The 12-Digit Hydrologic Units, a component of the Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD), depict the sixth level hydrologic subdivision of the United States. A hydrologic unit can accept surface water from upstream drainage areas and may define a drainage area with single or multiple outlet points. A 12-digit hydrologic unit, or subwatershed, supports water resource management and planning activities at a localized and site-specific level. There are 101,779 12-digit hydrologic units with an average size of 41 square miles (107 sq. km.).
Watershed Boundary Dataset, 2-Digit Hydrologic Units
The 2-Digit Hydrologic Units, a component of the Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD), depict the major water resource regions of the United States. A water resource region is the first level of classification used by the United States Geological Survey to divide and sub-divide the United States into successively smaller hydrologic units. This first level of classification divides the United States into 22 major geographic areas, or regions. These geographic areas contain either the drainage area of a major river or the combined drainage areas of a series of rivers.