Suisun Bay bathymetry: 1866 to 1990

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title: Suisun Bay bathymetry: 1866 to 1990
Abstract:
This data release provides a series of five bathymetric digital elevation models (DEMs) of Suisun Bay, CA generated from single-beam hydrographic surveys collected from 1866 to 1990. The DEMs were constructed based upon historical United States Coast and Geodetic Survey and National Ocean Service (NOS) surveys collected in 1866, 1886, 1923, 1941, and 1990. Depth soundings from the pre-1930s surveys were manually digitized and georeferenced while the later surveys were obtained in digital format, and all information compiled into a geographic information system (GIS). Using surface modeling software, the soundings from each survey were supplemented with hand-drawn contours and shorelines obtained from topographic sheets to generate bathymetric DEMs at a horizontal resolution of 25 m. The bathymetric DEMs are provided in GeoTIFF format, vertically referenced to the Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) tidal epoch referenced at the time of data collection.
Supplemental_Information:
Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this Federal Geographic Data Committee-compliant metadata file is intended to document the data set in nonproprietary form, as well as in Esri format, this metadata file may include some Esri-specific terminology.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Foxgrover, Amy C., Fregoso, Theresa A., and Jaffe, Bruce E., 20241004, Suisun Bay bathymetry: 1866 to 1990: data release doi:10.5066/P13H35QB, U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Foxgrover, Amy C., Fregoso, Theresa A., and Jaffe, Bruce E., 2024, Historical bathymetry and bathymetric change within San Francisco Bay, California: 1855 to 2005: data release doi:10.5066/P13H35QB, U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Suggested Citation: Foxgrover, A.C., Fregoso, T.A., and Jaffe, B.E., 2024, Historical bathymetry and bathymetric change within San Francisco Bay, California: 1855 to 2005: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P13H35QB.
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -121.747071
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -122.270970
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 38.1721906
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 38.0099650
  3. What does it look like?
    https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/file/get/667605c1d34e3cf50fef28f6?name=SSB_bathy_map_1866.png&allowOpen=true (PNG)
    Sample map of 1866 Suisun Bay bathymetry.
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date:
    Ending_Date: 1990
    Currentness_Reference:
    ground condition at time data were collected
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: GeoTIFF
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      This is a Raster data set. It contains the following raster data types:
      • Dimensions, type pixel
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator
      Universal_Transverse_Mercator:
      UTM_Zone_Number: 10
      Transverse_Mercator:
      Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: 0.9996
      Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -123.0
      Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 0.0
      False_Easting: 500000.0
      False_Northing: 0.0
      Planar coordinates are encoded using row and column
      Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 25
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 25
      Planar coordinates are specified in Meter
      The horizontal datum used is D North American 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is GRS_1980.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.0.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222101.
      Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:
      Altitude_System_Definition:
      Altitude_Datum_Name: Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW)
      Altitude_Resolution: 0.01
      Altitude_Distance_Units: meters
      Altitude_Encoding_Method:
      Explicit elevation coordinate included with horizontal coordinates
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    floating point
    Interpolation bias-corrected DEM with elevation in meters, relative to the MLLW tidal epoch referenced at the time of survey collection. Positive values represent elevations above MLLW and negative represent values below. Cells with values of -3.4028231e+38 indicate No Data. (Source: Producer defined)
    Value
    Elevation relative to MLLW (m) (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-43.04
    Maximum:1.94
    Units:meters
    Resolution:0.01
    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    Interpolation bias-corrected DEM with elevation in meters, relative to the MLLW tidal epoch referenced at the time of survey collection. Since no previously established tidal epoch was available for the 1850s surveys, we have assumed that these surveys were referenced to MLLW during the months in which these surveys were collected. Positive values represent elevations above MLLW and negative represent values below. Cells with values of -3.4028231e+38 indicate No Data.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
    The entity and attribute information were generated by the individual and/or agency identified as the originator of the data set. Please review the rest of the metadata record for additional details and information.

