Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access

Abstract:

This shapefile represents the polygon locations and data for DEP designated stormwater management watersheds.

Purpose:

Stormwater management involves the control of water that runs off the surface of the land from rain or melting ice or snow. The volume, or amount of runoff and its rate of runoff, substantially increase as land development occurs. Construction of impervious surfaces, such as roofs and parking lots, and the installation of storm sewer pipes which efficiently collect and discharge runoff, prevent the infiltration of rainfall into the soil. Management of stormwater is necessary to compensate for the possible impacts of development such as frequent flooding, erosion and sedimentation problems, concentration of flow on adjacent properties, damages to roads, bridges and other infrastructure as well as non-point source pollution washed off from impervious surfaces. The Pennsylvania legislature enacted the Storm Water Management Act (No.167) in 1978 to authorize a program of comprehensive watershed stormwater management which retains local implementation and enforcement of stormwater ordinances similar to local responsibility of administration of subdivision and land development regulations. Under the Act, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) provides grant money to counties to develop stormwater management plans for designated watersheds. This planning effort results in the incorporation of sound engineering standards and criteria into local codes and ordinances to manage runoff from new development in a coordinated, watershed-wide approach. Counties develop stormwater plans for each of their watersheds within their boundaries. DEP develops grant agreements with counties to pay for 75 percent of the cost to prepare the plans. Upon completion of a plan by a county and approval by DEP, municipalities located in the watershed adopt ordinances consistent with the plan. Developers are then required to follow the local drainage regulations that incorporate the standards of the watershed plan when preparing their land development plan. Although not all watersheds have been studied, developers in non-studied areas are still required to follow any local drainage regulations adopted under the Municipalities Planning Code. County boundaries within Pennsylvania as delineated for the PennDOT Type 10 general highway map.

Currentness_Reference:

ground condition

Use_Constraints:

None

Process_Description:

created initial metadata

Address:

P.O. Box 8555

Process_Description:

watersheds divided by county boundaries

Address:

400 Market Street, 10th fl.

Process_Description:

Metadata imported.

Process_Description:

Dataset copied.

Process_Description:

Dataset copied.

Attribute_Definition:

Internal feature number.

Attribute_Definition_Source:

ESRI

Attribute_Definition:

Feature geometry.

Attribute_Definition_Source:

ESRI

Attribute_Definition:

Area of feature in internal units squared.

Attribute_Definition_Source:

ESRI

Address:

P.O. Box 8555

Address:

115 Land and Water building

Distribution_Liability:

The USER shall indemnify, save harmless, and, if requested, defend those parties involved with the development and distribution of this data, their officers, agents, and employees from and against any suits, claims, or actions for injury, death, or property damage arising out of the use of or any defect in the FILES or any accompanying documentation. Those parties involved with the development and distribution excluded any and all implied warranties, including warranties or merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose and makes no warranty or representation, either express or implied, with respect to the FILES or accompanying documentation, including its quality, performance, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose. The FILES and documentation are provided "as is" and the USER assumes the entire risk as to its quality and performance. Those parties involved with the development and distribution of this data will not be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use the FILES or any accompanying documentation.

Address:

400 Market Street, 10th fl.

Stormwater 167 202401