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This web site contains the Federal Geographic Data Committee-compliant metadata (documentation) for digital data produced for the North Carolina, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Public Water Supply Section, Source Water Assessment Program. The metadata are for 11 individual Geographic Information System data sets. An overlay and indexing method was used with the data to derive a rating for unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics for use by the State of North Carolina in assessing more than 11,000 public water-supply wells and approximately 245 public surface-water intakes for susceptibility to contamination. For ground-water supplies, the digital data sets used in the assessment included unsaturated zone rating, vertical series hydraulic conductance, land-surface slope, and land cover. For assessment of public surface-water intakes, the data sets included watershed characteristics rating, average annual precipitation, land-surface slope, land cover, and ground-water contribution. Documentation for the land-use data set applies to both the unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics ratings. Documentation for the estimated depth-to-water map used in the calculation of the vertical series hydraulic conductance also is included.
Overlay and index methods for rating the unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics were derived for use by the State of North Carolina in assessing more than 11,000 public water-supply wells and approximately 245 public surface-water intakes for susceptibility to contamination. Factors that influence the vulnerability of public ground water and surface water supplies to contamination were selected and assigned ratings on a scale of 1 to 10, covering the range of values in North Carolina. These factors then were assigned weight to reflect their relative influence on the perceived inherent vulnerability and reliability of the data (Eimers and others, 2000).
Factors selected for rating the vulnerability to contamination of the unsaturated zone are vertical series hydraulic conductance, land-surface slope, land cover, and land use. Vertical series hydraulic conductance measures the capacity of unsaturated material to transmit water. Land-surface slope influences whether precipitation runs off land surfaces or infiltrates into the subsurface. Land cover describes the physical overlay of the land surface, which influences the amount of precipitation that runs off or infiltrates into the subsurface. Land use describes activities occurring on the land surface that influence the potential generation of nonpoint-source contamination.
In order to develop the unsaturated zone vulnerability rating, an estimated depth-to-water map was created. The estimated depth-to-water map was necessary for the calculation of the vertical series hydraulic conductance values. A documentation file was created describing methods and formulas that were applied to generate this data set.
Factors selected for rating the watershed characteristics upstream from surface-water intakes are average annual precipitation, land-surface slope, land cover, land use, and ground-water contribution. The average annual precipitation represents the amount of water available for transport in a watershed. Land-surface slope, land cover, and land use have similar influences on watershed characteristics as those identified for the unsaturated zone. Ground-water contribution represents the part of streamflow that is derived from ground water.
The values for each factor were obtained from Geographic Information System (GIS) data layers stored as raster data sets. These raster data sets have 30-meter by 30-meter cells, and each cell is assigned a value based on the characteristics of the factor within that cell. Only one data set was created for the land-use factor because identical ratings were applied for the unsaturated zone rating and watershed characteristics rating. The values for each factor were assigned a weight, then the weighted values were combined to create the final vulnerability values for the unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics ratings.
A structured documentation file (known as "metadata") for each data set has been created. The documentation files comply with the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (Federal Geographic Data Committee, 1994). The FGDC-compliant metadata files contain descriptions of the data sets and include narrative sections describing the procedures used to produce the data sets in digital form. The metadata also include references of the sources used to create the data set.
This page provides background context for the 11 digital data sets created for the North Carolina Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP), and is the access point for all associated metadata files.
The FGDC-compliant metadata for the 11 data sets are linked below. The digital data are not currently online because of space limitations. The digital data sets can be requested through the distribution contact identified in the metadata.
Eimers, J.L., Weaver, J.C., Terziotti, Silvia, and Midgette, R.W., 2000, Methods of rating unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics of public water supplies in North Carolina: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4283, 31 p.
Federal Geographic Data Committee, 1994, Content standards for digital geospatial metadata (June 8): Washington, D.C., Federal Geographic Data Committee, 78 p.
Metadata is also available as a Plain Text file.
