RESIS–II: An Updated Version of the Original Reservoir 

Sedimentation Survey Information System (RESIS) 

Database 

By Katherine V. Ackerman, David M. Mixon, Eric T. Sundquist, Robert F. Stallard, Gregory E. Schwarz, and 

David W. Stewart 

Data Series 434 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey 
U.S. Department of the Interior 

KEN SALAZAR, Secretary 

U.S. Geological Survey 

Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director 

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2009 

For product and ordering information: 

World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod

Telephone: 1–888–ASK–USGS 

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its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: 

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endorsement by the U.S. Government. 

Suggested citation: 

Ackerman, K.V., Mixon, D.M., Sundquist, E.T., Stallard, R.F., Schwarz, G.E., and Stewart, D.W., 2009, RESIS–II—An 

updated version of the original Reservoir Sedimentation Survey Information System (RESIS) database: U.S. 

Geological Survey Data Series 434, available only online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/ds434. 

ii
Contents 

Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................... 1

General Information ................................................................................................................................................... 1

Brief History of the RESIS Database ......................................................................................................................... 3

Previous Studies of Reservoir Sedimentation ............................................................................................................ 5

Updated Reservoir Locations ........................................................................................................................................ 5

RESIS–II Database........................................................................................................................................................ 7

Table Descriptions ..................................................................................................................................................... 7

Field Descriptions ...................................................................................................................................................... 8

Database Links .......................................................................................................................................................... 8

Helpful Hints about the Database .............................................................................................................................. 8

Future Work................................................................................................................................................................... 9

References Cited........................................................................................................................................................... 9

Appendix. Descriptions of Data Fields for the 15 Tables in the RESIS–II Database.....................................................11

Figures 

1. Map of reservoir locations for reservoirs with data in the Reservoir Sedimentation Survey Information 

System-II (RESIS–II) database......................................................................................................................... 2

2. Graph showing the number of Reservoir Sedimentation Survey Information System (RESIS) surveys 

per year conducted between 1750 and 2000.................................................................................................... 3

3. Form SCS–34 with survey information for Little River Reservoir #2 in Maine................................................... 4

Table 

1. RESIS–II table descriptions.............................................................................................................................. 7

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iv

Conversion Factors 

Inch/Pound to SI 

Multiply By To obtain 

Length 

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m) 

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km) 

Area 

acre 4,047 square meter (m2) 

acre 40.47 square dekameter (dam2) 

acre 0.4047 square hectometer (hm2

) 

acre 0.004047 square kilometer (km2

) 

square mile (mi2

) 259.0 hectare (ha) 

square mile (mi2

) 2.590 square kilometer (km2) 

Volume 

cubic foot (ft3) 0.02832 cubic meter (m3) 

cubic mile (mi3) 4.168 cubic kilometer (km3) 

acre-foot (acre-ft) 0.001233 cubic hectometer (hm3

) 

acre-foot (acre-ft) 1.2335 cubic dekameter (dam3

) 

Mass 

pound, avoirdupois (lb) 0.4536 kilogram (kg) 

Density 

pound per cubic foot (lb/ft3) 16.02 kilogram per cubic meter (kg/m3) 

pound per cubic foot (lb/ft3) 0.01602 gram per cubic centimeter (g/cm3) 

Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) may be converted to degrees Celsius (°C) as follows: 

°C=(°F–32)/1.8 

The North American Datum of 1927 (NAD 27) is a horizontal datum that is based on Clarke Ellipsoid of 1866. 

The North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83) is a horizontal datum that is based on the Geodetic Reference System 1980 (GRS80) 

consisting of a global reference ellipsoid. 

The vertical datum associated with the mean sea level (MSL) fields, such as the field that defines the elevation of the top of the 

dam (“top_dam_el_8”) found in table RSED01, is assumed to be referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 

(NGVD 29), because most elevations were derived prior to the existence of the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 

88).
RESIS–II: An Updated Version of the Original Reservoir 

Sedimentation Survey Information System (RESIS) 

Database 

By Katherine V. Ackerman, David M. Mixon, Eric T. Sundquist, Robert F. Stallard, Gregory E. Schwarz, and 

David W. Stewart 

Abstract 

The Reservoir Sedimentation Survey Information System (RESIS) database, originally compiled 

by the Soil Conservation Service (now the Natural Resources Conservation Service) in collaboration 

with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, is the most comprehensive compilation of data from 

reservoir sedimentation surveys throughout the conterminous United States (U.S.). The database is a 

cumulative historical archive that includes data from as early as 1755 and as late as 1993. The 1,823 

reservoirs included in the database range in size from farm ponds to the largest U.S. reservoirs (such as 

Lake Mead). Results from 6,617 bathymetric surveys are available in the database. 

This Data Series provides an improved version of the original RESIS database, termed RESIS–

II, and a report describing RESIS–II. The RESIS–II relational database is stored in Microsoft Access 

and includes more precise location coordinates for most of the reservoirs than the original database but 

excludes information on reservoir ownership. RESIS–II is anticipated to be a template for further 

improvements in the database. 

Introduction 

General Information 

The Reservoir Sedimentation Survey Information System-II (RESIS–II) database includes data 

for 1,822 reservoirs in the conterminous United States and for 1 reservoir in Puerto Rico for a total of 

1,823 reservoirs (fig. 1). No reservoirs are included from Florida, Vermont, Rhode Island, and 

Delaware. The database consists of the results of 6,617 reservoir surveys conducted between 1755 and 

1993; 95 percent of the surveys took place between 1930 and 1990. The most surveys in a single year 

are from 1969. The number of surveys decreases markedly after 1980. There are 1,797 surveys from 

1960–1969, 1,285 surveys from 1970–1979, 163 surveys from 1980–1989, and 11 surveys from 1990–

1993 (fig. 2). However, survey information from RESIS–II reservoirs collected since 1993, along with 

historical data not in the database, may be added in the future. Additionally, surveys from other 

reservoirs may be added. 

1
Figure 1. Map of reservoir locations for reservoirs with data in the Reservoir Sedimentation Survey 

Information System–II (RESIS–II) database. 

