Abstract

Watershed Boundary Dataset Stewardship, Enhancements for Programmatic Needs (Alaska Example)
Track: Water Resources
Authors: Karen Hanson

The WBD is a national consistent, seamless, and hierarchical hydrologic unit dataset based on topographic and hydrologic features across the U.S. This dataset provides a consistent framework for local, regional, and national applications to manage, archive, exchange, and analyze data by hydrologic features.
The WBD was completed for the nation in the spring of 2010. Since then, numerous enhancements to the WBD have occurred in many states, but none more so than in Alaska.
This presentation will provide an overview of the efforts underway in Alaska to; improve accuracy of the WBD using high resolution elevation such as Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar, synchronize the WBD with the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System stream gage drainage areas, improve spatial integration with the National Hydrography Dataset leveraging projects such as StreamStats, harmonize hydrographic data with Canada, apply the WBD coastal standard, and to create 14-digit hydrologic units.