Description: The Sub Watershed data set contains areas of land that contribute runoff and groundwater into a specific stream system. Each feature in this data set represents the drainage basin for a single named stream or waterbody. The drainage basins were delineated from Baltimore County's 1953 topographic maps at 1:2400 scale. Stream names were extensively researched by S. Hank Grose. Stream name sources included 1970-1990 state highway maps and various historic maps.
Description: The Rivers and Streams feature class is a geospatial representation of linear bodies of water (e.g. rivers, streams, etc.) within Maryland's borders. This update to the feature class does not include artificial paths through impoundments, tidal waters, or tidal coastlines. The Rivers and Streams feature class uses the high resolution NHDPlusV2 (1:24,000 scale) produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). This particular file provides the Maryland use class assigned to each linear body of water as specified in Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 26.08.02.08. The dataset is intended to be used in conjunction with the information found in the regulation. By linking Maryland stream use classifications with the NHDPlusV2 through the permanent identifier code, the information contained in this dataset can be analyzed using software tools ranging from spreadsheets to geographic information systems (GIS) to aid in regulatory decision making. Basing the Maryland use class dataset upon a national stream dataset like the NHDPlusV2 facilitates the sharing of geospatial information with other organizations that can be integrated into many different types of applications.This feature class provides the use class (UC) designation as determined by MDE, the regulatory agency responsible for assigning UCs, and is derived directly from the State of Maryland's stream segment designations as described in the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 26.08.02.08. Specific UCs identified within this feature class include Use I, Water Contact Recreation, and Protection of Nontidal Warmwater Aquatic Life; Use II, Support of Estuarine and Marine Aquatic Life and Shellfish Harvesting; Use III, Nontidal Cold Water; Use IV, Recreational Trout Waters, and all Public Water Supply uses (I-P, III-P, IV-P).
Copyright Text: MDE’s, Water and Science Administration would like to acknowledge the USGS for their 1:24,000 scale National Hydrography Dataset Plus version 2 which was used during the development of this line file.
Description: Drainage areas are delineated for each study area in the SDAM program. Initial delineations are created either from publicly available delineation tools like Stream Stats or from desktop delineation in ArcGIS. Drainage areas are then refined based on field verifications and modelling. Areas will be updated/added as projects progress.