Task A1-a: Transferring Stream Names from Aggregated Format Basins (in xxxx_aggr_basins) to Downloaded Basins

The following steps will allow you to update the stream names in your new basins_all shapefile with those you have added or modified in your xxxx_aggr_basins shapefile.

This procedure should result in a direct transfer of most of the customized stream names to the basins_all shapefile. Approximately 15% of the transferred names will require additional post-transfer verification to ensure that they are the desired names for that basin. An example of this situation is an aggregated basin that may have been named "Little Run Tributary to Stony Creek". When this name is transferred to the native format basins, the aggregated basin is automatically associated with its most downstream component basin or "outlet" basin. Thus, this name will be assigned to a portion of Stony Creek that does not actually include the Little Run Tributary. Unfortunately, this cannot be avoided when transferring names between aggregated and native basins. Through this procedure, we will maximize the number of directly transferred names and flag those transferred names that should be checked.

1. Add the xxxx_aggr_basins shapefile to your View. You should already have basins_all in the same View.

2. Open the xxxx_aggr_basins table.

3. From the Table menu, select Properties and turn off (uncheck the Visible column) all fields except Shape, Pfaf_id, Streamname, and Area_sq_mi. Enter Pfaf_join in the Alias column for Pfaf_id. Enter New_name in the Alias column for Streamname. Enter Area_aggr in the Alias column for Area_sq_mi. Click OK.

4. Select the Pfaf_join field in the xxxx_aggr_basins table (click the field header to select it).

5. Open the basins_all table and select the Pfaf_id field.

6. Click the Join Tables button (or select Join from the Table menu). The Pfaf_join, New_name, and Area_aggr fields from xxxx_aggr_basins will be appended to the basins_all table (the Pfaf_join field will not be visible).

7. From the Table menu, select Properties and turn on (check the Visible column) the Pfaf_join field. Click OK.

8. Next we will create a new field to flag the customized names, including those that should be checked.

   From the Table menu, select Start Editing.

   From the Edit menu, select Add Field. In the Field Definition box, type a name for the field (we will call it Cust_name). Select "String" for Type, and 20 or larger for Width. Click OK. The new field should be added to the basins_all table. We will fill in this field later.

9. We will do a series of three queries (in the same Query window) to select the basins for which names will be transferred:

   a) Click the Query Builder button (hammer with question mark) or select Query from the Table menu. In the box that appears, build the following query:

   ( [Pfaf_join] <> "" )

   Click "New Set". This will select all records corresponding to the basins in the xxxx_aggr_basins shapefile.

   b) Replace the previous query in the Query Builder box with the following:

   ( [Streamname] <> [New_name] )

   Click "Select From Set". This will select all records from the current selection where the old and new stream names are different.

   c) Replace the previous query in the Query Builder box with the following:

   ( [New_name] <> "" )

   Click "Select From Set" and close the Query Builder window.

   The final query selects only the records in the New_name field that have names to avoid replacing named streams with blanks.

10. Select the Streamname field in the basins_all table. Click the Calculate button (or select Calculate from the Field menu). In the Field Calculator box that appears, scroll down to the bottom in Fields and double-click New_name. New_name should now be added to the box under [Streamname]=. Click OK.

    This will copy the names in the New_name field to the Streamname field for the selected records in the table.

    DO NOT CLEAR THE SELECTION YET!!

11. With the same selection of records, click the Cust_name field header to select it. Click the Calculate button (or select Calculate from the Field menu). In the Field Calculator box that appears, enter "yes" (be sure to include the quotation marks) in the box under [Cust_name]=. Click OK.

    This will indicate that these names have been customized.

    DO NOT CLEAR THE SELECTION YET!!

12. Finally, we will flag those transferred names that should be re-checked.

    Click the Query Builder button (hammer with question mark) or select Query from the Table menu. In the box that appears, build the following query:

    ( [Area_sq_mi] <> [Area_aggr] )

    Click "Select From Set" and close the Query Builder window. This will select (from the currently selected features) the records corresponding to aggregated basins in the xxxx_aggr_basins shapefile.

    If it is not still selected, click the Cust_name field header to select it. Click the Calculate button (or select Calculate from the Field menu). In the Field Calculator box that appears, enter "yes/need to check" (be sure to include the quotation marks) in the box under [Cust_name]=. Click OK.

    This will serve as a flag for the basins with transferred customized names that should be re-checked.

13. Select Remove All Joins from the Table menu to unjoin the tables.

14. Select Stop Editing from the Table menu and click Yes to save the edits.

You are now ready to prepare the shapefiles for localization.

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