The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality, with funding from the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund and in cooperation with the NC Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, developed the digital benthic monitoring data to enhance water quality assessment & plan review of Trust Fund project applications. This file identifies points where benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring has occurred. This file enables users to review the current rating of water quality for each sampling site based on the monitoring results.
These data were created to assist governmental agencies and others in making resource management decisions through use of a Geographic Information System (GIS).
system filename : bmr approx file size = 0.34 mb Revisions and updates to this layer include: 2) filename: bmr900 CGIA received from DWQ an excel spreadsheet with a list of benthic monitoring sites through November 15, 2000. This spreadsheet contained many latitude and longitude corrections from the original layer released by CGIA. This version includes two additional attributes: basinsite, which indicates whether a site is part of a routine sampling schedule, and sample type. 1) filename: bmr600 The June 15, 2000 version was the first version released to the database. Original was data received and processed September 1998. Corrections to lat/longs were made in October 1998. Minor latitude attribute correction was made June 2000. (The coverage's projection was also defined.)
Data collection dates
Acknowledgement of products derived from this data set should cite the following: The source of the benthic monitoring data is the North Carolina Corporate Geographic Database. Earlier versions of this dataset may exist. The user must be sure to use the appropriate data set for the time period of interest. While efforts have been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the state of the art, CGIA cannot assume liability for any damages or misrepresentation caused by any inaccuracies in the data or as a result of changes to the data caused by system transfers.
1621 Mail Service Center
Preferred contact is by e-mail or telephone
NC Dept. of Environment and Naural Resources Div. of Water Quality Water Quality Section Environmental Sciences Branch 512 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh 27604-1148 Dept. of Environment & Natural Resources, Clean Water Management Trust Fund 1615 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1615 North Carolina Center for Geographic Information and Analysis Governor's Office Office of State Budget, Planning and Management 301 North Wilmington Street, Suite 700 Raleigh, NC 27601-2825
The NC DENR-DWQ maintained the biological records in a 4D database with no geographic reference. The database includes attributes for river basin, subbasin, site description, collection date and water quality rating. The water quality ratings are assigned based on an analysis of field samplings using standard methodologies. The database was converted to an EXCEL spreadsheet for conversion to a GIS coverage. The digital file is updated as changes occur.
Using ESRI's ARC/INFO GIS software, the dataset was built for point topology using the "build" command. Topology has not been edited since the last "build" or "clean."
These data represent the locations and results of the benthic macroinvertebrate sampling conducted and documented by the NCDWQ. Each point has an associated water quality rating based on the sampling results.
The NC DENR-DWQ maintained the biological data in a 4D database with no geographic reference. The monitoring points were manually mapped onto 24k USGS paper topographic maps which meet National Map Accuracy Standards, using a best estimate with reference to surrounding features. Latitudes and longitudes were generated using a grid overlay. Points were checked for accuracy against NC Corporate GIS Data layers. In 1998 "TopoScout" software was purchased. The software generates lat/longs for the location of the cursor. DWQ will continue to refine the georeferencing of the sampling sites. DWQ converted the 4D data into an EXCEL spreadsheet for conversion to a GIS coverage. NCCGIA converted this dataset to a GIS coverage using ESRI's ARC/INFO software on UNIX. The digital file is updated as changes occur.
spreadsheet with monitoring locations, identification numbers and water quality ratings
Creation of digital coverage, and file updates.
The NC DENR-DWQ mapped the monitoring points onto 24k USGS paper topographic maps. DWQ entered the sampling data into a 4D database and geographically referenced the data by latitude & longitude. DWQ converted the data to EXCEL spreadsheet. DWQ supplies CGIA with updates as they occur.
NCCGIA coverted the spreadsheet information to a digital coverage using ESRI's ARC/INFO GIS software on UNIX, Sun Sparc workstations. Points falling outside the state boundaries were referenced and DWQ contacted for corrected latitudes & longitudes. CGIA updates the digital file as needed.
DWQ updated a shapefile and its associated ratings data and furnished it to CGIA. CGIA checked the quality and edited the metadata.
20322 Mail Service Center
email preferred
Dataset copied.
A yes or no indication of whether a site is sampled routinely as part of the Basinwide Assessment Program. If no value is given, the user should assume "no"
NC DENR - Div. of Water Quality, Biological Assessment Unit
routine sampling
NC DENR - Div. of Water Quality, Biological Assessment Unit
sampling is not routine
NC DENR - Div. of Water Quality, Biological Assessment Unit
Water quality classification based on biological monitoring
NC DENR Div. of Water Quality, Biological Assessment Unit
Waters with very diverse benthic macroinvertebrate populations, including many pollutant intolerant species.
