The State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection is the collector of the data (compiler), the creator and maintainer of the data layer (editor), and producer (publisher) of this information for use. Data compiled and digitized from the 1:24,000-scale compilation sheets for the 1:125,000-scale Natural Drainage Basins in Connecticut Map, McElroy, 1981. The 2006 Edition includes the same basin features originally published in 1988 with some minor corrections and improvements made to feature attribute information. Previously undetected errors have been corrected and are included in this 2006 edition. This data is not updated. Source map scale is 1:24,000.
The Natural Drainage Basins in Connecticut map is published by the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources Center in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey. The map was funded in part by the Water Resources Council. Map scale 1:125,000.
Connecticut Subregional Drainage Basins is 1:24,000-scale, polygon and line feature data that define subregional drainage basin areas in Connecticut. These medium size basins mostly range from 5 to 70 square miles in size and make up, in order of increasing size the larger regional, and major drainage basin areas. Connecticut Subregional Drainage Basins includes drainage areas for all Connecticut rivers, streams, brooks, lakes, reservoirs and ponds published on 1:24,000-scale 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle maps prepared by the USGS between 1969 and 1984. Data is compiled at 1:24,000 scale (1 inch = 2,000 feet). This information is not updated. Polygon and line features represent drainage basin areas and boundaries, respectively. Each basin area (polygon) feature is outlined by one or more major, regional, and subregional basin boundary (line) feature. These data include 374 subregional basin area (polygon) features and 1,346 subregional basin boundary (line) features. Subregional Basin area (polygon) attributes include major, regional and subregional basin number, and feature size in acres and square miles. The subregional basin number (SBAS_NO) uniquely identifies individual basins and is 4 characters in length. There are 335 unique subregional basin numbers. Examples include 6000, 4300, and 6002. The first digit (column 1) designates the major basin, the first two digits (columns 1-2) designate the regional basin, and the first 4 digits (columns 1-4) designate the subregional basin. Note, there are slightly more subregional basin polygon features (374) than unique subregional basin numbers (335) primarily due to a few stream confluences that split the same local basin into two polygon features. Subregional basin boundary (line) attributes include a drainage divide type attribute (DIVIDE) used to cartographically represent the hierarchical drainage basin system. This divide type attribute is used to assign different line symbology to major, regional, and subregional drainage basin divides. For example, major basin drainage divides are more pronounced and shown with a wider line symbol than regional basin drainage divides. Connecticut Subregional Drainage Basin polygon and line feature data are derived from the geometry and attributes of the Connecticut Drainage Basins data.
The polygon features define the contributing drainage area for individual reservoirs, lakes, ponds and river and stream reaches in Connecticut. These are hydrologic land units where precipitation is collected. Rain falling in a basin may take two courses. It may both run over the land and quickly enter surface watercourses, or it may soak into the ground moving through the earth until it surfaces at a wetland or stream. In an undisturbed natural drainage basin, the surface and ground water arrive as precipitation and leave either by evaporation or as surface runoff at the basin's outlet. A basin is a self-contained hydrologic system, with a clearly defined water budget and cycle. The amount of water that flows into the basins equals the amount that leaves. A drainage divide is the topographic barrier along a ridge or line of hilltops separating adjacent drainage basins. For example, rain or snow melt draining down one side of a hill generally will flow into a different basin and stream than water draining down the other side of the hill. These hillsides are separated by a drainage divided that follows nearby hilltops and ridge lines. Use these basin data to identify where rainfall flows over land and downstream to a particular watercourse. Use these data to categorize and tabulate information according to drainage basin by identifying the local basin number for individual reservoir, lake, pond, stream reach, or location of interest. Due to the hierarchical nature of the basin numbering system, a database that records the 4-digit subregional basin number for individual geographic locations of interest will support tabulations by major, regional, and subregional basin as well as document the unique 4-digit subregional basin identification number. To identify either all upstream basins draining to a particular location or all downstream basins flowing from a particular location, refer to the Gazetteer of Drainage Basin Areas of Connecticut, Nosal, 1977, CT DEP Water Resources Bulletin 45, for the hydrologic sequence, headwater to outfall, of drainage basins available at http://cteco.uconn.edu/docs/wrb/wrb45_gazetteer_of_drainage_areas_of_connecticut.pdf Not intended for maps printed at map scales greater or more detailed than 1:24,000 scale (1 inch = 2,000 feet.). Not intended for analysis with other digital data compiled at scales greater than or more detailed than 1:24,000 scale. Use these data with 1:24,000-scale hydrography data also available from the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection.