Land-cover classes to characterize the unsaturated zone is one of 11 data sets developed for the North Carolina Source Water Assessment Program. These data are used to rate the susceptibility of public water supplies in North Carolina to contamination.
This data set represents the ratings applied to the land-cover classes for use in the rating of the unsaturated zone for public ground-water suppliers.
The ratings are based on the likelihood that the type of material covering the land surface influences whether precipitation runs off or infiltrates into the subsurface. For ground-water systems, the greater the likelihood that water infiltrates into the subsurface, and therefore the greater the likelihood of contamination from nonpoint-sources in the ground-water supply, the higher the rating applied on a scale of 1 to 10.
This data set is to be used in a hydrologic analysis with other data sets to rate the unsaturated zone for public ground-water supplies and watershed characteristics for public surface-water supplies in North Carolina.
For ground-water supplies, the factors used to rate susceptibility to contamination include vertical hydraulic conductance, land-surface slope, land cover, and land use. The selected factors used to devise ratings for surface-water supplies' susceptibility to contamination are average annual precipitation, land-surface slope, land cover, land use, and ground-water contribution.
The Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments of 1996 emphasize pollution prevention as an important strategy for the protection of ground-water and surface-water resources. This new focus in the SDWA promotes the prevention of drinking water contamination as a cost-effective means of ensuring reliable, long-term, and safe drinking water sources for public water-supply systems (North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 1999a). Specifically, Section 1453 of the SDWA Amendments requires that States develop and implement a Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) to delineate source water areas, inventory potential contaminants in these areas, and determine the susceptibility of each public water supply to contamination. The agency charged with the task of susceptibility assessment in North Carolina is the Public Water Supply Section (PWSS) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is directed under the Clean Water Action Plan, funded by Congress in 1999, to assist States with water-quality monitoring and susceptibility determinations.
The inherent vulnerability rating is a measure of the potential for contaminants within a delineated source area to reach the ground-water or surface-water supply. The inherent vulnerability of a ground-water source of public water supply is determined by combining an aquifer rating and an unsaturated zone rating (North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 1999a). The inherent vulnerability of a surface-water source of public water supply is determined by combining a watershed classification, intake location, raw water quality (water plant data), North Carolina Division of Water Quality Use Support rating, and watershed characteristics rating (North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 1999a). In cooperation with the PWSS, the USGS developed methods to rate unsaturated zones for public ground-water systems and watershed characteristics for public surface-water intakes. All other components of inherent vulnerability were compiled by the PWSS.
Overlay and index methods for rating susceptibility to contamination of the unsaturated zone for ground-water suppplies, and watershed characteristics for surface-water supplies were derived for use by the State of North Carolina in assessing more than 11,000 public water-supply wells and approximately 245 public surface-water intakes. Factors that influence the inherent vulnerability of ground water and surface water were selected and assigned ratings on a scale of 1 to 10. These factors were then assigned weight to reflect their relative influence on inherent vulnerability and the reliability of the data. The values for each factor were obtained from geographic information system (GIS) data layers that were transformed into Arc/Info raster data sets known as grids. These raster data sets have 30-meter by 30-meter cells, and each cell is assigned a value.
The identification of factors, development of ratings for each, and subsequent assignment of weights were based on (1) a literature search, which included examination of potential factors and their effects on the drinking-water quality; and (2) consultation with experts in the fields of hydrology, geology, forestry, agriculture, and water management. The relative rating of the unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics combines hydrologic data with expert knowledge to assess the vulnerability of water supplies to contamination.
Factors selected for rating the inherent vulnerability of the unsaturated zone to contamination are vertical series hydraulic conductance, land-surface slope, land cover, and land use. Vertical series hydraulic conductance measures the capacity of the unsaturated material to transmit water. Land-surface slope influences whether precipitation runs off land surfaces or infiltrates into the subsurface. Land cover describes the physical overlay of the land surface, which influences the amount of precipitation that runs off or infiltrates into the subsurface. Land use describes activities occurring on the land surface that influence the potential generation of nonpoint-source contamination.
