USGS Gap Analysis Program HUCS Metadata:


Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: US Geological Survey (USGS) Gap Analysis Program (GAP)
Publication_Date: 20110222
Title:
USGS Gap Analysis Program HUCS
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Feature Class
Publication_Information:
Publisher: USGS Gap Analysis Program (GAP)
Online_Linkage: <http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/data/species-data/>
Larger_Work_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: USGS Gap Analysis Program
Publication_Date: 20110222
Title:
USGS Gap Analysis Program Hucs
Edition: 1
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document
Publication_Information:
Publisher: USGS Gap Analysis Program
Online_Linkage: <http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/data/species-data/>
Description:
Abstract:
GAP species range data shows a coarse representation of the total areal extent of a species or the geographic limits within which a species can be found (Morrison and Hall 2002). To represent these geographic limits, GAP compiled existing GAP data, where available, and NatureServe data (Patterson et al. 2003, Ridgely et al. 2007, NatureServe 2010) IUCN data (IUCN 2004), where needed. Data provided by GAP in collaboration with Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project (SWReGAP) and the Southeast Gap Analysis Project (SEGAP) . Bird data provided by NatureServe in collaboration with Robert Ridgely, James Zook, The Nature Conservancy ― Migratory Bird Program, Conservation International ― Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, World Wildlife Fund ― US, and Environment Canada ― WILDSPACE. Mammal data provided by NatureServe in collaboration with Bruce Patterson, Wes Sechrest, Marcelo Tognelli, Gerardo Ceballos, The Nature Conservancy – Migratory Bird Program, Conservation International – CABS, World Wildlife Fund – US, and Environment Canada – WILDSPACE. Amphibian data developed as part of the Global Amphibian Assessment and provided by IUCN-World Conservation Union, Conservation International and NatureServe. Once the needed range data were compiled it was intersected with Natural Resource Conservation Service National Watershed Boundary dataset of 12-digit hydrological units for the US (U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service 2009). Range data were attributed with information regarding Occurrence/presence, origin, reproductive use, and seasonal use from GAP regional projects (SWReGAP and SEGAP), NatureServe data, and IUCN data. GAP used the best information available to create these species ranges; however GAP seeks to improve and update these data as new information becomes available. These species range data provide the biological context within which to build our species distribution models.
Purpose:
Purpose: The mission of the USGS Gap Analysis Program (GAP) is to provide state, regional, and national biodiversity assessments of the conservation status of native vertebrate species and natural land cover types and to facilitate the application of this information to land management activities. Species range data are required to assess overall species richness across the U.S as well as to delimit the area within which distribution models are completed. The goal of GAP is to keep common species common by identifying species and plant communities not adequately represented in existing conservation lands. Common species are those not currently threatened with extinction. By providing these data, land managers and policy makers can make better-informed decisions when identifying priority areas for conservation. GAP compiled these range data by using existing GAP range data, where available, and then adding in NatureServe data (Patterson et al. 2003, Ridgely et al. 2007, NatureServe 2010) or IUCN data (IUCN 2004), where needed. Bird data provided by NatureServe in collaboration with Robert Ridgely, James Zook, The Nature Conservancy ― Migratory Bird Program, Conservation International ― Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, World Wildlife Fund ― US, and Environment Canada ― WILDSPACE. Mammal data provided by NatureServe in collaboration with Bruce Patterson, Wes Sechrest, Marcelo Tognelli, Gerardo Ceballos, The Nature Conservancy – Migratory Bird Program, Conservation International – CABS, World Wildlife Fund – US, and Environment Canada – WILDSPACE. Amphibian data developed as part of the Global Amphibian Assessment and provided by IUCN-World Conservation Union, Conservation International and NatureServe. These data were then intersected with Natural Resource Conservation Service National Watershed Boundary dataset of 12-digit hydrological units for the US (U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service 2009). Range data were attributed with information from both GAP regional projects and NatureServe data. GAP used the best information available to create these species ranges; however GAP seeks to improve and update these data as new information becomes available.
 
