Julie C. Bernier
Thomas M. Tuten
James G. Flocks
Ioannis Y. Georgiou
Mark A. Kulp
Michael Brown
Andrew Courtois
20180521
Sediment Data for Samples Collected in 2015, 2016, and 2017 from Coastal Louisiana
Multimedia presentation
U.S. Geological Survey Data Release
doi:10.5066/F71G0KKD
St. Petersburg, FL
U.S. Geological Survey
https://doi.org/10.5066/F71G0KKD
Data release doi:10.5066/F71G0KKD associated with this metadata record serves as an archive of sediment data for samples collected in 2015, 2016, and 2017 from coastal Louisiana. In 2015 and 2016, sediment grab samples (N=874) were collected coast-wide along shore-perpendicular transects that included back-barrier, emergent (beach and barrier island), shoreface, and nearshore environments. Sample locations were selected to re-occupy locations previously sampled in 2008 (U.S. Geological Survey [USGS] Open-File Report 2013-1083). The 2008 and 2015-2016 datasets were collected under the Barrier Island Coastal Monitoring (BICM) program (CPRA project LA-0226; https://cims.coastal.louisiana.gov/outreach/ProjectView.aspx?projID=LA-0226), an ongoing collaboration between the State of Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), the University of New Orleans (UNO) Pontchartrain Institute for Environmental Sciences (PIES), and the USGS. In 2017, additional grab samples (N=77) were collected along shore-perpendicular transects from West Belle Pass to Caminada Pass as part of the CPRA (CPRA project BA-0045; https://cims.coastal.louisiana.gov/outreach/ProjectView.aspx?projID=BA-0045).
The 2015, 2016, and 2017 sediment samples were collected by personnel from UNO–PIES and provided to the USGS St. Petersburg and Coastal Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) sediment laboratory. Textural characteristics were analyzed using a Coulter LS 200 particle-size analyzer. Following SPCMSC data management and archiving protocols, the samples were assigned a USGS field activity number (FAN) (https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2015-301-CNT).
Data products, including sample location tables, results of sediment grain-size analyses, and geographic information system (GIS) data files with accompanying formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata can be downloaded from https://doi.org/10.5066/F71G0KKD.
Dissemination of processed sediment data from grab samples collected from coastal Louisiana in 2015, 2016, and 2017 (USGS FAN2015-301-CNT).
Copies of the methods reports and data-collection maps provided to CPRA in fulfillment of the BICM reporting requirements can be accessed from the Coastal Information Management System (CIMS) document server:
Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring Program (BICM) Phase 2 - 2015 Characterization of Surficial Sediments in the Early Lafourche Delta, Late Lafourche Delta, Modern Delta, and Chandeleur Islands Regions: Part A - Data Collection, Sample Processing and Products (https://cims.coastal.louisiana.gov/DocLibrary/FileDownload.aspx?Root=0&id=22297);
Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring Program (BICM) Phase 2 - 2015 Characterization of Surficial Sediments in the Early Lafourche Delta, Late Lafourche Delta, Modern Delta, and Chandeleur Islands Regions: Part B – Sediment Sample Distribution Maps (https://cims.coastal.louisiana.gov/DocLibrary/FileDownload.aspx?Root=0&id=22293);
Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring Program (BICM) Phase 2 - 2016 Characterization of Surficial Sediments in the Western and Eastern Chenier Plain and Atchafalaya and Wax Lake Delta Regions: Part A - Data Collection, Sample Processing and Products (https://cims.coastal.louisiana.gov/DocLibrary/FileDownload.aspx?Root=0&id=22300); and
Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring Program (BICM) Phase 2 - 2016 Characterization of Surficial Sediments in the Western and Eastern Chenier Plain and Atchafalaya and Wax Lake Delta Regions: Part B - Sediment Sample Distribution Maps (https://cims.coastal.louisiana.gov/DocLibrary/FileDownload.aspx?Root=0&id=22301).
The maps provided in the above documents include all locations (N=1,845) where sediment samples were collected as part of the BICM sampling effort. However, 971 of those samples were visually estimated to contain less than 70% sand and were not shipped to USGS SPCMSC for grain-size analysis. The 2015-2016 BICM sediment database that includes all field sample locations as well as visual estimates of sediment texture (sand-silt-clay content) can be accessed from the CPRA CIMS data viewer (https://cims.coastal.louisiana.gov/Viewer/Map.aspx?guid=93cadfb6-3a35-4d08-9a4b-a2c7195e0e7e).
