NORCAL1952_1971 - Vectorized Shoreline of Northern California Derived from 1952-1971 Source Data

Frequently-asked questions:


What does this data set describe?

Title:
NORCAL1952_1971 - Vectorized Shoreline of Northern California Derived from 1952-1971 Source Data

Abstract:
There are critical needs for a nationwide compilation of reliable shoreline data.  To meet these needs, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has produced a comprehensive database of digital vector shorelines by compiling shoreline positions from pre-existing historical shoreline databases and by generating historical and modern shoreline data.  Shorelines are compiled by state and generally correspond to one of four time periods: 1800s, 1920s-1930s, 1970s, and 1998-2002.  Each shoreline may represent a compilation of data from one or more sources for one or more dates provided by one or more agencies.  Details regarding source are provided in the 'Data Quality Information' section of this metadata report.  Shoreline vectors derived from historic sources (first three time periods) represent the high water line at the time of the survey, whereas modern shorelines (final time period) represent the mean high water line.

  1. How should this data set be cited?

    Cheryl Hapke, David Reid, 2006, NORCAL1952_1971 - Vectorized Shoreline of Northern California Derived from 1952-1971 Source Data: Open-File Report 2006-1251, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Pacific Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA.

    Online links:
    This is part of the following larger work:

    Cheryl Hapke, David Reid, 2006, National Assessment of Shoreline Change: A GIS Compilation of Vector Shorelines and Associated Shoreline Change Data for the Sandy Shorelines of the California Coast: Open-File Report 2006-1251, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Pacific Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA.

    Online links:
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    Bounding coordinates:
    West: -124.408512
    East: -122.966230
    North: 42.000012
    South: 38.232334

  3. What does it look like?

  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

    Beginning date: 1945
    Ending date: 1976
    Currentness reference:
    ground condition

  5. What is the general form of this data set?

    Geospatial data presentation form: vector digital data

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
      • String (119)

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.000000. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.000000. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees.

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222.

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    Norcal1952_1971
    Vector Shoreline from NOS T-Sheets
    (Source:
    USGS
    )

    FID
    Internal feature number.
    (Source:
    ESRI
    )

    Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

    Shape
    Feature geometry.
    (Source:
    ESRI
    )

    Coordinates defining the features.

    ID
    Feature number.
    (Source:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    )

    Range of values
    Minimum: 1
    Maximum: 40677

    TYPE
    Type of feature.
    (Source:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    )

    Value Definition
    Shoreline
    Vector shoreline.

    DESCR
    Detailed description of the feature.
    (Source:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    )

    Describes additional characteristics of the feature.

    SOURCE
    Agency that provided feature or data used to create feature.
    (Source:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    )

    Value Definition
    NOAA NOS T-Sheets
    NOAA

    ACCURACY
    Position accuracy of feature.
    (Source:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    )

    Range of values
    Minimum: 0
    Maximum: 0
    Units: meters

    DATE_
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Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)


  2. Who also contributed to the data set?

  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

    Bruce Richmond
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Pacific Science Center
    400 Natural Bridges Drive
    Santa Cruz, Ca 95060
    USA

    (831) 427-4450 (voice)
    (831) 427-4748 (FAX)
    Hours of Service: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern Standard Time
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Why was the data set created?

Historical shoreline change is considered to be a crucial element in studying the vulnerability of the national shoreline.  These data are used in a shoreline change analysis for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Assessment Project.

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How was the data set created?

  1. Where did the data come from?

    USGS DRGs (source 1 of 1)

    U.S. Geological Survey, 2006, USGS Digital Raster Graphics: U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO.

    Online links:
    Other citation details:
    California Spatial Information Library (CASIL) 900 N St. Sacramento, Ca. 95814 (916) 653-1369

    Type of source media: Vector Shorelines
    Source contribution:
    USGS Digital Raster Graphics

  2. What changes have been made?

    (change 1 of 2)
    Shorelines from one or more sources were sought in an effort to develop a single shoreline for each time period.  Digital shorelines, if available from another agency, were acquired.  If no digital shorelines were available or if a data set was incomplete, T-sheets were requested from NOAA and received as scanned raster images.  T-sheets were geo-registered using ERDAS Imagine geographic imaging software by placing 6-10 well-spaced ground control points at gridline intersections.  Some T-sheets may have required additional coordinate transformation information from NOAA to account for datum offsets between historical datums (USSD) and modern datums (NAD27 or NAD83).  Datum transformations were applied to GCP coordinates prior to registration.  Total RMS error for the rectification process was maintained below 1 pixel, which translates to approximately 4m at a scale of 1:20,000 and 1.5m at a scale of 1:10,000.  Geo-registered T-sheets were loaded in ArcView and vector shorelines were digitized. 
    