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: As new information becomes available.
Spatial_Domain:
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -180.000000
East_Bounding_Coordinate: 180.000000
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 90.000000
South_Bounding_Coordinate: -41.370653
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword: Hucs
Theme_Keyword: Hydrologic units
Theme_Keyword: Gap Analysis
Theme_Keyword: Biodiversity
Theme_Keyword: Conservation
Theme_Keyword: 12 digit hydrologic units
Theme_Keyword: 12 digit hucs
Place:
Place_Keyword: United States
Place_Keyword: Alabama (AL)
Place_Keyword: Alaska (AK)
Place_Keyword: Arizona (AZ)
Place_Keyword: Arkansas (AR)
Place_Keyword: California (CA)
Place_Keyword: Colorado (CO)
Place_Keyword: Connecticut (CT)
Place_Keyword: Delaware (DE)
Place_Keyword: Florida (FL)
Place_Keyword: Georgia (GA)
Place_Keyword: Hawaii (HI)
Place_Keyword: Idaho (ID)
Place_Keyword: Illinois (IL)
Place_Keyword: Indiana (IN)
Place_Keyword: Iowa (IA)
Place_Keyword: Kansas (KS)
Place_Keyword: Kentucky (KY)
Place_Keyword: Louisiana (LA)
Place_Keyword: Maine (ME)
Place_Keyword: Maryland (MD)
Place_Keyword: Massachusetts (MA)
Place_Keyword: Michigan (MI)
Place_Keyword: Minnesota (MN)
Place_Keyword: Mississippi (MS)
Place_Keyword: Missouri (MO)
Place_Keyword: Montana (MT)
Place_Keyword: Nebraska (NE)
Place_Keyword: Nevada (NV)
Place_Keyword: New Hampshire (NH)
Place_Keyword: New Jersey (NJ)
Place_Keyword: New Mexico (NM)
Place_Keyword: New York (NY)
Place_Keyword: North Carolina (NC)
Place_Keyword: North Dakota (ND)
Place_Keyword: Ohio (OH)
Place_Keyword: Oklahoma (OK)
Place_Keyword: Oregon (OR)
Place_Keyword: Pennsylvania (PA)
Place_Keyword: Puerto Rico (PR)
Place_Keyword: Rhode Island (RI)
Place_Keyword: South Carolina (SC)
Place_Keyword: South Dakota (SD)
Place_Keyword: Tennessee (TN)
Place_Keyword: Texas (TX)
Place_Keyword: Utah (UT)
Place_Keyword: Vermont (VT)
Place_Keyword: Virginia (VA)
Place_Keyword: Washington (WA)
Place_Keyword: West Virginia (WV)
Place_Keyword: Wisconsin (WI)
Place_Keyword: Wyoming (WY)
Access_Constraints: These data are in the public domain
Use_Constraints:
It is strongly recommended that these data are directly acquired from the U.S. Geological Survey Gap Analysis Program server, and not indirectly through other sources, which may have changed the data in some way. It is also strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data. The U.S. Geological Survey shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. All information is created with a specific end use or uses in mind. This is especially true for GIS data, which is expensive to produce and must be directed to meet the immediate program needs. However, these data were created with the expectation that they would be used for other applications; therefore, we list below both appropriate and inappropriate uses. This list is in no way exhaustive but should serve as a guide to assess whether a proposed use can or cannot be supported by these data. For many uses, it is unlikely that GAP’s species range data will provide the only data needed, and for uses with a regulatory outcome, field surveys should verify the result. In the end, it will be the responsibility of each data user to determine if these data can answer the question being asked, and if they are the best tool to answer that question. While it is impossible to predict all the uses of these data we have listed several possible appropriate and inappropriate uses from GAP's perspective. All data are provided as is without warranty as to its currency, completeness, or accuracy of any specific data. NatureServe hereby disclaims all warranties and conditions with regard to any documents provided with these data, including but not limited to all implied warranties and conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. NatureServe makes no representations about the suitability of this data. In no event shall USGS-GAP or NatureServe be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, consequential damages, or for damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of information contained in these data, under any theory of liability used. The data provided is for planning, assessment, and informational purposes. The information provided is not a survey quality dataset. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data.
Appropriate uses of the data: primarily as a coarse map for a large area such as a county or to provide context for finer-level maps.
A general list of possible applications include:
-National, regional or statewide biodiversity planning
-National, Regional or state habitat conservation planning
-County comprehensive planning
-Large-area resource management planning
-Coarse-filter evaluation of potential impacts or benefits of major projects or plan initiatives on biodiversity, such as utility or transportation corridors, wilderness proposals, habitat connectivity proposals, climate change adaption proposals, regional open space and recreation proposals, etc.
-Determining relative amounts of management responsibility for specific biological resources among land stewards to facilitate cooperative management and planning.
-Basic research on regional distributions of plants and animals and to help target both specific species and geographic areas for needed research.
-Environmental impact assessment for large projects or military activities.
-Estimation of potential economic impacts from loss of biological resource-based activities.
-Education at all levels and for both students and citizens.
Inappropriate Uses:
It is far easier to identify appropriate uses than inappropriate ones, however, there is a "fuzzy line" that is eventually crossed when the differences in resolution of the data, size of geographic area being analyzed, and precision of the answer required for the question are no longer compatible. Examples include:
-Using the data to map small areas (less than thousands of hectares), typically requiring mapping resolution at 1:24,000 scale and using aerial photographs or ground surveys.
-Combining these data with other data finer than 1:100,000 scale to produce new hybrid maps or answer queries.
-Generating specific areal measurements from the data finer than the nearest thousand hectares
-Establishing exact boundaries for regulation or acquisition.
-Establishing definite occurrence or non-occurrence of any feature for an exact geographic area
-Determining abundance, health, or condition of any feature.
-Establishing a measure of accuracy of any other data by comparison with GAP data.
-Altering the data in any way and redistributing them as a GAP data product.
-Using the data without acquiring and reviewing the metadata and this report.
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Jocelyn Aycrigg
Contact_Organization: National Gap Analysis Program - University of Idaho
Contact_Position: Conservation Biologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: Mailing and physical address
Address: 530 S. Asbury St. Suite #1
City: Moscow
State_or_Province: Idaho
Postal_Code: 83843
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 208-885-3901
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 208-885-3618
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: aycrigg@uidaho.edu
Hours_of_Service: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm PST, M-F
Data_Set_Credit:
US Geological Survey, Gap Analysis Program (GAP). 2011. USGS Gap Analysis Program Hydrologic units.
Native_Data_Set_Environment: Microsoft Windows 7 ; ESRI ArcCatalog 10.0
Cross_Reference:
Citation_Information:
Online_Linkage: <http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/data/species-data/>

