What is the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD)?
The NHD is a digital vector dataset used by Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to define the spatial locations of surface waters and is designed to provide comprehensive coverage of surface water data for the U.S. The NHD contains features such as lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, canals, dams, and stream gages, in a relational database model system (RDBMS). These data are designed to be used in general mapping and in the analysis of surface water systems. Using basic NHD features like flow network, linked information, and other characteristics, it is possible to study causality (cause-and-effect) relationships, such as determining how a source of poor water quality upstream might affect a fish population downstream.
For more information, please visit the USGS Hydrography website.
Related Content
How should USGS National Hydrography datasets and services be cited?
What sources were used to produce the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD)?
What is the positional accuracy of the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD)?
What are available download formats for hydrography data products?
How do I download hydrography data products?
User's guide for the national hydrography dataset plus (NHDPlus) high resolution
The National Hydrography Dataset Plus High Resolution (NHDPlus HR) is a scalable geospatial hydrography framework built from the High Resolution (1:24,000-scale or better) National Hydrography Dataset (NHD), nationally complete Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD), and ⅓-arc-second (10-meter ground spacing) 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) digital...
Moore, Richard B.; McKay, Lucinda D.; Rea, Alan H.; Bondelid, Timothy R.; Price, Curtis V.; Dewald, Thomas G.; Johnston, Craig M.
NHDPlusHR: A national geospatial framework for surface-water information
The U.S. Geological Survey is developing a new geospatial hydrographic framework for the United States, called the National Hydrography Dataset Plus High Resolution (NHDPlusHR), that integrates a diversity of the best-available information, robustly supports ongoing dataset improvements, enables hydrographic generalization to derive alternate...
Viger, Roland J.; Rea, Alan H.; Simley, Jeffrey D.; Hanson, Karen M. The road to NHDPlus — Advancements in digital stream networks and associated catchments
A progression of advancements in Geographic Information Systems techniques for hydrologic network and associated catchment delineation has led to the production of the National Hydrography Dataset Plus (NHDPlus). NHDPlus is a digital stream network for hydrologic modeling with catchments and a suite of related geospatial data. Digital stream...
Moore, Richard B.; Dewald, Thomas A.
Federal standards and procedures for the National Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD)
The Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) is a comprehensive aggregated collection of hydrologic unit data consistent with the national criteria for delineation and resolution. This document establishes Federal standards and procedures for creating the WBD as seamless and hierarchical hydrologic unit data, based on topographic and hydrologic features...
Watersheds: where we live
We all live in a watershed. Animals and plants all live there with us. Everyone affects what happens in a watershed by how we treat the natural resources. So what is a watershed? It is the land area that drains water to a stream, river, lake, or ocean. Water travels over the Earth's surface across forest land, farm fields, pastures, suburban lawns...
Vandas, Stephen; Farrar, Frank
USGS Digital Elevation Models (DEM) Switching to New Distribution Format
In support of ongoing efforts to provide efficient, cloud ready, open data formats, the U.S. Geological Survey National Geospatial Program is announcing plans to migrate its 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) Digital Elevation Models (DEM) to a new data delivery format called Cloud Optimized Geotiff (COG) during the first half of fiscal year 2020.
National Hydrography September 2019 Newsletter released
The USGS National Hydrography Dataset Newsletter, Vol. 18, No. 9, September 2019 has been released and posted for viewing.
NHD and WBD Map Services Moving to the Cloud
As part of an ongoing effort to improve performance and reliability for the suite of USGS Hydrography web-based map services, the USGS is migrating the National Hydrography Dataset and Watershed Boundary Dataset services to a Cloud location.
Exploring the Nation's waterways through the National Hydrography Dataset Plus
Interested in finding a good river to float down this hot summer? Or a favorite fishing hole? Ever wonder where those blue lines mapping the rivers, streams and lakes on the US Topo and other maps come from?
Lesson 15b: NHDPlus HR
This lesson will provide a brief overview of the National Hydrography Dataset, Watershed Boundary Dataset and 3D Elevation program. This lesson will also discuss NHDPlus and introduce NHDPlus high resolution and tell you how to get the data.
Hydrography Seminar Series - Session 9 (NHDPlus HR)
The USGS Hydrography Seminar Series shares success stories from users, provides information on the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD), Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD), NHDPlus High Resolution (NHDPlus HR), and other related products, and provides a forum for users to learn more about hydrography-related topics. Seminar 9 is an overview of the NHDPlus HR.
Using The National Map Web Services in ArcMap
Lesson 5: Using The National Map Web Services in ArcMap - This video provides an overview and demonstrates how to use The National Map's web services in a mapping application.
NHDPlus_HR_HydroRegionsMap
Graphic to illustrate the NHDPlus High Resolution Beta availability for Hydrologic Regions 1, 2, 6, 12, 14, 15 and 16 cover over a quarter of the area of the conterminous United States.