| This page defines the state and federal inventory terms and data categories used to describe information collected for the Minnesota River Basin Data Center. The terms and data categories are used throughout the state and federal inventory section of the MRBDC web site. |
Data Summary Provides descriptive information about the data or the program with which the data is associated.
Data Description:
Format Describes the format(s) of existing data. Data may exist in more than one format such as hard copy file, hard copy map, electronic document, electronic database, GIS ArcView, GIS ARC/INFO or GIS Other.
Period of Record Describes the date(s) of data content. Date may be an individual year, multiple non-consecutive years, or a span of years.
Extent Describes the geographic extent for which the data is available. The extent of data may range from a single county to the entire state.
Retrieval Describes how data can be retrieved. Data are commonly retrieved by county, point location (UTM or Lat/Long), township-range-section (TRS) or a unique identifier developed by the agency.
Contact Information Lists the agency, name and phone number of the contact person.
| Data Category | Data Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Monitoring and Assessment | Biological sampling or surveying data. This includes vegetative surveys; phytoplankton, zooplankton or invertebrate analyses; fisheries surveys; or rare and endangered species inventories. | |
| Best Management Practices (BMPs) | Data from programs or projects assisting in the implementation of BMPs. Examples of BMPs include conservation tillage practices, buffer strips, grassed waterways, ag waste system upgrades, terraces, or tree plantings. | |
| Flood Abatement/Control | Flood Abatement/Control project location, construction information, flood retention potential, project acreage, and pool size are included. | |
| Ground Water | Ground water monitoring, assessment, mapping, location, or protection data. Includes the County Well Index, geologic mapping, water supply testing, well head protection, and monitoring for pesticides or nutrients. | |
| Land Cover/Land Use | Land cover / land use data includes, but is not limited to, agricultural, urban, industrial, set aside, and pasture acres; building sites, forested areas, septic systems, wells, and feedlots. | |
| Recreation and Natural Areas | Data concerning areas that are used for recreational purposes or are viewed as having natural features. | |
| Soils | Soil map unit, maps, definitions, and other characteristics. | |
| Surface Water | Surface water quality or quantity monitoring and assessment, surface water mapping, or water resources management data. | Waste | Sources, locations, and types of solid waste and their locations, including data from permitted landfills and other known sources of solid waste. |
| Watershed Assessment | Data from studying the effects of land cover/land use, drainage, conservation practices, etc. on receiving bodies of water for a particular major or minor watershed. | |
| Wetland and Other Habitat Restorations | Drained, farmed, or prior-converted wetlands inventories, Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) mitigation projects or banking acres, wetland restoration projects, native prairie restorations or prescribed burning data. |