README for “Census TIGERLine Hydrographic Features 2002-2016” dataset. U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) [distributor] 2025-05-29 ---------------------------------------------------------------- LINKS TO DATASET ---------------------------------------------------------------- A. Dataset archive link: https://doi.org/10.21949/1520831 ---------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY OF DATASET ---------------------------------------------------------------- The Census TIGERLine Hydrographic Features 2002-2016 dataset is from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics's (BTS's) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). The hydro polygon/arc coverages were created using TIGER/LINE shapefile data gathered from ESRI's Geography Network. The individual county hydrography line shapefiles were processed into Arc/Info coverages and then appended together to create complete state coverages. They were then edited to remove unwanted features, leaving a state-by-state database of both important and navigable water features. Attributes were added to denote navigable features and names. Also, an attribute was added to the polygons to denote which were water and which were land features. The state databases were then appended together to create a single, nationwide hydrography network containing named arcs and polygons. These features also contain a state FIPS. Because some of the hydro features are represented by lines instead of polygons, the complete hydro dataset consists of 2 shapefiles, one for lines and one for polygons. They must be used together to paint a complete picture. ---------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS ---------------------------------------------------------------- A. General Information B. Sharing/Access & Policies Information C. Data and Related File Overview D. Methodological Information E. Data-Specific Information for: Census TIGERLine Hydrographic Features 2002-2016 [datasets] F. Update Log ---------------------------------------------------------------- A. GENERAL INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Title of Dataset: Census TIGERLine Hydrographic Features 2002-2016 [dataset] 1. Description of Dataset: The Census TIGERLine Hydrographic Features 2002-2016 dataset is from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), and is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS's) National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). The hydro polygon/arc coverages were created using TIGER/LINE shapefile data gathered from ESRI's Geography Network. The individual county hydrography line shapefiles were processed into Arc/Info coverages and then appended together to create complete state coverages. They were then edited to remove unwanted features, leaving a state-by-state database of both important and navigable water features. Attributes were added to denote navigable features and names. Also, an attribute was added to the polygons to denote which were water and which were land features. The state databases were then appended together to create a single, nationwide hydrography network containing named arcs and polygons. These features also contain a state FIPS. Because some of the hydro features are represented by lines instead of polygons, the complete hydro dataset consists of 2 shapefiles, one for lines and one for polygons. They must be used together to paint a complete picture. 2. Dataset archive link: https://doi.org/10.21949/1520831 3. Authorship Information: Principal Data Creator or Data Manager Contact Information Institution: U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Address: 1200 New Jersey Ave SE, Washington D.C. 20590 Contact: bts@dot.gov Data Distributor Contact Information Name: National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD) Institution: U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Office of Spatial Analysis and Visualization (OSAV) Address: 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington D.C. 20590 Email: ntad@dot.gov 4. Date of data collection and update interval: This dataset is not receiving updates. 5. Geographic location of data collection: United States of America 6. Information about funding sources that supported the collection of the data: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Department of Transportation (DOT) ---------------------------------------------------------------- B. SHARING/ACCESS & POLICIES INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Recommended citation for the data: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). Census TIGERLine Hydrographic Features 2002-2016 [datasets]. https://doi.org/10.21949/1520831 1. Licenses/restrictions placed on the data: These data are in the Public Domain. 2. Was data derived from another source?: Yes. The hydro polygon/arc coverages were created using TIGER/LINE 2000 shapefile data gathered from ESRI's Geography Network. 3.This document was created to meet the requirements enumerated in the U.S. Department of Transportation's 'Plan to Increase Public Access to the Results of Federally-Funded Scientific Research' Version 1.1 << https://doi.org/10.21949/1520559 >> and guidelines suggested by the DOT Public Access website << https://doi.org/10.21949/1503647 >>, in effect and current as of December 03, 2020. ---------------------------------------------------------------- C. DATA & RELATED FILE OVERVIEW ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. File List for the Census TIGERLine Hydrographic Features 2002-2016 dataset. A. Filename: Census_Hydrographic_Features_NTAD2002_NTAD2009.zip and Census_Hydrographic_Features_NTAD2010_NTAD2016.zip Short description: Compressed file folders containing the geospatial data for Census TIGERLine Hydrographic Features 2002-2016 dataset. File folders are classified first by initial NTAD publication year and secondly by the final year of publication. B. Filename: bts_NTAD_Census_Hydrographic_Features_DMP_20250529.pdf Short description: A PDF file containing the Data Management Plan that was created for current and future management of the data and associated files. C. Filename: bts_NTAD_Census_Hydrographic_Features_README_2025-05-29.txt Short description: The README.txt file that includes human-readable information about the data, variable definitions, contact information, and other contextual information. The file you are reading now. 2. File List for Census_Hydrographic_Features_NTAD2002_NTAD2009.zip and Census_Hydrographic_Features_NTAD2010_NTAD2016.zip collections. A. Filename: NTADXXXX_SHP_Final_Census_Hydrographic_Features.zip Short description: Compressed file folders containing the geospatial data for Census TIGERLine Hydrographic Features 2002-2016 dataset. File folders are classified by NTAD publication year. 3. File List for the NTADXXXX_SHP_Final_Census_Hydrographic_Features.zip collection. A. Filename: hydrolin.shp and hydropol.shp Short description: Shapefiles containing the geospatial data for Census TIGERLine Hydrographic Features 2002-2016 dataset. This includes associated files with extensions .prj, .dbf, .sbn, .sbx, .shx. B. Filename: hydrolin.txt, hydrolin.htm, hydrolin.shp.xml, hydropol.txt, hydropol.htm, and hydropol.shp.xml Short description: Text files containing key metadata and documentation information such as methodology, procedures, data dictionary, etc. ---------------------------------------------------------------- D. METHODOLOGICAL INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Description of methods used for collection/generation of data: The hydro polygon/arc coverages were created using TIGER/LINE 2000 shapefile data gathered from ESRI's Geography Network. The individual county hydrography line shapefiles were processed into Arc/Info coverages and then appended together to create complete state coverages. They were then edited to remove unwanted features, leaving a state-by-state database of both important and navigable water features. Attributes were added to denote navigable features and names. Also, an attribute was added to the polygons to denote which were water and which were land features. 2. Instrument- or software-specific information needed to interpret the data: The data and documentation files can be opened with Esri ArcMap and any GIS software package. ---------------------------------------------------------------- E. DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Census TIGERLine Hydrographic Features data table This dataset is not receiving updates. A. Number of variables (columns): The data dictionary found in (PDF documentation) provides definitions for the variables B. Data Dictionary/Variable List: Because of the large number of variables, please refer to the Data Dictionary found within the file Census_Hydrographic_Features.txt for names, definitions, and formats of variables. C. Missing data codes: None ---------------------------------------------------------------- F. UPDATE LOG ---------------------------------------------------------------- This bts_Census_Hydrographic_Features_20250529_README.txt file was originally created on 2021-02-18 by Dominic Menegus, Geographer, dominic.menegus@dot.gov [Note changes or update to the readme.txt file, e.g.:] 2021-02-18: Original file created 2025-05-29: File revision, including dataset descriptions and file organization