Factors selected for rating vulnerability to contamination of the watershed upstream from surface-water intakes are average annual precipitation, land-surface slope, land cover, land use, and ground-water contribution. The average annual precipitation represents the mass of water that becomes available for transport in a watershed. Land-surface slope, land cover, and land use have similar influences on watershed characteristics as those identified for the unsaturated zone. In the cases of land-surface slope and land cover, the ratings for watershed characteristic vulnerability are the opposite of unsaturated zone vulnerability to contamination (i.e. more infiltration or ponding produces a higher vulnerability to ground-water, but less to surface-water sources.) Ground-water contribution represents the part of streamflow that is derived from ground-water discharge.
Limitations --
The overlay and index methods of unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics ratings are broad-stroke methods that assess vulnerability on the basis of expert opinion. The methods aslo have limitations in the age and scale of the hydrologic and geographic data. But the most significant limitation of the methods used is that no statistical confirmation of the results have been performed.
LAND COVER:
The main objective of the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) consortium was to generate a generalized and consistent land cover data layer for the entire conterminous United States (Bara, 1994). The North Carolina portion of the data set was created as part of land cover mapping activities for Federal Region IV (the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida). The development of the Region IV data set was initiated during the spring of 1997, and a first draft product was completed in summer, 1997. This data set was developed by personnel at the EDC, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
For the study, the map projection of the land-cover data was changed from the original Albers conical equal area coordinate system into the North Carolina State Plane system, North American Datum 83, map units of meters, and aligned to match the lower-left corner of the other contributing-factor data sets. Because the MRLC data are categorical, a nearest-neighbor algorithm was used to resample cell values from one coordinate system to the next, thus preserving the spatial accuracy of the classification scheme.
Land-cover categories are rated from 1 to 10 according to their contribution to the inherent vulnerability of ground-water supplies. Land cover types that impede infiltration and contribute least to inherent vulnerability of ground-water supplies are assigned a low rating. Land cover types that allow infiltration and contribute the most to inherent vulnerability of ground-water supplies are assigned a high rating. For example, where asphalt and structures make up much of the land cover, such as commercial/industrial areas, very little rainfall infiltrates into the subsurface: the land-cover rating for this category is 1. Where the land cover is forested, the surface is pervious and vegetation impedes runoff; thus, the land-cover rating is 10.
Land-cover categories and ratings for unsaturated zone rating in North Carolina, 1990-1993.
Land Cover Category Description Rating Commercial/Industrial Land used for the manufacture 1 of products or sale of goods. Includes all highly-developed lands not classified as resi- dential, most of which are commercial, industrial, or transportation. Water All areas of open water, 2 generally with less than 25 percent vegetative cover. Woody wetland Areas of forest or shrubland 2 vegetation where the soil or substrate is periodically saturated or covered with water. Emergent wetland Non-woody vascular perennial 2 vegetation where the soil or substrate is periodically saturated or covered with water. High-intensity Residential development. 2 Residential Densely-built urban centers, apartment complexes, and row houses. Vegetation occupies less than 20 percent of the landscape. Constructed materials account for 80 to 100 percent of the total area. Low-intensity Residential development. 4 development Constructed materials account for 30 to 80 percent of the total area. Most commonly, single-family housing areas, especially suburban neighborhoods. Transitional Areas dynamically changing from 5 one land cover to another, often because of changes in land-use activities. Quarries/Strip Mines Areas of extractive mining 6 Gravel pits activities with significant exposure of land surface. Row crops Areas dominated by vegetation 6 that is planted and(or) used for the production of crops such as corn, soybeans, vegetables, tobacco, and cotton. Bare rock/sand Bare rock, sand, silt, gravel, 7 other earthen material with little or no vegetation regardless of its ability to support life. Other grasses Vegetation planted in developed 8 settings for recreation, erosion control, or aesthetic purposes. Examples include parks, lawns, and golf courses. Pasture/hay Areas dominated by vegetation, 8 which is planted and(or) maintained for the production of food or feed. Grasses, legumes, or mixtures planted for livestock grazing. Deciduous forest Areas dominated by trees where 75 10 percent or more of the tree species shed foliage simultaneously. Mixed forest Areas dominated by trees where 10 neither deciduous nor evergreen species represent more than 75 percent of the cover present. Evergreen forest Areas dominated by trees where 10 75 percent or more of the tree species retain their leaves all year. Canopy is never without green foliage.
