ID 305(b) 303(d) Mercury Impaired Waterbodies (2008)

Frequently-asked questions:

• What does this data set describe?
  1. How should this data set be cited?
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
• Who produced the data set?
  1. Who are the originators of the data set?
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
• Why was the data set created?
• How was the data set created?
  1. Where did the data come from?
  2. What changes have been made?
• How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?
  1. How well have the observations been checked?
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the data, including topology?
• How can someone get a copy of the data set?
  1. Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
  2. Who distributes the data?
  3. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
  4. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
  5. How can I download or order the data?
  6. Is there some other way to get the data?
  7. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
• Who wrote the metadata?

Idaho 2008  305(b) / 303(d) Mercury Lakes represent water bodies that are impaired and fail to meet water quality standards for mercury. This information is also available in the Idaho 2008 Integrated 305(b) Report submitted to the EPA in accordance with Federal Clean Water Act.

Sources of mercury pollution in Idaho include a mixture of in-state and out-of-state human-caused and natural processes such as mining operations, petroleum combustion, coal-powered plants, various manufacturing sources, sewage treatment plants, landfills, and other sources.

 Mercury is toxic to both aquatic life and humans, but its toxicity is primarily a human health concern. Inorganic mercury occurs naturally due to its presence in rocks and soils. It is slowly released through erosion and weathering into surface waters. Most of the mercury in surface waters remains inorganic, but in favorable environments (low pH, low dissolved oxygen, and high organic matter, such as are found in the bottoms of lakes, marshes, and wetlands), some of it is converted to a much more toxic organic form—methylmercury. Methylmercury tends to accumulate in the tissue of fish, and thus is of particular interest from a human health standpoint. Read more about mercury.

In April 2005 Idaho adopted a fish tissue methylmercury criterion to protect individuals that may eat fish from Idaho surface waters. This criterion of 0.3 milligrams methylmercury per kilogram of fresh weight fish is based on protecting an adult consumer who eats on average of 17.5 grams of fish per day—about one, 8-ounce meal every other week.  

1. How should this data set be cited?
   
   
   Idaho Dept of Water Quality, 20090409, ID 305(b) 303(d) Mercury Impaired Waterbodies (2008): Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ), Boise, ID USA.
   
   
   Online links:

   • http://www.deq.idaho.gov/waste/prog_issues/haz_waste/mercury_new.cfm
   • http://www.deq.idaho.gov/water/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/mercury_environment_flyer.pdf
   • http://www.deq.idaho.gov/water/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/integrated_report.cfm

   
   
   Other citation details:

   http://www.deq.idaho.gov/WATER/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/idaho_mercury_wq_guidance.pdf

   
   
2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
   
   
   Bounding coordinates:

   West: -117.498718

   East: -111.515338

   North: 48.548217

   South: 42.013952
   
   
3. What does it look like?
   
   
   http://www.deq.state.id.us/water/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/ambient_plan_first_edition.pdf
   
   
   Thumbnail image:
   
   
   
4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
   
   
   Beginning date: 20050631

   Ending date: 20071231
   Currentness reference:

   20090501

   
   
5. What is the general form of this data set?
   
   
   Geospatial data presentation form: vector digital data
   
   
6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
   
   
   1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      
      
      This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):

      • G-polygon (19)
      
      
   2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      
      
      The map projection used is Transverse Mercator.

      
      

      Projection parameters:

      Transverse Mercator

      Scale factor at central meridian: 0.999600

      Longitude of central meridian: -114.000000

      Latitude of projection origin: 42.000000

      False easting: 2500000.000000

      False northing: 1200000.000000

      
      

      Planar coordinates are encoded using coordinate pair.

      Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.000000.

      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.000000.

      Planar coordinates are specified in meters.

      
      

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.

      The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80.

      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.

      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222.

      
      Vertical coordinate system definition:

      Altitude system definition:

      Altitude resolution: 1.000000

      Altitude encoding method: Explicit elevation coordinate included with horizontal coordinates

      
      
7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
   
   
   mercuryLakes305B2008_id_ideq

    (Source: NHD, USGS, EPA Reach Files)

   
   

   WEBLINK

   URL of ADB Support Status Report 2008 (Source: IDEQ)
                     

   
   

   FID

   Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI)
                     

   
   

   Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   
   

   RCH_CODE

   USGS NHD Reach Code (Source: USGS)
                     

   
   

   ATTR_PRG

   State Program Code (Source: NHD, RTI)
                     

   
   

   ATTR_VAL

   DEQ Waterbody ID (Source: DEQ, WBAG- link to Designated Uses Table)
                     

   
   

   ENTITY_ID

   Assessment Unit Code (Source: Waterbody ID + Stream Segment Code, Links, joins to support status)
                     

   
   

   SQ_KM

   Area of Waterbody in KM (2) (Source: GIS Derived)
                     

   
   

   HUCCODE

   4th Field HUC Code (Source: USGS)
                     

   
   

   ACRES

   Acres, area GIS Derived

   
   

   LAKE_NM

   Lake Name (Source: USGS- NHD, GNIS)
                     

   
   

   SECTION_V

   Impaired Waters (Source: Listed as impaired on the 2008 303(d) List)
                     

   
   

   Shape

   Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI)
                     

   
   

   Coordinates defining the features.

