Risk factors to groundwater quality in HUC6 watersheds, Washington

This dataset is composed of 6th-field Hydrologic Units (HUC6 watersheds) in Washington State. Attributes describe the presence or absence of threats to groundwater quality in each HUC. Threats include: 1.) known groundwater contamination by nutrients, pesticides, or industrial chemicals; 2.) indicators of nutrient threats (including agricultural and urban fertilizers, septic systems, Underground Injection Control (UIC) sites associated with nutrients, and Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs); 3.) indicators of pesticide threats (agricultural and urban pesticide use); and 4.) indicators of industrial contaminant threats (including UICs associated with chemical contaminants, hazardous waste spill sites, Leaking Underground Storage Tanks, and specific land uses that may pose a threat to groundwater quality). Each HUC6 is attributed for presence of a particular threat if it meets the criteria described in the report cited below and briefly listed in the attributes section of this metadata.

This dataset is part of a larger groundwater project across the Pacific NW (Brown et al. 2009) region which has two primary goals: (1) develop tools to identify where and how groundwater is important to biodiversity conservation and (2) assess the pressing threats to the quantity and quality of that groundwater and develop strategies to abate those threats. Data and analyses conducted are intended for use at a statewide scale. Therefore, more detailed mapping may be necessary at local scales. For more information please contact the Oregon or Washington Field Offices of The Nature Conservancy or see the following website http://www.waconservation.org. Washington and Oregon were mapped separately using similar methods.

Note: the number displayed in the legend on Data Basin refers to the number of total industrial contaminant risk factors or total nitrate risk factors (whichever is higher) present in each respective HUC6. For example, an HUC6 with 4 industrial contaminant risk factors but only 1 nitrate risk factor would still be classified as a "4." There were 5 total nitrate risk factors and 4 total industrial contaminant risk factors included in this dataset.