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SPARROW model simulated nutrient loads in streams of the Midcontinental Region of Canada and the United States, 2002 Base Year

Metadata Updated: October 30, 2025

The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) model was developed to aid in the interpretation of monitoring data and simulate water-quality conditions in streams across the Midcontinental Region of Canada and the Unites States. SPARROW is a hybrid empirical⁄process-based mass balance model that can be used to estimate the major sources and environmental factors that affect the long-term supply, transport, and fate of contaminants in streams. The spatially explicit model structure is defined by a river reach network coupled with contributing catchments. The model is calibrated by statistically relating watershed sources and transport-related properties to monitoring-based water-quality load estimates. This USGS data release, prepared in cooperation with the International Joint Commission and National Research Council Canada, includes output files representing 2002 SPARROW simulations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus in streams of the Midcontinent. Model calibration and results are described in Robertson and others (2019, https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12792). Geospatial data used for developing the Midcontinental SPARROW nutrient models are described in Vouk and others (2018, https://doi.org/10.4224/23004810). Model calibration targets used in the SPARROW models are described in Saad and others (2018, https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20185051).

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

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Dates

Metadata Created Date September 13, 2025
Metadata Updated Date October 30, 2025

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI USGS DCAT-US

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date September 13, 2025
Metadata Updated Date October 30, 2025
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Maintainer
Identifier http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/usgs-5bae3fe5e4b08583a5d30146
Data Last Modified 2020-08-27T00:00:00Z
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:12
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://ddi.doi.gov/usgs-data.json
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Harvest Object Id 3dbdb060-360e-4561-9bcc-4e53d7784fad
Harvest Source Id 2b80d118-ab3a-48ba-bd93-996bbacefac2
Harvest Source Title DOI USGS DCAT-US
Metadata Type geospatial
Old Spatial -104.80, 35.31, -74.03, 52.04
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash 17c1b6b615629e86b1413e60a77a93e58654fbbe50e3607909286c0a13fa9faf
Source Schema Version 1.1
Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": -104.80, 35.31, -104.80, 52.04, -74.03, 52.04, -74.03, 35.31, -104.80, 35.31}

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