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • Amy C. Foxgrover
    • Theresa A. Fregoso
    • Bruce E. Jaffe
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: PCMSC Science Data Coordinator
    2885 Mission Street
    Santa Cruz, CA

    831-427-4747 (voice)
    pcmsc_data@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

Analysis of historical bathymetric surveys enables us to reconstruct the surface of the bay floor through time and quantify spatial and temporal changes in deposition, erosion, and bathymetry over decadal timescales. These data provide insight on changes to San Francisco Bay in response to natural processes as well as anthropogenic activities and can inform numerous studies and applications such as sediment management practices, restoration projects, regional adaptation plans, contaminant transport research, and sea-level rise studies. These data are intended for science researchers, students, policy makers, and the general public. These data can be used with geographic information systems (GIS) or other software to identify changes in the depth of the bay floor through time. These data are not intended to be used for navigational purposes.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
    NOAAbathy (source 1 of 3)
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Bathymetric Data Viewer website: NOAA / NESDIS / NCEI / Maps / Seafloor Mapping, online.

    Online Links:

    Type_of_Source_Media: Digital Resources
    Source_Contribution:
    NOAA NOS single-beam surveys. 1850s to 1920s surveys available as images of NOS smooth sheets, 1930s to 1980s as digital sounding data.
    NOSshore (source 2 of 3)
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024, NOAA Shoreline Data Explorer website: NOAA / NOS, online.

    Online Links:

    Type_of_Source_Media: Digital Resources
    Source_Contribution:
    NOS Topographic Sheets (T-sheets) used to delineate mean high water (MHW) shorelines used for DEM extent boundary.
    SFEIshore (source 3 of 3)
    San Francisco Estuary Institute, 1998, San Francisco Estuary Institute EcoAtlas: SFEI, compact disc.

    Type_of_Source_Media: Digital Resources
    Source_Contribution:
    Historical and modern baylands GIS shapefiles used to supplement shorelines extracted from T-sheets, as needed.
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 2006 (process 1 of 6)
    All processes and methods used for developing the 1866, 1886, 1923, 1941, 1990 bathymetric DEMs are outlined in Cappiella and others (1999) and Jaffe and others (2007); please refer to that for more information beyond the summary in this document Data sources used in this process:
    • Jaffe and others (2007)
    Date: 2006 (process 2 of 6)
    Hydrographic sounding data downloaded for all time periods. Pre-1930s surveys were obtained as images of H-sheets that were geoferenced to NAD83 and the soundings manually digitized. Post-1930 soundings were downloaded in digital format (NOAA, 2024). The study area is covered by a compilation of hydrographic surveys that were generally conducted over the span of a few years. The year displayed with the DEMs provided is the year in which the majority of the study area was surveyed. However, the compilation of surveys covering the entire study area can span many years and end users are encouraged to view the original H-sheets and descriptive reports provided by NOAA (2024) for additional details. Data sources used in this process:
    • NOAAbathy
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • soundings and contours
    Date: 2006 (process 3 of 6)
    Shorelines were obtained from T-sheets and assigned an approximate MHW elevation of 1.34 m based upon nearby tide stations. The 1983 shoreline was modified based upon EcoAtlas data (San Francisco Estuary Institute, 1998). Data sources used in this process:
    • NOSshore
    • SFEIshore
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • shorelines
    Date: 2006 (process 4 of 6)
    Bathymetric contours were digitized from H-sheets or hand drawn as needed to help define the general morphology of the bay floor and to constrain the gridding algorithm. To ensure realistic nearshore morphology, in areas where soundings were not collected within close proximity to the shoreline, an additional contour was added parallel to the shoreline, 20 m within the bay and assigned an approximate elevation of mean tide level (MTL). Supplementary contours were manually added to the 1850's tidal flats where the original sounding values have been omitted from the H-sheets. Data sources used in this process:
    • NOAAbathy
    • NOSshore
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • contours
    Date: 2023 (process 5 of 6)
    For each time period, soundings were combined with bathymetric contours and shoreline shapefiles and interpolated into continuous surface models with horizontal resolution of 25 m using ArcInfo's TopoGrid module (now Topo To Raster, Esri, 2024). Bathymetry in tributary channels less than 3-cells wide were excluded because they could not be accurately modeled at the given resolution. Z-values are in meters relative to the MLLW tidal epoch referenced at the time of survey collection. These grids supersede those used in Cappiella and others (1999) and have been improved through the application of consistent processing techniques throughout the entire San Francisco Bay and thousands of additional soundings added to the upated surface models that were missing from earlier analyses. Data sources used in this process:
    • NOAAbathy
    • shorelines
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • TopoGrid DEMs
    Date: 2023 (process 6 of 6)
    An estimate of grid interpolation bias was estimated for each time period by comparing the value of each individual sounding to the cell value of the bathymetric grid at that specific location. Each bathymetric DEM was then adjusted to correct for interpolation bias by deepening the raster surface by the mean offset value. The 1866 grid was deepened by 12.6 cm, the 1886 grid by 8.3 cm, the 1923 grid by 11.8 cm, the 1941 grid by 13.5 cm, and the 1990 grid by 6.4 cm. Data sources used in this process:
    • TopoGrid DEMs
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • BIAS ADJ DEM
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
    Cappiella, Karen, Malzone, Chris, Smith, Richard E., and Jaffe, Bruce E., 1999, Sedimentation and bathymetry change in Suisun Bay: 1867-1990.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Cappiella, K., Malzone, C., Smith, R, and Jaffe, B.E., 1999, Sedimentation and bathymetry change in Suisun Bay: 1867-1990: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 99-563, https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1999/0563/.
    Jaffe, Bruce E., Smith, Richard E., and Foxgrover, Amy C., 2007, Anthropogenic influence on sedimentation and intertidal mudflat change in San Pablo Bay, California: 1856-1983.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Jaffe, B.E., Smith, R.E., and Foxgrover, A.C., 2007, Anthropogenic influence on sedimentation and intertidal mudflat change in San Pablo Bay, California: 1856-1983: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, v. 73, no. 1–2, p. 175–187, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2007.02.017.
    International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), 2022, IHO standards for hydrographic surveys (6th ed.).

