A Hierarchical Spatial Framework and Database for the National River Fish Habitat Condition Assessment

Abstract

Fisheries management programs, such as the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP), urgently need a nationwide spatial framework and database for health assessment and policy development to protect and improve riverine systems. To meet this need, we developed a spatial framework and database using National Hydrography Dataset Plus (I-.100,000-scale); http://www.horizon-systems.com/nhdplus). This framework uses interconfluence river reaches and their local and network catchments as fundamental spatial river units and a series of ecological and political spatial descriptors as hierarchy structures to allow users to extract or analyze information at spatial scales that they define. This database consists of variables describing channel characteristics, network position/connectivity, climate, elevation, gradient, and size. It contains a series of catchment-natural and human-induced factors that are known to influence river characteristics. Our framework and database assembles aü river reaches and their descriptors in one place for the first time for the conterminous United States. This framework and database provides users with the capability of adding data, conducting analyses, developing management scenarios and regulation, and tracking management progresses at a variety of spatial scales. This database provides the essential data needs for achieving the objectives of NFHAP and other management programs. The downloadable beta version database is available at http://ec2-184-73-40-15.compute-1.amazonaws.com/nfhap/main/.

Acknowledgments

We thank Paul Seelbach, Jonathan Higgins, and many other members of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan Data and Science Committee for their guidance in the development of the database. Tom Kwak, Tyler Wagner, and three anonymous reviewers provided insightful suggestions that substantially improved the manuscript. This project was partially founded by the National Fish Habitat Action Plan contracted through Michigan State University and in-kind support from Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Any use of trade names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.