Data Management Plan (Deprecated)

This data set contains vector lines and polygons representing the shoreline and coastal habitats of Southern California, classified according to the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) classification system. This data set comprises a portion of the ESI data for Southern California. ESI data characterize the marine and coastal environments and wildlife by their sensitivity to spilled oil. The ESI data include information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources.

Process Steps:

• 2010-03-01 00:00:00 - The shoreline habitats on the original ESI maps, published in 1995, were re-examined and updated using the following methods: interpretation of the 2008 contiguous aerial photography (California Coastal Records Project), U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) Wetland coverages (used to classify marshes and swamps), Google Earth in areas where no other current data could be obtained, and through verification via overflights conducted in October 27- 30 of 2008. Flights were conducted using fixed-wing aircraft flying at slow air speeds at altitudes of 400-600 feet, excluding areas near military installations (San Nicholas) where the altitudes of overflight were 1000 feet. All flights were scheduled to maximize optimal low tide conditions, flying approximately 2.5 hours preceding and 2.5 hours following peak low tides. During these flights a geomorphologist utilized a digital SLR camera to capture a continuous set of overlapping oblique images of the intertidal zone. Throughout the overflight mission a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver collected and recorded flight path data. Following completion of the overflight mission, all digital photographs of the intertidal zone were georeferenced using photo-mapping software and the GPS flight path data. With Geographic Information System (GIS) software a geomorphologist reviewed each georeferenced oblique image of the intertidal zone and assigned ESI rankings to the digital shoreline. Where appropriate, multiple rankings were assigned. The above digital and/or hardcopy sources were compiled to create the ESI data layer. Depending on the type of source data, three general approaches are used for compiling the data layer: 1) hardcopy maps are digitized at their source scale; 2) digital data layers are evaluated and used "as is" or integrated with the hardcopy data sources; and 3) overflight changes are digitized from the scanned and registered hardcopy field maps or aerial photography. After the initial shoreline classification, these data are edgematched and checked for logical consistency errors. Review maps are plotted at 1:24,000 scale for verification of polygonal and linear attributes. See the Lineage section for additional information on the type of source data for this data layer. The compiled ESI, biology, and human-use data are plotted onto hardcopy draft maps. Following the delivery of draft maps to the participating resource experts, a second set of interviews are conducted to review the maps. If necessary, edits to the ESI data layer are made based on the recommendations of the resource experts, and final hardcopy maps and digital data are created.

Contact NOAA for distribution options (see Distributor). ESI data are processed into multiple formats to make them useful to the widest community of GIS/mapping users. Distribution formats include Geodatabase; ARC export, MOSS, and Shape files; and MARPLOT map folders. An ArcMap .mxd file, an ArcView 3.x ESI project, and an ESI_Viewer product for use with the MARPLOT data are also included on the distribution CDs/DVDs for ease of use of the ESI data. The database files are distributed both in the NOAA standard relational database format (see NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS ORCA 115) and in a simplified desktop flat file format. This metadata document includes information on both of these database formats.;