A standardized mapping of natural drainage basins in Connecticut was completed in 1981 by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. This drainage basin system divided Connecticut into 8 major basins, 45 regional basins, 337 subregional basins, 2,898 local basins, and 7,067 small drainage basin areas. Major basins are subdivided into regional basins. Regional basins are subdivided into subregional basins. Subregional basins are subdivided into local basins. Local basins are subdivided into smaller drainage basin areas for impoundments and river reaches. A pair of 1:24,000-scale polygon and line feature classes is available for all basin levels. These data are named Connecticut Major Basins, Connecticut Regional Basins, Connecticut Subregional Basins, Connecticut Local Basins, and Connecticut Drainage Basins. Connecticut Drainage Basins includes the most detailed information upon which the other basin datasets are based. A hierarchical drainage basin number was assigned to uniquely identify drainage basin areas. Drainage basin areas are numbered sequentially beginning upstream and proceeding downstream. The first digit (column 1) identifies the major basin, the first two digits (columns 1-2) identify the regional basin, the first 4 digits (columns 1-4) identify the subregional basin, and the first seven digits (columns 1-7) identify the local basin. Below are examples of the hierarchical drainage basin numbers. Basin Numbers: 4 = Major drainage basin number, MBAS_NO (column 1) 43 = Regional drainage basin number, RBAS_NO (columns 1-2) 4302 = Subregional drainage basin number, SBAS_NO (columns 1-4) 4302-04 = Local drainage basin number, LBAS_NO (columns 1-7) 4302-04-1-R12 = Basin drainage identification number, BASIN_NO (columns 1-13) Stream Order (column 9): 4304-00-1 = Stream order value of 1 represents a headwater basin. 4304-00-2 = Stream order value > 1 denotes the complexity of the drainage basin morphology. Mapping Status Element (column 10): 4302-00-2- = Ending with minus sign (-) denotes detail mapping at 1:24,000 scale for entire basin. 4302-00-2+ = Ending with plus sign (+) denotes detailed mapping not performed at 1:24,000 scale for the entire drainage basin. The Stream Order value will not reflect the complexity of the drainage basin morphology. 4302-00-1* = Ending with asterisk sign (*) denotes a headwater basin containing a delineated impoundment into which a delineated drainage basin outlets. Reach-Impoundment Identifier (column11) and Number (column 12-13): 4302-00-1-L1 = The value for the Reach-Impoundment Identifier for an impounment basin is L (for lake). It is followed by the Reach-Impoundment Number (1). 4302-04-1-R12 = The value for the Reach-Impoundment Identifier for a stream reach basin is R (for reach). It is followed the Reach-Impoundment Number (12).
Tom Nosal, State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, for the final compilation and delineation of 1:24,000-scale drainage basin boundaries, assignment of drainage basin numbers, and conversion to digitial format. Basin boundaries were manually delineated at 1:24,000-scale by visually interpreting the 10 feet contour elevation lines and waterbody features appearing on 1:24,000-scale 7.5 minute USGS topographic quadrangle maps for Connecticut published between 1969 and 1984. The metadata abstract includes a brief description of a drainage basin obtained from material written by Jim Murphy in an article entitled Reading the Landscape published in the Citizen's Bulletin, a CT DEP monthy magazine.
79 Elm Street
publication date
None. The data is in the public domain and may be redistributed.
No restrictions or legal prerequisites for using the data. The data is suitable for use at appropriate scale, and is not intended for maps printed at scales greater or more detailed than 1:24,000 scale (1 inch = 2,000 feet). Although this data set has been used by the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection as to the accuracy of the data and or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection in the use of these data or related materials. The user assumes the entire risk related to the use of these data. Once the data is distributed to the user, modifications made to the data by the user should be noted in the metadata. When printing this data on a map or using it in a software application, analysis, or report, please acknowledge the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection as the source for this information. For example, include the following data source description when printing this layer on a map: Basins - From the Subregional Drainage Basins layer, compiled and published by CT DEP. Source map scale is 1:24,000.
Gazetteer of Drainage Basin Areas of Connecticut is organized by the eight major drainage basins covering Connecticut. The individual basins that comprise each major basin are listed in hydrologic sequence, headwater to outfall, with drainage basin number, description, basin area, and cummulative drainage area listed for each individual basin.
