Water Level Probability Distributions for the Seaside, Oregon, Region

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?

What does this data set describe?

1. How should this data set be cited?

   NOAA Center for Tsunami Research, 2006, Water Level Probability Distributions for the Seaside, Oregon, Region: Water Level Probability Distributions for the Pacific Northwest 2006, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California.

   Online Links:

   • <https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2006/236/catalog.shtml>

   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:

   • <https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2006/236/>

2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

   West_Bounding_Coordinate: -125.0

   East_Bounding_Coordinate: -123.0

   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 47.0

   South_Bounding_Coordinate: 44.0

3. What does it look like?

   <https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2006/236/metadata/waterlevel_prob.gif> (GIF)

   Probability density functions computed from observed water levels at the nearest long-term tide stations to Seaside.

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

   Beginning_Date: 1983

   Ending_Date: 2001

   Currentness_Reference: ground condition

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?

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

      Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:

      Depth_System_Definition:

      Depth_Datum_Name: Mean lower low water

      Depth_Resolution: 0.001

      Depth_Distance_Units: meters

      Depth_Encoding_Method: Attribute values

7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

Who produced the data set?

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   • NOAA Center for Tsunami Research

2. Who also contributed to the data set?

   Spargo, E.A. (2003), Myers, E.P. and Baptista, A.M. (2001), and Foreman, M.G.G., et al. (2000)

3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
   NOAA Center for Tsunami Research
   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 and associated tabular data from that report in this publication.

These data are intended for science researchers, students, policy makers, and the general public.

How was the data set created?

1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

   1939 (source 1 of 1)

   NOAA National Ocean Service, 2004, Water Level Station Observations.

   Online Links:

   • <http://www.tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/>

   Other_Citation_Details:

   Water level observations were obtained for Toke Point (9440910), Astoria (9439040), and South Beach (9435380)

   Type_of_Source_Media: online

   Source_Contribution:

   Observed water level heights relative to Mean Lower Low Water for the National Tidal Datum Epoch of 1983-2001

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

   Date: 2004 (process 1 of 1)

   Refer to Mofjeld, et al. (2004) cross reference

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:

   • <https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1234/>

   Mofjeld, H.O., A.J. Venturato, F.I. Gonzalez, , 2004, Background tides and sea level variations at Seaside, Oregon.

   Online Links:

   • <http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/pubs/PDF/mofj2736/mofj2736.pdf>

   Foreman, M.G.G., W.R. Crawford, J.Y. Cherniawsky, 2000, A high-resolution assimilating tidal model for the northeast Pacific Ocean.

   Myers, E.P., and A.M. Baptista, 2001, Inversion for tides in the Eastern North Pacific Ocean.

   Spargo, E.A., 2003, Using a Finite Element Model of the Shallow Water Equations to Model Tides in the Eastern North Pacific Ocean.

   NOAA National Ocean Service, 2004, Water Level Station Observations.

   Online Links:

   • <http://www.tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/>

   Other_Citation_Details:

   Water level observations were obtained for Toke Point (9440910), Astoria (9439040), and South Beach (9435380)

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?

   Complete.

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

   Refer to Mofjeld, et al. (2004) cross reference

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?
   • Availability in digital form:

     Data format:	Unicode Text
     Network links:	<https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2006/236/>

   • Cost to order the data: None.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:

Last modified: 27-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)