Improvement of the National Hydrography Dataset for parts of the Lower Colorado River Region and additional areas of importance to the DLCC

The Desert LCC will provide the 50% of the Federal component of funds, and the work designed will support the science objectives for the Desert LCC and its partners as well as provide needed improvements to the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) in the Lower Colorado River Region, and beyond. Basic improvement of the NHD at the 1:24,000 scale will provide an important framework basis for the development of hydrologic models required to address effects of climate change. An accurate surface water map will support the following specific DLCC objectives and needs: ? Hydrologic and biological modeling ? Accurate determination of perennial and intermittent classification ? Impacts on flow due to storms (particularly in the Lower Colorado River Region) ? Pressures on aquatic resources ? Linkage to stream gauge data for day-to-day management decisions ? Incorporation of previously mapped springs ? Prioritization of restoration efforts and conservation planning ? Understanding of infrastructure on environmental flows (dams, diversions) This project focuses on the addition and/or improvement of NHD lines, flowlines, points (particularly springs), NHD area and waterbody features where practical at the 1:24,000 scale and at a finer scale (1:12,000) where warranted and simple to perform. All data will be checked out of the NHD production database and will be submitted back into the national database CSUN has developed a robust set of business rules to facilitate and add consistency and standardization to the NHD editing process. The general rules and guidelines cited below will be implemented during the course of this project.