2015
2017
Ground condition
None planned
-93.831487
-88.799903
30.081930
29.019671
USGS Metadata Identifier
USGS:e5cdd00a-de3a-4c9f-a8b1-891390e1f4d5
ISO 19115 Topic Category
geoscientificInformation
location
oceans
USGS Thesaurus
geology
unconsolidated deposits
None
sediment
grab sample
grain size
GRADISTAT
mean
sorting
skewness
kurtosis
Folk and Ward
U.S. Geological Survey
USGS
Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)
Louisiana
Chandeleur Islands
Grand Terre
Grand Isle
Timbalier Island
Point au Fer
Vermillion Bay
Freshwater Bayou
Cameron
Chenier Plain
Gulf of Mexico
None
Caminada Headland
Isle Dernieres
None
The U.S. Geological Survey requests that it be acknowledged as the originator of this dataset in any future products or research derived from these data.
U.S. Geological Survey
Julie C. Bernier
Geologist
Mailing and physical
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg
FL
33701
USA
727-502-8000
jbernier@usgs.gov
U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Microsoft Windows 7 Version 6.1 (Build 7601) Service Pack 1; Microsoft Excel Version 2010; Esri ArcGIS 10.3.1.4959
Kindinger, J.L.
Buster, N.A.
Flocks, J.G.
Bernier, J.C.
Kulp, M.A.
2013
Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) Program Summary Report: Data and Analyses 2006 through 2010
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report
2013–1083
https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2013/1083/
Blott, S.J. and Pye, K.
2001
Gradistat: A grain size distribution and statistics package for the analysis of unconsolidated sediments
Version 8.0
Earth Surface Processes and Landforms
Volume 26
Pages 1237-1248
http://www.kpal.co.uk/gradistat.html
The positional accuracy of the sample sites is determined by the accuracy of the handheld Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver used to locate the samples at the time of collection. The grain-size data presented in the summary statistics spreadsheets (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-F71G0KKD/data/2015-301-CNT_GrainSize_SumStats.zip) represent the sample averages for a subset of the statistical parameters calculated by GRADISTAT. The number of runs included in the averaged results are also reported, and the standard deviation of the averaged results are reported for most parameters.
The sample locations provided are the positions recorded in the field. In some instances, the sample IDs recorded in the field included a suffix (environment indicator) and were shortened to a consistent length for lab purposes (for example, CHD011_011B was shortened to CHD011_011), or the field IDs used a different sample prefix than the master sample ID (for example, field ID PP001_034 corresponds to master ID CAM001_034S). Both lab and master IDs are provided in the summary statistics files. The complete grain-size dataset, including the raw Coulter LS 200 grain-size data that was imported into GRADISTAT, results of individual sample runs for all GRADISTAT parameters, and ternary sand-silt-clay plots, are included in the unedited GRADISTAT spreadsheets (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-F71G0KKD/data/2015-301-CNT_GrainSize_RunStats.zip). Sample runs in the output files for which the mean Folk and Ward grain size varied from the set average by more than 1.5 standard deviations are highlighted in yellow and were not included in final averaged results.
Data release doi:10.5066/F71G0KKD associated with this metadata record includes the geographic locations and grain-size data for 874 sediment grab samples collected in 2015 and 2016 (BICM project) and 77 grab samples collected in 2017 (Caminada Headland Beach and Dune Restoration project) from coastal Louisiana (USGS FAN 2015-301-CNT). A total of 1,845 samples were collected in 2015 and 2016 for the BICM project; 971 of those samples were visually estimated to contain less than 70% sand and subsequent grain-size analyses were not performed.
Sample locations were recorded at the time of collection using multiple handheld GPS receivers. The accuracy of most handheld GPS units is 3 to 10 meters.
Sediment grab samples were collected using a had scoop (subaerial and shallow-water samples) or a Petit Ponar grab sampler deployed manually from a boat (subaqueous samples). Sample locations were recorded at the time of collection using a handheld GPS receiver. The samples were visually inspected and described by UNO scientists, and samples with an estimated sand content of at least 70% were provided to the USGS SPCMSC sediment lab for processing and analysis.
2017
U.S. Geological Survey
James G. Flocks
Geologist
Mailing and physical
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg
FL
33701
USA
727-502-8000
jflocks@usgs.gov
At the SPCMSC sediment laboratory, grain-size analyses were performed using a Coulter LS 200 particle-size analyzer, which uses laser diffraction to measure the size distribution of sediments ranging in size from 0.4 microns (µm) to 2 millimeters (mm) (clay to very coarse-grained sand). A total of 874 samples collected in 2015 and 2016 for the BICM project and 77 samples collected in 2017 for the Caminada Headland Beach and Dune Restoration project were analyzed.
