Dataset description:

The dataset reflects spatial delineation of monitored and unmonitored sub-catchments used to compile data on inputs of nutrients and hazardous substances to the Baltic Sea sub-basins in the HELCOM Pollution Load Compilation. The sub-catchments are the smallest entities for which inputs of nutrients and hazardous substances to the Baltic Sea are reported. The sub-catchments are always located within borders of a single country and drain into a single Baltic Sea sub-basin. Sub-catchments may correspond to either monitored or unmonitored areas. Unmonitored sub-catchments may represent either unmonitored parts of river catchments or aggregated unmonitored areas (depending on the reporting format of each Contracting Party).

Polygonal features in the dataset have attributes indicating whether a sub-catchment represents monitored or unmonitored area. A specific attribute indicates that the sub-catchment is in the upstream country of a transboundary river catchment.

The data is reported to the HELCOM Map and Data Service (MADS) and quality assured by Contracting Parties to HELCOM in accordance with the HELCOM Guidelines for the annual and periodical compilation and reporting of waterborne pollution inputs to the Baltic Sea (HELCOM PLC-Water Guideline).

Dataset content:

Polygonal feature class contains the following attributes:

Sub-catchment code (subc_code): unique HELCOM PLC code

Sub-catchment name (subc_name): sub-catchment name corresponds to the name of the river or coastal area

River code (r_code): unique HELCOM PLC code.

Country code (c_code): DK; EE; FI; DE; LV; LT; PL; RU; SE; BY; UA; CZ; SK.

Sub-basin code (subb_code): ARC; BAP; BOB; BOS; GUF; GUR; KAT; SOU; WEB.

Monitoring (monitoring): monitored (M), unmonitored (U)

Transboundary (transboundary): Field values are: TRANS (for downstream parts of transboundary rivers and border rivers), a country code (indicates the downstream country for upstream parts of transboundary rivers), or N/A (river is non transboundary).

Area km2 (area_km2): sub-catchment area in km2

Year (year).

Country codes used in the dataset correspond to: BY-BELARUS, CZ-CZECH REPUBLIC, DK-DENMARK; EE-ESTONIA; FI-FINLAND; DE-GERMANY; LV-LATVIA; LT-LITHUANIA; PL-POLAND; RU-RUSSIA; SK-SLOVAKIA; SE-SWEDEN; UA-UKRAINE.

The Baltic Sea sub-basin codes used in the dataset are: ARC-ARCHIPELAGO SEA; BAP-BALTIC PROPER; BOB-BOTHNIAN BAY; BOS-BOTHNIAN SEA; GUF-GULF OF FINLAND; GUR-GULF OF RIGA; KAT-KATTEGAT; SOU-SOUND; WEB-WESTERN BALTIC.

Visualization:

Map layer of monitored and unmonitored areas.

Map layer of transboundary and border rivers.

Catchment areas of Baltic Sea sub-basins.

Data update:

Metadata is updated by HELCOM Secretariat annually by 1 April.

The dataset is updated by HELCOM Secretariat annually by 1 April.