This dataset represents the dam density and storage volumes within individual, local NHDPlusV2 catchments and upstream, contributing watersheds based on the National Anthropogenic Barrier Dataset (NABD). Attributes were calculated for every local NHDPlusV2 catchment and accumulated to provide watershed-level metrics.

The main objective of this project was to develop a dataset of large, anthropogenic barriers that are spatially linked to the National Hydrography Dataset Plus Version 1 (NHDPlusV1) for the conterminous U.S. to facilitate GIS analyses based on the NHDPlusV1/NHD and NID datasets. To meet this objective, Michigan State University conducted a spatial linkage of the point dataset of the 2009 National Inventory of Dams (NID) created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to the NHDPlusV1/NHD. The pool of dam data included were modified based on 1) dam removals that occurred after development of the 2009 NID and 2) the identification of duplicate dam records along state boundaries (cases where more than one state reported the same dam). The US Geological Survey (USGS) Aquatic GAP Program supported this work.

The (dams/catchment) and (dam_storage/catchment) were summarized and accumulated into watersheds to produce local catchment-level and watershed-level metrics as a point data type.