg resampled UrLUS sant lusrc1_bnd resampled UrLUS sant lusrc1_trg resampled UrLUS sctx lusrc1_bnd resampled UrLUS sctx lusrc1_trg resampled UrLUS umis luscr1_bnd resampled AgLUS umis luscr1_trg resampled AgLUS umis lusrc1_bnd resampled UrLUS umis lusrc1_trg resampled UrLUS
In Winter 2011, the NAWQA DataSyn group sent out a data request to ALBE, DELR, GRSL, KANS, MISE, MOBL, SCTX, SACR, SOFL, TENN, UIRB, and YELL study units asking for certain LUS and MAS boundaries for studies complete since fical year 2008. <URL:http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa-only/datareq/gwgis2011.html>From March to April 2011, the study units submitted coverages in response to the data request.
This is the first release of LUS and MAS boundaries for:
NEW STUDIES albe sus8_bnd new MAS delr lusrc2_bnd new UrLUS delr lusrc2_trg new UrLUS grsl sus2_bnd new MAS kans luscr1_bnd new AgLUS kans luscr1_trg new AgLUS mise sus4_bnd new MAS mobl sus3_bnd new MAS sacr sus3_bnd new MAS sacr sus4_bnd new MAS sctx lusrc2_bnd new UrLUS sctx lusrc2_trg new UrLUS sctx sus4_bnd new MAS sctx sus5_bnd new MAS sofl sus2_bnd new MAS sofl lusrc2_bnd new UrLUS sofl lusrc2_trg new UrLUS tenn luscr2_bnd new AgLUS tenn luscr2_trg new AgLUS uirb sus3_bnd new MAS yell luscr1_bnd new AgLUS yell luscr1_trg new AgLUS
In Fall 2012, the NAWQA DataSyn group sent out a data request to ACAD, MOBL, NACP study units asking for certain LUS, MAS, and PAS boundaries for studies complete since fical year 2008. <URL:http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa-only/datareq/gwgis2012.html>
From October to December 2012, the study units submitted coverages in response to the data request.
SANJ SUBA coverages were also submitted, but not part of the formal request.
This is the first release of LUS and MAS boundaries for:
NEW STUDIES acad sus4_bnd new mas acad sus4_suba new MAS cells acad sus5_bnd new MAS acad sus5_suba new MAS cells mobl luscr2 new UrLUS sanj luscr1a_suba resampled AgLUS - cycle 2 cells differ from cycle 1 cells sanj lusor1a_suba resampled AgLUS - cycle 2 cells differ from cycle 1 cells sanj lusor2a_suba resampled AgLUS - cycle 2 cells differ from cycle 1 cells nacp pas1a_bnd1 new PA nacp pas1a_bnd2 new PA nacp pas1a_suba new PA cells nacp pas1b_bnd new PA nacp pas1b_suba new PA cells
Each boundary coverage has a field called SUCODE. Any fields besides SUCODE usually are ignored.
SUCODE is the combination of the 4-letter abbreviation for the NAWQA study unit plus the ground-water study network code (NETCODE). For example: spltluscr1.
When using the coverages, any interior polygon that has a valid SUCODE is considered to be INSIDE the ground-water study area. When analyzing data using the coverages, EXCLUDE the polygons that have a blank value for SUCODE. Any interior polygon that has a blank value for SUCODE is OUTSIDE the ground-water study.
The archive file is about 148 megabytes in size and contains the coverages and metadata for all study units in a folder called cycle2. Part of the ACAD data is in geodatabase format.
Transfer the .zip file shown under Network_Resource_Name to your local system. Uncompress and extract the folder called cycle2 from the archive file. This folder contains a subfolder for each study unit.
The study unit subfolders contain the individual coverages. The coverage names are constructed as NETCODE_BND and NETCODE_TRG. The metadata file names are COVERNAME.met.