Shoreline intersects for the islands of Vieques and Culebra, Puerto Rico, calculated using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System version 5.1

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Shoreline intersects for the islands of Vieques and Culebra, Puerto Rico, calculated using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System version 5.1
Abstract:
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) maintains shoreline positions for the United States coasts from both older sources, such as aerial photographs or topographic surveys, and contemporary sources, such as lidar-point clouds and digital elevation models. These shorelines are compiled and analyzed in the USGS Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS), version 5.1 software to calculate rates of change. Keeping a record of historical shoreline positions is an effective method to monitor change over time, enabling scientists to identify areas most susceptible to erosion or accretion. These data can help coastal managers understand which areas of the coast are vulnerable to change. This data release, and other associated products, represent an expansion of the USGS national-scale shoreline database to include Puerto Rico and its islands, Vieques and Culebra. The USGS, in cooperation with the Coastal Research and Planning Institute of Puerto Rico—part of the Graduate School of Planning at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus—has derived and compiled a database of historical shoreline positions using a variety of methods. These historical shoreline data are then used to measure the rate of shoreline change over time. Rate calculations are computed within a geographic information system (GIS) using the DSAS version 5.1 software. Starting from a user defined baseline, measurement transects are created by DSAS that intersect the shoreline vectors. The resulting intersections provide the location and time information necessary to calculate rates of shoreline change. The overall project contains shorelines, baselines, shoreline change rates (long-term and short-term), and shoreline intersects (long-term and short-term), for Puerto Rico, and the adjacent islands of Vieques and Culebra.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Henderson, Rachel E., Heslin, Julia L., and Himmelstoss, Emily A., 20211119, Shoreline intersects for the islands of Vieques and Culebra, Puerto Rico, calculated using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System version 5.1: data release DOI:10.5066/P9FNRRN0, U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

    Online Links:

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Henderson, Rachel E., Heslin, Julia L., and Himmelstoss, Emily A., 2021, Puerto Rico shoreline change — A GIS compilation of shorelines, baselines, intersects, and change rates calculated using the Digital Shoreline Analysis system version 5.1: data release DOI:10.5066/P9FNRRN0, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    suggested citation: Henderson, R.E., Heslin, J.L., and Himmelstoss, E.A., 2021, Puerto Rico shoreline change — A GIS compilation of shorelines, baselines, intersects, and change rates calculated using the Digital Shoreline Analysis system version 5.1: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9FNRRN0
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -67.272143
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -65.5886
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 18.5171
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 17.9257
  3. What does it look like?
    https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/file/get/6149fa5dd34e0df5fb96fc29?name=VC_Intersects.jpg (JPEG)
    Map of shoreline intersect positions (long-term) for Vieques and Culebra of Puerto Rico from the 1900s to 2018.
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 1936
    Ending_Date: 2018
    Currentness_Reference:
    ground condition
  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
    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 0.0000001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.0000001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees. The horizontal datum used is WGS_1984.
      The ellipsoid used is WGS_1984.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.0.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257223563.
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    VC_Trans_Intersects_LT.shp
    The shoreline intersection points are generated by DSAS where each DSAS generated transect crosses a shoreline. These intersections represent the shoreline position and contain the data necessary for DSAS to compute long-term rates. Point Object Count: 6177 (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    FID
    Internal feature number used as a unique identifier of an object within a table primarily used in shapefiles. (Source: Esri) Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
    Shape
    The geometry field (shape) is automatically created and maintained by ArcGIS. It provides a definition of the feature type (point, line, polygon). (Source: Esri) Feature Type
    TransOrder
    Assigned by DSAS based on ordering of transects along the baseline. Used to allow user to sort transect data along the baseline from baseline start to baseline end. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    Range of values
    Minimum:10
    Maximum:3563
    BaselineID
    Unique identification number of the baseline segment. If BaselineID=0 no transects will be generated. Used by DSAS to determine transect ordering alongshore if multiple baseline segments exist. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1
    Maximum:8
    ShorelineI
    Date of shoreline position in mm/dd/yyyy format; date of survey as determined from shoreline layer. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey) Date of shoreline position.
    Distance
    The distance in meters between the DSAS reference baseline and the shoreline intersection point along a DSAS transect. Values may be positive or negative, which is used to indicate landward (negative) or seaward (positive) direction from baseline origin. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-8.069378
    Maximum:184.753711
    IntersectX
    The X-coordinate location in eastings of the intersect point in NAD_1983_NSRS2007_StatePlane_Puerto_Rico_Virgin_Isls_FIPS_5200v. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    Range of values
    Minimum:290528.246211
    Maximum:327841.241035
    IntersectY
    The Y-coordinate location in northings of the intersect point in NAD_1983_NSRS2007_StatePlane_Puerto_Rico_Virgin_Isls_FIPS_5200v. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    Range of values
    Minimum:227692.950304
    Maximum:257442.641591
    Uncertaint
    The uncertainty of the shoreline intersect point as defined by the positional-uncertainty value of the shoreline. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1.677051
    Maximum:9.25
    VC_Trans_Intersects_ST.shp
    The shoreline intersection points are generated by DSAS where each DSAS generated transect crosses a shoreline. These intersections represent the shoreline position and contain the data necessary for DSAS to compute long-term rates. Point Object Count: 4296 (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    FID
    Internal feature number used as a unique identifier of an object within a table primarily used in shapefiles. (Source: Esri) Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
    Shape
    The geometry field (shape) is automatically created and maintained by ArcGIS. It provides a definition of the feature type (point, line, polygon). (Source: Esri) Feature Type
    TransOrder
    Assigned by DSAS based on ordering of transects along the baseline. Used to allow user to sort transect data along the baseline from baseline start to baseline end. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    Range of values
    Minimum:10
    Maximum:3563
    BaselineID
    Unique identification number of the baseline segment. If BaselineID=0 no transects will be generated. Used by DSAS to determine transect ordering alongshore if multiple baseline segments exist. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1
    Maximum:8
    ShorelineI
    Date of shoreline position in mm/dd/yyyy format; date of survey as determined from shoreline layer. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey) Date of shoreline position.
    Distance
    The distance in meters between the DSAS reference baseline and the shoreline intersection point along a DSAS transect. Values may be positive or negative, which is used to indicate landward (negative) or seaward (positive) direction from baseline origin. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    Range of values
    Minimum:-8.069378
    Maximum:120.424866
    IntersectX
    The X-coordinate location in eastings of the intersect point in NAD_1983_NSRS2007_StatePlane_Puerto_Rico_Virgin_Isls_FIPS_5200v. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    Range of values
    Minimum:290762.491482
    Maximum:325711.048124
    IntersectY
    The Y-coordinate location in northings of the intersect point in NAD_1983_NSRS2007_StatePlane_Puerto_Rico_Virgin_Isls_FIPS_5200v. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    Range of values
    Minimum:227807.819716
    Maximum:257217.318398
    Uncertaint
    The uncertainty of the shoreline intersect point as defined by the positional-uncertainty value of the shoreline. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1.677051
    Maximum:5.92
    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    The entity and attribute information provided here describes the tabular data associated with the intersects needed to calculate long-term (~120) and short-term (~40 years) shoreline change rates. Please review the individual attribute descriptions for detailed information. All calculations for length are in meter units.
    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)
    • Rachel E. Henderson
    • Julia L. Heslin
    • Emily A. Himmelstoss
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Attn: Rachel E. Henderson
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA
    USA

