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CONNECTICUT SURFACE WATER QUALITY CLASSIFICATIONS
Description:
This is a 1:24,000-scale datalayer of Surface Water Quality Classifications for Connecticut. It is comprised of two 0Shapefiles with line and polygon features. Both Shapefiles must be used together with the Hydrography datalayer. The polygon Shapefile includes surface water quality classifications for lakes and large streams and rivers that are mapped as polygon areas in the Hydrography datalayer. Each polygon is assigned a surface water quality class, which is stored in the data field named Wqclassp.The line Shapefile includes surface water quality classifications for smaller single line streams and rivers. Each line is assigned a surface water quality class, which is stored in a data fielld named Wqclassa. All other surface waters in the Hydrography datalayer are, by default, class A or SA. In Connecticut, Surface and ground water quality classifications are established and adopted by the Bureau of Water Management of the Department of Enviromental Protection. The adoption dates by major basin are: Housatonic and Southwest Coast - 4/97, Connecticut and South Central Coast - 2/93, Thames, Southeast Coast and Pawcatuck - 12/86. Refer to Summary of Water Quality or the Water Quality Standards and Classification (PDF,450k) for additional information. Always use the Surface Water Quality Classifications with these other themes in the following order: Ground Water Quality Classifications - Wells Surface Water Quality Classification Lines Hydrography Lines Surface Water Quality Classification Polygons Hydrography Polygons Ground Water Quality Classifications EPA obtained this data from the State of Connecticut.