RESIS–II is a relational database prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and stored in 

Microsoft Access in 15 tables. Because the main purpose of the database is to document changes in 

sedimentation through time, reservoir capacity and loss of sediment volume are recorded for each 

survey year. Numerous other attributes are also given for each reservoir, including such items as 

location, physical attributes of the reservoir and dam, surface area of the reservoir at each survey, 

percentage of sediment in each of the specified reservoir depth ranges, and drainage area; however, 

many of the data fields are incomplete for many reservoirs. 

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Figure 2. Graph showing the number of Reservoir Sedimentation Survey Information System (RESIS) 

surveys per year conducted between 1750 and 2000. 

Brief History of the RESIS Database 

The RESIS database was originally compiled by the Soil Conservation Service (now the Natural 

Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)) in cooperation with the Texas Agricultural Experiment 

Station (Steffen, 1996). The database aggregated data from individual datasheets (Form SCS–34) 

generated by several U.S. Government agencies for reservoirs in the conterminous United States. Each 

Form SCS–34, a 2-page paper form created by the NRCS, contains information about the location and 

relevant characteristics (such as spillway crest elevation, size of reservoir, and capacity changes through 

time) of the reservoir (fig. 3). The completed forms are physically filed and maintained by the agencies 

responsible for the reservoirs, and they are also collected and maintained by the Advisory Committee on 

Water Information’s Subcommittee on Sedimentation (Subcommittee on Sedimentation, 2008). 

3
Figure 3. Form SCS–34 with survey information for Little River Reservoir #2 in Maine. 

4
The original RESIS database was created in 1994 by Lyle Steffen, Paul Dyke, Jay Atwood, and 

others at the NRCS and the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (Steffen, 1996). Information from 

the datasheets stored by the NRCS was transferred to a computer-based database by using Informix 

database software. The database had results for about 1,800 reservoirs and about 4,000 surveys (Steffen, 

1996). A few years later as part of research on the global carbon cycle, Stallard and others (2001) 

initiated an effort to make the database more complete and user friendly so it could be used on personal 

computers. Stallard and others named the new product the “Reservoir Sedimentation Survey 

Information System-II” or RESIS–II. Mixon and others (2008) refined the location coordinates of many 

of the reservoirs by using digital elevation maps and a geographic information system (GIS). The 

current RESIS–II database, described in this report and released in this USGS Data Series, reflects the 

results of a subsequent effort by the USGS to refine the location information and present an updated 

version of the database in Microsoft Access. 

Previous Studies of Reservoir Sedimentation 

Before the creation of the RESIS database, reservoir sedimentation data compiled by the NRCS 

had been summarized in several publications. Dendy and others (1973) summarized the data for about 

1,200 reservoirs through 1965, and Dendy and Champion (1978), using data through 1975, provided 

tables summarizing attributes related to sediment accumulation for each reservoir in the database at that 

time. Renwick (1996) used the sedimentation data for approximately 1,600 RESIS reservoirs through 

1975 published by Dendy and Champion (1978) to look at relations among sediment yields, human 

influences, and physiographic conditions. To estimate reservoir locations, Renwick (1996) used the 

nearest post office information given in Dendy and Champion (1978). 

The first published use of the RESIS database was by Bernard and others (1996), who examined 

reservoir sedimentation trends as a contribution to the NRCS activities under the Soils and Water 

Resource Conservation Act of 1977. Steffen generously provided a copy of the RESIS database to 

Stallard (1998), who utilized it in an analysis of relations between the carbon cycle and terrestrial 

sedimentation. Steffen also provided a copy to Renwick and others (2005), who used it to examine 

sedimentation rates in selected ponds. The database described in this report began with the versions of 

the database provided by Steffen to Stallard (1998) and Renwick and others (2005). 

Updated Reservoir Locations 

Many applications of RESIS–II will require careful consideration of the location attributes of 

each reservoir. The location attributes in the RESIS database were incomplete and mixed in quality; for 

example, latitude and longitude coordinates were unavailable for more than half of the reservoirs. The 

authors directed considerable effort toward improving the accuracy of the location coordinates and to 

documenting the quality of the location data. 

Initially, an attempt was made to link all of the reservoirs in RESIS–II to corresponding dams in 

the current (2005) version of the National Inventory of Dams (NID; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 

2005). By the use of GIS software, all of the RESIS–II reservoirs and NID dams with location 

coordinates were compared. Where possible, reservoirs were matched with dams in close proximity to 

one another. If this method did not produce a match, an attempt was made to match the reservoirs to 

dams on the basis of the names of the reservoir and dam. By the use of these methods, over half of the 

RESIS–II reservoirs were linked to specific dams in the NID (“NID_ID” field in the “Lat_Lon_New” 

table). For the reservoirs that had a corresponding dam documented in the NID, the latitude/longitude in 

RESIS was checked against that of the corresponding dam in the NID. For some reservoirs, the 

latitude/longitude given in the NID was used instead of that given by RESIS because it was determined 

5
to be more accurate; for other reservoirs, RESIS lacked latitude/longitude coordinates, and the NID 

latitude/longitude was therefore used. 

Reservoirs linked to the NID were then cross-referenced to the USGS products known as the 

National Hydrography Datasets (NHD and NHDPlus) (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. 

Geological Survey, 2008; U.S. Geological Survey, 2008). The NHD and NHDPlus are digital national 

surface-water datasets that are used as the basis for many hydrologic analyses. The NHD has 

information for all of the water bodies delineated on USGS 1:24,000-scale topographic maps, and the 

NHDPlus has information for all water bodies delineated on USGS 1:100,000-scale topographic maps. 

Included in both datasets are characteristics of streams, canals, lakes, reservoirs, ponds, and swamps. 

The latitude/longitude coordinates of about 8,000 NID dams were further refined in the NHD to 

correspond to the dam outlet or spillway as depicted on the 1:24,000-scale topographic maps; 425 of 

these dams were associated with RESIS–II reservoirs. The updated latitude/longitude coordinates from 

the NHD were then assigned to these 425 RESIS–II reservoirs. 

