Coastal Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise: A Preliminary Database for the U.S. Pacific 
Coast Identification_Information: Citation: Citation_Information: Originator: 
U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole Field Center Publication_Date: 20010110 Title: 
Coastal Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise: A Preliminary Database for the U.S. Pacific 
Coast Edition: Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Map Publication_Information: 
Publication_Place: Woods Hole, Massachusetts Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey 
Other_Citation_Details: This CD-ROM is designed to address the needs of a variety 
of different users. It contains the geographic information system (GIS) databases 
necessary to incorporate data from multiple sources into a common spatial framework 
for hazards mapping and analysis. It also contains links to a free user-friendly 
GIS mapping tool to allow organizations that do not have GIS software the ability 
to view and manipulate the data on the CD-ROM. Online_Linkage: Larger_Work_Citation: 
Citation_Information: Originator: U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole Publication_Date: 
20010110 Title: Coastal Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise: A Preliminary Database 
for the U.S. Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico Coasts Publication_Information: 
Publication_Place: Woods Hole, Massachusetts Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey 
Online_Linkage: Description: Abstract: The goal of this project is to provide 
a preliminary overview, at a National scale, the relative susceptibility of the 
Nation's coast to sea- level rise through the use of a coastal vulnerability index 
(CVI). This initial classification is based upon the variables geomorphology, 
regional coastal slope, tide range, wave height, relative sea-level rise and shoreline 
erosion and accretion rates. The combination of these variables and the association 
of these variables to each other furnish a broad overview of regions where physical 
changes are likely to occur due to sea-level rise. Purpose: The purpose of this 
data layer is to allow the user to view both the coastal vulnerability index (CVI) 
and the data from which the CVI is calculated (tides, wave height, relative sea-level 
rise, coastal slope, geomorphology, and shoreline erosion and accretion rate) 
for the U.S. Pacific Coast. The CVI provides insight into the relative potential 
for coastal change due to future sea-level rise. The maps and data presented here 
can be viewed in at least two ways: 1) as a base for developing a more complete 
inventory of variables influencing the coastal vulnerability to future sea-level 
rise to which other elements can be added as they become available; and 2) as 
an example of the potential for assessing coastal vulnerability to future sea-level 
rise using objective criteria. Supplemental_Information: Time_Period_of_Content: 
Time_Period_Information: Range_of_Dates/Times: Beginning_Date: Ending_Date: Currentness_Reference: 
publication date Status: Progress: Complete Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: 
Continually Spatial_Domain: Bounding_Coordinates: West_Bounding_Coordinate: -124.7608 
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -117.1012 North_Bounding_Coordinate: 48.3880 South_Bounding_Coordinate: 
32.5612 Keywords: Theme: Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None Theme_Keyword: Coastal 
Hazards Theme_Keyword: Hazards Theme_Keyword: Erosion Theme_Keyword: Shoreline 
Theme_Keyword: Shoreline Change Theme_Keyword: Beach Theme_Keyword: Beach Erosion 
Theme_Keyword: Sea-Level Theme_Keyword: Sea-Level Rise Theme_Keyword: Slope Theme_Keyword: 
Wave Height Theme_Keyword: Coastal Geomorphology Theme_Keyword: Tide Range Place: 
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None Place_Keyword: Pacific Coast Place_Keyword: West 
Coast Place_Keyword: Oregon Place_Keyword: Washington Place_Keyword: California 
Access_Constraints: none Use_Constraints: none Point_of_Contact: Contact_Information: 
Contact_Organization_Primary: Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey, Woods 
Hole Field Center Contact_Person: E. Robert Thieler Contact_Position: Geologist 
Contact_Address: Address_Type: mailing and physical address Address: 384 Woods 
Hole Road City: Woods Hole State_or_Province: Massachusetts Postal_Code: 02543 
Country: U.S.A Contact_Voice_Telephone: 508-457-2350 Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 
508-457-2310 Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: rthieler@usgs.gov Hours_of_Service: 
M-F 9-5 EST Native_Data_Set_Environment: ArcView version 3.2 shapefile format 
data\pacific\pacific.shp Data_Quality_Information: Attribute_Accuracy: Attribute_Accuracy_Report: 
The attributes in this dataset are based on A Coastal Hazards Database for the 
U.S. West Coast (Gornitz, V. and White, T. W. 1992. ORNL/CDIAC-81, NDP-043C. Oak 
Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee)updated with data from more recent 
sources. The data has gone through a series of QA/QC procedures, and is therefore 
believed to accurately reflect the data gathered in the Coastal Vulnerability 
to Sea-Level Rise Study. Logical_Consistency_Report: This database is believed 
to be logically consistent. Completeness_Report: This database is complete. Positional_Accuracy: 
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy: Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report: none Vertical_Positional_Accuracy: 
Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report: none Lineage: Source_Information: Source_Citation: 
Citation_Information: Originator: U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole Field Center 
Publication_Date: 20010110 Title: Coastal Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise: U.S. 
