Digital Data Set of Orchards Where Arsenical Pesticides Were Likely Used in Clarke and Frederick Counties, Virginia and Berkeley and Jefferson Counties, West Virginia

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Metadata:

Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Peter Larkins
Originator: Bradley Reed
Originator: Gilpin R. Robinson, Jr.
Publication_Date: 20061008
Title:
Digital Data Set of Orchards Where Arsenical Pesticides Were Likely Used in Clarke and Frederick Counties, Virginia and Berkeley and Jefferson Counties, West Virginia
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Series_Information:
Series_Name: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report
Issue_Identification: 2006-1330
Online_Linkage: <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1330/>
Description:
Abstract:
This data set shows orchard locations in Clarke and Frederick Counties, Virginia and Berkeley and Jefferson Counties, West Virginia where arsenical pesticides were likely used. The orchard locations are based on air photos and topographic maps prepared using information from the time period of extensive use of arsenical pesticides between the 1920s and 1960s. An orchard's presence in this data set does not necessarily indicate the use of arsenical pesticides on the site or that elevated arsenic and metal concentrations are present. Arsenical pesticides may have been used on part, or none, of the land and, under current land use, the land may have been remediated and no longer contain elevated arsenic and metal concentrations in soil.
The data set was created to be used in an assessment of soil contamination related to past use of arsenical pesticides in orchards in the northern part of the Great Valley region, Virginia and West Virginia. Previous studies have documented that elevated concentrations of arsenic, lead, and sometimes copper occur in the soils of former apple orchards (Veneman et al., 1983; Jones and Hatch, 1937).
Arsenical pesticide use was most extensive and widespread in agricultural applications from the 1920s to the late 1950s, and largely ceased agricultural use by the early 1960s in the nation. During this time period, lead arsenate was the most extensively used arsenical pesticide (Peryea, 1998), particularly in apple orchards. Other metal-bearing pesticides, such as copper acetoarsenite (Paris Green), Bordeaux Blue (a mixture of copper sulfate and calcium hydroxide), and organic mercury fumigants were used to a lesser degree in orchards (Peryea, 1998; Shepard, 1939; Veneman et al., 1983).
During the time arsenical pesticides were extensively used, federal and state pesticide laws did not require farmers to keep accurate records of the quantity, location, and type of arsenical pesticides used on their property, thus the quantity and distribution of this past arsenical pesticide use is not known in the region. Based on estimates from other areas (D'Angelo et al., 1996), cumulate application over the period of arsenical pesticide use may have been as much as 22.4 g/m2 of arsenic and 100 g/m2 of lead in orchard areas. In minimally disturbed orchard soils, arsenic and lead are largely retained in the top few centimeters of the soil horizon; intra-soil redistribution of these metals occurs but appears to be limited (Veneman et al. 1983; Peryea, 1998). Surface concentrations of arsenic and lead in undisturbed orchard soils where arsenical pesticides were used commonly exceed 20 mg/kg As and 100 mg/kg Pb (Veneman et al., 1983; Jones and Hatch, 1937).
The digital data set of orchard locations was used to aid assessment of the likely occurrence and distribution of arsenical pesticide residues in surface soils. Most areas of orchard cultivation were sited in areas overlying carbonate bedrock in the Valley and Ridge province.
This data set needed to be created since there was no reliable and complete land cover data set identifying areas under orchard cultivation during the time period of extensive use of arsenical pesticides in the study area as of the time of the study.
The spatial database of orchard areas was compiled using twenty-seven USGS 7.5 minute series topographical maps covering the study area of Clarke and Frederick Counties, Virginia, and Berkeley and Jefferson Counties, West Virginia. These maps were published between 1943 and 1972 at 1:24,000 scale, with the oldest topographic map available from the US Geological Survey map archive for each area being chosen, going back only as far as the 1920s when use of arsenical pesticides started. Orchard areas on the topographic maps were traced in order to aid in the digitization of the sites. The topographic maps were then scanned and geographically referenced using ERDAS Imagine version 8.7, a raster editing program, turning them into rectified images using the 1983 North American Datum. Orchard areas were then digitized from these rectified images using ArcGIS version 9.1 to create the spatial database of orchards, which was then projected into the Universal Transverse Mercator Zone 18 North projection. The orchard data set includes several descriptive attributes that identify each orchard's polygon. The values for area were calculated using the XTools Pro version 3 extension for ArcGIS desktop.
