Network Analysis of USGS Streamflow Gages (ver. 2.0, May 2023)

This data release has a workflow, data, and results of an analysis of the coverage, resolution, and representation of variables related to public interests in streamflow information by the USGS streamflow gaging network that was active in water year 2020. The workflow for the analysis is implemented as scripts and functions in the statistical programming language R. The spatial framework for the analysis is based on the enhanced National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) (medium resolution, 1:100,000 scale), 12-digit Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC12) watersheds from the Watershed Boundary Dataset, and sites where USGS operated a streamflow gage with a daily streamflow record for at least 182 days in Water Year 2020. Values of variables representing streamflow and material loads transported by river,(anthro-)physical controls on streamflow and loads, and administrative designations of rivers and land surface areas are calculated for incremental gaged areas and HUC12s. The geospatial data used in the analysis are publicly available from a variety of sources. Data not available on-line are included in this data release. The results for the USGS streamflow gaging network active in water year 2020 are provided in the compressed file: "USGS_WY20_Results.zip". Results include the values of variables calculated for incremental gaged areas (IGAs), which are drainage areas of each gage downstream of other gages, network metrics, and priority areas to maintain or add gages for each variable. Priority areas indicate where monitoring can maintain or improve network coverage, resolution, or representation of a variable. Priority areas are identified for the United States and major river basins (4-digit hydrologic unit codes) by applying standardized criteria to the cumulative distributions of each variable. The workflow can be run by downloading and uncompresssing file "NetworkAnalysis.zip" and sourcing the script "run_network_analysis.R" in the R application from the working directory "NetworkAnalysis". Details on the workflow are provided in the file "NetworkAnalysis/Workflow/workflow_description.txt". The workflow will automatically download the files "SpatialFrameworkInputs.zip" and "NationalData.zip" from this data release if they are not available in the "NetworkAnalysis" directory.

                                            [
  "010:12"
]
                                        

                                            {
  "fn": "Christopher P Konrad",
  "@type": "vcard:Contact",
  "hasEmail": "mailto:cpkonrad@usgs.gov"
}
                                        

                                            [
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    "accessURL": "https://doi.org/10.5066/P9C8NYTO",
    "mediaType": "application/http",
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    "title": "Original Metadata",
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    "downloadURL": "https://data.usgs.gov/datacatalog/metadata/USGS.622636e0d34ee0c6b38b7a0c.xml"
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                                            [
  "USGS:622636e0d34ee0c6b38b7a0c",
  "field monitoring stations",
  "streamflow"
]
                                        

                                            {
  "name": "U.S. Geological Survey",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
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                                            [
  "Geospatial"
]