Atlantic Coast Edition: Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: map Publication_Information: 
Publication_Place: Woods Hole, Massachusetts Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey 
Other_Citation_Details: Online_Linkage: Larger_Work_Citation: Citation_Information: 
Originator: U.S. Geological Survey Publication_Date: 20010110 Title: Coastal Vulnerability 
to Sea-Level Rise: A Preliminary Database for the U.S. Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf 
Coasts Publication_Information: Publication_Place: Woods Hole, Massachusetts Publisher: 
U.S. Geological Survey Online_Linkage: Source_Scale_Denominator: ~1:2,000,000 
Type_of_Source_Media: digital GIS data Source_Time_Period_of_Content: Time_Period_Information: 
Range_of_Dates/Times: Beginning_Date: Ending_Date: Source_Currentness_Reference: 
Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Source_Contribution: Process_Step: Process_Description: 
The Coastal Hazards Database for the U.S. Pacific Coast (Gornitz, V. and White, 
T. W. 1992. ORNL/CDIAC-81, NDP-043C. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, 
Tennessee), NOS tide and sea-level rise data, WIS wave data, state and U.S. Geological 
Survey erosion/accretion rate data, NGDC and ETOPO5 elevation data and the Living 
with the Shore series (Duke University Press, Durham, NC) were used to create 
this digital dataset. An ArcView .shp file was updated with each attribute. Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: 
Process_Date: 19991215 Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: Process_Contact: 
Contact_Information: Contact_Person_Primary: Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological 
Survey, Woods Hole Field Center Contact_Person: E. Robert Thieler Contact_Position: 
Geologist Contact_Address: Address_Type: mailing and physical address Address: 
384 Woods Hole Road City: Woods Hole State_or_Province: Massachusetts Postal_Code: 
02543 Country: U.S.A. Contact_Voice_Telephone: 508-457-2350 Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 
508-457-2310 Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: rthieler@usgs.gov Hours_of_Service: 
9-5 M-F EST Spatial_Data_Organization_Information: Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: 
Vector Point_and_Vector_Object_Information: SDTS_Terms_Description: SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: 
Complete Chain Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 1635 Spatial_Reference_Information: 
Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition: Geographic: Latitude_Resolution: 3 arc 
seconds Longitude_Resolution: 3 arc seconds Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal 
Degrees Geodetic_Model: Horizontal_Datum_Name: North American Datum of 1983 Ellipsoid_Name: 
WGS 84 Semi-major_Axis: Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: Entity_and_Attribute_Information: 
Detailed_Description: Entity_Type: Entity_Type_Label: pacific.dbf Entity_Type_Definition: 
Shapefile Attribute Table Entity_Type_Definition_Source: None Attribute: Attribute_Label: 
Length Attribute_Definition: Length of line Attribute_Definition_Source: Software 
generated Attribute_Domain_Values: Unrepresentable_Domain: Software computed Attribute: 
Attribute_Label: Id_coast Attribute_Definition: Attribute_Definition_Source: Attribute_Domain_Values: 
Range_Domain: Range_Domain_Minimum: 1 Range_Domain_Maximum: 1635 Attribute: Attribute_Label: 
Sealevel_m Attribute_Definition: Relative Sea-Level Rise (mm/yr) Attribute_Definition_Source: 
NOS Tide Stations Attribute_Domain_Values: Range_Domain: Range_Domain_Minimum: 
-1.9 Range_Domain_Maximum: 2.75 Attribute: Attribute_Label: Sealevelri Attribute_Definition: 
Relative Risk Ranking Attribute_Definition_Source: Attribute_Domain_Values: Range_Domain: 
Range_Domain_Minimum: 1 Range_Domain_Maximum: 4 Attribute: Attribute_Label: Sea_level 
Attribute_Definition: Attribute_Definition_Source: Attribute_Domain_Values: Unrepresentable_Domain: 
Character Field Attribute: Attribute_Label: Slope___ Attribute_Definition: Regional 
Coastal Slope (%) Attribute_Definition_Source: ETOPO5 Attribute_Domain_Values: 
Range_Domain: Range_Domain_Minimum: 0.0079 Range_Domain_Maximum: 5.72 Attribute: 
Attribute_Label: Sloperisk Attribute_Definition: Relative Risk Ranking Attribute_Definition_Source: 
Attribute_Domain_Values: Range_Domain: Range_Domain_Minimum: 1 Range_Domain_Maximum: 
5 Attribute: Attribute_Label: Slope Attribute_Definition: Attribute_Definition_Source: 
Attribute_Domain_Values: Unrepresentable_Domain: Character Field Attribute: Attribute_Label: 
Tide_m_ Attribute_Definition: Mean Tide Range (m) Attribute_Definition_Source: 