Boundary | Coordinate |
---|---|
Left | 727909.125000 (survey feet) |
Right | 1345854.250000 (survey feet) |
Top | 1145219.750000 (survey feet) |
Bottom | 539975.750000 (survey feet) |
Boundary | Coordinate |
---|---|
West | -73.760405 (longitude) |
East | -71.465712 (longitude) |
North | 42.603944 (latitude) |
South | 40.936173 (latitude) |
Drainage basin information is comprised of a set of polygon and line features that together describe different types of drainage basins and drainage basin divides. Part 1 - Drainage Basin Polygon Features Information encoded for drainage basin polygon features generally includes drainage basin number and name. Below is a brief explanation of the drainage basin identification number. Use the BASIN_NO attribute to uniquely identify drainage basins. The BASIN_NO is a unique number assigned to each polygon feature. However, in a few instances, two adjacent basin polygon features are assigned the same BASIN_NO when separated by a drainage basin line feature encoded as a Water diversion point divide (DBARC_COD = 10). Basin Numbers: 4 = Major drainage basin number, MBAS_NO (column 1) 43 = Regional drainage basin number, RBAS_NO (columns 1-2) 4302 = Subregional drainage basin number, SBAS_NO (columns 1-4) 4302-04 = Local drainage basin number, LBAS_NO (columns 1-7) 4302-04-1-R12 = Basin drainage identification number, BASIN_NO (columns 1-13) Stream Order (column 9): 4304-00-1 = Stream order value of 1 represents a headwater basin. 4304-00-2 = Stream order value > 1 denotes the complexity of the drainage basin morphology. Mapping Status Element (column 10): 4302-00-2- = Ending with minus sign (-) denotes detail mapping at 1:24,000 scale for entire basin. 4302-00-2+ = Ending with plus sign (+) denotes detailed mapping not performed at 1:24,000 scale for the entire drainage basin. The Stream Order value will not reflect the complexity of the drainage basin morphology. 4302-00-1* = Ending with asterisk sign (*) denotes a headwater basin containing a delineated impoundment into which a delineated drainage basin outlets. Reach-Impoundment Identifier (column11) and Number (column 12-13): 4302-00-1-L1 = The value for the Reach-Impoundment Identifier for an impounment basin is L (for lake). It is followed by the Reach-Impoundment Number (1). 4302-04-1-R12 = The value for the Reach-Impoundment Identifier for a stream reach basin is R (for reach). It is followed the Reach-Impoundment Number (12). Part 2 - Drainage Basin Divide Line Features Information encoded for line features categorizes drainage basin divides (boundaries) for cartographic purposes. Use the AV_LEGEND or IMS_LEGEND attribute to classify and symbolize boundary lines on a map. The AV_LEGEND attribute classifies basin boundary features into the same categories as DBARC_COD and DIVIDE. It is included for convenience. Unlike the IMS_LEGEND attribute, it does not condense features into broader categories. When symbolizing drainage basins arc features on AV_LEGEND values, be sure to exclude features not intended to be shown on the map by using the following layer definition query: AV_LEGEND <> "No Show". The IMS_LEGEND attribute condenses the 9 drainage basin line feature types (DBARC_COD values) into 6 broader categories (Major, Regional, Subregional, Local, Shoreline, and No Show). When symbolizing drainage basins arc features on IMS_LEGEND values, be sure to exclude features not intended to be shown on the map by using the following layer definition query: IMS_LEGEND <> "No Show". Use the AREA_SQMI and ACREAGE attributes to determine drainage basin polygon feature size. These values reflect the area of the respective polygon feature. They do not reflect the cumulative (upstream) drainage area for each basin. Note, ACREAGE and AREA_SQMI values are not automatically updated after modifying feature geometry (shape). These values must be recalculated after features are edited, simplified, generalized, clipped, dissolved, etc.
Drainage basin polygon features cover the geographic area of the State of Connecticut, plus the entire headwater upstream areas of all rivers and streams that drain into Connecticut from New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, with the exception of the Connecticut River. The drainage basin area for the Connecticut River starts at the mouth of the Connecticut River and extends upstream into Massachusetts to just over the Connecticut-Massachusetts state boundary.
State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection
Internal feature number.
