The ResNet network of dams impounding storage reservoirs across the continental United States

ResNet is a national dataset of dams impounding storage reservoirs in the continental United States. The dams are routed from upstream to downstream to create a linked network on the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) flowlines. This network enables basin-wide analyses of sediment trapping and disruptions to sediment and water transport. Further, reservoirs are associated with major downstream river mouths and deltas, improving the ability to quantify impacts to specific rivers and deltas. The national reservoir network (ResNet) was created by combining an automated workflow with iterative, manual quality control checks implemented through an editable user-input dam attributes file to ensure that dams with water storage snapped to the flowline representative of their drainage area, rather than a flow diversion. The final product allows users to create watershed-scale reservoir networks, track sediment trapping and water storage potential, and track the reduction in sediment-contributing drainage area through time within small watersheds or for entire regions. A linked network of reservoirs also allows for better water management, flood analysis, and water and hydropower supply studies.