No Phone Attendees

 The meeting began at approximately 9:00 a.m.

HYDROGRAPHY MEETING

IDWR has been involved in an effort to name any NHD feature that wasn’t in the NHD, but was contained within GNIS, using the naming tool developed by Zach Maillard.  There have been over 10,000 feature edits submitted, mostly names.  The Weiser huc was used as a pilot huc, and all Canyons, Gulches, and Draws were updated with “creek” attached to the names.  This has gone through GNIS and forwarded to NHD.  The updates should be complete by Monday, May 7^th. 

 The MOU between IDWR and USGS will be signed soon, making IDWR the official state data steward.  This means that all changes will come through IDWR before being sent to NHD.  Geometry edits involve changing 16 fields in four tables and Sandra Thiel with IDWR has worked extensively with NHD and learned the complicated update process involved in order to successfully submit changes.  There are some streams within Idaho that need to be changed (geometric edits), and there was much discussion on how to approach this as a state.  Geometric edits are very cumbersome and time consuming to complete right now.  USGS does not plan to switch to ESRI version 9.2 until at least September, and work continues on editing tools to make them work with SDE.  For the time being, most updates have been name changes, with geometric changes coming later when the tools have been developed and tested.

Louis Wasniewski stated that there is currently an effort within Caribou-Targhee National Forest to update streams within their forest boundary.  He asked if approval would be needed to make these edits.  Sandra Thiel stated that IDWR does not have an approval process, but a system in place to check the edits into the NHD, making sure they will successfully get through the 15 table edits that must take place to submit a change.  Sandra stated that she would like to get all edits that agencies can submit, particularly in areas where local knowledge is present.  Leigh Bailey stated that the Payette National Forest has many, many streams that could be submitted, but she would have reservations about the accuracy of the data, unless it has been GPS or field-checked.  Many of the streams were drawn on maps and scanned, etc.  There was much discussion about resolution and scale, and what other states were doing.  The NHD data has been collected at various scales throughout the country; some areas have even collected data at 1:2400.  Sandra Thiel stated that the decision has been made to take all data at all scales and incorporate it into the NHD.  There has been some discussion in the past about adding a “scale” field, but it has not been discussed lately.  Sandra is participating in weekly phone conference calls with NHD, and will ask about this issue during the next meeting.  New edit tools should be released near the end of May.  This tool should make it easier to import geometry, which will help with the edits that have been submitted.  Sandra Thiel stated that there have been a few missing perennial streams, and literally thousands of missing intermittent streams.  It was discussed how to handle density issues, or “patchwork blocks” when many lines are submitted and included for a particular area.  It was decided that it is better to have some data in these areas, rather than no data at all.  Al Rea continues to work on his data model and that will help with some of the intermittent vs. perennial issues, but the land managers should have final say, because they are on the ground and continually verifying their data.  It is good to submit the data if there is ever a question that it may be needed in the NHD at some time in the future, and it should be submitted as it is collected. 

Louis Wasniewski stated that this would be a good time for the Forest Service Regional Hydrologist, Rick Hopson, to be involved with NHD so that money could be earmarked for these updates.  All forests are using NHD to some degree, and that will increase as more data links are switched over. 

Sandra Thiel stated that NHD would be taking their server down sometime in June for a complete replacement.  This upgrade should last a couple of weeks.  They will continue with version 9.1 (ESRI), and expect to upgrade to 9.2 sometime in September. 

IDWR has applied for the EPA National Environmental Information Exchange Network Grant (NEIEN) in October, and the results will be announced in July or August.  This grant would allow IDWR to give NHD changes to the National Dataset, and updates back to IDWR.  Minnesota has the same system in place, with updates approximately 3-times per week.  Their system does the updates at approximately 2:30 a.m. each morning.  The Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has also given support for this effort.

There is no permanent/unique feature ID system in place for NHD at this time.  The Com-ID is unique, but not persistent, while the Reach-code is persistent, but not unique.  There may be an additional “GUID” field so that everything can be tracked.  In addition, an “Events” feature will replace the “Landmark” feature.

Scott Van Hoff is the new USGS Liaison.  He replaces Tracy Fuller, who has moved to Denver.

The NHD group has asked for a list server to be available for networking services such as posts, shared tools, etc.   No word yet when this will be available in the future.

