National Status and Trends Program: Mussel Watch Project

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Frequently-anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

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 (May 2006) at <http://www8.nos.noaa.gov/cit/nsandt/download/mw_monitoring.aspx>
  1. How should this data set be cited?

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2000, National Status and Trends Program: Mussel Watch Project.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -158.12417
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -68.73417
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 61.13617
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 21.30250

  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?

    Beginning_Date: 1986
    Ending_Date: 1991
    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 0.00001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.00001. 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?

    Point
    MWsites (Source: <http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/cit/data/>)

    FID
    Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI)

    Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

    Latitude
    Location of sample (Source: NOAA NS&T)

    Non-unique number

    Longitude
    Location of sample (Source: NOAA NS&T)

    Non-unique number

    Gravel
    Gravel (Source: NOAA NS&T)

    Range of values
    Minimum:-4.94
    Maximum:88.2
    Units:Percent
    Resolution:0.01

    Sand
    Sand (Source: NOAA NS&T)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Units:Percent
    Resolution:0.01

    Silt
    Silt (Source: NOAA NS&T)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:85.79
    Units:Percent
    Resolution:0.01

    Clay
    Clay (Source: NOAA NS&T)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Units:Percent
    Resolution:0.01

    Mud
    Fine grained sediment (Source: NOAA NS&T)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Units:Percent
    Resolution:0.01

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?

    NOAA's National Status and Trends Program.

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

    NOAA National Status and Trends Mussel Watch Program
    <http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/cit/data/>
    Unknown, Unknown Unknown

    Unknown (voice)
    <http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/cit/data/>

Why was the data set created?

Contaminant monitoring

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

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

    Date: Unknown (process 1 of 1)
    Unknown methods by NOAA; for inclusion into usSEABED, values were multiplied by 100 to get percentages.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    NOAA National Status & Trends Mussel Watch Program
    <http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/cit/data/>
    Unknown, Unknown Unknown

    Unknown (voice)
    <http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/cit/data/>

    Data sources produced in this process:
    • MWSites

  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?

    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.

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: None

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

    NOAA National Status and Trends Mussel Watch Program
    <http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/cit/data/>
    Unknown, Unknown Unknown

    Unknown (voice)
    <http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/cit/data/>

  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?

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 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:
CSDGM Version 2 (FGDC-STD-001-1998)

Generated by mp version 2.8.17 on Tue May 23 16:13:58 2006