ESRI
Subregional Drainage Basin Number - This number defines the Subregional drainage basin and is the first 4 digits of the 13-digit drainage basin identification number (BASIN_NO). The first digit corresponds to the Major basin number (MBAS_NO) and the first 2 digits represent the Regional basin number (RBAS_NO). All Subregional basins in the same Major and Regional basin have the same first and first 2 digits, respectively. A Subregional drainage basin number ending in "00" defines the main-stem basin for the corresponding Regional drainage basin. For example, Subregional basin 4300 is the main-stem basin for Regional basin 43. These main-stem Subregional basins are usually named after the corresponding Regional basin.
Value | Definition |
---|---|
1000 |
Pawcatuck River |
1001 |
Wyassup Brook |
1002 |
Green Fall River |
1003 |
Ashaway River |
1004 |
Shunock River |
1100 |
Wood River |
1101 |
Brushy Brook |
2000 |
Southeast Shoreline |
2101 |
Anguilla Brook |
2102 |
Copps Brook |
2103 |
Williams Brook |
2104 |
Whitford Brook |
2105 |
Haleys Brook |
2106 |
Mystic River |
2107 |
Great Brook |
2201 |
Jordan Brook |
2202 |
Latimer Brook |
2203 |
Oil Mill Brook |
2204 |
Niantic River |
2205 |
Pattagansett River |
2206 |
Bride Brook |
2207 |
Fourmile River |
3000 |
Thames River |
3001 |
Trading Cove Brook |
3002 |
Shewville Brook |
3003 |
Poquetanuck Brook |
3004 |
Oxoboxo Brook |
3005 |
Stony Brook |
3006 |
Hunts Brook |
3100 |
Willimantic River |
3101 |
Edson Brook |
3102 |
Middle River |
3103 |
Furnace Brook |
3104 |
Roaring Brook |
3105 |
Mill Brook |
3106 |
Skungamaug River |
3107 |
Burnap Brook |
3108 |
Hop River |
3109 |
Giffords Brook |
3110 |
Tenmile River |
3200 |
Natchaug River |
3201 |
Bungee Brook |
3202 |
Still River |
3203 |
Bigelow Brook |
3204 |
Stonehouse Brook |
3205 |
Squaw Hollow Brook |
3206 |
Mount Hope River |
3207 |
Fenton River |
3208 |
Sawmill Brook |
3300 |
French River |
3301 |
Mill Brook |
3400 |
Fivemile River |
3401 |
Rocky Brook |
3402 |
Mary Brown Brook |
3403 |
Cady Brook |
3404 |
Whetstone Brook |
3500 |
Moosup River |
3501 |
Quanduck Brook |
3502 |
Snake Meadow Brook |
3503 |
Ekonk Brook |
3600 |
Pachaug River |
3601 |
Great Meadow Brook |
3602 |
Mount Misery Brook |
3603 |
Denison Brook |
3604 |
Myron Kinney Brook |
3605 |
Billings Brook |
3700 |
Quinebaug River |
3701 |
Hamilton Reservoir Brook |
3702 |
Breakneck Brook |
3703 |
Hatchet Brook |
3704 |
Cohasse Brook |
3705 |
Lebanon Brook |
3706 |
English Neighborhood Brook |
3707 |
Mill Brook |
3708 |
Little River |
3709 |
Wappoquia Brook |
3710 |
Mashamoquet Brook |
3711 |
Blackwell Brook |
3712 |
Fry Brook |
3713 |
Mill Brook |
3714 |
Kitt Brook |
3715 |
Cory Brook |
3716 |
Broad Brook |
3717 |
Choate Brook |
3800 |
Shetucket River |
3801 |
Indian Hollow Brook |
3802 |
Beaver Brook |
3803 |
Merrick Brook |
3804 |
Beaver Brook |
3805 |
Little River |
3900 |
Yantic River |
3901 |
Exeter Brook |
3902 |
Bartlett Brook |
3903 |
Sherman Brook |
3904 |
Deep River |
3905 |
Pease Brook |
3906 |
Gardner Brook |
3907 |
Susquetonscut Brook |
4000 |
Connecticut River |
4001 |
Great Brook |
4002 |
Threemile Brook |
4003 |
Freshwater Brook |
4004 |
Podunk River |
4005 |
Folly Brook |
4006 |
Salmon Brook |
4007 |
Hubbard Brook |