Many agencies are linking their data to these common NHD and NHDPlus datasets in a way that 

makes it easier for users to find and discover linked data, especially using GIS network analysis 

applications. Data linked to these NHD datasets can be easily found by using queries. To make the 

RESIS–II database link well with the NHD and NHDPlus datasets, four fields were added to the 

RESIS–II “Lat_Lon_New” table: two fields associated to the NHD (“REACHCD24” and 

“MEASURE24”) and two fields associated to the NHDPlus (“REACHCD100” and “MEASURE100”). 

These four fields are also known as the “reach code” and the “measure” value. A reach code is a 15-

digit number, where the first 8 digits represent the hydrologic unit and the last 7 form a unique reach 

number. The measure value is the percent distance upstream from the downstream end of the reach. 

There are two main reasons why reservoirs in RESIS–II that are linked to the NID could have a 

different, more accurate latitude/longitude coordinate than the coordinate in the NID database. First, a 

coordinate may have been updated. To see if an update was needed, the NID latitude/longitude 

coordinate was plotted on a digital version of the 1:24,000-scale topographic map and a visual 

examination was performed. The digital version of the topographic map is a USGS product known as 

the digital raster graphic (DRG). When the NID coordinate did not plot on the target reservoir, an 

updated latitude/longitude coordinate was derived from the DRG by using a GIS. The second reason 

why reservoirs in RESIS–II that are linked to the NID might not use the NID latitude/longitudes is 

because the more accurate locations from the 1:24,000-scale NHD are used. 

An attempt was made to find and locate all of the reservoir locations on the 1:24,000-scale DRG; 

most were found, but not all. A column was added to the “Lat_Lon_New” table in RESIS–II named 

“LL_VERIFY” to indicate whether the location was verified on the 1:24,000-scale topographic map. 

Reservoir locations verified on the topographic map have the keyword “24k topo” in this 

“LL_VERIFY” column; about 84 percent of the reservoirs are tagged with the “24k topo” keyword. 

Where links to the NID were not possible, several alternative methods were used to determine 

the best location attributes. Locations from the original RESIS database were retained in cases where the 

latitude and longitude were in close proximity to those of the nearest town or post office specified in the 

database. In other cases, locations were determined by manually locating the reservoirs on local maps. If 

these methods did not provide a reliable location, the latitude/longitude of the closest town or post office 

was used. The new latitude/longitude values are in the RESIS–II “Lat_Lon_New” table and are 

referenced to the NAD 83 horizontal datum; the latitude/longitude values in the original RESIS are still 

found in table RSED01 of RESIS–II and are assumed to be referenced to the NAD 27 horizontal datum, 

because most were derived prior to the existence of the NAD 83 datum. 

To provide users with an indication of the quality of reservoir locations, the notational method of 

Mixon and others (2008) was followed. This method assigned an integer value to each reservoir to 

6
indicate the method used to generate the latitude/longitude. This value is in the “LL_METHOD” field in 

the “Lat_Lon_New” table of RESIS–II. A “1” was assigned to reservoirs whose locations were 

determined by examining a map (about 61 percent of the reservoirs); a “2” indicates that the 

latitudes/longitudes of the corresponding NID dams were used (about 0.4 percent of the reservoirs); a 

“3” indicates that the latitudes/longitudes were from the original RESIS and could not be improved with 

the resources available (about 0.15 percent of the reservoirs); a “5” indicates that the coordinates of the 

nearest town or post office (as given in the original RESIS database) were used (about 14 percent of the 

reservoirs); and a “7” indicates that the latitudes/longitudes of the corresponding NID feature found in 

the 1:24,000-scale NHD were used (about 23 percent of the reservoirs). Mixon and others also 

designated a method “4” (public land survey coordinates) and a method “6” (centroid of the county); 

better locations were established for all the reservoirs assigned these values, and they are no longer used 

in RESIS–II. 

RESIS–II Database 

Table Descriptions 

The RESIS–II database contains 15 tables, counting the table that summarizes all fields in all 

tables (“Field_Descriptions”). The 15 tables are described in the appendix and table 1 below; the 

descriptions of tables RSED01 through RSED13 are taken directly from Steffen (1996). Some 

information is repeated in more than one table; it may not be necessary, therefore, to use multiple tables 

for some calculations. 

Table 1. RESIS–II table descriptions. 

[Descriptions of tables RSED01 through RSED13 from Steffen, 1996] 

Table Description 

RSED01 Details the location, top of dam and spillway crest elevations, dates of operation, drainage area, and 

climate of reservoir drainage. 

RSED02 Gives the pool elevations, surface area, and capacities of the pools by purpose of operation. 

RSED03 For each survey on each reservoir, the elapsed time since the previous survey is recorded. 

RSED04 For each survey date on each reservoir, the survey method and scope are detailed. 

RSED05 Precipitation and water inflow for each survey period are recorded for each reservoir. 

RSED06 Aerated, submerged, and total sediment deposits, sample number, and average dry weight estimates 

are given for each survey date. 

RSED07 Defines reservoir pool layers denoted by elevation for areal sediment distribution. 

RSED08 For each survey, the percentage of sediment deposits occurring in each depth layer. 

RSED09 For each survey date, the percentage of the sediment deposits occurring by distance segment and 

reach for each reservoir. 

RSED10 Water inflow and maximum and minimum reservoir elevations are given by water year. 

RSED11 For each reservoir, the storage capacity by elevation stage is given (may have multiple dates). 

RSED12 Footnote explanations and other remarks. 

RSED13 Agencies collecting and reporting data. 

Lat_Lon_New New latitude and longitude values for each reservoir. 

Field_Descriptions All field descriptions of the 14 tables. 

The RESIS databases used to create RESIS–II included a table of land use areas (urban, 

crop/pasture, range, forest, water) for each USGS hydrologic subregion (table “RSED_LULC”). 

Because land use changes through time and because the source and date of the land use calculations 

were not documented, this table is not included in RESIS–II. The original RESIS databases also 

7
included a table “RSEDRCAR,” which provided the county, major land resource area (MLRA), and 

hydrologic subregion of each reservoir. The RSEDECSR table was excluded from the new RESIS–II 

because of inconsistencies between the information given in the table and that determined by using the 

newly generated latitude/longitude values. 

