878 7.5-minute quadrangle maps were used to delineate boundaries for approximately 64,000 named streams in Pennsylvania. The digital dataset was created by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with Pennsylvania state agencies, with digitization work beginning in 1991. This documentation specifically covers the 164 quadrangle maps within the Delaware River basin portion of the state.
Use Cases
- Modeling surface water runoff and pollutant transport using the delineated drainage basin boundaries.
- Mapping the official and unofficial names of streams, such as those named after hollows (e.g., 'Smith Hollow'), for geographic reference systems.
- Analyzing watershed connectivity and stream hierarchy within the Delaware River basin using the digitized polygon features.
Strengths
- Covers approximately 64,000 named streams, providing a substantial inventory.
- Based on 878 detailed 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle maps for high spatial precision.
- Digitized and attributed by the USGS, ensuring a standardized and authoritative process.
Limitations
- Documentation and data coverage are currently limited to the 164 maps in the Delaware River basin, excluding other Pennsylvania basins.
- The underlying source gazetteer was published in 1989, so stream names and classifications may be outdated.
- Basins for streams originating outside Pennsylvania's borders are not included, creating edge-matching challenges for cross-state analysis.
Provenance
- Source
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (PaDER), Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS).
- Collection Method
- Digitized from drainage basin boundaries delineated on paper 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle maps for use in a GIS.
- Time Range
- Source gazetteer published 1989; digitization began 1991.
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Pennsylvania and parts of bordering states (New York, Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia, Delaware), specifically the Delaware River basin within PA.