Offshore baseline for the western North Carolina (NCwest) coastal region generated to calculate shoreline change rates

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Offshore baseline for the western North Carolina (NCwest) coastal region generated to calculate shoreline change rates
Abstract:
Sandy ocean beaches are a popular recreational destination, often surrounded by communities containing valuable real estate. Development is on the rise despite the fact that coastal infrastructure is subjected to flooding and erosion. As a result, there is an increased demand for accurate information regarding past and present shoreline changes. To meet these national needs, the Coastal and Marine Geology Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is compiling existing reliable historical shoreline data along open-ocean sandy shores of the conterminous United States and parts of Alaska and Hawaii under the National Assessment of Shoreline Change project. There is no widely accepted standard for analyzing shoreline change. Existing shoreline data measurements and rate calculation methods vary from study to study and prevent combining results into state-wide or regional assessments. The impetus behind the National Assessment project was to develop a standardized method of measuring changes in shoreline position that is consistent from coast to coast. The goal was to facilitate the process of periodically and systematically updating the results in an internally consistent manner.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    U.S. Geological Survey, 2017, Offshore baseline for the western North Carolina (NCwest) coastal region generated to calculate shoreline change rates: data release DOI:10.5066/F74X55X7, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Kratzmann, M.G., Himmelstoss, E.A., and Thieler, E.R., 2017, National Assessment of Shoreline Change— A GIS compilation of Updated Vector Shorelines and Associated Shoreline Change Data for the Southeast Atlantic Coast: data release DOI:10.5066/F74X55X7, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -78.542388
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -78.015551
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 33.920469
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 33.837213
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Calendar_Date: 2017
    Currentness_Reference:
    publication date
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
  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 (1)
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.000001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.000001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees. The horizontal datum used is D_WGS_1984.
      The ellipsoid used is WGS_1984.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257224.
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    NCwest_baseline
    Reference baseline used by the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) to calculate rate-of-change statistics (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    FID
    Internal feature number. (Source: Esri) Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
    Shape
    Feature geometry. (Source: Esri) Coordinates defining the features.
    ID
    Field required by the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) software. DSAS uses this value to determine the ordering sequence of transects when the baseline feature contains multiple segments. Individual segments are numbered sequentially alongshore. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1
    Maximum:1
    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    The entity and attribute information provided here describes the tabular data associated with the dataset. Please review the individual attribute descriptions for detailed information.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: U.S. Geological Survey

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • U.S. Geological Survey
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: E.A. Himmelstoss
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 (voice)
    508-547-2310 (FAX)
    ehimmelstoss@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

This dataset includes a reference baseline used by the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) to calculate rate-of-change statistics for western North Carolina from Oak Island to the South Carolina border. This baseline layer serves as the starting point for all transects cast by the DSAS application. The transects intersect each shoreline and establish measurement points used to calculate shoreline-change rates. Rates of long-term and short-term shoreline change were generated in a GIS using the DSAS version 4.3- An ArcGIS extension for calculating shoreline change: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008-1278, Thieler, E.R., Himmelstoss, E.A., Zichichi, J.L., and Ergul, Ayhan.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 2014 (process 1 of 6)
    A baseline was constructed offshore from the time series of shoreline positions using standard editing tools in Esri's ArcMap v10. The baseline was positioned to conform to changes in the combined orientation of the shorelines alongshore. This was done so that the transects, which are generated by the Digital Shoreline Analysis System v4.3 from the baseline, would intersect perpendicular to the general trend of the shorelines. This process step and all subsequent process steps were performed by the same person - M.G. Kratzmann. Person who carried out this activity:
    M.G. Kratzmann
    U.S. Geological Survey
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 (voice)
    508-457-2310 (FAX)
    mkratzmann@usgs.gov
    Date: 2014 (process 2 of 6)
    The baseline feature class was imported into a personal geodatabase in ArcCatalog v10 by right-clicking on the geodatabase > Import for use with the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) v4.3 software to perform rate calculations.
    Date: 2014 (process 3 of 6)
    The baseline feature class was exported from a personal geodatabase to a shapefile in ArcCatalog v10 by performing a right-mouse click on the data layer > export > to shapefile (single).
    Date: 2015 (process 4 of 6)
    The baseline shapefile was projected in ArcToolbox v10.2 > Data Management Tools > Projections and Transformations > Project. parameters: input projection - UTM zone 17N (WGS 84); output projection- geographic coordinates (WGS 84); transformation = none.
    Date: 25-Aug-2017 (process 5 of 6)
    Keywords section of metadata optimized for discovery in USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Data Catalog. Person who carried out this activity:
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: Alan O. Allwardt
    Contractor -- Information Specialist
    2885 Mission Street
    Santa Cruz, CA

    831-460-7551 (voice)
    831-427-4748 (FAX)
    aallwardt@usgs.gov
    Date: 10-Aug-2020 (process 6 of 6)
    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?
    Morton, Robert A., and Miller, Tara L., 2005, National Assessment of Shoreline Change: Part 2 Historical Shoreline Changes and Associated Coastal Land Loss along the U.S. Southeast Atlantic Coast: Open-File Report 2005-1401, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Thieler, E.R., Himmelstoss, E.A., Zichichi, J.L., and Ergul, A., 2009, Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) version 4.0 - An ArcGIS extension for calculating shoreline change: Open-File Report 2008-1278, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: Current version of software at time of use was 4.3
    Himmelstoss, E.A., Kratzmann, M.G., and Thieler, E.R., 2017, National Assessment of Shoreline Change: Summary Statistics for Updated Vector Shorelines and Associated Shoreline Change Data for the Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Atlantic Coasts: Open-File Report 2017-1015, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

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

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    The attribute in this layer is based on the requirements for use within the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) software (USGS Open-File Report 2008-1278). The data have been quality checked.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    The baseline serves as a reference point for transects cast by the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) software. It does not correspond to any real-world feature.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    This baseline file is complete and contains the single baseline segment used to cast transects along sections of the western North Carolina coastal region where lidar shoreline position data were available and additional shoreline data are present to calculate either a short- or long-term rate.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    The single polyline has a unique identification attribute (ID) of 1. This field is used by the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) to designate the alongshore order of baselines if there are more than one.

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 Public domain data from the U.S. Government are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. Please recognize the U.S. Geological Survey as the originator of the dataset.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Denver Federal Center
    Denver, CO
    USA

    1-888-275-8747 (voice)
    sciencebase@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    Neither the U.S. Government, the Department of the Interior, nor the USGS, nor any of their employees, contractors, or subcontractors, make any warranty, express or implied, nor assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, nor represent that its use would not infringe on privately owned rights. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the USGS in the use of these data or related materials. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
  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 are available in a polyline shapefile format. The user must have software to read and process the data components of a shapefile.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 19-Mar-2024
Metadata author:
M.G. Kratzmann
U.S. Geological Survey
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA
USA

508-548-8700 (voice)
508-547-2310 (FAX)
whsc_data_contact@usgs.gov
Contact_Instructions:
The metadata contact email address is a generic address in the event the person is no longer with USGS. (updated on 20240319)
Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/whcmsc/SB_data_release/DR_F74X55X7/NCwest_baseline.shp.faq.html>
Generated by mp version 2.9.51 on Wed Jun 26 15:25:00 2024