4008 |
Cold Brook |
4009 |
Roaring Brook |
4010 |
Goff Brook |
4011 |
Reservoir Brook |
4012 |
Carr Brook |
4013 |
Sumner Brook |
4014 |
Higganum Creek |
4015 |
Mill Creek |
4016 |
Whalebone Creek |
4017 |
Chester Creek |
4018 |
Deep River |
4019 |
Falls River |
4020 |
Lieutenant River |
4021 |
Black Hall River |
4100 |
Stony Brook |
4101 |
Muddy Brook |
4200 |
Scantic River |
4201 |
Watchaug Brook |
4202 |
Gillettes Brook |
4203 |
Gulf Stream |
4204 |
Abbey Brook |
4205 |
Buckhorn Brook |
4206 |
Broad Brook |
4207 |
Ketch Brook |
4300 |
Farmington River |
4301 |
Slocum Brook |
4302 |
Mad River |
4303 |
Still River |
4304 |
Sandy Brook |
4305 |
Morgan Brook |
4306 |
Valley Brook |
4307 |
Hubbard Brook |
4308 |
East Branch Farmington River |
4309 |
Cherry Brook |
4310 |
Nepaug River |
4311 |
Burlington Brook |
4312 |
Roaring Brook |
4313 |
Poland River |
4314 |
Copper Mine Brook |
4315 |
Pequabuck River |
4316 |
Thompson Brook |
4317 |
Nod Brook |
4318 |
Hop Brook |
4319 |
West Branch Salmon Brook |
4320 |
Salmon Brook |
4321 |
Mill Brook |
4400 |
Park River |
4401 |
Bass Brook |
4402 |
Piper Brook |
4403 |
Trout Brook |
4404 |
North Branch Park River |
4500 |
Hockanum River |
4501 |
Charters Brook |
4502 |
Marsh Brook |
4503 |
Tankerhoosen River |
4504 |
South Fork Hockanum River |
4600 |
Mattabesset River |
4601 |
Belcher Brook |
4602 |
Willow Brook |
4603 |
Webster Brook |
4604 |
Sawmill Brook |
4605 |
Allyn Brook |
4606 |
Sawmill Brook |
4607 |
Coginchaug River |
4700 |
Salmon River |
4701 |
Raymond Brook |
4702 |
Judd Brook |
4703 |
Meadow Brook |
4704 |
Pine Brook |
4705 |
Jeremy River |
4706 |
Fawn Brook |
4707 |
Blackledge River |
4708 |
Dickinson Creek |
4709 |
Pine Brook |
4710 |
Moodus River |
4800 |
Eightmile River |
4801 |
Harris Brook |
4802 |
East Branch Eightmile River |
4803 |
Beaver Brook |
5000 |
South Central Shoreline |
5101 |
Oyster River |
5102 |
Patchogue River |
5103 |
Menunketesuck River |
5104 |
Indian River |
5105 |
Chatfield Hollow Brook |
5106 |
Hammonasset River |
5107 |
Neck River |
5108 |
East River |
5109 |
Sluice Creek |
5110 |
West River |
5111 |
Branford River |
5112 |
Farm River |
5200 |
Quinnipiac River |
5201 |
Eightmile River |
5202 |
Tenmile River |
5203 |
Misery Brook |
5204 |
Broad Brook |
5205 |
Sodom Brook |
5206 |
Harbor Brook |
5207 |
Wharton Brook |
5208 |
Muddy River |
5301 |
Willow Brook |
5302 |
Mill River |
5303 |
Sargent River |
5304 |
Wintergreen Brook |
5305 |
West River |
5306 |
Indian River |
5307 |
Wepawaug River |
6000 |
Housatonic River |
6001 |
Sages Ravine Brook |
6002 |
Schenob Brook |
6003 |
Andrus Brook |
6004 |
Konkapot River |
6005 |
Factory Brook |
6006 |
Spruce Swamp Creek |
6007 |
Salmon Creek |
6008 |
Mill Brook |
6009 |
Carse Brook |
6010 |
Furnace Brook |
6011 |
Guinea Brook |
6012 |
Kent Falls Brook |
6013 |
Cobble Brook |
6014 |
Bog Hollow Brook |
6015 |
Macedonia Brook |
6016 |
Womenshenuk Brook |
6017 |
Morrissey Brook |
6018 |
Pond Brook |
6019 |
Deep Brook |
6020 |
Pootatuck River |
6021 |
Kettletown Brook |
6022 |
Halfway River |
6023 |
Eightmile Brook |
6024 |
Means Brook |
6025 |
Farmill River |
6026 |
Pumpkin Ground Brook |
6100 |
Blackberry River |
6101 |
Whiting River |
6200 |
Hollenbeck River |
6201 |
Brown Brook |