In order to prevent shell fragments from damaging the Coulter analyzers, particles greater than 1 mm in diameter were separated from all samples prior to analysis using a number 18 (1000 µm, 1 mm) U.S. standard sieve, which meets the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) E11 standard specifications for determining particle size using woven-wire test sieves. Two subsamples (sets) from each sample were processed (three runs per set) through the LS 200 particle-size analyzer, which measures the particle-size distribution of each sample by passing sediment suspended in solution between two narrow panes of glass in front of a laser. Light is scattered by the particles into characteristic refraction patterns measured by an array of photodetectors as intensity per unit area and recorded as relative volume for 92 size-related channels (bins).
2017
U.S. Geological Survey
Julie C. Bernier
Geologist
Mailing and physical
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg
FL
33701
USA
727-502-8000
jbernier@usgs.gov
The raw grain-size data were run through GRADISTAT, version 8 (Blott and Pye, 2001), which calculates the geometric (in metric units) and logarithmic (in phi units, Φ; Krumbein, 1934) mean, sorting, skewness, and kurtosis of each sample using the Folk and Ward (1957) method as well as the cumulative particle-size distribution. GRADISTAT also calculates the fraction of sediment from each sample by size category (for example, clay, coarse silt, fine sand) based on a modified Wentworth (1922) size scale. A macro developed by the USGS was applied to calculate the average and standard deviation of each sample (six runs per sample) and highlight runs that varied from the set average by more than plus or minus (±) 1.5 standard deviations. Excessive deviations from the mean are likely the result of equipment error or extraneous material in the sample and are not considered representative of the sample. Those runs were removed from the results and the sample average was recalculated using the remaining runs. The raw Coulter LS 200 grain-size data that were imported into GRADISTAT for analysis, individual run statistics for all GRADISTAT parameters, and ternary sand-silt clay plots are available for download at https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-F71G0KKD/data/2015-301-CNT_GrainSize_RunStats.zip. The averaged results for a subset of the statistical parameters calculated by GRADISTAT, including the number of runs used and the standard deviation of the averaged results, are summarized in a series of Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and are available for download at https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-F71G0KKD/data/2015-301-CNT_GrainSize_SumStats.zip.
2017
2015-301-CNT_GrainSize_SumStats.zip
2015-301-CNT_GrainSize_RunStats.zip
U.S. Geological Survey
Julie C. Bernier
Geologist
Mailing and Physical
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg
FL
33701
USA
727-502-8000
jbernier@usgs.gov
The summary statistics files were appended with sample location attributes (latitude, longitude, regional description, and sampling environment), and the sample locations and selected grain-size metrics were imported into Esri ArcMap version 10.3 to create regional sample location maps. The maps were exported as Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) files.
2018
2015-301-CNT_Maps.zip
U.S. Geological Survey
Julie C. Bernier
Geologist
Mailing and Physical
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg
FL
33701
USA
727-502-8000
jbernier@usgs.gov
Added keywords section with USGS persistent identifier as theme keyword.
20201013
U.S. Geological Survey
VeeAnn A. Cross
Marine Geologist
Mailing and Physical
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole
MA
02543-1598
508-548-8700 x2251
508-457-2310
vatnipp@usgs.gov
Vector
Point
951
0.000001
0.000001
Decimal degrees
D North American 1983
GRS 1980
6378137.0
298.257222101
2015-301-CNT_BICM_SampleSites.csv; 2015-301-CNT_BICM_SampleSites.shp; 2015-301-CNT_BICM_SampleSites.kml
Comma-separated values text file, Esri shapefile, and Keyhole Markup Language (KML) file defining the sample locations and selected grain-size metrics for BICM project sediment samples collected from coastal Louisiana in 2015 and 2016 (USGS FAN 2015-301-CNT).
