This dataset divides the North American continent in major hydrological basins and their sub-basins according to its hydrological characteristics. It was obtained by delineating drainage basin boundaries from hydrologically corrected elevation data (WWF HydroSHEDS and Hydro1K).
The dataset consists of the following information:- numerical code and name of the major basin (MAJ_BAS and MAJ_NAME); - area of the major basin in square km (MAJ_AREA); - numerical code and name of the sub-basin (SUB_BAS and SUB_NAME); - area of the sub-basin in square km (SUB_AREA); - numerical code of the sub-basin towards which the sub-basin flows (TO_SUBBAS) (the codes -888 and -999 have been assigned respectively to internal sub-basins and to sub-basins draining into the sea)
Supplemental Information:
This dataset is developed as part of a GIS-based information system on water resources for the Asian continent. It has been published in the framework of the AQUASTAT - programme of the Land and Water Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Contact points:
Metadata contact: AQUASTAT FAO-UN Land and Water Division
Contact: Jippe Hoogeveen FAO-UN Land and Water Division
Data lineage:
The majority of the linework of the map was obtained by delineating drainage basin boundaries from hydrologically corrected elevation data with a resolution of 15 arc-seconds. The elevation dataset was part of a mapping product, HydroSHEDS, developed by the Conservation Science Program of World Wildlife Fund. Original input data had been obtained during NASA's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Areas north of the SRTM extent, 60 degrees N, were obtained by merging with the HYDRO1k basin layer.
Online resources:
Download - Hydrological basins in North America (ESRI shapefile)
General information regarding the HydroSHEDS data product
HydroSHEDS dataset download and technical information
Rivers of North America
