Extending Alaska Region National Hydrography Dataset Editing Protocols and Data Production to Accommodate Wetlands and other Value Added Attributes
Project ID: P15AC00448
Federal Agency: National Park Service
Partner Institution: Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Fiscal Year: 2015
Initial Funding: $126,337
Total Funding: $605,374
Project Type: Technical Assistance
Project Disciplines: Interdisciplinary
National Park: Intermountain Region
Principal Investigator: Robertson, Andy
Agreement Technical Representative: Piercy, Joni
Abstract: This project will be conducted in two phases. This Task Agreement funds Phase 1, but may be modified to add future phases, subject to the availability of funding and satisfactory progress of project work.
Investigators from SMUMN and NPS staff will collaborate to accomplish the following specific objectives.
The objectives of Phase 1 are to develop extended NHD data collection protocols to include:
• Identifying suitable test areas within the Boreal (WRST) and Polar (NOAT) ecoregions of Alaska for applying NHD data collection protocols and testing update methods. At a minimum, these test locations must have complete coverage of Statewide Digital Mapping Initiative (SDMI) processed SPOTS satellite imagery and SDMI IfSAR derived elevation data.
Developing a hybrid mapping process for delineation and classification of wetlands using a combination of software based tools for feature recognition and automated classification supported by traditional manual interpretation techniques.
• Conducting a large area test of hydrography updates using extended featt.ire mapping protocols within WRST.
• Incorporat on of resulting wetland features into both the AK. Hydro (i.e., the Alaska model for stewardship of hydrography data that complements NHD) and NHD data models as 20 area features.
• Describing the US Geological Survey (USGS) NHD compliant development
or edit workflow, starting with project identification, data checkout, data editing, conflation, NPS and USGS quality control (QC) processes, and final data check in to the USGS master database.
• A description of the minimum data requirements to support NHD data development incorporating wetlands and other related hydrographic features.
• A description of the project management process to data development, coordination, and product delivery. The process will describe milestones, responsibilities, resource requirements, and product or output expectations.
Phase 2, subject to the successful completion of Phase 1, includes expanding application of this extended NHD data collection protocol to additional ecoregions within Alaska where hydrologic conditions vary and additional classification parameters must be assessed. Work in this·phase will focus on updating wetlands and other surface hydrology features with the Polar ecoregion of Alaska, particularly NOAT. Work will also include the compilation of a list of additional value added attributes that are important for description, modeling, and analysis of surface hydrology in Alaska. This Jist will be developed through coordinated discussions with NPS staff and other federal agencies in Alaska, such as the US Forest Service, who are conducting similar NHD updates.
Given that both Phase 1 and 2 will involve some level ofNHD data production and submission, the project also has the following general objectives:
• Extracting existing NHD data from USGS and evaluating completeness, accuracy, and areas of improvement.
• Compiling base datasets (aerial photography, elevation data, and edited hydrography) for use in updating NHD.
• Correcting of stream locations, flow paths, and connectivity.
• Establishment of a flow network that meets USGS NHD standards.
• Correction of coastline features using best available data.
• Correcting and populating feature attributes such as stream name, stream order and reach code.
• Using NHD conflation tools, integrating modified data into existing data and reconciling inconsistencies.
• Submitting new data back to NHD for upload into the national dataset.