The Arkansas GIS Office is pleased to announce that the National Hydrography Dataset has been updated on the Arkansas Spatial Data Infrastructure(ASDI) on behalf of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality.

The NHD represents the nation’s drainage networks and related features, including rivers, streams, canals, lakes, ponds, glaciers, coastlines, dams, and stream gages represented in the 5 datasets listed below.

High Resolution: National Hydrography Dataset Landmark Feature (polygon)

High Resolution: National Hydrography Dataset Line Feature (line)

High Resolution: National Hydrography Dataset Point Feature (point)

High Resolution: National Hydrography Dataset Waterbody Feature (polygon)

High Resolution: National Hydrography Dataset Flowline Feature (line)

The NHD, at 1:24,000 scale or better, is the most up-to-date and detailed hydrography dataset for the Nation and can be viewed and downloaded by searching for NHD  or can be accessed via feature services at http://gis.arkansas.gov/arcgis/rest/services/FEATURESERVICES/Water/FeatureServer

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) is a feature-based database that interconnects and uniquely identifies the stream segments or reaches that make up the nation’s surface water drainage system. NHD data was originally developed at 1:100,000-scale and exists at that scale for the whole country. This high-resolution NHD, generally developed at 1:24,000/1:12,000 scale, adds detail to the original 1:100,000-scale NHD. (Data for Alaska, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands was developed at high-resolution, not 1:100,000 scale.) Local resolution NHD is being developed where partners and data exist. The NHD contains reach codes for networked features, flow direction, names, and centerline representations for areal water bodies. Reaches are also defined on waterbodies and the approximate shorelines of the Great Lakes, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Gulf of Mexico. The NHD also incorporates the National Spatial Data Infrastructure framework criteria established by the Federal Geographic Data Committee.