SELECTED REFERENCES:
Bara, T.J., comp., ed., 1994, Multi-resolution land characteristics consortium--documentation notebook, [Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program-Landscape Characterization, Contract 68-DO-0106]: Research Triangle Park, N.C., ManTech Environmental Technology, Inc. [variously paged].
Eimers, J. L., Weaver, J. C., Terziotti, S., and Midgette, R. W., 2000, Methods of rating unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics of public water supplies in North Carolina: U. S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4283, 31 p.
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 1999, North Carolina source water assessment program plan: Raleigh, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Environmental Health, Public Water Supply Section, [variously paged].
For more information on MRLC data please see:
http://www.epa.gov/mrlc/ or http://gisdata.usgs.gov
DISCLAIMER:
Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Although this Federal Geographic Data Committee-compliant metadata file is intended to document the data set in nonproprietary form, as well as in ARC/INFO format, this metadata file may include some ARC/INFO-specific terminology.
The authors also thank the following scientists and engineers who provided additional technical review of this work:
Richard Burns, Watershed and Forest Hydrologist, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Ron Coble, Professional Geologist [Retired USGS] Ed Holland, Orange County Water and Sewer Authority Beth McGee, Clean Water Management Trust Fund Ted Mew, Groundwater Section, Division of Water Quality, North Carolina DENR Joe Rudek, Environmental Defense Fund Henry Wade, Pesticides Section, North Carolina Department of Agriculture Steve Zoufaly, Division of Water Quality, North Carolina DENR
The authors also thank the USGS report review team for their review of the metadata products: Stephen J. Char, Jason M. Fine, Michael L. Strobel, Douglas A. Harned and Rebecca J. Deckard.
11 : 2 21 : 4 22 : 2 23 : 1 31 : 7 32 : 6 33 : 5 41 : 10 42 : 10 43 : 10 81 : 8 82 : 6 85 : 8 91 : 2 92 : 2
VALUE Attribute Table, LANDCOVERGW.VAT: COLUMN ITEM NAME WIDTH OUTPUT TYPE N.DEC ALTERNATE NAME 1 VALUE 4 10 B - 5 COUNT 4 10 B - 9 PCT_TOT 4 8 F 2 13 SQMI 4 8 F 2VALUE is the rating: valid values are integers 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7,
list landcovergw.vat Record VALUE COUNT PCT_TOT SQMI 1 1 3965887 1.05 1378.11 2 2 57377588 15.23 19938.15 3 4 8179470 2.17 2842.29 4 5 5622666 1.49 1953.82 5 6 42140425 11.19 14643.39 6 7 443340 0.12 154.06 7 8 37476974 9.95 13022.88 8 10 221420427 58.79 76941.45 Summary Statistics Table, LANDCOVERGW.STA: COLUMN ITEM NAME WIDTH OUTPUT TYPE N.DEC ALTERNATE NAME 1 MIN 8 15 F 3 9 MAX 8 15 F 3 17 MEAN 8 15 F 3 25 STDV 8 15 F 3MIN is the minimum value of item VALUE.
MIN MAX MEAN STDV 1.000 10.000 7.831 3.042
Although these data have been used by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior, no warranty expressed or implied is made by the U.S. Geological Survey as to the accuracy of the data.
The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the U.S. Geological Survey in the use of this data, software, or related materials.
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