    508-548-8700 (voice)
    rehenderson@contractor.usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

The datasets described by this metadata file include intersects of shoreline positions for the islands Vieques and Culebra, of Puerto Rico, used for both long-term (~120 years) and short-term (~40 years) shoreline change calculations. Rate calculations were computed within a GIS using DSAS version 5.1, an ArcGIS extension developed by the U.S. Geological Survey. A reference baseline was used as the originating point for the orthogonal transects cast by the DSAS software. The transects intersect each shoreline establishing measurement points which provide location and time information used to calculate rates of change. Long-term and short-term rates of shoreline change were calculated using a linear regression rate based on available shoreline data.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
    PR_Shorelines (source 1 of 2)
    Heslin, Julia L., Henderson, Rachel E., and Himmelstoss, Emily A., 2021, Shorelines for Vieques, Culebra, and the main island of Puerto Rico from the 1900s to 2018.: data release doi:10.5066/P9FNRRN0, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Type_of_Source_Media: online
    Source_Contribution:
    Shoreline data from four corresponding Puerto Rico shorelines Data releases which have been merged into a single feature class (PR_shorelines). Note the range of shoreline dates will vary by location.
    VC_Baselines (source 2 of 2)
    Heslin, Julia L., Henderson, Rachel E., and Himmelstoss, Emily A., 2021, Baseline for the islands of Vieques and Culebra, Puerto Rico, generated to calculate shoreline change rates using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System version 5.1: data release doi:10.5066/P9FNRRN0, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Type_of_Source_Media: online
    Source_Contribution:
    Baselines used by DSAS to cast transects from which shoreline changes can be measured.
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 2021 (process 1 of 7)
    DSAS v5.1 was used to create transect features (stored in a personal geodatabase) for long-term shoreline change. DSAS input parameters Used: shoreline layer = PR_Shorelines, baseline layer= VC_Baselines, baseline group field=DSAS_group, transect spacing=50 meters, search distance=200 meters, land direction=right, shoreline intersection=seaward. Files produced and saved to personal geodatabase = VC_Trans_LT. For additional details on these parameters, please see the DSAS help file distributed with the DSAS software or visit the USGS website at: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/whcmsc/science/digital-shoreline-analysis-system-dsas Some transects were manually edited for length, moved, or deleted in an edit session using standard editing tools in ArcMap v10.6. This process step and all subsequent process steps were performed by the same person: Rachel E. Henderson Person who carried out this activity:
    Rachel E. Henderson
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Researcher VII
    384 Woods Hole Road
    Woods Hole, MA