USGS
FID
Internal feature number
Esri
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated
Shape
Feature geometry
Esri
Geometry type defining the features
LAB_ID
Laboratory sample identification number
USGS
Character string
MASTER_ID
Master sample identification number
UNO
Character string
LOCATION
Coastal region describing the sample location
UNO
Character string
LOCATION2
BICM region (USGS Open-File Report 2013–1083) describing the sample location
USGS
Character string
ENVIRONMEN
General description of sampling environment
UNO
Character string
NAD83_LAT
Latitude of sample location, in decimal degrees (North American Datum of 1983 [NAD83])
USGS
29.019671
30.081930
Decimal degrees
0.000001
NAD83_LON
Longitude of sample location, in decimal degrees (NAD83)
USGS
-93.831487
-88.799903
Decimal degrees
0.000001
TEXTURE
Sediment texture, after Folk (1954)
GRADISTAT
Character string
MEAN_um
Sample mean grain size, in microns
GRADISTAT
51.65
508.12
Microns
0.01
SORTING_um
Sample sorting - the standard deviation of the grain size distribution, in microns
GRADISTAT
1.26
3.87
Microns
0.01
SKEWNES_um
Sample skewness - deviation of the grain size distribution from symmetrical, in microns
GRADISTAT
-0.69
0.56
Microns
0.01
KURTOSI_um
Sample kurtosis - degree of curvature near the mode of the grain size distribution, in microns
GRADISTAT
0.72
4.69
Microns
0.01
MEAN_phi
Sample mean grain size, in phi units
GRADISTAT
0.98
4.28
Phi
0.01
MEAN
Physical description of sample mean grain size (descriptive)
GRADISTAT
Character string
SORTING
Physical description of sample sorting (descriptive)
GRADISTAT
Character string
SKEWNESS
Physical description of sample skewness (descriptive)
GRADISTAT
Character string
KURTOSIS
Physical description of sample kurtosis (descriptive)
GRADISTAT
Character string
D10_um
Particle diameter representing the 10% cumulative percentile value (10% of the particles in the sediment sample are finer than the D10 grain size), in microns
GRADISTAT
4.89
297.07
Microns
0.01
D50_um
Particle diameter representing the 50% cumulative percentile value (10% of the particles in the sediment sample are finer than the D50 grain size), in microns
GRADISTAT
69.11
502.25
Microns
0.01
D90_um
Particle diameter representing the 90% cumulative percentile value (10% of the particles in the sediment sample are finer than the D90 grain size), in microns
GRADISTAT
114.01
1155.28
Microns
0.01
SAND_pct
Total sand fraction of the sediment sample, in percent
GRADISTAT
55.84
100.00
Percent
0.01
MUD_pct
Total mud fraction of the sediment sample, in percent
GRADISTAT
0.00
0.44.16
Percent
0.01
2015-301-CNT_BICM_SumStats.xlsx; 2015-301-CNT_BICM_SumStats.csv
Summary grain-size data for BICM project sediment samples collected from coastal Louisiana in 2015 and 2016 (USGS FAN 2015-301-CNT) provided as a Microsoft Excel workbook and comma-separated values text file. The averaged results for a subset of the statistical parameters calculated by GRADISTAT, including the number of runs used and the standard deviation of the averaged results are provided.
USGS
2015-301-CNT_CAMI_SampleSites.csv; 2015-301-CNT_CAMI_SampleSites.shp; 2015-301-CNT_CAMI_SampleSites.kml
Comma-separated values text file, Esri shapefile, and Keyhole Markup Language (KML) file defining the sample locations and selected grain-size metrics for Caminada Headland Beach and Dune Restoration project sediment samples collected from coastal Louisiana in 2017 (USGS FAN 2015-301-CNT).
