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Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service

Inventory of Data Sources Used for Watershed Condition Assessments of Fire Island National Seashore, Gateway National Recreation Area, and Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, New York and New Jersey

By Mark J. Benotti

This report available online only in PDF Format (2.26 MB)

Abstract

The natural resources and watershed conditions of National Park units in the New York-New Jersey area—Gateway National Recreation Area (GATE), Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (SAHI), and Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS)—are threatened by different degrees of urbanization and direct or indirect human use. Such threats as nutrient enrichment, sedimentation, exotic species invasion, water pollution, and development pose serious management concerns for these parks. Limited investigations of the status of different natural resources at or near each park have been conducted, but a comprehensive understanding of the natural resources and watershed conditions at FIIS, GATE, and SAHI is needed. This report details the sources of spatial data and metadata assembled into a Geographic Information System (GIS) for the purpose of assessing natural resources and watershed conditions at GATE, SAHI, and FIIS.

Contents

Abstract

Introduction

Objectives and Approach of the Study

Purpose and Scope

Study Area

Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS)

Gateway National Recreation Area (GATE)

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (SAHI)

Data Sources

Bathymetry Data

Coastal Vulnerability Index

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program Data

Ground-Water Level Data

Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Data

New York Harbor Water-Quality Data

Regional Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 1993/94 and 1998 Data

Storage and Retrieval (STORET) Data

Suffolk County Department of Health Services Water-Quality Data

Vegetation Mapping

Wind and Wave Climate Studies Data

References Cited

Figures

1–4. Maps showing—

1. Metropolitan New York and New Jersey locations of Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS), Gateway National Recreation Area (GATE), and Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (SAHI)
2. Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS) point locations of georeferenced data included in the FIIS Watershed Condition Assessment (WCA)
3. Gateway National Recreation Area (GATE) in New York and New Jersey point locations of georeferenced data included in the GATE Watershed Condition Assessment (WCA)
4. Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (SAHI) in New York point locations of georeferenced data included in the SAHI Watershed Condition Assessment (WCA)

Tables

1. Georeferenced datasets used in the Watershed Condition Assessment Programs
2. Description of New York Harbor water-quality data for Jamaica Bay, New York
3. Description of Storage and Retrieval (STORET) water-quality data for Jamaica Bay and Staten Island, New York, and Sandy Hook, New Jersey
4. Description of Suffolk County Department of Health Services water-quality data near Fire Island, New York

If you have Adobe^® Acrobat^® or Adobe^® Acrobat^® Reader^® installed on your computer, you may view and print the PDF version of this report. Acrobat Reader, is a free download from Adobe Systems, Inc. Users with disabilities can view information concerning accessibility at access.Adobe.com.

Suggested citation:

Benotti, M.J., 2008, Inventory of data sources used for watershed condition assessments of Fire Island National Seashore, Gateway National Recreation Area, and Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, New York and New Jersey: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008–1298, 11 p., online only.

For more information please contact:

Director
U.S. Geological Survey
New York Water Science Center
425 Jordan Road
Troy, NY 12180

dc_ny@usgs.gov

(518)285-5600