Spatial_Reference_Information:
Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Planar:
Map_Projection:
Map_Projection_Name: Albers Conical Equal Area
Albers_Conical_Equal_Area:
Standard_Parallel: 29.500000
Standard_Parallel: 45.500000
Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -96.000000
Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 23.000000
False_Easting: 0.000000
False_Northing: 0.000000
Planar_Coordinate_Information:
Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate_Representation:
Abscissa_Resolution: 0.000100
Ordinate_Resolution: 0.000100
Planar_Distance_Units: meters
Geodetic_Model:
Horizontal_Datum_Name: North American Datum of 1983
Ellipsoid_Name: Geodetic Reference System 80
Semi-major_Axis: 6378137.000000
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257222
Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Altitude_System_Definition:
Altitude_Resolution: 1.000000
Altitude_Encoding_Method:
Explicit elevation coordinate included with horizontal coordinates

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Detailed_Description:
Entity_Type:
Entity_Type_Label: Hucs
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: OID
Attribute_Definition: Internal feature number.
Attribute_Definition_Source: ESRI
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain:
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: HUC12RNG
Attribute_Definition: Unique identifier for Hydrologic Units (HUCs).
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: STATES
Attribute_Definition: State abbreviations
Attribute:
Attribute_Label:HUC_8
Attribute_Definition: 8 digit huc id
Attribute:
Attribute_Label:HUC_10
Attribute_Definition: 10 digit huc id
Attribute:
Attribute_Label:HUC_12
Attribute_Definition: 12 digit huc id

Distribution_Information:
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: National Gap Analysis Program - University of Idaho
Contact_Person: Adam Radel
Contact_Position: GIS Analyst / Systems Administrator
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: University of Idaho
Address: 530 South Asbury Street, Suite 1
City: Moscow
State_or_Province: Idaho
Postal_Code: 83843
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 208-885-3907
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 208-885-3618
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: adamr@uidaho.edu
Hours_of_Service: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm PDT
Resource_Description:
Download or view data from: USGS Gap Analysis Program website (http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/data/species-data/)
Standard_Order_Process:
Digital_Form:
Digital_Transfer_Option:
Online_Option:
Computer_Contact_Information:
Network_Address:
Network_Resource_Name: <http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/data/species-data/>

Other_Data_Incorporated:
Hydrologic Units (HUCS)
U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 2009, Federal guidelines, requirements, and procedures for the National Watershed Boundary Dataset: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods 11–A3, 55 p.

Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date: 20110412
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Adam Radel
Contact_Organization: National Gap Analysis Program - University of Idaho
Contact_Position: GIS Analyst / Systems Administrator
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: University of Idaho
Address: 530 South Asbury Street, Suite 1
City: Moscow
State_or_Province: Idaho
Postal_Code: 83843
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 208-885-3907
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 208-885-3613
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: adamr@uidaho.edu
Hours_of_Service: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm PDT
Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
Metadata_Time_Convention: local time
Metadata_Extensions:
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