USGS
FID
Internal feature number
Esri
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated
Shape
Feature geometry
Esri
Geometry type defining the features
LAB_ID
Laboratory sample identification number
USGS
Character string
MASTER_ID
Master sample identification number
UNO
Character string
LOCATION
Coastal region describing the sample location
UNO
Character string
NAD83_LAT
Latitude of sample location, in decimal degrees (North American Datum of 1983 [NAD83])
USGS
29.0712630
29.195617
Decimal degrees
0.000001
NAD83_LON
Longitude of sample location, in decimal degrees (NAD83)
USGS
-90.260773
--90.028027
Decimal degrees
0.000001
TEXTURE
Sediment texture, after Folk (1954)
GRADISTAT
Character string
MEAN_um
Sample mean grain size, in microns
GRADISTAT
71.74
290.66
Microns
0.01
SORTING_um
Sample sorting - the standard deviation of the grain size distribution, in microns
GRADISTAT
1.28
2.03
Microns
0.01
SKEWNES_um
Sample skewness - deviation of the grain size distribution from symmetrical, in microns
GRADISTAT
-0.45
0.34
Microns
0.01
KURTOSI_um
Sample kurtosis - degree of curvature near the mode of the grain size distribution, in microns
GRADISTAT
0.94
2.29
Microns
0.01
MEAN_phi
Sample mean grain size, in phi units
GRADISTAT
1.78
3.8
Phi
0.01
MEAN
Physical description of sample mean grain size (descriptive)
GRADISTAT
Character string
SORTING
Physical description of sample sorting (descriptive)
GRADISTAT
Character string
SKEWNESS
Physical description of sample skewness (descriptive)
GRADISTAT
Character string
KURTOSIS
Physical description of sample kurtosis (descriptive)
GRADISTAT
Character string
D10_um
Particle diameter representing the 10% cumulative percentile value (10% of the particles in the sediment sample are finer than the D10 grain size), in microns
GRADISTAT
26.46
193.99
Microns
0.01
D50_um
Particle diameter representing the 50% cumulative percentile value (10% of the particles in the sediment sample are finer than the D50 grain size), in microns
GRADISTAT
77.94
288.97
Microns
0.01
D90_um
Particle diameter representing the 90% cumulative percentile value (10% of the particles in the sediment sample are finer than the D90 grain size), in microns
GRADISTAT
120.82
541.11
Microns
0.01
SAND_pct
Total sand fraction of the sediment sample, in percent
GRADISTAT
69.44
100.00
Percent
0.01
MUD_pct
Total mud fraction of the sediment sample, in percent
GRADISTAT
0.00
30.56
Percent
0.01
2015-301-CNT_CAMI_SumStats.xlsx; 2015-301-CNT_CAMI_SumStats.csv
Summary grain-size data for Caminada Headland Beach and Dune Restoration project sediment samples collected from coastal Louisiana in 2017 (USGS FAN 2015-301-CNT) provided as a Microsoft Excel workbook and comma-separated values text file. The averaged results for for a subset of the statistical parameters calculated by GRADISTAT, including the number of runs used and the standard deviation of the averaged results are provided.
USGS
The detailed attribute descriptions for the summary statistics workbooks are provided in the included data dictionary (2015-301-CNT_Grain_Size_Data-Dictionary.pdf). These metadata are not complete without this file.
Data dictionary for grain-size data tables, in: Bernier, J.C., Tuten, T.M., Flocks, J.G., Georgiou, I.Y., Kulp, M.A., Brown, Michael, and Courtois, Andrew, 2018, Sediment Data Collected in 2015, 2016, and 2017 from Coastal Louisiana: U.S. Geological Survey Data Release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F71G0KKD.
U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Julie C. Bernier
Geologist
Mailing and physical
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg
FL
33701
USA
727-502-8000
jbernier@usgs.gov
Downloadable data
This publication was prepared by an agency of the United States Government. Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Geological Survey, 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 imply any such warranty. The U.S. Geological Survey shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and (or) contained herein. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof.
Compressed (zip) archive
2018
Multimedia presentation
This zip archive includes Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, comma-separated values text files, Esri shapefiles, Keyhole Markup Language (KML), sample-location maps, and accompanying metadata for sediment data for samples collected from coastal Louisiana in 2015, 2016, and 2017 (USGS FAN 2015-301-CNT).
Unzip
https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-F71G0KKD/data/2015-301-CNT_SampleSites.zip
https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-F71G0KKD/data/2015-301-CNT_SumStats.zip
https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-F71G0KKD/data/2015-301-CNT_Maps.zip
https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-F71G0KKD/data/2015-301-CNT_RunStats.zip
None. No fees are applicable for obtaining the dataset.
The sample location tables and grain-size data files were created in Microsoft Excel 2010 and can be opened using Microsoft Excel 2007 or higher; these data may also be viewed using the free Microsoft Excel Viewer. The sample locations and summary grain-size statistics files are also provided as comma-separated values text files (.csv) and GIS data files (sample location files only) in Esri shapefile (.shp) and Keyhole Markup Language (KML) format; the GIS files can be opened using the free ArcGIS Explorer or Google Earth GIS viewers. The sample location maps were created in Esri ArcMap version 10.3 and exported as JPEG files; these files can be opened using standard image viewing software.
20201013
U.S. Geological Survey
Julie C. Bernier
Geologist
Mailing and physical
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg
FL
33701
USA
727-502-8000
jbernier@usgs.gov
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
FGDC-STD-001-1998
None
Public domain data from the U.S. Government are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution.
None
Unclassified
None