References Cited
D'Angelo, D., S.A.Norton, M.C.Loiselle. 1996. Historical Uses and Fate of Arsenic in Maine. Water Research Institute Completion Report 1986. University of Maine, Orono, Maine.
Jones, J.S., M.B. Hatch. 1937. The significance of inorganic spray residue accumulations in orchard soils. Soil Sci. 44:37-61.
Peryea, F.J. 1998. Historical use of lead arsenate insecticides, resulting soil contamination and implications for soil remediation [Online]. Proc. 16th World Congress of Soil Science, 25th, Montpellier, France. 24-25 Aug. 1998. Available at <http://natres.psu.ac.th/Link/SoilCongress/en/symt25.htm> (Verified 11 Sept. 2006).
Shepard, H.H. 1939. The chemistry and toxicology of insecticides. Burgess, Minneapolis, MN.
Veneman, P.L.M., Jr., J.R. Murray, J.H. Baker. 1983. Spatial distribution of pesticide residues in a former apple orchard. J. Environ. Qual. 12:101-104.
Purpose:
To develop a spatial database of orchards so that the orchard locations could be viewed and manipulated in a Geographic Information System for purposes of determining the geochemical, hydrological, and wildlife ecosystem effects that the use of arsenical pesticies may or may not have had in the study area of Clarke and Frederick Counties, Virginia and Berkeley and Jefferson Counties, West Virginia.
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1943
Ending_Date: 1972
Currentness_Reference: ground condition
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned
Spatial_Domain:
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -78.508468
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -77.735064
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 39.614227
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 39.010346
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: Orchard
Theme_Keyword: arsenical pesticide
Theme_Keyword: geochemistry
Theme_Keyword: hydrology
Theme_Keyword: wildlife habitat
Theme_Keyword: groundwater
Theme_Keyword: water chemistry
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: none
Place_Keyword: Great Valley Region
Place_Keyword: Virginia
Place_Keyword: West Virginia
Place_Keyword: Clarke County, VA
Place_Keyword: Frederick County, VA
Place_Keyword: Berkeley County, WV
Place_Keyword: Jefferson County, WV
Place_Keyword: City of Winchester
Access_Constraints: None
Use_Constraints:
The spatial accuracy of the orchard polygons is limited to the scale of the 7.5' topographical maps used to digitize them. All of the topographical maps used for this study have a scale of 1:24,000. The topographic maps used meet National Map Accuracy Standards with a spatial accuracy of ±40 feet. Since the orchards were digitized from these maps after they were scanned and georeferenced, a second level of error was introduced. For this reason, spatial accuracy may be considered to be ±60 feet, as calculated by taking the root mean square error of two standards errors of ±40 feet.
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Gilpin R Robinson
Contact_Organization: USGS ER GD
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing address
Address: 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
City: Reston
State_or_Province: VA
Postal_Code: 20192-0002
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 703-648-6113
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 703-648-6383
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: grobinso@usgs.gov
Native_Data_Set_Environment:
Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 2; ESRI ArcCatalog 9.1.0.722
Data_Quality_Information:
Attribute_Accuracy:
Attribute_Accuracy_Report:
The spatial accuracy of the orchard polygons is limited to the scale of the 7.5' topographical maps used to digitize them. All of the topographical maps used for this study have a scale of 1:24,000. The topographic maps used meet National Map Accuracy Standards with a spatial accuracy of ±40 feet. Since the orchards were digitized from these maps after they were scanned and georeferenced, a second level of error was introduced. For this reason, spatial accuracy may be considered to be +/-60 feet, as calculated by taking the root mean square error of two standards errors of +/-40 feet.
Lineage:
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: U.S. Geological Survey
Publication_Date: 1943 to 1972
Title: 7.5' Topographical Maps
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: map
Source_Scale_Denominator: 24000
Type_of_Source_Media: paper
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1943
Ending_Date: 1972
Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date of the topo maps
Source_Citation_Abbreviation: USGS topographic maps
Source_Contribution:
Orchard polygons digitized from various topographic maps published during this time period
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
Tracing of orchard areas on 7.5', 1:24,000 scale USGS topographic maps ranging in publication date from 1943 to 1972. For each topo map, the oldest available was chosen, going back only as far as the 1920s when use of arsenical pesticides began.
Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: USGS map archive
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
Digitization of polygon features. Orchard features based upon the oldest available USGS 7.5' topographic map were digitized into polygons. Polygons were drawn by topographic map and by county, meaning that orchard areas that cross over either the topographic map or the county boundaries are split based upon their location.
Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: USGS map archive
Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:
Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Vector
Point_and_Vector_Object_Information:
SDTS_Terms_Description:
SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: G-polygon
Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 1277
Spatial_Reference_Information:
Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Planar:
Grid_Coordinate_System:
Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator
Universal_Transverse_Mercator:
UTM_Zone_Number: 18
Transverse_Mercator:
Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: 0.999600
Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -75.000000
Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 0.000000
False_Easting: 500000.000000
False_Northing: 0.000000
Planar_Coordinate_Information:
Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate_Representation:
Abscissa_Resolution: 0.000128
Ordinate_Resolution: 0.000128
Planar_Distance_Units: meters
Geodetic_Model:
Horizontal_Datum_Name: North American Datum of 1983
Ellipsoid_Name: Geodetic Reference System 80
Semi-major_Axis: 6378137.000000
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257222
Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Detailed_Description:
Entity_Type:
Entity_Type_Label: Orchards
Entity_Type_Definition_Source: Polygonal area designated on maps as orchards
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: FID
Attribute_Definition: Internal feature number.
Attribute_Definition_Source: ESRI
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain:
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Shape
Attribute_Definition: Feature geometry.
Attribute_Definition_Source: ESRI
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain: Coordinates defining the features.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: USGS_Quad
Attribute_Definition:
The quad in which the orchard area is located and from which it was digitized
Attribute_Definition_Source: Bradley Reed
Beginning_Date_of_Attribute_Values: 1943
Ending_Date_of_Attribute_Values: 1972
Attribute_Value_Accuracy_Information:
Attribute_Value_Accuracy: 1:24,000
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: State
Attribute_Definition: The state in which the orchard site is located
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: County
Attribute_Definition: The county in which the orchard site is located
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Area
Attribute_Definition: The area of the orchard site in meters squared
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: Quad_Year
Attribute_Definition:
The publication year of the USGS quadrangle in which the orchard site is located
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: 1943
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: 2 quadrangles had this pulication year closest to 1920
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: 1953
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: 2 quadrangles had this pulication year closest to 1920
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: 1955
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: 4 quadrangles had this pulication year closest to 1920
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: 1958
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: 2 quadrangles had this pulication year closest to 1920
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: 1965
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: 7 quadrangles had this pulication year closest to 1920
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: 1966
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: 6 quadrangles had this pulication year closest to 1920
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: 1968
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: 1 quadrangles had this pulication year closest to 1920
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: 1972
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: 1 quadrangles had this pulication year closest to 1920
Beginning_Date_of_Attribute_Values: 1943
Ending_Date_of_Attribute_Values: 1972
Distribution_Information:
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey Information Services
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing address
Address: PO Box 25286, Denver Federal Center
City: Denver
State_or_Province: CO
Postal_Code: 80225
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS (1-888-275-8747)
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: ask@usgs.gov
Resource_Description: Downloadable Data
Distribution_Liability:
Although this data set has been used by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior, no warranty expressed or implied is made by the U.S. Geological Survey as to the accuracy of the data and related materials. 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 this data, software, or related materials.
Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Standard_Order_Process:
Digital_Form:
Digital_Transfer_Information:
Format_Name: Shapefile
Format_Version_Number: 1.0
Format_Information_Content: Orchards
File_Decompression_Technique: zipped
Transfer_Size: 0.339
Digital_Transfer_Option:
Online_Option:
Computer_Contact_Information:
Network_Address:
Network_Resource_Name: <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1330/shapefile/ofr-2006-1330.zip>
Fees: None. This dataset is provided by USGS as a public service.
Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date: 20061215
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Peter N Schweitzer
Contact_Organization: USGS ER GD
Contact_Position: Geologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing address
Address: 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
City: Reston
State_or_Province: VA
Postal_Code: 20192-0002
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 703-648-6533
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 703-648-6252
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: pschweitzer@usgs.gov
Metadata_Standard_Name: Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
Generated by mp version 2.9.2a on Fri Dec 15 10:38:02 2006