Field Descriptions 

Descriptions of the data fields in each table are derived from the original RESIS database, the 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1989), and Dendy and Champion (1978). There are a few fields for 

which no description was available. The descriptions of the data fields are in the RESIS–II database as a 

separate table and in this report in the appendix. 

Database Links 

The tables within the RESIS–II database make up a relational database. Tables are designed to 

be linked primarily by the reservoir identification number (dsnum). An essential secondary link is the 

survey date, which is a newly created field with the year as a decimal (“yrsurv_decimal”) because some 

reservoirs have multiple surveys in one year. To facilitate links based on a single field, the fields 

“dsnum” and “yrsurv_decimal” were concatenated into a new field, “dsnum_yrsurvdec.” Tables 

RSED03 through RSED09 have survey data (and the “yrsurv_decimal” and “dsnum_yrsurvdec” fields). 

In most searches, the user would create a one-to-many join between the tables so that all surveys would 

be accounted for in a query using multiple tables. An additional secondary link that needs to be used in 

some searches is the “pool_id” (pool identification) field (see “Helpful Hints about the Database” 

below). 

Helpful Hints about the Database 

• Dendy and Champion (1978) summarized, in table format, all of the data related to sediment 

deposition for reservoir sedimentation surveys completed through 1975. The footnotes to the Dendy 

and Champion tables detail changes in each reservoir (for example, whether the reservoir was 

dredged or enlarged, whether the spillway was raised or lowered, if and when the dam failed and 

was rebuilt, if the value was estimated or assumed) and may be helpful when examining changes 

through time. Additional notes about individual reservoirs can be found in table RSED12 and in the 

original datasheets. 

• The time between surveys given in the “period_yrs” field in table RSED03 is less accurate in some 

cases than the value calculated by using the date information contained in the “yrsurv_decimal” field 

in tables RSED03 through RSED09. 

• A few observations in table RSED03 were added or modified to be consistent with the survey dates 

reported in table RSED06. Table RSED03 records the elapsed time between the previous survey (or 

storage initiation) based on the reported survey and storage initiation dates. In a few cases, only a 

year or month/year were reported. If only a year was reported, the period was calculated by 

assuming that the date was June 30th of the stated year; if only a year and month were reported, the 

period was calculated by assuming that the date was the 15th day of the given month. The reported 

period is consistent with these conventions except in cases that are flagged with an explanatory 

footnote. Generally, these exceptions arise due to temporary draining of the reservoir or some other 

disruption in the storage process. The reported period is intended to reflect the duration of the time 

when active sedimentation took place. 

• Some reservoirs have multiple pools, making it necessary to distinguish between them when 

performing some calculations (for example, changes in capacity through time). In table RSED04, 

8
there are four possible pool types for an individual reservoir. Table RSED02 has seven possible pool 

types and a different naming system for the pools than table RSED04. The sums of the surface areas 

and capacities of the individual pools in table RSED02 do not always equal the sums calculated in 

table RSED04; for some reservoirs, there is a pool in table RSED02 that is not accounted for in table 

RSED04. 

Future Work 

The decrease in survey data in the RESIS–II database starting in the 1980s is a significant 

limitation in assessment of historical changes in reservoir-sedimentation rates. This limitation is 

particularly unfortunate because it coincides with the period during which historical erosion rates are 

available in the 1997 and 2003 National Resources Inventory (Natural Resources Conservation Service, 

2001, 2007). 

To make the RESIS–II database more useful, we would like to incorporate additional collected 

survey data and to add data from new surveys. More recent survey data would probably reflect the use 

of a global positioning system (GPS) for locations and advanced sonar technology for bathymetry. 

These technologies would likely substantially increase the accuracy of the location information and 

provide greatly increased amounts of bathymetric data as compared to survey data contained in this 

version of the database. 

References Cited 

Bernard, J.M., Steffen, L.J., and Iivari, T.A., 1996, Has the U.S. sediment pollution problem been 

solved?, in Proceedings of the Sixth Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference, Las Vegas, NV, 

1996: v. 1, p. VIII–7 to VIII–13. (Accessed online January 29, 2009, at 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/misc_reports/FISC_1947-2006/pdf/1st-7thFISCs-CD/6thFISC/6Fisc-V1/6-

1cover.pdf.) 

Dendy, F.E., and Champion, W.A., comps., 1978, Sediment deposition in U.S. reservoirs; Summary of 

data reported through 1975: U.S. Department of Agriculture Miscellaneous Publication 1362, 84 p. 

Dendy, F.E., Champion, W.A., and Wilson, R.B., 1973, Reservoir sedimentation surveys in the United 

States, in Ackermann, W.C., White, G.F., and Worthington, E.B., eds., Man-made lakes; Their 

problems and environmental effects: American Geophysical Union Geophysical Monograph 17, p. 

349–357. 

Mixon, D.M., Kinner, D.A., Stallard, R.F., and Syvitski, J.P.M., 2008, Geolocation of man-made 

reservoirs across terrains of varying complexity using GIS: Computers and Geosciences, v. 34, no. 10, 

p. 1184–1197, doi:10.1016/j.cageo.2008.02.015. 

Natural Resources Conservation Service, 2001, 1997 National Resources Inventory (revised December 

2000): Washington, DC, Natural Resources Conservation Service, CD–ROM, version 1. (See also

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/NRI/.) 

Natural Resources Conservation Service, 2007, Soil erosion, in National Resources Inventory 2003 

annual NRI: accessed online January 30, 2009, at 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/NRI/2003/nri03eros-mrb.html. 

Renwick, W.H., 1996, Continent-scale reservoir sedimentation patterns in the United States, in Walling, 

D.E., and Webb, B.W., eds., Erosion and sediment yield; Global and regional perspectives; 

Proceedings of an international symposium held at Exeter, UK, from 15 to 19 July 1996: International 

Association of Hydrological Sciences Publication 236, p. 513–522. 

