This polygon shapefile represents waterbodies and wetlands of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The map layer was produced primarily from the Medium-Resolution and High-Resolution National Hydrography Dataset NHDWaterbody feature classes, through feature selection and cartographic generalization based on reference to published small-scale ancillary data sets. This is a revised version of the July 2012 map layer. This layer is part of the 1997-2014 edition of the National Atlas of the United States.

These data are intended for geographic display and analysis at the national level, and for large regional areas. The data should be displayed and analyzed at scales appropriate for 1:1,000,000-scale data. No responsibility is assumed by the National Atlas of the United States in the use of these data.