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    reference on hydrographic survey standards provided for added interest to users of these data
    Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc (Esri), 2024, Topo to Raster help page.

    Online Links:

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

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    No formal attribute accuracy tests were conducted.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    Data are as accurate as source data used. No further tests were conducted, and no claims are made to positional accuracy.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
    Data are as accurate as source data used. No further tests were conducted, and no claims are made to vertical accuracy.
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    Data set is considered complete for the information presented, as described in the abstract. Users are advised to read the rest of the metadata record carefully for additional details.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    No formal logical consistency tests were conducted.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
Access_Constraints No access constraints
Use_Constraints USGS-authored or produced data and information are in the public domain from the U.S. Government and are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. Please recognize and acknowledge the U.S. Geological Survey as the originator(s) of the dataset and in products derived from these data. This information is not intended for navigation purposes.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    U.S. Geological Survey - ScienceBase
    Denver Federal Center, Building 810, Mail Stop 302
    Denver, CO
    US

    1-888-275-8747 (voice)
    sciencebase@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? Files (SSB_1866bathy_MLLW_m.zip, SSB_1886bathy_MLLW_m.zip, SSB_1923bathy_MLLW_m.zip, SSB_1941bathy_MLLW_m.zip, SSB_1990bathy_MLLW_m.zip) contain bathymetric GeoTIFFs and associated TIFF world files (.tfw) for the time period indicated.
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    Unless otherwise stated, all data, metadata and related materials are considered to satisfy the quality standards relative to the purpose for which the data were collected. Although these data and associated metadata have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness and approved for release by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty.
  4. How can I download or order the data?
  5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
    These data can be viewed with GIS software such as ArcGIS, QGIS, or Global Mapper.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 04-Oct-2024
Metadata author:
U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Attn: PCMSC Science Data Coordinator
2885 Mission Street
Santa Cruz, CA

831-427-4747 (voice)
pcmsc_data@usgs.gov
Metadata standard:
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/pcmsc/DataReleases/ScienceBase/DR_P13H35QB/SuisunBay_MLLW_bathy_metadata.faq.html>
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