River-transect locations used in spatial analyses of geomorphic change along the lower, middle, and upper reaches of the Elwha River, Washington

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Metadata:

Identification_Information
Data_Quality_Information
Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
Spatial_Reference_Information
Entity_and_Attribute_Information
Distribution_Information
Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Amy C. Foxgrover
Originator: Amy E. East
Originator: Andrew C. Ritchie
Publication_Date: 20250423
Title:

River-transect locations used in spatial analyses of geomorphic change along the lower, middle, and upper reaches of the Elwha River, Washington

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data (points)
Series_Information:

Series_Name: data release
Issue_Identification: doi:10.5066/P13RXGHA

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey

Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.5066/P13RXGHA
Online_Linkage:

https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/67102ac4d34edd2692096271

Larger_Work_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Amy C. Foxgrover
Originator: Amy E. East
Originator: Andrew C. Ritchie
Publication_Date: 2025
Title:

River margin and braid shapefiles digitized from aerial images of the Elwha River, Washington, 2006 to 2022

Series_Information:

Series_Name: data release
Issue_Identification: doi:10.5066/P13RXGHA

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey

Other_Citation_Details:

Suggested Citation: Foxgrover, A.C., East, A.E., and Ritchie, A.C., 2025, River margin and braid shapefiles digitized from aerial images of the Elwha River, Washington, 2006 to 2022: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P13RXGHA.

Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.5066/P13RXGHA
Online_Linkage:

https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/67101d9ed34edd2692096223

Description:

Abstract:

This data release provides transect locations used for GIS analyses of geomorphic change along the Elwha River, Washington conducted by East and others (2018). The transect locations are represented by fixed points, spaced 250 meters (m) apart, placed along the length of the middle and lower river reaches (excluding the Lake Mills and Lake Aldwell reservoirs) and along a control reach in Geyser Valley, upstream of the historic Elwha and Glines Canyon dam sites. To account for migration of the river channel through time, metrics such as river width were calculated from transects generated within a GIS at each point location, oriented orthogonal to the general river-corridor orientation at the time of image collection.

Purpose:

Two large dams were removed from the Elwha River in Washington, starting in 2011 and ending in 2014. The Elwha and the Glines Canyon dams were located approximately 7 km and 20 km upstream, respectively, from the Elwha River's mouth on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Dam removal changed the river's sediment budget and water flow, which affected the river's morphology. Variability in channel width and river braiding derived from 30 aerial imagery datasets collected from 2006 to 2022 are provided here to document geomorphic change before, during, and after dam removal. These data are intended for science researchers, students, policy makers, and the general public. These data can be used with geographic information systems or other software to assess spatial and temporal variability along the lower, middle, and upper reaches of the Elwha River.

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.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 2006
Ending_Date: 2022

Currentness_Reference: ground condition at time data were collected

Status:

Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -123.618082
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -123.536187
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 48.154180
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 47.940374

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: USGS Thesaurus
Theme_Keyword: river systems
Theme_Keyword: river reaches
Theme_Keyword: field inventory and monitoring
Theme_Keyword: image collections
Theme_Keyword: image mosaics
Theme_Keyword: aerial photography
Theme_Keyword: remote sensing

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: Marine Realms Information Bank (MRIB) keywords
Theme_Keyword: river channel
Theme_Keyword: river bank
Theme_Keyword: sediment deposition
Theme_Keyword: geographic information systems (GIS)

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
Theme_Keyword: elevation
Theme_Keyword: inlandWaters

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: U.S. Geological Survey
Theme_Keyword: USGS
Theme_Keyword: Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Theme_Keyword: CMGP
Theme_Keyword: Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Theme_Keyword: PCMSC

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: USGS Metadata Identifier
Theme_Keyword: USGS:67102ac4d34edd2692096271

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: Geographic Names Information System
Place_Keyword: Elwha River
Place_Keyword: Lake Aldwell (historical)
Place_Keyword: Lake Mills (historical)
Place_Keyword: State of Washington

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Place_Keyword: Elwha Dam (historical)
Place_Keyword: Glines Canyon Dam (historical)
Place_Keyword: Olympic National Park

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.