    508-548-8700 (voice)
    rehenderson@contractor.usgs.gov
    Data sources used in this process:
    • PR_Shorelines
    • VC_Baselines
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • VC_Trans_LT
    Date: 2021 (process 2 of 7)
    To calculate the long-term shoreline change rate the entire range of shorelines from 1901 to 2018 were utilized. DSAS generates shoreline intersects and shoreline change calculations stored as rate transects. Depending on the available data, the shoreline intersects used for analysis may include those referenced to the datum-based mean high water (MHW) or a proxy-based feature such as the high water line (HWL) wet-dry line (WDL). Input parameters used: shoreline layer= PR_Shorelines, shoreline date field=Date_, shoreline uncertainty field name=Uncy, the default accuracy=10 meters, shoreline intersection=seaward, transect layer= VC_Trans_LT, stats calculations=[LRR], shoreline threshold=0, confidence interval=90%. Files produced and saved to personal geodatabase = VC_Trans_LT_rates, VC_Trans_LT_intersects. NOTE: All shorelines have an uncertainty value listed in the attribute table that provides the horizontal uncertainty associated with the shoreline, regardless of the method used. The shoreline database contains both MHW and HWL shorelines. Data sources used in this process:
    • PR_Shorelines
    • VC_Trans_LT
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • VC_Trans_LT_rates
    • VC_Trans_LT_intersects
    Date: 2021 (process 3 of 7)
    DSAS v5.1 was used to create transect features (stored in a personal geodatabase) for short-term shoreline change. DSAS input parameters Used: shoreline layer = PR_Shorelines, baseline layer= VC_Baselines, baseline group field=DSAS_group, transect spacing=50 meters, search distance=200 meters, land direction=right, shoreline intersection=seaward. Files produced and saved to personal geodatabase = VC_Trans_ST. For additional details on these parameters, please see the DSAS help file distributed with the DSAS software or visit the USGS website at: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/whcmsc/science/digital-shoreline-analysis-system-dsas Some transects were manually edited for length, moved, or deleted in an edit session using standard editing tools in ArcMap v10.6. Data sources used in this process:
    • PR_Shorelines
    • VC_Baselines
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • VC_Trans_ST
    Date: 2021 (process 4 of 7)
    To calculate the short-term shoreline change rates, shorelines from 1977 to 2018 were selected. DSAS generates shoreline intersects and shoreline change calculations stored as rate transects. Depending on the available data, the shoreline intersects used for analysis may include those referenced to the datum-based mean high water (MHW) or a proxy-based feature such as the high water line (HWL) wet-dry line (WDL). Input parameters used: shoreline layer= PR_Shorelines, shoreline date field=Date_, shoreline uncertainty field name=Uncy, the default accuracy=10 meters, shoreline intersection=seaward, transect layer= VC_Trans_ST, stats calculations=[LRR], shoreline threshold=0, confidence interval=90%. Files produced and saved to personal geodatabase = VC_Trans_ST_rates, VC_Trans_ST_intersects. NOTE: All shorelines have an uncertainty value listed in the attribute table that provides the horizontal uncertainty associated with the shoreline, regardless of the method used. The shoreline database contains both MHW and HWL shorelines. Data sources used in this process:
    • PR_Shorelines
    • VC_Trans_ST
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • VC_Trans_ST_rates
    • VC_Trans_ST_intersects
    Date: 2021 (process 5 of 7)
    A coastal shoreline classification (Bracero-Marrero and others, 2021) was used to identify areas of sandy shoreline and remove transects/intersects from analysis in areas of mangrove vegetation, rocky cliff-backed coastlines, and some areas with significant anthropogenic modification.
    Date: 2021 (process 6 of 7)
    Long-term and short-term intersect features were exported from a personal geodatabase to shapefiles in ArcMap v10.6 by right-clicking the transect layer > data > export data. Data sources used in this process:
    • VC_Trans_LT_intersects
    • VC_Trans_ST_intersects
    Data sources produced in this process:
    • VC_Intersects_LT
    • VC_Intersects_ST
    Date: 2021 (process 7 of 7)
    The exported intersect shapefiles were projected in Esri's ArcToolbox (v10.6) > Data Management Tools > Projections and Transformations > Project. Parameters: input projection - NAD_1983_NSRS2007_StatePlane_Puerto_Rico_Virgin_Isls_FIPS_5200v; output projection - geographic coordinates (WGS84); transformation = none.
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
    Henderson, Rachel E., Heslin, Julia L., Himmelstoss, Emily A., and Barreto-Orta, Maritza, 2021, Puerto Rico shoreline change from the 1900s to 2018 — Summary statistics for Vieques, Culebra, and the main island of Puerto Rico.: data report XXXX, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Data Report associated with Data Release DOI:10.5066/P9FNRRN0. Issue number as yet unknown.