NC DENR - Div. of Water Quality, Biological Assessment Unit
Waters with healthy but less diverse benthic macroinvertebrate populations and fewer pollutant intolerant species.
NC DENR - Div. of Water Quality, Biological Assessment Unit
Waters with average benthic macroinvertebrate populations, numbers & diversity.
NC DENR - Div. of Water Quality, Biological Assessment Unit
Waters with below average diversity or abundance of benthic macroinvertebrate populations. Tolerate species begin to dominate community.
NC DENR - Div. of Water Quality, Biological Assessment Unit
Waters with very limited benthic macroinvertebrate populations, low diversity and/or abundance. Tolerant species are generally dominant.
NC DENR - Div. of Water Quality, Biological Assessment Unit
Locations that have been sampled, but not assigned a water quality rating
NC DENR - Div. of Water Quality, Biological Assessment Unit
Site description (e.g., SR 1203) for sampling location
NC DENR - Div. of Water Quality
Feature geometry.
ESRI
Measurement of the angle from the Earth's center to a point on the Earth's surface measured in a north-south direction.
NC DENR - Div. of Water Quality, Biological Assessment Unit
County names
State of North Carolina
Feature geometry.
ESRI
Measurement of the angle from the Earth's center to a point on the Earth's surface measured in a east-west direction.
NC DENR - Div. of Water Quality, Biological Assessment Unit
Name of stream
NC DENR - Div. of Water Quality
not sure
CGIA
not sure
CGIA
Sub-basin name
CGIA
not sure
CGIA
Sample type
NC Division of Water Quality
not sure
CGIA
not sure
CGIA
not sure
CGIA
or QUAL 4; not sure
CGIA
not sure
CGIA
not sure
CGIA
Latitude in decimal degrees
CGIA
Ecological Region
CGIA
not sure
CGIA
not sure
CGIA
not sure
CGIA
not sure
CGIA
not sure
CGIA
not sure
CGIA
not sure
CGIA
not sure
CGIA
Sub-basin number
CGIA
Internal feature number.
ESRI
A point coverage depicting stream locations sampled by the Division of Water Quality, Biological Assessment Unit. Each point includes a description of its location by county,river basin, sub-basin, location, and stream name. A latitude and longitude has been designated to geographically reference each sampling point. Each point has been assigned a water quality rating or "bioclassification" based on the quality and quantity of benthic macroinvertebrate life found at that site. The ratings are assigned on a scale of poor to excellent water quality. Bioclassifications are based on the number of taxa present and the relative pollution tolerance of each taxa. Stream and river reaches are then given a final bioclassification of Excellent, Good, Good-Fair, Fair, Poor, or Not Rated. These bioclassifications, which have been developed for major ecoregions, are used to assess the various impacts of both point source discharges and non-point source runoff. BMR.PAT Point Attribute Table COLUMN ITEM NAME WIDTH OUTPUT TYPE DEC DESCRIPTION 1 AREA 4 12 F 3 Total area in meters 5 PERIMETER 4 12 F 3 Total perimeter 9 BMR# 4 5 B - Point internal id number 13 BMR-ID 4 5 B - Point internal id number 17 CARD_NU 8 11 F 0 Collection card number 25 COUNTY 14 14 C - County name 39 BASIN 9 9 C - River basin name abbreviation 48 SUB-BASIN 8 12 F 0 Sub-basin # 56 LOCATION 15 15 C - Site description 71 WATERBODY 17 17 C - Stream name 88 LATITUDE 8 9 F 0 North-south georeference 96 LONGITUDE 8 12 F 0 East-west georeference 104 COLLECTION 8 10 D - Collection date 112 BIOCLASS 9 9 C - Water quality rating
Refer to source agency for published stream classification documents and standard procedure for benthic macroinvertebrate stream sampling and assessment methods.
301 North Wilmington Street, Suite 700
Phone and electronic mail preferred For current price information use a web browser: <http://www.cgia.state.nc.us/cost.html>
NCCGIA is charged with the development and maintenance of the State's corporate geographic database and, in cooperation with other mapping organizations, is committed to offering its users accurate, useful, and current information about the state. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, errors and conditions originating from physical sources used to develop the corporate database may be reflected in the data supplied. The client must be aware of data conditions and bear responsibility for the appropriate use of the information with respect to possible errors, original map scale, collection methodology, currency of data, and other conditions specific to certain data. NCCGIA does not support secondary distribution of this data. The use of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the NCCGIA or North Carolina State Government.
shapefile
dbf
Contact CGIA at 919-733-2090 or dataq@ncmail.net or see www.cgia.state.nc.us
Data creation and large data analysis jobs contact Database Administration P:(919)733-2090. All data is available through standard ordering procedures on a cost recovery basis.
301 North Wilmington Street, Suite 700
Phone and electronic mail preferred