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:

U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Contact_Person: PCMSC Science Data Coordinator

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical
Address: 2885 Mission Street
City: Santa Cruz
State_or_Province: CA
Postal_Code: 95060

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 831-427-4747
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: pcmsc_data@usgs.gov

Browse_Graphic:

Browse_Graphic_File_Name:

https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/file/get/67102ac4d34edd2692096271?name=Elwha_margins_and_transect_overview.png&allowOpen=true

Browse_Graphic_File_Description:

Map of Elwha River margins and transect locations overlying 2013 NAIP imagery.

Browse_Graphic_File_Type: PNG

Native_Data_Set_Environment:

The datasets were created in a Windows 11 Operating system using Esri ArcGIS Pro 3.3.1

Cross_Reference:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Amy E. East
Originator: Josh B. Logan
Originator: Mark C. Mastin
Originator: Andrew C. Ritchie
Originator: Jennifer A. Bountry
Originator: Christopher S. Magirl
Originator: Joel B. Sankey
Publication_Date: 2018
Title:

Geomorphic evolution of a gravel-bed river under sediment-starved versus sediment-rich conditions: River response to the world's largest dam removal

Other_Citation_Details:

East, A. E., Logan, J. B., Mastin, M. C., Ritchie, A. C., Bountry, J. A., Magirl, C. S., and Sankey, J. B. (2018). Geomorphic evolution of a gravel-bed river under sediment-starved versus sediment-rich conditions: River response to the world's largest dam removal. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 123, 3338-3369. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JF004703

Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JF004703

Cross_Reference:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Andrew C. Ritchie
Originator: Christopher A. Curran
Originator: Christopher S. Magirl
Originator: Jennifer A. Bountry
Originator: Robert C. Hilldale
Originator: Timothy J. Randle
Originator: Jeff J. Duda
Publication_Date: 2018
Title:

Data in support of 5-year sediment budget and morphodynamic analysis of Elwha River following dam removals

Other_Citation_Details:

Ritchie, A.C., Curran, C.A., Magirl, C.S., Bountry, J.A., Hilldale, R.C., Randle, T.J., and Duda, J.J., 2018, Data in support of 5-year sediment budget and morphodynamic analysis of Elwha River following dam removals: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7PG1QWC.

Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.5066/F7PG1QWC

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report: No formal attribute accuracy tests were conducted.

Logical_Consistency_Report: No formal logical consistency tests were conducted.
Completeness_Report:

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.

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

A formal accuracy assessment of the horizontal positional information in the data set has either not been conducted or is not applicable.

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy:

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

A formal accuracy assessment of the vertical positional information in the data set has either not been conducted or is not applicable.

Lineage:

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: USDA-FSA Aerial Photography Field Office
Publication_Date: 2013
Title: National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) ortho imagery
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: image
Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: online
Publisher: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Online_Linkage: https://nrcs.app.box.com/v/naip/

Type_of_Source_Media: online database
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 20060625
Ending_Date: 20130831

Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition at time data were collected

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: NAIP imagery
Source_Contribution:

NAIP orthomosaic imagery from 20060625, 20090827, 20110903, and 20130831 was used to digitize the location of river margins and braids for the study area.

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Washington State Department of Transportation
Publication_Date: Unpublished material
Title:

WA Department of Transportation (DOT) Air Photos 0534-0-16, Photos 016-42 to 016-46, 1:12,000 scale

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: image
Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Olympia, Washington
Publisher: Washington State Department of Transportation

Type_of_Source_Media: Digital Resources
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: 20080403

Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition at time data were collected

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: DOT imagery
Source_Contribution:

DOT aerial photos collected on 20080403 were used to digitize the location of river margins and braids for the study area.

