Historical Shoreline for New Jersey (1971 to 1978): Vector Digital Data

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Historical Shoreline for New Jersey (1971 to 1978): Vector Digital Data
Abstract:
New_Jersey_1971_78_Digitized_Shoreline.zip features a digitized historic shoreline for the New Jersey coastline (Point Pleasant, NJ to Longport, NJ) from 1971 to 1978. Imagery of the New Jersey coastline was acquired from the New Jersey Geographic Information Network (NJGIN) as two images: “1970 NJDEP Wetlands Basemap” (1971-78) and the “1977 Tidelands Basemaps” (1977-78). These images are available as a web mapping service (WMS) through the NJGIN website (https://njgin.state.nj.us/NJ_NJGINExplorer/jviewer.jsp?pg=wms_instruct). To reduce digitizing error, the imagery was acquired on a hard drive from the NJGIN via personal communication. Using ArcMap 10.3.1, the "1970 NJDEP Wetlands Basemap" was used to delineate and digitize historical foreshore, backshore, mainland, and island shoreline positions, with the “1977 Tidelands Basemaps” being used to fill in missing shorelines and clarify areas of uncertainty from the 1970s imagery. These shorelines were digitized for use in long-term shoreline and wetland analyses for Hurricane Sandy wetland physical change assessment.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Swiderski, Danielle C., Terrano, Joseph F., and Smith, Kathryn E.L., 20160908, Historical Shoreline for New Jersey (1971 to 1978): Vector Digital Data: U.S. Geological Survey Data Release doi:10.5066/F76T0JR7, U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, FL.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -74.577325105
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -74.041075153
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 40.081196268
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 39.299815615
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 18-Jun-1971
    Ending_Date: 05-Sep-1978
    Currentness_Reference:
    ground condition
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Vector Digital Data Set (Polyline)
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
      • String (3136)
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator
      Universal_Transverse_Mercator:
      UTM_Zone_Number: 18
      Transverse_Mercator:
      Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: 0.9996
      Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -75.0
      Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 0.0
      False_Easting: 500000.0
      False_Northing: 0.0
      Planar coordinates are encoded using coordinate pair
      Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.6096
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.6096
      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.
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    Attribute Table
    Table containing attribute information associated with the data-set. (Source: Producer defined)
    SHAPE_Leng
    System-generated attribute field, which was automatically created by ArcGIS to indicate the feature length. (Source: Esri)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0.0816635165124
    Maximum:15900.1912577
    Units:Meters
    Shoreline
    Shoreline classification used to separate foreshore, backshore, mainland, and island shorelines. (Source: USGS)
    ValueDefinition
    ForeshoreShoreline located on the open-ocean side of the barrier island
    BackshoreShoreline located on the estuarine side of the barrier island
    MainlandMainland shoreline
    IslandShoreline representing small islands not connected to the foreshore or backshore of the barrier island or the mainland
    Date_
    Date imagery was collected for the New Jersey coast using the "MM/DD/YYYY HH:MM:SS" format. Additional information can be found in the "Year" and "Notes" fields. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:06/18/1971 12:00:00 AM
    Maximum:09/05/1978 12:00:00 AM
    Year
    4-digit year in which the imagery was collected. (Source: USGS)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1971
    Maximum:1978
    Units:Year
    Accuracy
    A value representing the shoreline position uncertainty associated with the imagery type, aerial imagery, which was used in the shoreline change statistical computations reported by Hapke and others (2010). (Source: USGS)
    ValueDefinition
    5.5Horizontal shoreline position uncertainty, in meters.
    Notes
    Additional information about the processing steps, such as where the imagery came from and digitizing information. (Source: USGS) Additional information about the shoreline data.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    The entity and attribute information provided here describes the tabular data associated with the data-set. Please review the detailed descriptions that are provided (the individual attribute descriptions) for information on the values that appear as fields/table entries of the data-set.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
    The entity and attribute information was 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)
    • Danielle C. Swiderski
    • Joseph F. Terrano
    • Kathryn E.L. Smith
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
    Acknowledgment of the U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, as a data source would be appreciated in products developed from these data, and such acknowledgment as is standard for citation and legal practices. Sharing of new data layers developed directly from these data would also be appreciated by the U.S. Geological Survey staff. Users should be aware that comparisons with other datasets for the same area from other time periods may be inaccurate due to inconsistencies resulting from changes in photointerpretation, mapping conventions, and digital processes over time. These data are not legal documents and are not to be used as such.
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: Joseph F. Terrano
    Researcher I
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL

    727-502-8047 (voice)
    727-502-8182 (FAX)
    jterrano@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

Shoreline data are considered a crucial element in performing change analysis for erosion and accretion studies for tracking shoreline movement over time. Aerial imagery from the NJGIN was used to digitize the New Jersey coastline to document the short- and long-term changes of the selected study area. The digitized shorelines provide an accurate and measurable change in shape, area, and shoreline movement over a short and long period of time.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
    “1970 NJDEP Wetlands Basemap” (1971-78) and “1977 Tidelands Basemaps” (1977-78) (source 1 of 4)
    New Jersey Geographic Information Network, Unknown, New Jersey Geographic Information Network (NJGIN) Web Mapping Service (WMS) Imagery: New Jersey Geographic Information Network, New Jersey.

    Online Links:

    Type_of_Source_Media: Digital and/or Hardcopy Resources
    Source_Contribution:
    Imagery provided by the NJGIN on an external hard drive after personal communication. The imagery can also be displayed in ArcGIS through the NJGIN WMS site, at no change. The ArcGIS WMS link for the 1970 NJDEP Wetlands Basemap is (http://geodata.state.nj.us/imagerywms/BlackWhite1970?) and the link to the 1977 Tidelands Basemaps is (http://geodata.state.nj.us/imagerywms/1977BlackWhite?). Imagery was used to delineate and digitize shoreline positions.
    NJDEP tidelands grid (source 2 of 4)
    New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Office of Information Resources Management (OIRM), Bureau of Geographic Information and Analysis (BGIA), 19880501, NJDEP Riparian Tidelands Grid for the Atlantic Coast of New Jersey: NJDEP, Trenton, NJ.

    Online Links:

    Type_of_Source_Media: Digital and/or Hardcopy Resources
    Source_Scale_Denominator: 24000
    Source_Contribution:
    The NJDEP tidelands grid was downloaded to help determine shoreline dates associated with each NJGIN aerial image. This grid file is a general representation of imagery tile locations taken over the course of 1970-1979. Based on a visual assessment the tile index could be used to represent both the 1970 NJDEP Wetlands Basemap and 1977 Tidelands Basemap. However, the grid did not include any date information, so John Tyrawski with the NJDEP was contacted (see the next cross reference for more information about dates and for contact information). After the missing dates were acquired, these details were joined to the tidelands grid, based on the grid ID number. This updated grid was then used to join the dates to the shoreline file.
    New Jersey imagery dates (source 3 of 4)
    New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Excel Spreadsheets with dates for “1970 NJDEP Wetlands Basemap” and “1977 Tidelands Basemaps”.: Unpublished by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. For more information contact John Tyrawski at John.Tyrawski@dep.nj.gov., New Jersey.

    Other_Citation_Details:
    These Excel Spreadsheets are unpublished and were obtained from the NJDEP via personal communication.
    Type_of_Source_Media: Digital and/or Hardcopy Resources
    Source_Contribution:
    An Excel spreadsheet was provided for both the 1970 NJDEP Wetlands Basemap and the 1977 Tidelands Basemap. The Excel spreadsheets contained dates specific to each image tile found within the two mosaics. The dates were needed for use in the shoreline change analysis.
    Shoreline position uncertainty (source 4 of 4)
    Hapke and others, National Assessment of Shoreline Change: Historical Shoreline Change along the New England and Mid-Atlantic Coasts: U.S Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia.

