Metadata

Metadata or "data about data" describes the content, quality, condition, and other characteristics of data. The Federal Geographic Data Committee approved the "Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata" on June 8, 1994 and recently approved a revised version. Visit the FGDC Clearinghouse to learn more about how metadata is used in Internet-based clearinghouses to search for specific spatial data sets.

Data and Coverages

Spatially Distributed Data

• Land use/land cover
• Urbanized areas
• Populated place locations
• Reach File Version 1 (RF1)
• Soils (STATSGO)
• Elevation (DEM)
• National Elevation Dataset (NED)
• Major roads
• USGS hydrologic unit boundaries (accounting unit, cataloging unit)
• Dam sites
• EPA regional boundaries
• State boundaries
• County boundaries
• Federal and Indian Lands
• Ecoregions

Environmental Monitoring Data

• Water quality monitoring station summaries
• Water quality observation data
• Bacteria monitoring station summaries
• Weather station sites
• USGS gaging stations
• Fish Consumption advisories
• National sediment inventory (NSI)
• Shellfish classified areas
• Clean Water Needs Survey

Point Source Data

• Industrial Facilities Discharge (IFD) sites
• BASINS 3 Permit Compliance System (PCS) sites and loadings
• BASINS 2 Permit Compliance System (PCS) sites and loadings
• Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) sites
• CERCLIS-Superfund National Priority List (NPL) sites
• Resource Conservation and Recovery Information System (RCRIS) sites
• Mineral Industry Locations

For further information about BASINS data or metadata, please email: basins@epa.gov.