9
Renwick, W.H., Smith, S.V., Bartley, J.D., and Buddemeier, R.W., 2005, The role of impoundments in 

the sediment budget of the conterminous United States: Geomorphology, v. 71, no. 1–2, p. 99–111, 

doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2004.01.010. 

Stallard, R.F., 1998, Terrestrial sedimentation and the carbon cycle; Coupling weathering and erosion to 

carbon burial: Global Biogeochemical Cycles, v. 12, no. 2, p. 231–257, doi: 10.1029/98GB00741. 

Stallard, R.F., Mixon, David, Kinner, D.A., and Worstell, Bruce, 2001, RESIS–II; Making the Reservoir 

Survey Information System complete and user friendly [abs.], in Proceedings of the Seventh Federal 

Interagency Sedimentation Conference, Reno, NV, 2001: v. 2, p. IX–9 to IX–11. (Accessed online 

January 29, 2009, at http://pubs.usgs.gov/misc_reports/FISC_1947-2006/pdf/1st-7thFISCsCD/7thFISC/7Fisc-V2/7FISC2-9.pdf.) 

Steffen, L.J., 1996, A Reservoir Sedimentation Survey Information System—RESIS, in Proceedings of 

the Sixth Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference, Las Vegas, NV, 1996: v. 1, p. I–29 to I–36. 

(Accessed online January 29, 2009, at http://pubs.usgs.gov/misc_reports/FISC_1947-2006/pdf/1st7thFISCs-CD/6thFISC/6Fisc-V1/6Fisc1-1.pdf.) 

Subcommittee on Sedimentation, 2008[, Home page for the Subcommittee on Sedimentation of the 

Advisory Committee on Water Information]: accessed December 8, 2008, at http://acwi.gov/sos/. 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1989, Instructions for compilation of reservoir sedimentation data 

summary, appendix L of Engineering and design; Sedimentation investigations of rivers and 

reservoirs: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Manual EM1110–2–4000, p. L–1 to L–13, 

accessed online January 30, 2009, at http://140.194.76.129/publications/eng-manuals/em1110-2-

4000/. 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2005, National inventory of dams: database at 

http://crunch.tec.army.mil/nid/webpages/nid.cfm. 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Geological Survey, 2008, National Hydrography 

Dataset Plus: accessed November 28, 2008, at http://www.horizon-systems.com/nhdplus/. 

U.S. Geological Survey, 2008, [1:24,000-scale] National Hydrography Dataset: accessed November 28, 

2008, at http://nhd.usgs.gov/. 

10
Appendix. Descriptions of Data Fields for the 15 Tables in the RESIS–II Database 

Table descriptions for tables RSED01through RSED13 are from Steffen (1996). Field 

descriptions are derived from the original RESIS database, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1989), 

and Dendy and Champion (1978). 

Table RSED01. 

[Details the location, top of dam and spillway crest elevations, dates of operation, drainage area, and climate of reservoir 

drainage] 

Field name Unit and description 

dsnum Datasheet number (reservoir identification number) 

res_name Reservoir name 

scs_region_code Soil Conservation Service (SCS) region code (n, m, s, w) 

new_region_code New region code (1–10) 

stream_2 Stream in which dam is erected 

state_fips_alpha_3 Postal code for State 

state_fips_num_3 Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) numeric code for State 

no_sta_rsv_bdrs Number of States reservoir borders on or extends into 

sec_twp_rng Section, township, and range 

sr_lg_us_ot_4 Flag; sr = section/township/range notation, lg = land grant, us = USC or GS grid coordinate 

notation 

near_po_5 Nearest town or post office 

county_6 County 

no_cntys_rsvr_brds Number of counties reservoir borders or extends into 

lat_deg_7 Latitude (degrees) 

lat_min_7 Latitude (minutes) 

lat_sec_7 Latitude (seconds) 

lat_dec Latitude (decimal degrees) 

long_deg_7 Longitude (degrees) 

long_min_7 Longitude (minutes) 

long_sec_7 Longitude (seconds) 

lon_dec Longitude (decimal degrees) 

top_dam_el_8 Feet above mean sea level (MSL); elevation of the top of the dam, which is equal to the 

highest spillway elevation (spil_crst_el_9) plus freeboard 

spil_crst_el_9 Feet above MSL; elevation of the highest spillway 

yr_stor_beg_dec Year storage began (decimal year), date when water was first impounded 

yr_stor_beg_15 Year storage began 

mn_stor_beg_15 Month storage began 

dy_stor_beg_15 Day storage began 

yr_norm_beg_dec Year normal operation began (decimal year); date that the initial operation for any function 

started 

yr_norm_beg_16 Year normal operation began 

mn_norm_beg_16 Month normal operation began 

dy_norm_beg_16 Day normal operation began 

11
Field name Unit and description 

leng_res_17 Miles; length of the reservoir, from the dam to the backwater of the most distant 

contributing stream 

av_wid_res_17 Miles; average width of the reservoir, calculated by dividing the surface area by the 

summation of the lengths; if the reservoir is composed of two or more principal arms, the 

sum of the lengths is given 

tot_drain_ar_18 Square miles; total drainage area; includes the reservoir area and the area lying above all 

upstream dams but generally excludes noncontributing drainage areas lying within the 

watershed boundary 

net_sed_con_19 Square miles; net sediment contributing area; generally excludes the reservoir area, drainage 

areas above upstream reservoirs, and other structures that are effective sediment traps 

drn_length_20 Miles; length of the total drainage area along the center line of the main stream valley 

drn_av_wid_20 Miles; average width of the drainage area; equals the “tot_drain_ar_18” divided by 

“drn_length_20” 

max_el_21 Feet above MSL; maximum elevation in drainage area 

min_el_21 Feet above MSL; minimum elevation in drainage area; should be the lowest original streambed elevation at the axis of the dam; this elevation is used to determine the height of the 

dam 

mean_ann_pre_22 Inches; mean annual precipitation for the total drainage area 

mean_ann_run_23 Inches; mean annual runoff 

mean_ann_run_24 Acre-feet; mean annual runoff equals the “mean_ann_run_23” multiplied by 

“tot_drain_ar_18” times a conversion factor of 53.33 

mn_prcp_yr_sprd Inches; mean annual precipitation, year spread 

ann_rnof_yr_sprd Inches; mean annual runoff, year spread 

anul_tmp_mn_jan °F; annual mean temperature for January 

anul_tmp_mn_jul °F; annual mean temperature for July 

ann_tmp_mean_25 °F; annual mean temperature for year 

ann_tmp_rng_low_25 °F; annual temperature range, low value 

ann_tmp_rng_hi_25 °F; annual temperature range, high value 

climatic_class Climatic classification 

There are 54 additional fields that have names similar to those above. Field names with: 

“a_” – an asterisk in the column if the data are assumed; 

“f_” – the footnote ID associated with data. All footnotes are in table RSED12. 