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Border Area Orthoimagery
Publication_Date: 2008
Title:

3001, Inc. High Resolution Orthoimage USNG 10UDU575325, Olympic NP WA AOI, OBP Sector Blaine

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: image
Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Peachtree City, GA
Publisher: 3001, Inc.

Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.5066/F73X84W6

Type_of_Source_Media: Digital Resources
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: 20080813

Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition at time data were collected

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Border Area imagery
Source_Contribution:

U.S. border area orthomosaic imagery collected on 200800813 was used to digitize the location of river margins and braids for the study area.

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Andrew C. Ritchie
Originator: Brian D. Winter
Originator: Jonathan A. Warrick
Publication_Date: 2025
Title:

Elwha PlaneCam - Aerial imagery and derivatives from periodic and event-response surveys of the Elwha River, Olympic Mountains, and Washington Coast

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: image
Publication_Information:

Publication_Place:

Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California

Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey

Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.5066/P9M3NYWI
Online_Linkage:

https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/data-services/rscc/Elwha_PlaneCam/

Type_of_Source_Media: Digital Resources
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 20120407
Ending_Date: 20220912

Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition at time data were collected

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: USGS plane cam orthoimagery
Source_Contribution:

USGS orthomosaic imagery datasets collected from April 2012 through September 2022 used to digitize the location of river margins and braids for the study area. Imagery collected at comparable river discharge was selected whenever possible. The range of daily, average discharge for the 25 sets of images selected is 8-56 cubic meters per second (median 26) at USGS gauge 12045500 (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/inventory). Images are from 20120407, 20120810, 20121108, 20121127, 20121224, 20130116, 20130213, 20130327, 20130430, 20130831, 20140201, 20140930, 20150303, 20150923, 20160111, 20160930, 20170922, 20171212, 20180905, 20190903, 20200220, 20200909, 20210908, 20220309, and 20220912.

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

The processes and methods used for deriving the Elwha River margins and braids as well as geomorphic metrics such channel width and braiding at the fixed transect locations provided here, are outlined in East and others (2018); please refer to that for more information beyond the general overview summary provided in this document

Process_Date: 2017

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

Download orthomosaic imagery and project into UTM, Zone 10N, NAD83(2011)

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: NAIP imagery
Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: DOT imagery
Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: Border Area imagery
Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: USGS plane cam orthoimagery
Process_Date: 2022
Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: UTM imagery

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

Fixed points representing transect locations for geospatial analyses were created in the approximate center of the main channel and placed roughly 250 m apart along the length of the middle and lower river reaches (excluding the Lake Mills and Lake Aldwell reservoirs) and along a control reach in Geyser Valley, upstream of the historic Elwha and Glines Canyon dam sites. These transect locations were used for GIS analyses of geomorphic change along the Elwha River, Washington conducted by East and others (2018). To account for migration of the river channel through time, metrics such as river width were calculated from transects generated within a GIS at each point location, oriented orthogonal to the general river-corridor orientation at the time of image collection.

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: UTM imagery
Process_Date: 2022
Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: Elwha transect points

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

The metadata file was edited to correct an originator name. No data were changed. (mau@usgs.gov)

Process_Date: 20250520

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Point
Point_and_Vector_Object_Information:

SDTS_Terms_Description:

SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: Point
Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 76

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Planar:

Grid_Coordinate_System:

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_Coordinate_Information:

Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate_Representation:

Abscissa_Resolution: 0.6096
Ordinate_Resolution: 0.6096

Planar_Distance_Units: meters

Geodetic_Model:

Horizontal_Datum_Name: NAD83_National_Spatial_Reference_System_2011
Ellipsoid_Name: GRS_1980
Semi-major_Axis: 6378137.0
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257222101

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Detailed_Description:

Entity_Type:

Entity_Type_Label: Elwha_transect_locations.shp
Entity_Type_Definition:

Point shapefile attribute table information for the specified river reaches.

