FLORIDA GEOGRAPHIC DATA LIBRARY DOCUMENTATION
VERSION 2005

TITLE: FLORIDA'S ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE SHORELINES

Geodataset Name:       SENSHR
Geodataset Type:       SHAPEFILE
Geodataset Feature:    LINE
Feature Count:         51395
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
This dataset contains the locations and descriptions of Florida's environmentally sensitive shorelines. This data layer is an update to SENSHR released with FGDL Version 2003
DATA SOURCE(S):                    Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI)
SCALE OF ORIGINAL SOURCE MAPS:     N/A
DATE OF AUTOMATION OF SOURCE:      20030800
GEODATASET EXTENT:                 State of Florida

FEATURE ATTRIBUTE TABLES:

Datafile Name: SENSHR.DBF
ITEM NAME WIDTH TYPE
FID
4 OID
Shape
0 Geometry
ESI
10 String
LINE
1 String
ENVIR
1 String
MANGROVE
1 String
VER_NEED
1 String
VER_DATE
10 String
DESC_
250 String
DESCRIPT
250 String

FEATURE ATTRIBUTE TABLES CODES AND VALUES:

Item
Item Description
FID Internal feature number.

Shape Feature geometry.

ESI The item ESI contains values representing the ESI shoreline type (shoreline habitat type). In many cases shorelines are ranked with multiple codes such as 6B/3A (listed landward to seaward from left to right). The first number is the most landward shoreline type, riprap, with fine- to medium-grained sand beaches being the shoreline type closest to the water. Singular shoreline types are listed below. No multiple codes are listed, but all multiple codes included in the data set can be assembled from the codes described.
1A = Estuarine/Lacustrine: Exposed rocky shores; Riverine: Exposed rocky banks

1B = Exposed, 
solid man-made structures

2A = Estuarine: Exposed wave-cut platforms in bedrock, mud, or clay; 
Lacustrine: Shelving bedrock shores; Riverine: Rocky shoals, bedrock ledges

2B = Estuarine: 
Exposed scarps and steep slopes in clay

3A = Estuarine: Fine- to medium- grained sand beaches

3B = Estuarine: Scarps and steep slopes in sand; Lacustrine: Eroding scarps in unconsolidated sediments; 
Riverine: Exposed, eroding banks in unconsolidated sediments

3C = Estuarine: 
Tundra cliffs

4 = Estuarine: Course-grained sand beaches; Lacustrine: Sand beaches; Riverine: Sandy bars and gently sloping banks

5 = Estuarine/Lacustrine: Mixed sand and gravel beaches; Riverine: Mixed sand and gravel bars and gently sloping 
banks

6A = Estuarine/Lacustrine: Gravel beaches; Riverine: Gravel bars and gently sloping banks

6B = Estuarine/Lacustrine/Riverine: Riprap

7 = Estuarine/Lacustrine: 
Exposed tidal flats

8A = Estuarine/Lacustrine: Sheltered scarps in bedrock, mud, or clay

8B = Estuarine/Lacustrine/Riverine: Sheltered solid man-made structures

8C = Estuarine/Lacustrine/Riverine: Sheltered riprap

8D = Estuarine: Sheltered rocky rubble shores

8E = Estuarine: Peat shorelines

8F = Riverine: Vegetated, steeply-sloping bluffs

9A = Estuarine: 
Sheltered tidal flats; Lacustrine: Sheltered sand/mud flats

1C = Exposed rocky cliffs with 
boulder talus base

9B = Estuarine/Lacustrine/Riverine: Sheltered, 
vegetated low banks

9C = Hypersaline tidal flats

10A = Estuarine: Salt- and brackish- water marsh

10B = Estuarine/Lacustrine/Riverine: 
Freshwater marsh

10C = Estuarine/Lacustrine/Riverine: Swamps

10D = Estuarine/Lacustrine/Riverince: Scrub-shrub wetlands


LINE Type of geographic feature
S = Shoreline

M = Marsh

H = Hydrography

B = Breakwater


ENVIR Regional environment
E = Estuarine

L = Lacustrine

R = Riverine


MANGROVE Refers to whether the arc is a mangrove
Y = YES

N = NO


VER_NEED Refers to whether field verification is needed
Y = YES

N = NO


VER_DATE Date of field verification
Numeric = MMYYYY


DESC_ This field contains a description of the ESI code. Some items in this field may be abbreviated, such as: Est = Estuarine, Lac = Lacustrine, and Riv = Riverine.

