Pilot Project - Enhancing the National Hydrography Dataset for Pennsylvania

Elaine Langone Center, Forum

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) is a mature and robust product to depict surface water resources, and is a uniform dataset nationwide. Pennsylvania (PA) currently has complete NHD coverage at 1:24000 scale, generally suitable for display on topographic quadrangles. Between 2005 and 2010 the PAMAP Program, in partnership with the National Map, produced consistent statewide color imagery and topography suitable to support production of local resolution (1:2400) NHD, but suffered complete cut of state funding after 2010. Since that time technologies and project needs have made the incompatibilities between the PAMAP imagery and topography and the current NHD more apparent. Furthermore, the importance of the Susquehanna River drainage into to the Chesapeake Bay has heightened awareness of the contributions of stormwater systems to sediment and nutrient loads. Since late 20113, the Pa Mapping and Geographic Information Consortium (PaMAGIC) has been developing the concept of an integrated water base map with the following characteristics: • Designed as default and authoritative water data basemap allowing for collaboration across organization lines. • Spatially compatible with current mapping such as PAMAP imagery and LiDAR. • Includes man-made stormwater infrastructure. • Provides reference basis for regulatory and analytical studies, modeling and data. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) awarded the PaMAGIC an NHD Support Grant under Cooperative Agreement Number G15AC00516. This presentation will describe the pilot project performed during 2016 in Lancaster County to advance development of improved statewide hydrography.