Entity_Type_Definition_Source: Producer defined

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: Shape type

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: RiverReach
Attribute_Definition: Specific reach of the Elwha River.
Attribute_Definition_Source: Producer defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: LR
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: lower river, downstream of the historic Elwha Dam site
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Producer Defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: MR
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:

middle river, located upstream of the historic Elwha Dam, but downstream of the historic Glines Canyon Dam

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Producer Defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: CR
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:

control reach, located upstream of both dams, at the downstream end of Geyser Valley

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Producer Defined

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: TransectID
Attribute_Definition:

Unique transect ID for each point location denoted by river reach, followed by a number.

Attribute_Definition_Source: Producer Defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Transect ID. MR_1 is located at the up-river extent of the middle reach (near the former site of the Glines Canyon Dam) and continues down river, sequentially through MR_35. LR _36 is at the up-river extent of the lower reach (near the former site of the Elwha Dam) and increases sequentially to LR_62 at the mouth of the Elwha River. The control reach, located in Geyser Valley begins with CR_1 at the down-river extent and increases sequentially, continuing upriver to CR_14.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: UTM_X
Attribute_Definition: UTM, X (easting) coordinate position in meters
Attribute_Definition_Source: Producer Defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 455,244.377241
Range_Domain_Maximum: 459,587.902723

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: UTM_Y
Attribute_Definition: UTM, Y (northing) coordinate position in meters
Attribute_Definition_Source: Producer Defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 5,310,122.80783
Range_Domain_Maximum: 5,332,495.2333

Overview_Description:

Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

Point shapefile of transect locations used for GIS analyses of geomorphic change along the Elwha River, Washington conducted by East and others (2018).

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.

Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey - ScienceBase

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical
Address: Denver Federal Center, Building 810, Mail Stop 302
City: Denver
State_or_Province: CO
Postal_Code: 80225

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 1-888-275-8747
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: sciencebase@usgs.gov

Resource_Description:

File (Elwha_River_transect_locations.zip) contains a point shapefile of transect locations, representing the approximate midpoint of the mainstem channel. Since the channel position migrates over time, geospatial analyses were conducted by drawing trasects through the point location, with an orientation perpendicular to the general river-corridor at the time of image collection.

Distribution_Liability:

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.

Standard_Order_Process:

Digital_Form:

Digital_Transfer_Information:

Format_Name: Shapefile
Format_Version_Number: ArcGIS Pro 3.3.1
Format_Specification: Esri point shapefile
Format_Information_Content:

These files (.cpg, .dbf, .prj, .sbn, .sbx, .shp, and .shx) are a collection of files with a common filename prefix and must be downloaded and stored in the same directory. Together they are the components of the shapefile.

File_Decompression_Technique: Use WinZip or equivalent
Transfer_Size: 0.01

Digital_Transfer_Option:

Online_Option:

Computer_Contact_Information:

Network_Address:

Network_Resource_Name:

https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/file/get/67102ac4d34edd2692096271?name=Elwha_River_transect_locations.zip

Network_Resource_Name:

https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/67102ac4d34edd2692096271

Network_Resource_Name: https://doi.org/10.5066/P13RXGHA

Access_Instructions:

Data can be downloaded using the Network_Resource_Name links. The first link is a direct link to download the zipped file of Elwha River transect locations. The second link points to a landing page with metadata and data. The third link points to the landing page for the overall data release.

Fees: None

Technical_Prerequisites:

These data can be viewed with GIS software such as ArcGIS, QGIS, or Global Mapper.

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20250520
Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:

U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Contact_Person: PCMSC Science Data Coordinator

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical
Address: 2885 Mission Street
City: Santa Cruz
State_or_Province: CA
Postal_Code: 95060

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 831-427-4747
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: pcmsc_data@usgs.gov

Metadata_Standard_Name: Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998

This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/pcmsc/DataReleases/ScienceBase/DR_P13RXGHA/Elwha_transect_location_metadata.html>