Shoreline for the Pacific Northwest Region (shoreline_pacnw.shp)

Metadata also available as - [Outline] - [Parseable text] - [XML]

Frequently-anticipated questions:


What does this data set describe?

Title:
Shoreline for the Pacific Northwest Region (shoreline_pacnw.shp)
Abstract:
This data set is a polygon shapefile representing shoreline defined as the zero contour at Mean High Water for the states of Oregon and Washington, and southern British Columbia, Canada.
  1. How should this data set be cited?

    NOAA Center for Tsunami Research, 2006, Shoreline for the Pacific Northwest Region (shoreline_pacnw.shp): U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Wong, Florence L. , Venturato, Angie J. , and Geist, Eric L. , 2006, Seaside, Oregon Tsunami Pilot Study -- Modernization of FEMA Flood Hazard Maps: GIS Data: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 236, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -125.324097
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -121.179734
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 49.117737
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.880538

  3. What does it look like?

    <https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2006/236/metadata/shoreline_pacnw.gif> (GIF)
    Mean High Water coastline of Oregon and Washington.

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

    Calendar_Date: 2006
    Currentness_Reference: publication date

  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):

      • G-polygon (861)

    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 1.000000. Longitudes are given to the nearest 1.000000. 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?

    shoreline_pacnw
    name of shapefile (Source: none)

    FID
    Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI)

    Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

    Shape
    Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI)

    Coordinates defining the features.

    COAST
    elevation used for modeling (Source: User-defined)

    Refer to Venturato cross reference

    SOURCETHM
    Source of feature (Source: User-defined)

    Refer to sources

    MHW
    Mean High Water (Source: National Ocean Service)

    User-defined for modeling

    ACRES
    area of polygon in acres (Source: none)

    Area defining the features.

    HECTARES
    Area in hectares (Source: none)

    Area defining the features.

    MLLW
    Mean Lower Low Water (Source: National Ocean Service)

    User-defined for modeling

    Z
    Elevation in meters (Source: User-defined)

    User-defined for modeling


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?

    Washington State Department of Ecology, Oregon Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Geological Survey National Aerial Photography Program.

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

    Angie J. Venturato
    NOAA Center for Tsunami Research
    Research Scientist
    7600 Sand Point Way NE
    Seattle, Washington 98115
    USA

    206-526-6556 (voice)
    Angie.J.Venturato@noaa.gov


Why was the data set created?

This data set is one of a collection of spatially referenced digital files in a geographic information system related to the Seaside, Oregon, Tsunami Pilot Study.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Federal Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) guidelines do not currently exist for conducting and incorporating tsunami hazard assessments that reflect the substantial advances in tsunami research achieved in the last two decades (Tsunami Pilot Study Working Group, 2006). Therefore, as part of the FEMA Modernization Program, a Tsunami Pilot Study was carried out in the Seaside/Gearhart, Oregon, area to provide information from which tsunami mapping guidelines could be developed. This area was chosen because it is typical of coastal communities in the section of the Pacific Coast from Cape Mendocino to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. There was also considerable interest shown by state agencies and local stakeholders in mapping the tsunami threat to this region. The study was an interagency effort by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the University of Southern California, and the Middle East Technical University. We present the GIS data from that report in this publication.

These data are intended for science researchers, students, policy makers, and the general public. The data can be used with geographic information systems (GIS) software to display geologic and oceanographic information.


How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

    wa_shore (source 1 of 3)
    Washington State Department of Ecology, 20010830, Washington State Marine Shorelines: Washington State Department of Ecology, Olympia, Washington.

    Online Links:

    Type_of_Source_Media: online
    Source_Contribution:
    shoreline representing Mean High Water for Washington and lower British Columbia

    or_shore (source 2 of 3)
    Oregon Bureau of Land Management, 2001, Oregon Watershed Boundaries: Oregon Bureau of Land Management, Portland, Oregon.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    The data were obtained through the Oregon Geospatial Data Clearinghouse
    Type_of_Source_Media: online
    Source_Scale_Denominator: 24000
    Source_Contribution: shoreline representing Mean High Water for Oregon

    or_napp (source 3 of 3)
    US Geological Survey National Aerial Photography Program, 2002, 2000 Digital Orthophoto Quads: US Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    These data were obtained through the Oregon Geospatial Data Clearinghouse
    Type_of_Source_Media: online
    Source_Scale_Denominator: 24000
    Source_Contribution:
    shoreline representing Mean High Water for the Seaside-Gearhart region

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

    Date: Aug-2004 (process 1 of 2)
    DATA CONVERSION. Each raw data source was converted into ESRI ArcGIS formats. The resulting files were converted and adjusted to predetermined projection (geographic), horizontal datum (NAD83), and vertical datum (MHW).

    Data sources used in this process:

    • wa_shore
    • or_shore
    • or_napp

    Date: 2004 (process 2 of 2)
    COASTLINE. A vector polyline shapefile of coastline was developed to represent the Mean High Water line. The shapefile was developed based on a culmination of data sources. The latest and most accurate data superseded older data sets. Orthophotos were used as visual assessment of the final vector line.

    Data sources used in this process:

    • wa_shore
    • or_shore
    • or_napp

    Data sources produced in this process:

    • shoreline_pacnw

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

    Tsunami Pilot Study Working Group, 2006, Seaside, Oregon Tsunami Pilot Study -- Modernization of FEMA Flood Hazard Maps: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2006-1234, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California.

    Online Links:

    Venturato, A.J., 2005, A digital elevation model for Seaside, Oregon: Procedures, data sources, and analyses.

    Online Links:

    Washington State Department of Ecology, 20010830, Washington State Marine Shorelines: Washington State Department of Ecology, Olympia, Washington.

    Online Links:

    Oregon Bureau of Land Management, 2001, Oregon Watershed Boundaries: Oregon Bureau of Land Management, Portland, Oregon.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    The data were obtained through the Oregon Geospatial Data Clearinghouse
    US Geological Survey National Aerial Photography Program, 2002, 2000 Digital Orthophoto Quads: US Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    These data were obtained through the Oregon Geospatial Data Clearinghouse


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

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

    These data contain attributes automatically generated by ESRI ArcGIS software, defined by the source, and additional user-defined attributes for use in analysis or model development.

  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?

    Complete.

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

    These data represent an interpretation of the Mean High Water line from the latest available information. The data set was checked for logical consistency to ensure there were no gaps or errant polygons.


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:
These data were created for the sole purpose of the Seaside, Oregon, Tsunami Pilot Study. It is not meant for navigational means. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration makes no expressed or implied warranty regarding the accuracy of these data.

The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the U.S. Geological Survey in the use of these data on any other system.

Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

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

    U.S. Geological Survey
    USGS Information Services Box 25286
    Denver, Colorado 80225-0286
    USA

    1-888-275-8747 (voice)
    infoservices@usgs.gov

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

    U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 236

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    The act of distribution shall not constitute any warranty expressed or implied by the U.S. Geological Survey as to the accuracy of these data, and no responsibility is assumed by the U.S. Geological Survey in the use of these data on any other system.

  4. How can I download or order the data?


Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 29-Jun-2006
Last Reviewed: Jul-2006
Metadata author:
NOAA Center for Tsunami Research
c/o Angie J. Venturato
7600 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, Washington 98115
USA

206-526-6556 (voice)
Angie.J.Venturato@noaa.gov

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


Generated by mp version 2.8.11 on Tue Dec 19 09:26:44 2006