Outstanding State Waters Spreadsheet Key (3/18/05 version)
Outstanding State Waters Spreadsheet Key
| Yellow shading = partial aquatic life use attainment | |
| Orange shading = nonattainment of aquatic life use | |
| Gray shading = preliminary aquatic life use data only (see comments column); [majority will be final when NPS Plan is submitted to USEPA in 2005] | |
| Column | Explanation |
|---|---|
| HUC 11 | 1-digit Hydrologic Unit Code is a common numeric watershed identifier. |
| Basin | Ohio EPA identification code |
| Stream | Ohio EPA identification code |
| River | River name |
| River Mile | Location of the sampling location measured in miles from the mouth or confluence of the river or stream |
| Year | Year monitoring was conducted |
| High Quality Water | High Quality Water indicates which stream is listed as the State Resource Water, or the main high quality stream for which Ohio EPA was interested in assessing the quality of the tributaries. |
| Size Category | "Headwaters," "Wading" and "Boat" are distinct size classifications of streams with corresponding biocriteria, each having a different type of biological assemblage. A headwaters stream (20 square miles or less) has a different type of biological community than a wading size stream (20.1 square miles or greater). Large rivers, sampled with a boat, have different types of biological communities than the other 2 smaller categories of streams. |
| Drainage Area | Area of land draining to the monitoring location, measured in square miles. |
| Index of Well Being (PDF 1164kb) | Index of Well Being is a numeric biocriteria score based on the health of the fish community in a stream or river. Higher scores represent better fish communities. |
| IBI (PDF 1164kb) | Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) is a numeric biocriteria score based on the health of the fish community in a stream or river. Higher scores represent better fish communities. |
| QHEI (PDF 11kb) | Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) is a numeric index based on scoring the habitat features of a stream. Individual feature scores are combined to arrive at a final index value. A higher number correlates with better habitat. |
| Qual. Narrative | If a sample has only qualitative macroinvertebrate sampling done (i.e., only the natural substrates were analyzed), the ICI is not applicable. The collector then assigns a narrative evaluation of the sample. VP=very poor, P=poor, F=fair, MG=moderately good, G=good, VG=very good, E=exceptional. |
| ICI (PDF 801kb) | Invertebrate Community Index (ICI) is a numeric bio-criteria score based on the health of the macroinvertebrate community in a stream or river. Higher scores represent better macroinvertebrate communities. |
| Attainment Status | Attainment status relative to aquatic life use designations (PDF 1026kb). If fish and macroinvertebrate communities are both in attainment of criteria, the attainment status is listed as FULL. If one of the two organism types meets and the other doesn't, it is listed as PARTIAL. If neither the fish nor bugs meet, then the status is listed as NON |
| Habitat Rating | The habitat rating is based on the Qualitative habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) scores. The QHEI factors in all of the habitat features at a site, scores the different features, then tallies them up. Scores of 0-39 rank POOR. Scores from 40-49 rank FAIR. Scores of 50-59 rank MARGINAL. Scores of 60-69 rank GOOD. Scores of 70-100 rank EXCELLENT. The higher the QHEI score, the better the habitat. |
| Comments | Ohio EPA, Ecological Assessment Unit preliminary finding regarding attainment status based on QHEI scores. Final attainment status will be determined when macroinvertebrate and fish sampling results have been verified. |
| Lat | Latitude coordinate of the monitoring location |
| Long | Longitude coordinate of the monitoring location |