Aquatic Core Network and Buffers

These datasets represent aquatic cores and aquatic buffers, in combination with terrestrial cores and connectors they spatially represent the ecological network derived from the CTR LCD project. Data included in this download include: River and Stream Cores, Lake and Pond Cores, Aquatic Buffers (raster), and River and Stream Network (Stream Classes, The Nature Conservancy). River and Stream cores represent: 1) streams of relatively high ecological integrity across all lotic ecosystem types, emphasizing rivers and streams that are relatively intact and resilient to environmental changes. 2) headwater streams of relatively high current habitat value for brook trout, emphasizing streams that provide the best habitat conditions under current climate conditions; and 3) large and medium rivers that provide habitat for anadromous fish, including the portions of the main-stem and major tributaries of the Connecticut River from the mouth of the river upstream to the limit of passability for 5 additional fish species. Lake and Pond cores represent: lakes and ponds of relatively high ecological integrity, emphasizing lakes and ponds that are relatively intact and resilient to environmental changes due to their size and connectivity to similar natural environments. Aquatic Buffers spatially represent the areas estimated to have a strong influence on the integrity of the aquatic cores based on watershed processes. Specifically, the buffers represent areas hydrologically connected to the aquatic cores through surface runoff and instream flow processes, such that anthropogenic stressors within the buffers are likely to adversely impact the integrity of the aquatic cores. Unlike the cores the buffers do not necessarily represent areas of high ecological integrity. River and Stream Network is a classified version of the stream network in which streams are classified and mapped along centerlines, even through wetlands and lake and pond systems. This layer is provided for the sole purpose of facilitating the display and mapping of landscape design products, as it is easier to visualize vector features for narrow linear features.