NOS Tide Stations Attribute_Domain_Values: Range_Domain: Range_Domain_Minimum: 
1.06 Range_Domain_Maximum: 2.21 Attribute: Attribute_Label: Tiderisk Attribute_Definition: 
Relative Risk Ranking Attribute_Definition_Source: Attribute_Domain_Values: Range_Domain: 
Range_Domain_Minimum: 3 Range_Domain_Maximum: 4 Attribute: Attribute_Label: Tides 
Attribute_Definition: Attribute_Definition_Source: Attribute_Domain_Values: Unrepresentable_Domain: 
Character Field Attribute: Attribute_Label: Waveheight Attribute_Definition: Mean 
Wave Height (m) Attribute_Definition_Source: Attribute_Domain_Values: Range_Domain: 
Range_Domain_Minimum: 0.3 Range_Domain_Maximum: 2.8 Attribute: Attribute_Label: 
Waverisk Attribute_Definition: Relative Risk Ranking Attribute_Definition_Source: 
Attribute_Domain_Values: Range_Domain: Range_Domain_Minimum: 2 Range_Domain_Maximum: 
5 Attribute: Attribute_Label: Waves Attribute_Definition: Attribute_Definition_Source: 
Attribute_Domain_Values: Unrepresentable_Domain: Character Field Attribute: Attribute_Label: 
Erosion__m Attribute_Definition: Erosion and Accretion Rates (m/yr) Attribute_Definition_Source: 
CEIS, Washington Coastal Change Analysis, WA Department of Ecology, Coastal Monitoring 
and Analysis Program Attribute_Domain_Values: Range_Domain: Range_Domain_Minimum: 
-7.0588 Range_Domain_Maximum: 17.5882 Attribute: Attribute_Label: Errrisk Attribute_Definition: 
Relative Risk Ranking Attribute_Definition_Source: Attribute_Domain_Values: Range_Domain: 
Range_Domain_Minimum: 1 Range_Domain_Maximum: 5 Attribute: Attribute_Label: Erosion 
Attribute_Definition: Attribute_Definition_Source: Attribute_Domain_Values: Unrepresentable_Domain: 
Character Field Attribute: Attribute_Label: Geomorphri Attribute_Definition: Geomorphology 
Risk Ranking Attribute_Definition_Source: Attribute_Domain_Values: Range_Domain: 
Range_Domain_Minimum: 1 Range_Domain_Maximum: 5 Attribute: Attribute_Label: Geomorph 
Attribute_Definition: Attribute_Definition_Source: Attribute_Domain_Values: Unrepresentable_Domain: 
Character Field Attribute: Attribute_Label: Cvidata Attribute_Definition: Actual 
CVI value Attribute_Definition_Source: Calculated Attribute_Domain_Values: Range_Domain: 
Range_Domain_Minimum:2.82 Range_Domain_Maximum: 24.49 Attribute: Attribute_Label: 
Cvirisk Attribute_Definition: Relative Risk Ranking Attribute_Definition_Source: 
Attribute_Domain_Values: Range_Domain: Range_Domain_Minimum: 1 Range_Domain_Maximum: 
4 Attribute: Attribute_Label: Cvi Attribute_Definition: Attribute_Definition_Source: 
Attribute_Domain_Values: Unrepresentable_Domain: Character Field Overview_Description: 
Entity_and_Attribute_Overview: Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: Distribution_Information: 
Distributor: Contact_Information: Contact_Organization_Primary: Contact_Organization: 
U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole Field Center Contact_Person: E. Robert Thieler 
Contact_Position: Geologist Contact_Address: Address_Type: mailing and physical 
address Address: 384 Woods Hole Road City: Woods Hole State_or_Province: Massachusetts 
Postal_Code: 02543 Country: U.S.A. Contact_Voice_Telephone: 508-457-2350 Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 
508-457-2310 Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: rthieler@usgs.gov Hours_of_Service: 
9-5 M-F EST Resource_Description: Distribution_Liability: User must assume responsibility 
to determine the usability of this data. Standard_Order_Process: Digital_Form: 
Digital_Transfer_Information: Format_Name: ESRI shapefile, ESRI .e00 file Digital_Transfer_Option: 
Offline_Option: Offline_Media: CD-ROM Recording_Format: ISO 9660 Compatibility_Information: 
ISO 9660 format allows the CD-ROM to be read by most computer operating systems. 
Fees: none Ordering_Instructions: Contact: E. Robert Thieler USGS Woods Hole Field 
Center 384 Woods Hole Road Woods Hole, MA 02543 rthieler@usgs.gov Metadata_Reference_Information: 
Metadata_Date: 20000626 Metadata_Review_Date: Metadata_Contact: Contact_Information: 
Contact_Organization_Primary: Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey, Woods 
Hole Field Center Contact_Person: E. Robert Thieler Contact_Position: Geologist 
Contact_Address: Address_Type: Mailing and physical address Address: 384 Woods 
Hole Road City: Woods Hole State_or_Province: Massachusetts Postal_Code: 02543 
Country: U.S.A. Contact_Voice_Telephone: 508-457-2350 Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 
508-457-2310 Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: rthieler@usgs.gov Hours_of_Service: 
9-5 M-F EST Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC CSDGM Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998