    Himmelstoss, Emily A., Farris, Amy S., Henderson, Rachel E., Kratzmann, Meredith G., Ergul, Ayhan, Zhang, Ouya, and Zichichi, Jessica L., 2018, Digital Shoreline Analysis System (version 5.1): U.S. Geological Survey Software: software release version 5, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: Current version of software at time of use was 5.1
    Himmelstoss, Emily A., Henderson, Rachel E., Kratzmann, Meredith G., and Farris, Amy S., 2021, Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) version 5.1 user guide: Open-File Report 2021-1091, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Heslin, Julia L., Henderson, Rachel E., and Himmelstoss, Emily A., 2021, A GIS Compilation of Vector Shorelines for Puerto Rico from 2015 to 2018: data release DOI:10.5066/P9AZYW74, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    U.S. Geological Survey, 2021, Historical Shorelines for Puerto Rico from 1901 to 1987: data release DOI:10.5066/P9CLXCEG, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Bracero-Marrero, Loderay, Barreto-Orta, Maritza, Hernández-Montcourt, Nias, Maldonado-González, Rubén, Himmelstoss, Emily A., and Heslin, Julia L., 2021, A GIS Compilation of Vector Shorelines and Shoreline Classification for Puerto Rico from 1970 and 2010: data release doi:10.5066/P9SEUAHC, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    suggested citation: Bracero-Marrero, L., Barreto-Orta, M., Hernández-Montcourt, N., Maldonado-González, R., Himmelstoss, E.A., Heslin, J.L. 2021, A GIS Compilation of Vector Shorelines and Shoreline Classification for Puerto Rico from 1970 and 2010: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9SEUAHC
    E.R.Thieler, Rodriguez, R.W., and Himmelstoss, Emily A., 2007, Historical Changes at Rincon, Puerto Rico, 1936-2006: open file report doi:10.3133/ofr20071017, 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 attributes of this dataset are based on the field requirements of the Digital Shoreline Analysis System and were automatically generated by the software during the generation intersect points.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    The shoreline intersect points represent the location where transects cast by the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) software crosses a vector shoreline position. They can be used to visually display which shorelines were used in the rate calculations and capture details on the shoreline represented by the intersection. The distances between the reference baseline and each shoreline intersection along a transect are used by the DSAS software to compute the shoreline change metrics. The positional uncertainties associated with the shoreline and intersection points are captured in the shoreline attribute table.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    This dataset contains the shoreline intersect positions generated by the DSAS software application that were used to calculate shoreline change rates for the region. Additional intersect positions and rate transects may have been generated but did not meet the required number of shorelines or time period requirements.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    These data were generated using DSAS, an automated software program, which does not perform checks for fidelity of the input features. Following generation of the rates and intersects by the DSAS software a visual inspection of the intersects was performed in map view to determine that no unwanted measurements were included in the desired (long- or short-term) shoreline change analysis.

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:
These data were automatically generated using the DSAS v5.1 software application. 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. These data are not to be used for navigation.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    U.S. Geological Survey - ScienceBase
    Federal Center, Building 810, MS 302
    Denver, CO
    USA

    1-888-275-8747 (voice)
    sciencebase@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? The dataset contains the polyline rates of shoreline change data, (SHP and other shapefile components), browse graphic, and the FGDC CSDGM metadata.
  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. Although these data and associated metadata have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness and approved for release by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and have been processed successfully on a computer system at the USGS, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data for other purposes, nor on all computer systems, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. The USGS or the U.S. Government shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. 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-Nov-2021
Metadata author:
Rachel E. Henderson
U.S. Geological Survey
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA
USA

508-548-8700 (voice)
rehenderson@contractor.usgs.gov
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_P9FNRRN0/VC_Intersects_metadata.faq.html>
Generated by mp version 2.9.50 on Mon Nov 29 09:51:00 2021