    Where historical T-sheets were unavailable USGS Digital Raster Graphics from the California Spatial Information Library were downloaded and the shoreline was digitized from the georeferenced maps. Please see http://gis.ca.gov/DRG.epl for more information.
    
    Quality assessments were performed and shorelines were edited to remove any overlap between adjacent shorelines.  No edgematching between adjacent shorelines was attempted. Finally, shorelines from all sources were merged to produce a single shoreline for the period.  The final shoreline was coded with 6 attribute fields (ID, Type, Date, Descr, Source, and Accuracy) required for the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS), which was used to calculate shoreline change rates.  The attributes reflect the source of the data and the original survey year.

    Person responsible for change:
    Bruce Richmond
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Pacific Science Center
    400 Natural Bridges Drive
    Santa Cruz, Ca 95060
    USA

    (831) 427-4450 (voice)
    (831) 427-4748 (FAX)
    Hours of Service: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Standard Time

    Date: 20070716 (change 2 of 2)
    Data were projected from UTM zone 10 to geographic with a datum shift from NAD27 to NAD83
    
    Tool: ArcGIS > ArcToolbox > Toolboxes > Data Management Tools > Project
    
    Command issued:
    GEOGCS['GCS_North_American_1983',DATUM['D_North_American_1983',SPHEROID['GRS_1980',6378137.0,298.257222101]],PRIMEM['Greenwich',0.0],UNIT['Degree',0.0174532925199433]] # NAD_1927_To_NAD_1983_NADCON

    Person responsible for change:
    Emily Himmelstoss
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
    USA

    508-548-8700 x2262 (voice)
    (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
    ehimmelstoss@usgs.gov

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How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

    The maximum estimated positional error for this shoreline is 10.1 meters.  Please visit our full report on shoreline change in the Coastline of California (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1219/), under the heading 'Uncertainties and Errors', for a complete explanation of the measurement error.

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

    This shoreline data adequately represented the shoreline at the time of the survey.  Remaining gaps in this data, if applicable, are a consequence of non-existing data or existing data that did not meet quality assurance standards.

  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

    There is significant agreement of linework between adjacent shorelines.  Shorelines were checked for accuracy, but no edgematching attempts were made between adjacent shorelines even if slight offsets existed.

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How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access constraints: None
Use constraints:
This data set is not to be used for navigational purposes.

Public domain data from the U.S. government are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution.  Please recognize the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as the source of this information.

Distributor 1 of 1

  1. Who distributes the data set?

    U.S. Geological Survey
    Pacific Science Center
    400 Natural Bridges Drive
    Santa Cruz, Ca 95060
    USA

    (831) 427-4450 (voice)
    (831) 427-4748 (FAX)
    Hours of Service: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern Standard Time

  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

    Downloadable Data: USGS Open-File Report 2006-1251

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    Although these data have been used by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior, these data and information are provided with the understanding that they are not guaranteed to be usable, timely, accurate, or complete. Users are cautioned to consider carefully the provisional nature of these data and information before using them for decisions that concern personal or public safety or the conduct of business that involves substantial monetary or operational consequences. Conclusions drawn from, or actions undertaken on the basis of, such data and information are the sole responsibility of the user.
    
    Neither the U.S. Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, contractors, or subcontractors, make any warranty, express or implied, nor assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any data, software, information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, nor represent that its use would not infringe on privately owned rights.
    
    Trade, firm, or product names and other references to non-USGS products and services are provided for information only and do not constitute endorsement or warranty, express or implied, by the USGS, USDOI, or U.S. Government, as to their suitability, content, usefulness, functioning, completeness, or accuracy.

  4. How can I download or order the data?

    • Availability in digital form:


    • Data format:
      Seven files comprise the ArcView shapefile: <filename>.dbf, <filename>.shp, <filename>.shx, <filename>.prj, <filename>.avl, <filename>.sbx, <filename>.sbn
      in format SHP
      ESRI polyline shapefile
      Size: 0.654
      Network links:
      http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1251/NCal.zip
      http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1251/#gis

    • Cost to order the data: None


  5. Is there some other way to get the data?

  6. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?

    These data are available in Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) shapefile format. The user must have ArcGIS or ArcView 3.0 or greater software to read and process the data file. In lieu of ArcView or ArcGIS, the user may utilize another GIS application package capable of importing the data. A free data viewer, ArcExplorer, capable of displaying the data is available from ESRI at www.esri.com.

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Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 20070716
Last reviewed: 20070301

Metadata author:
U.S. Geological Survey
Pacific Science Center
400 Natural Bridges Drive
Santa Cruz, Ca 95060
USA

(831) 427-4450 (voice)
(831) 427-4748 (FAX)
Hours of Service: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern Standard Time

Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)

Metadata extensions used:
  • http://www.esri.com/metadata/esriprof80.html

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