12
Table RSED02. 

[Gives the pool elevations, surface area, and capacities of the pools by purpose of operation] 

Field name Unit and description 

dsnum Datasheet number 

typ_stor_all_10 Storage type (for example, pool) name 

typ_stor_cd_10 Storage type (for example, pool) code (a, b, c, d, e, f, g) 

elev_top_11 Feet above MSL; elevation of the top of the pool 

org_sur_acres_12 Acres; original surface area at top of the pool 

org_cap_acft_13 Acre-feet; original storage capacity of the pool 

gross_stor_acft_14 Acre-feet; sum of pools, starting at “g” and increasing through “a” 

There are 7 additional fields that have names similar to those above. Field names with: 

“a_” – an asterisk in the column if the data are assumed; 

“f_” – the footnote ID associated with data. All footnotes are in table RSED12. 

Table RSED03. 

[For each survey on each reservoir, the elapsed time since the previous survey is recorded] 

Field name Unit and description 

dsnum Datasheet number 

dsnum_yrsurv dsnum and surv_year concatenated 

dsnum_yrsurvdec dsnum and yrsurv_decimal concatenated 

surv_year Year of survey 

surv_mon Month of survey 

surv_day Day of survey 

yrsurv_decimal Date of survey as a decimal 

period_yrs_flg Flag for elapsed time 

period_yrs Elapsed time since previous survey 

period_yrs_assum Space for flag if period_yrs is assumed 

13
Table RSED04. 

[For each survey date on each reservoir, the survey method and scope are detailed] 

Field name Unit and description 

dsnum Datasheet number 

dsnum_yrsurv dsnum and surv_yr concatenated 

dsnum_yrsurvdec dsnum and yrsurv_decimal concatenated 

surv_yr Year of survey 

surv_mon Month of survey 

surv_day Day of survey 

yrsurv_decimal Date of survey as a decimal 

pool_id Pool identification (A, G, S, T) 

surv_type Type of survey—RaNGe, CONtour, Range/ConTour 

surv_subtype Survey subtype—(R)econnaissance, (D)etailed, (S)emi-detailed 

ranges_num Number of ranges taken 

cont_intvl Feet; contour interval 

surf_area Acres; surface area at spillway crest elevation 

capacity Acre-feet; capacity below the spillway crest elevation 

There are 9 additional fields that have names similar to those above. Field names with: 

“a_” – an asterisk in the column if the data are assumed; 

“f_” – the footnote ID associated with data. All footnotes are in table RSED12. 

14
Table RSED05. 

[Precipitation and water inflow for each survey period are recorded for each reservoir] 

Field name Unit and description 

dsnum Datasheet number 

dsnum_yrsurv dsnum and surv_year concatenated 

dsnum_yrsurvdec dsnum and yrsurv_decimal concatenated 

surv_year Year of survey 

surv_mon Month of survey 

surv_day Day of survey 

yrsurv_decimal Date of survey as a decimal 

concard_k Continuation card counter for k type cards used for “annprcp_34” 

annprcp_34 Inches; mean annual precipitation over the drainage area for the period of years given in table 

RSED03 in “period_yrs” 

low_34 Inches; low end if there is a range of precipitation 

hi_34 Inches; high end if there is a range of precipitation 

concard_l1 Continuation card counter for l1 type cards used for “inf35a” 

inf35a Acre-feet; average annual water inflow to the reservoir for each period of years given in table 

RSED03 in “period_yrs” 

inf35b_max Acre-feet; maximum annual water inflow for each period 

inf35c_tot Acre-feet; total water inflow for each period 

contl2_card Continuation counter for l2 type cards used for “inf36a_ann” 

inf36a_ann Acre-feet; water inflow to date, mean annual 

inf36b_tot Acre-feet; water inflow to date, total to date 

There are 16 additional fields that have names similar to those above. Field names with: 

“a_” – an asterisk in the column if the data are assumed; 

“f_” – the footnote ID associated with data. All footnotes are in table RSED12. 

15
Table RSED06. 

[Aerated, submerged, and total sediment deposits, sample number, and average dry weight estimates are given for each 

survey date] 

Field name Unit and description 

dsnum Datasheet number 

dsnum_yrsurv dsnum and surv_year concatenated 

dsnum_yrsurvdec dsnum and yrsurv_decimal concatenated 

surv_year Year of survey 

surv_month Month of survey 

surv_day Day of survey 

yrsurv_decimal Date of survey as a decimal 

concard_l4 Continuation card counter for l4 type cards used for “sub_per_seddep” 

sub_per_seddep Acre-feet; submerged period sediment deposits 

aer_per_seddep Acre-feet; aerated period sediment deposits 

tot_per_seddep Acre-feet; total period sediment deposits (volume of capacity loss) for period given in table RSED03 

in “period_yrs” 

concard_l3 Continuation card counter for l3 type cards used for “sub_avgdrywgt” 

sub_avgdrywgt lbs/ft3

; submerged deposits average dry weight 

sub_dat_qual Data qualifier 

sub_no_smpls Number of samples taken for submerged average dry weight “sub_avgdrywgt” 

aer_avgdrywgt lbs/ft3

; aerated deposits average dry weight 

aer_dat_qual Data qualifier 

aer_no_smpls Number of samples taken for aerated average dry weight 

cmpd_avgdrywgt lbs/ft3

; compounded average dry weight of deposited sediment in the reservoir; an asterisk indicates an 

assumed value 

cmpd_dat_qual Data qualifier 

cmpd_no_smpls Number of samples taken for compounded average dry weight 

There are 12 additional fields that have names similar to those above. Field names with: 

“a_” – an asterisk in the column if the data are assumed; 

“f_” – the footnote ID associated with data. All footnotes are in table RSED12. 

