Annual shoreline surveys from 1983 to 2004 quantify the distribution and abundance of exotic Hydrilla verticillata and other submersed aquatic vegetation in the fresh and oligohaline tidal Potomac River. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has monitored SAV since 1978 using transect and shoreline methods. Data is incorporated into the Virginia Institute of Marine Science annual report on Chesapeake Bay SAV distribution.
Use Cases
- Analyzing changes in exotic Hydrilla verticillata distribution based on annual survey data
- Evaluating the effectiveness of mechanical harvesting programs for navigation management
- Identifying large-scale ecological changes in the Potomac River ecosystem based on long-term monitoring
- Supporting resource management policy decisions with scientific survey data
Strengths
- Monitoring efforts span from 1978 to 2004, providing a long-term record
- Annual surveys provide a basis for identifying large-scale changes
- Data is incorporated into authoritative annual reports by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
- Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified
Provenance
- Source
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
- Collection Method
- Shoreline surveys and transect sampling
- Time Range
- 2004 (with historical data from 1978, 1983-2004)
- Geography
- Fresh and oligohaline tidal Potomac River