National Status and Trends Program: Mussel Watch Project

Frequently-anticipated questions:

• What does this data set describe?
  1. How should this data set be cited?
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
• Who produced the data set?
  1. Who are the originators of the data set?
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
• Why was the data set created?
• How was the data set created?
  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
• 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?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the data, including topology?
• How can someone get a copy of the data set?
  1. Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
  2. Who distributes the data?
  3. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
  4. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
  5. How can I download or order the data?
• Who wrote the metadata?

Title: National Status and Trends Program: Mussel Watch Project

Abstract:

"The Mussel Watch Project monitors a suite of contaminants in mussels and oysters yearly at selected sites in coastal and estuarine waters of the United States. On a less-than-annual basis, sediments at Mussel Watch Project sites also are analyzed for contaminants. Samples are collected from approximately 240 sites in all U.S. coastal states, including Alaska and Hawaii. About 200 of these sites are monitored on an annual basis. Fewer sites (about 150) were represented when the Project was initiated in 1986. Site locations were expanded in 1992 to include the Great Lakes (using zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha), the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. On average, the distances between sampling sites are 20 km in estuaries and embayments and 100 km along open coastlines. More than 50 Mussel Watch sites coincide with sites occupied from 1976 to 1978 by the EPA Mussel Watch Program. Three composite samples (30 mussels or 20 oysters) are collected at each site. Sediment samples are collected at three stations within each site, a station being anywhere within 500 m of a site center. Generally, mollusks are collected in the intertidal to shallow subtidal zones. Associated sediments may be collected as much as 2 km away from the site center. Sediment samples are skimmed from the top 1 cm of the sediment surface." From: <http://gcmd.nasa.gov/records/GCMD_ORCA_CMBAD_NS_T_MWP.html>

Supplemental_Information:

At the time of download, data were located at: <http://www-orca.nos.noaa.gov/projects/nsandt/nsandt.html>. That site moved and is currently at: <http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/cit/data/>

1. How should this data set be cited?

   National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Status and Trends Program: Mussel Watch Project.

   Online Links:

   • <http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/cit/data/>
   • <http://www8.nos.noaa.gov/cit/nsandt/download/mw_monitoring.aspx>

2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

   West_Bounding_Coordinate: -158.124170

   East_Bounding_Coordinate: -68.734170

   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 61.136170

   South_Bounding_Coordinate: 21.302500

3. What does it look like?

   mwsites.jpg (JPEG)

   Mussel Watch Project sample locations

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

   Calendar_Date: 2000

   Currentness_Reference: publication date

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

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: tabular 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):

      • Entity point (1134)

   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 0.000001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.000001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees.

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1927.
      The ellipsoid used is Clarke 1866.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378206.400000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/294.978698.
      

7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

   mwsites

   FID

   Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI)

   Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   Shape

   Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI)

   Coordinates defining the features.

   PROGRAM_SI

   (Source: Source report)

   LATITUDE

   Latitude of coordinate position (Source: Source report)

   LONGITUDE

   Longitude of coordinate position (Source: Source report)

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

2. Who also contributed to the data set?

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

   Jamey Reid
   U.S. Geological Survey
   IT Specialist (Data Management)
   384 Woods Hole Rd.
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   

   (508) 548-8700 x2204 (voice)
   (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
   jreid@usgs.gov
   

Contaminant monitoring

1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

   NST_MW (source 1 of 1)

   Type_of_Source_Media: online

   Source_Contribution: % gravel, sand, silt and clay and % fine grain for 1144 samples

2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

   (process 1 of 2)

   Original fine grain data were multiplied by 100 to obtain percent.

   Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Jamey Reid
   U.S. Geological Survey
   IT Specialist (Data Management)
   384 Woods Hole Rd.
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   

   (508) 548-8700 x2204 (voice)
   (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
   jreid@usgs.gov
   

   (process 2 of 2)

   Digital data were hand formatted into dbSEABED data entry structure, then filtered and data-mined through dbSEABED software (version: db9_MNEs.bas)

   Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Jamey Reid
   U.S. Geological Survey
   IT Specialist (Data Management)
   384 Woods Hole Rd.
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   

   (508) 548-8700 x2204 (voice)
   (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
   jreid@usgs.gov
   

3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

   National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Status and Trends Program: Mussel Watch Project.

   Online Links:

   • <http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/cit/data/>
   • <http://gcmd.nasa.gov/records/GCMD_ORCA_CMBAD_NS_T_MWP.html>

1. How well have the observations been checked?

   All attributes were entered and checked by the compilers in a consistent manner.

2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

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

   % gravel, sand, silt and clay and % fine grain for 1144 samples

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

   No additional checks for topological consistency were performed on this data.

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

Access_Constraints: None

Use_Constraints: None

1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

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

   NOAA's NS & T Mussel Watch Project data

3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

   Although this data set has been used by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS as to the accuracy of the data and/or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the USGS in the use of these data or related materials. 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:	Size: 0.111

   • Cost to order the data:

Dates:

Last modified: 25-May-2005
Last Reviewed: 04-May-2005

Metadata author:

Jamey Reid
U.S. Geological Survey
IT Specialist (Data Management)
384 Woods Hole Rd.
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598

(508) 548-8700 x2204 (voice)
(508) 457-2310 (FAX)
jreid@usgs.gov

Metadata standard:

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

Metadata extensions used:

• <http://www.esri.com/metadata/esriprof80.html>