There will not be any new GNIS names in Wilderness areas.  If there is a name that is not listed, misspelled, or not used anymore, it will remain that way.  There is no plan to update or add any new names if it falls within a specified Wilderness area.

The Hydrography Meeting concluded at approximately 10:30 a.m.

 WATERSHED MEETING

Louis Wasniewski, Forest Hydrologist from the Caribou-Targhee National Forest reviewed the following hucs with the group:

 Birch Creek – 17040216: 

·        The 5^th fields “Mud Creek” and “Upper Birch Creek” will be combined and called “Upper Birch Creek”.  The local name for “Upper Birch Creek” is in the Kaufman Guard Station area, and calling the uppermost 5^th field (old “Mud Creek” name) would not make sense to those in the area.  Also, calling this area “Headwaters” of Birch Creek would not work, because most of this area is comprised of intermittent streams that only flow in high water years.

·        The 6^th field name “Birch Creek Headwaters” will be renamed “Birch Creek-Spring Mountain Canyon”.  The headwaters in this area are intermittent at best, and not considered the headwaters of Birch Creek to those in the area.

·        The 6^th field name “Birch Creek-Irish Canyon” will be renamed “Birch Creek-Scott Canyon”.  Scott Canyon is the predominant feature.

·         Rocky Canyon will be broken out as a pure 6^th field unit, named “Rocky Canyon”.  The remaining composite area that was originally “Birch Creek-Rocky Canyon” will be combined with the 6^th field originally named “Timber Canyon”, and renamed Birch Creek-Mahogany Canyon”.

·        “Birch Creek-Goddard Canyon” will be renamed “Birch Creek-Skull Canyon”

·        “Birch Creek-Surrett Canyon will be renamed “Birch Creek Bartel Canyon”

·        There is a small area of the 4^th field line between the 6^th fields “Birch Creek-Skull Canyon (new name, and the 6^th field “Bare Canyon” in huc 17040215 that crosses hydro.

 Genna Ashley will make these changes and send them to Louis Wasniewski.  In addition, these changes will be sent to Karen Hanson, USGS in Utah so they can be incorporated into their dataset.

 Medicine Lodge – 17040215:

·        Per local knowledge, Horse Creek should go with Divide Creek/Warm Creek, so the 6^th field line should be moved to that confluence. 

·        “Warm Creek” 6^th field will be renamed “Divide Creek”

·        The “Middle Creek” 6^th field will be split into two 6^th’s – “Upper Middle Creek” and “Lower Middle Creek”

·        The “Indian Creek” 6^th field will be split into two 6^th’s – “Upper Indian Creek” and “Lower Indian Creek”.

·        The 6^th field name “Buckhorn Canyon” should be renamed “Nicholia Creek”

 Genna Ashley will make these changes and send them to Louis Wasniewski.  In addition, these changes will be sent to Karen Hanson, USGS in Utah so they can be incorporated into their dataset.

 Beaver-Camas – 17040214:

·        “Rattlesnake Creek” 6^th field will be split into two 6^th’s – “Rattlesnake Creek” (Upper portion), and “Rattlesnake Creek-Threemile Creek” (Lower portion).

·        The 6^th field “West Camas Creek” confluence will be moved further south, per local knowledge.

 Genna Ashley will make these changes and send them to Louis Wasniewski.  In addition, these changes will be sent to Karen Hanson, USGS in Utah so they can be incorporated into their dataset.

American Falls 17040206:

 Karl Gebhardt and Michele Porter joined the meeting for this discussion.  BLM had previously delineated new 6^th field lines that went around the lava fields in this huc, rather than try to delineate the high points, treating this area as a closed basin, or karst area.  After some discussion, it was concluded that since Karen Hanson had previously taken time to delineate through these areas, and other surrounding states (CA, NM, UT, NV, and OR) had also delineated through the lava, Idaho would keep the original linework delineating the lava.  A contract already exists between BLM and USGS-Utah for Karen Hanson to do the work, and Karen is familiar with these types of delineations.  It was noted that IDWR will be sure to document the justification for delineating the lava, and note how the standards were applied in the metadata.