    Online Links:

    Type_of_Source_Media: Digital and/or Hardcopy Resources
    Source_Contribution:
    Report contains values representing the shoreline position uncertainty associated with the t-sheets, that was used in the shoreline change statistical computations
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 01-Jun-2016 (process 1 of 4)
    Imagery was acquired from the NJGIN on an external hard drive as individual image tiles and was opened using ArcGIS 10.3.1. The image tiles for each timeframe (1971-78 and 1977-78) were mosaicked into two mosaic datasets using North American Datum of 1983 state plane for New Jersey Federal Information Processing Standard Zone 2900, in feet (NAD_1983_StatePlane_New_Jersey_FIPS_2900_Feet).
    Date: 10-Jun-2016 (process 2 of 4)
    Using the ArcMap 10.3.1 editor toolbar, the foreshore, backshore, mainland and islands were digitized based on a visual assessment of shoreline locations within the imagery, at a scale of 1:1,500. The 1971-78 mosaic imagery was used as the primary source for delineating and digitizing shorelines. If necessary, the 1977-78 mosaic imagery was used to fill in missing areas or justify shoreline positions in areas where it was not apparent in the 1971-77 imagery. The foreshore was digitized using the wet/dry line along the open-ocean facing side of the barrier island as a proxy for mean high water (MHW) shoreline position. The backshore was digitized using the land-water boundary along the estuarine side of the barrier island as a proxy for shoreline position. The mainland was digitized using the land-water boundary between the mainland and estuary as a proxy for shoreline position. Islands were classified as land not connected to the foreshore or backshore of the barrier island or the mainland and were digitized using the land-water boundary as a proxy for shoreline position. For consistency, small islands and creeks were not digitized, since they were not necessary for the shoreline change analysis. In addition, the following fields were added to the shoreline’s attribute table and calculated as necessary: "Shoreline" (Text/25), "Date_" (Text/25), "Year" (Text/10), “Accuracy” (double), and “Notes” (text/254). See the “Entity and Attribute Information” section for additional information.
    Date: 01-Aug-2016 (process 3 of 4)
    Dates were not included in the NJGIN imagery so they were acquired from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) via personal communication, as two Excel spreadsheets. Using the NJDEP tidelands grid (available at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/gis/stateshp.html#TIDEGRID) the Excel spreadsheets were joined to it, based on the grid number. The updated grid, with dates, was then used to split the shorelines into their respective grids and a spatial join was used to add the dates from the grid to the shoreline shapefile.
    Date: 13-Oct-2020 (process 4 of 4)
    Added keywords section with USGS persistent identifier as theme keyword. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: VeeAnn A. Cross
    Marine Geologist
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA

    508-548-8700 x2251 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    vatnipp@usgs.gov
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

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?
    A formal accuracy assessment of the horizontal positional information in the dataset has not been conducted.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
    A formal accuracy assessment of the vertical positional information in the dataset has either not been conducted, or is not applicable.
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    Dataset 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?
    Digitized shorelines were checked to ensure they were one continuous line. In areas where the 1970 image was missing and the 1977 image was used the shorelines were not connected and were left “as is”, with some overlap of the shoreline positions to ensure no gaps were present. The remaining shorelines were checked for dangles (or extra line segments), which were removed, when necessary. The shorelines were split into foreshore, backshore, mainland, and islands based on a visual assessment. Small islands and creeks were not digitized as they were not necessary for this study. Larger creeks and rivers were digitized, as needed, to ensure a complete shoreline for later use within shoreline change programs.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
Access_Constraints: None
Use_Constraints:
The U.S. Geological Survey requests to be acknowledged as originator of the data in future products or derivative research.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: Joseph F. Terrano
    Researcher I
    600 4th Street South
    St. Petersburg, FL

    727-502-8047 (voice)
    727-502-8182 (FAX)
    jterrano@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? New_Jersey_1971_78_Digitized_Shoreline.shp
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    This digital 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, 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.
  4. How can I download or order the data?

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 13-Oct-2020
Metadata author:
U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Science Center
Attn: Joseph F. Terrano
Researcher I
600 4th Street South
St. Petersburg, FL

727-502-8047 (voice)
727-502-8182 (FAX)
jterrano@usgs.gov
Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/spcmsc/New_Jersey_1971_78_Shoreline_Metadata.faq.html>
Generated by mp version 2.9.50 on Tue Sep 21 18:18:51 2021