   
   

   HUC4NAME

   4th Field Subbasin Name (Source: USGS)
                     

   
   

   Coordinates defining the features.

   
   

   STATUS

   EPA, ADB, DEQ Support Status (Source: Lake Monitoring Results)
                     

   
   

   Value	Definition
   Not Assessed	Waterbody has not been assessed
   Not Supporting	Waterbody has been assessed and does not meet IDEQ water quality standards
   Full Support	Waterbody has been assessed and meets IDEQ Waterquality standards

   
   

   RESULT

   Mercury Monitoring Results (Source: Sampling Studies)
                     

   
   

   SOURCE

   Source of Mercury Analysis (Source: IDEQ, EPA, & Others)
                     

   
   

   SAMPLE_DAT

   Sample Dates for Mercury (Source: IDEQ, EPA & Others)
                     

   
   

   Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   
   

   Shape_area

   Area of feature in internal units squared. (Source: ESRI)
                     

   
   

   Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.

   
   

   Shape_len
   Entity and attribute overview:

   NHD Linear referenced Waterbodies, with DEQ Waterbody ID -- Beneficial Uses, Mercury Listed Waterbodies.

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   
   
   • Idaho Dept of Water Quality
   
   
2. Who also contributed to the data set?
   
   

   IDEQ

   
   
3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
   
   
   Nicole Deinarowicz

   Idaho DEQ

   305(b) 303(d) Federal Reporting Coordinator

   1410 N Hilton

   Boise, ID 83706

   
   

   208 373 - 0591 (voice)

   Nicole.Deinarowicz@deq.idaho.gov

   Hours of Service: 8:00 - 5:00 MT

Water bodies In Idaho that do not meet water quality standards due to levels of mercury.  

Every two years, DEQ is required by the federal Clean Water Act to conduct a comprehensive analysis of Idaho's water bodies to determine whether they meet state water quality standards and support beneficial uses or if additional pollution controls are needed. This analysis is summarized in an "Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report" (Integrated Report), which is submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approval. The report serves as a guide for developing and implementing water quality improvement plans (total maximum daily loads, or TMDLs) to protect water quality and achieve federal and state water quality standards.

1. Where did the data come from?
   
   
   NHD (source 1 of 1)

   
   

   Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, 20090409, ADB 2006 Assessment Cycle for 2008 reporting year..

   
   

   Online links:

   • http://www.deq.idaho.gov/WATER/data_reports/surface_water/monitoring/idaho_mercury_wq_guidance.pdf

   
   

   Type of source media: NHD 1:100,000 for Idaho

   Source scale denominator: 1:100,000 NHD Lakes, Waterbodies

   Source contribution:

   IDEQ, USGS, EPA

   
   
2. What changes have been made?
   
   
   Date: 20090407 (change 1 of 1)

   Waterbodies with designated uses were linear referenced to 100K NHD and attributed with
   DEQ's Waterbody ID linking to Beneficial Uses.  Tabular data exported from ADB (EPA's) Assessment database was joined to to ID305B Lakes  by assessment unit, to display waterbodies failing to meet water quality standards due to mercury levels.

   
   

   Person responsible for change:
   

   Nicole Deinarowicz

   ID DEQ

   305B-303D Federal Reporting Coordinator

   1410 N Hilton

   Boise, ID 83706

   
   

   208 373 - 0502 (voice)

   Nicole.Deinarowicz@deq.idaho.gov

   Hours of Service: 8:00 - 5:00 MT

   
   

   Data sources used in this process:

   • ID305B Lakes (2008)

   
   

1. How well have the observations been checked?
   
   

   Attributes derrived from the ADB 2006 cycle.

   
   
2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
   
   

   1: 100,000 +- 167 ft   USGS mapping Standards for 1: 100,000.

   
   
3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
   
   
4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
   
   

   Complete.

   
   
5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
   
   

   Topology not verified

   
   

None

Who distributes the data set?


Bruce Godfrey
Idaho Geospatial Data Clearinghouse
GIS Specialist
1000 West Hubbard Avenue, Suite 242
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814-2277


208.292.1407 (voice)
bgodfrey@uidaho.edu


What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?


What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?


Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the Idaho Geospatial Data Clearinghouse, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made regarding the utility of the data on any other system, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. 


How can I download or order the data?


• Availability in digital form:




Data format:	in format ESRI Shapefile (.shp) Size: 0.291
Network links:	http://data.insideidaho.org/util/zip.ashx?fn=http://data.insideidaho.org/data/IDEQ/downdata/mercuryLakes305b2008_id_ideq.zip



• Cost to order the data: None



Is there some other way to get the data?


What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?

1410 N Hilton