Hoodoo Creek – The Hoodoo Creek area in 6^th field huc 170102140602 where the line is crossing hydro was reviewed.  After much discussion, Leigh Bailey will contact a hydrologist with the Idaho Panhandle National Forest (Rick Patten has retired), and see if she can get additional information.  There was further confusion around Kelso Lake, Round Lake and Granite Lake regarding which way the hydro was flowing in/out, and hopefully someone with local knowledge with the forest can help to sort this area out.  Genna Ashley will send Leigh Bailey the jpg images that were used in the meeting so she can forward them to the appropriate person at Idaho Panhandle National Forest.

 Chatcolet Lake/Coeur d’Alene Lake/Round Lake:  There was a question from Kimberly Jones (Karen Hanson-USGS) e-mailed on 2/12/07 asking about the break between Chatcolet Lake, Coeur d’Alene Lake and Round Lakes.  The current break is from St. Joe Point across the lake to the gap.  Looking at the DRG draped over 2005 NAIP, they were wondering if it should be moved to the south.  These lakes all appear to be interconnected, so there was confusion about where the exact break was.  After some discussion, the group decided to send this documentation to Idaho Panhandle National Forest for direction.  At the time this huc was originally delineated for concept lines, the Idaho TWG was not aware that a 4^th field boundary line could be changed at all, so this issue was not explored. 

 Cheatback Canyon:  After reviewing where the pour point would be for Cheatback basin, it was determined to drain into Middle Cheatback Basin, with the pour point being in section 12.  Therefore, the 4^th field boundary line will be moved east to the next ridge (along the same line as the IDWR administrative basin boundary).  Genna Ashley will make this change and send the lines to the appropriate entities (USGS Idaho and Utah).

 4^th field boundary line question #1:  There was a question regarding the Warren Creek (170602070901) 6^th field huc at the southern-most tip, which is also the 4^th field boundary line.  The Nez Perce boundary line crossed through the lake depression.  Leigh Bailey stated that she had previously worked this out with the Nez Perce National Forest, and the boundary line should remain as-is (not crossing the lake).  IDWR will keep the current delineation and not incorporate what was submitted from the Nez Perce National Forest for this line.

 4^th field boundary line question #2:  During a phone (WEBEX) meeting in March, a question was asked by Karen Hanson regarding a portion of the 4^th field boundary line between hucs 17050201 and 17050124.  After some review, the group determined that this line should be moved per Karen’s recommendation.  Genna Ashley will incorporate this line into the Master Draft Watershed dataset and notify Karen Hanson of the change.

MISCELLANEOUS DISCUSSION

Genna Ashley has received preliminary linework and attributes from USGS in Utah for the Idaho/Oregon border hucs and also the Bear Lake area.  This linework is preliminary, and no incorporation will be done until the final linework has been completed.  There are some major differences on the Idaho portion of hucs 17060101 (Hells Canyon) and 17050201 (Brownlee).  Genna Ashley will send Leigh Bailey the shapefiles of these areas so she can go through and look at the proposed changes.  After Leigh has had a chance to review the differences, this will be put on the next meeting agenda to discuss.

 ACTION ITEMS:

Genna Ashley will make the changes for the Birch Creek, Medicine Lodge and Beaver-Camas hucs that were discussed during this meeting.  She will send the completed changes to Louis Wasniewski (Caribou-Targhee NF) and also to Karen Hanson (USGS-Utah). 

 Genna Ashley will report to Karen Hanson the group’s decision regarding the Lava area in the American Falls huc.  The 6^th fields will be delineated, per Karen’s direction, and the metadata will be documented.

 Leigh Bailey will contact the Idaho Panhandle National Forest regarding the Hoodoo Creek and Chatcolet Lake issues identified above.  Both of these areas will be put on the July agenda for further review.

 Genna Ashley will send the following data to Leigh Bailey:  .jpg images of Hoodoo Creek, Chatcolet Lake, and the new linework received from Karen Hanson in the Brownlee and Hells Canyon hucs.

 Genna Ashley will make the 4^th field edits to areas outlined above (Cheatback Canyon and 17050201/17050124).  This linework will be sent to Steve Garcia and Karen Hanson.

NEXT SCHEDULED TWG MEETING (S):

Friday, July 20, 2007 - at the Idaho Department of Water Resources in Boise, ID.  The meeting will begin at 8:00 a.m.

 For directions and/or NetMeeting connections, please contact Genna Ashley at (208) 287-4880 genna.ashley@idwr.idaho.gov

 ***Subject to change before meeting***

 The meeting concluded at approximately 4:00 p.m.