16
Table RSED07. 

[Defines reservoir pool layers denoted by elevation for areal sediment distribution] 

Field name Unit and description 

dsnum Datasheet number 

dsnum_yrsurvdec dsnum and yrsurv_decimal concatenated 

surv_yr Year of survey 

surv_month Month of survey 

surv_day Day of survey 

yrsurv_decimal Date of survey as a decimal 

branch_no_43 Branch identifier for stream-like reservoirs with definite branches 

dep_des_r1low_43 Depth range 1 lower limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r1hi_43 Depth range 1 upper limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r2low_43 Depth range 2 lower limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r2hi_43 Depth range 2 upper limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r3low_43 Depth range 3 lower limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r3hi_43 Depth range 3 upper limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r4low_43 Depth range 4 lower limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r4hi_43 Depth range 4 upper limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r5low_43 Depth range 5 lower limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r5hi_43 Depth range 5 upper limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r6low_43 Depth range 6 lower limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r6hi_43 Depth range 6 upper limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

17
Field name Unit and description 

dep_des_r7low_43 Depth range 7 lower limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r7hi_43 Depth range 7 upper limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r8low_43 Depth range 8 lower limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r8hi_43 Depth range 8 upper limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r9low_43 Depth range 9 lower limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r9hi_43 Depth range 9 upper limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r10low_43 Depth range 10 lower limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r10hi_43 Depth range 10 upper limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r11low_43 Depth range 11 lower limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r11hi_43 Depth range 11 upper limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r12low_43 Depth range 12 lower limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r12hi_43 Depth range 12 upper limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r13low_43 Depth range 13 lower limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r13hi_43 Depth range 13 upper limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r14low_43 Depth range 14 lower limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r14hi_43 Depth range 14 upper limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

dep_des_r15low_43 Depth range 15 lower limit—depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

18
Field name Unit and description 

dep_des_r15hi_43 Depth range 15 upper limit —depth designation range in feet below (positive number) and above 

(negative number) crest elevation (goes with percentage of total sediment in each depth range, given 

in table RSED08) 

concard_m1 Secondary key used to link with “concard_n1” in table RSED08 

concard_m2 Secondary key used to link with “concard_n2” in table RSED08 

concard_m3 Secondary key used to link with “concard_n3” in table RSED08 

There is an additional field that has a name similar to those above. Field name with: 

“f_” – the footnote ID associated with data. All footnotes are in table RSED12. 

Table RSED08. 

[For each survey, the percentage of sediment deposits occurring in each depth layer] 

Field name Unit and description 

dsnum Datasheet number 

dsnum_yrsurvdec dsnum and yrsurv_decimal concatenated 

surv_yr Year of survey 

surv_mon Month of survey 

surv_day Day of survey 

yrsurv_decimal Date of survey as a decimal 

branch_no_43 Branch identifier for stream-like reservoirs with definite branches 

r1depsedper_43 Percentage of total sediment located within depth designation 1 (specified in table RSED07) 

r2depsedper_43 Percentage of total sediment located within depth designation 2 (specified in table RSED07) 

r3depsedper_43 Percentage of total sediment located within depth designation 3 (specified in table RSED07) 

r4depsedper_43 Percentage of total sediment located within depth designation 4 (specified in table RSED07) 

r5depsedper_43 Percentage of total sediment located within depth designation 5 (specified in table RSED07) 

r6depsedper_43 Percentage of total sediment located within depth designation 6 (specified in table RSED07) 

r7depsedper_43 Percentage of total sediment located within depth designation 7 (specified in table RSED07) 

r8depsedper_43 Percentage of total sediment located within depth designation 8 (specified in table RSED07) 

r9depsedper_43 Percentage of total sediment located within depth designation 9 (specified in table RSED07) 

r10depsedper_43 Percentage of total sediment located within depth designation 10 (specified in table RSED07) 

r11depsedper_43 Percentage of total sediment located within depth designation 11 (specified in table RSED07) 

r12depsedper_43 Percentage of total sediment located within depth designation 12 (specified in table RSED07) 

r13depsedper_43 Percentage of total sediment located within depth designation 13 (specified in table RSED07) 

r14depsedper_43 Percentage of total sediment located within depth designation 14 (specified in table RSED07) 

r15depsedper_43 Percentage of total sediment located within depth designation 15 (specified in table RSED07) 

concard_n1 Secondary key used to link with “concard_m1” in table RSED07 

concard_n2 Secondary key used to link with “concard_m2” in table RSED07 

concard_n3 Secondary key used to link with “concard_m3” in table RSED07 

There are 4 additional fields that have names similar to those above. Field names with: 

“f_” – the footnote ID associated with data. All footnotes are in table RSED12. 

19
Table RSED09. 

[For each survey date, the percentage of the sediment deposits occurring by distance segment and reach for each reservoir] 

Field name Unit and description 

dsnum Datasheet number 

dsnum_yrsurvdec dsnum and yrsurv_decimal concatenated 

surv_yr Year of survey 

surv_mon Month of survey 

surv_day Day of survey 

yrsurv_decimal Date of survey as a decimal 

branch_no_44 Branch identifier for stream-like reservoirs with definite branches 

r0_10_reased_44 Percentage of sediment located in reach designation 1 (0–10 percent of distance from dam) 

r10_20_reased_44 Percentage of sediment located in reach designation 2 (10–20 percent of distance from dam) 

r20_30_reased_44 Percentage of sediment located in reach designation 3 (20–30 percent of distance from dam) 

r30_40_reased_44 Percentage of sediment located in reach designation 4 (30–40 percent of distance from dam) 

r40_50_reased_44 Percentage of sediment located in reach designation 5 (40–50 percent of distance from dam) 

r50_60_reased_44 Percentage of sediment located in reach designation 6 (50–60 percent of distance from dam) 

r60_70_reased_44 Percentage of sediment located in reach designation 7 (60–70 percent of distance from dam) 

r70_80_reased_44 Percentage of sediment located in reach designation 8 (70–80 percent of distance from dam) 

r80_90_reased_44 Percentage of sediment located in reach designation 9 (80–90 percent of distance from dam) 

r90_100_reased_44 Percentage of sediment located in reach designation 10 (90–100 percent of distance from dam) 

r_105_reased_44 Percentage of sediment located in reach designation 11 (100–105 percent of distance from dam) 

r_110_reased_44 Percentage of sediment located in reach designation 12 (105–110 percent of distance from dam) 

r_115_reased_44 Percentage of sediment located in reach designation 13 (110–115 percent of distance from dam) 

r_120_reased_44 Percentage of sediment located in reach designation 14 (115–120 percent of distance from dam) 

r_125_reased_44 Percentage of sediment located in reach designation 15 (120–125 percent of distance from dam) 

card_cnt_n4 Unique sequence number when multiple reaches exist 

card_cnt_n5 Unique sequence number when multiple reaches exist 

card_cnt_n6 Unique sequence number when multiple reaches exist 

There are 2 additional fields that have names similar to those above. Field names with: 

“f_” – the footnote ID associated with data. All footnotes are in table RSED12. 

Table RSED10. 

[Water inflow and maximum and minimum reservoir elevations are given by water year] 

Field name Unit and description 

dsnum Datasheet number 

water_year_45 Water year (includes more than just the survey years) 

max_el_45 Feet above MSL; maximum water elevation for each water year 

min_el_45 Feet above MSL; minimum water elevation for each water year 

inflow_acft_45 Acre-feet; total inflow for each water year 

cont_p_card_cntr Field used to sort each reservoir by water year 

There are 7 additional fields that have names similar to those above. Field names with: 

“a_” – an asterisk in the column if the data are assumed; 

“f_” – the footnote ID associated with data. All footnotes are in table RSED12. 

20
Table RSED11. 

[For each reservoir, the storage capacity by elevation stage is given (may have multiple dates)] 

Field name Unit and description 

dsnum Datasheet number 

capa_year_46 Latest survey year 

elev_46 Feet; elevation stage 

area_46 Acres; surface area at corresponding elevation 

capacity_46 Acre-feet; capacity at corresponding elevation 

cont_q_card_cntr Field used to sort each reservoir by date when multiple dates exist 

cont_no_within_yr Continuation and number within year 

o_code_if_orig Flagged “o” if value is original capacity 

cont_card_flg Flag for continuation card 

cont_card_assum Flagged “*” if assumed value 

There are an additional 4 fields that have names similar to those above. Field names with: 

“a_” – an asterisk in the column if the data are assumed; 

“f_” – the footnote ID associated with data. All footnotes are in table RSED12. 

Table RSED12. 

[Footnote explanations and other remarks] 

Field name Unit and description 

dsnum Datasheet number 

lines_for_fnoflag Card order number within comment flag 

flag_no_ident Used to group a single footnote that spans multiple lines 

note_line_no Number of lines of note text that go together 

note_text Remarks and references 

Table RSED13. 

[Agencies collecting and reporting data] 

Field name Unit and description 

dsnum Datasheet number 

contin_card_sur Continuation 

surv_dept_stid Department or State ID 

surv_agen4c Survey agency, abbreviation 

surv_agen_name Survey agency 

surv_agen_sub Location of subunit supplying data 

contin_card_sup Continuation 

supply_dept_stid Department or State ID 

supply_agen4c Survey agency, abbreviation 

supply_agen_name Survey agency 

supply_agen_sub Location of subunit supplying data 

form_month Month this form was prepared 

form_year Year this form was prepared 

form_day Day this form was prepared 

21
22

Lat_Lon_New Table. 

[New latitude and longitude values for each reservoir. DRG, digital raster graphic; GIS, geographic information system; 

NHD, National Hydrography Dataset (for water bodies on U.S. Geological Survey 1:24,000-scale topographic maps); 

NHDPlus, National Hydrography Dataset Plus (for water bodies on U.S. Geological Survey 1:100,000-scale topographic 

maps); NID, National Inventory of Dams] 

Field name Unit and description 

DSNUM Data sheet number 

RES_NAME Reservoir name 

LAT_DEC New latitude value 

LON_DEC New longitude value 

LL_METHOD Method used for determining latitude/longitude value (1=lat/lon determined by examining a 1:24,000-

scale topographic map; 2=corresponding NID dam lat/lon was used; 3=lat/lon from the original RESIS; 

5=lat/lon coordinates of the nearest town or post office; 7= NHD/NID location used) 

LL_VERIFY Method used to verify the latitude/longitude. The keyword “24k topo” means a 1:24,000-scale 

topographic map DRG was used 

NID_ID Corresponding NID identification number 

(NHD reach code and measure values used in GIS hydrologic network applications) 

LAT_NHD24 Latitude of the reservoir as it relates to the 1:24,000-scale NHD 

LON_NHD24 Longitude of the reservoir related to the 1:24,000-scale NHD 

REACHCD24 15-digit reach code related to the 1:24,000-scale NHD 

MEASURE24 Measure value expressed in percent distance upstream from downstream end of the 1:24,000-scale NHD 

reach 

LAT_NHD100 Latitude of the reservoir as it relates to the 1:100,000-scale NHDPlus 

LON_NHD100 Longitude of the reservoir related to the 1:100,000-scale NHDPlus 

REACHCD100 15-digit reach code related to the 1:100,000-scale NHDPlus 

MEASURE100 Measure value expressed in percent distance upstream from downstream end of the 1:100,000-scale 

NHDPlus reach 

Field_Descriptions Table. 

[Descriptions of all fields and units used in the 14 tables] 

Field name Description 

Table & field name Table and field name used in tables 

Units Units used 

Description Description of the field