DESCRIPT Based on DESC_


USER NOTES:
This data is provided 'as is'. GeoPlan relied on the integrity of the original data layer's topology.
The original ESI shoreline classification and a series of data updates and conversions were completed under previous programs 
and contracts. In this project, a new shoreline was developed from recent Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) data provided by the 
five state Water Management Districts (WMDs). The ESI shoreline habitat classifications were updated using the previous 
classification, LULC data, and interpretation of Digital Orthophoto Quarter Quads (DOQQs), field verification, and other 
supporting information. Updates were made using current attributing standards and checked for completeness and topological 
and logical consistency. ESI GT-polygon data for wetlands were also added to the data set using recent LULC data. To finalize 
the data checking process, each data layer was checked using standardized forms by two GIS personnel (a technician and the 
GIS manager), and each attribute database was checked using several programs which test the files for missing or duplicate 
data, rules for proper coding, GIS topological consistencies (such as dangles, unnecessary nodes, etc.), and MICROSOFT SQL 
SERVER(r) to ARC/INFO(r) consistencies.

The coastal ESI shoreline was updated during this project to the inland extent of the original ESI classification 
and the limit of marine and coastal waters represented as polygons in the LULC data provided by the WMDs (e.g., Atlantic Ocean,
 Gulf of Mexico, bays and estuaries, lower sections of coastal rivers and larger creeks, etc.). In addition, the Lower 
 St. Johns River was updated upstream to just beyond Lake Monroe and the town of Sanford, Florida. ESI polygons and 
 hydrography were updated to roughly 10 miles inland of the ESI shoreline. The updated shoreline position and classification 
 was based primarily on the interpretation of LULC data, DOQQs, the previous existing classification, and the ESI expertise 
 of coastal geologists, biologists, and GIS analysts. This update did include limited field verification, which is recommended 
 for the entire study area. A special attribute field was used to indicate specific shoreline segments or sections of coast 
 of highest priority for field verification.

GeoPlan relied on the integrity of the attribute 
 information within the original data.

This GIS data set comprises an update to the shoreline 
 habitat component of the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) and Gulf-Wide Information System (G-WIS) databases for the 
 coastal zone of Florida, including the lower St. Johns River. The ESI and G-WIS data suites characterize coastal habitats 
 and resources for environmental planning and natural resource management purposes, including oil spill planning and response. 
 The ESI and G-WIS data include three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use 
 resources. The data layer described in this document contains the linear ESI (complete chains) shoreline habitat 
 classification. There is also a separate ESIP (GT-polygon) layer for polygonal ESI habitat features (Contact FMRI).

The ESI and G-WIS data provide sensitive areas data for oil spill planning and response and other environmental management and natural resource purposes. The Clean Water Act with amendments by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 requires response plans for immediate and effective protection of sensitive areas. These data also support other related state and federal regulatory requirements for oil spill prevention, planning, response, and restoration.

Although the ESI and G-WIS data should be a valuable planning and resource management tool, they should not be used to the exclusion of other pertinent data or information held by state or federal agencies or other organizations. Likewise, these data cannot be used in place of consultations with environmental, natural resource, and cultural resource agencies, or in place of field surveys. Also, these data and any related map products should not be used for navigation. Recognize that the information contained in the ESI and G-WIS databases represents known concentration areas or occurrences of natural, cultural, and human-use resources, but does not necessarily represent the full distribution or range of each species or resource. This is particularly important to recognize when considering potential impacts to protected resources, such as endangered species, wetlands, archaeological sites, etc.


The ESI shoreline position is primarily based on the recent LULC data provided by the 
state WMDs, updated in places using recent DOQQs. The overall positional accuracy of the shoreline is therefore similar to 
the positional accuracy of the primary source materials, which may vary by WMD (see lineage below). It is estimated that 
the positional accuracy of "breaks" between individual ESI shoreline classes is roughly 50-60 meters, 
based on previous ESI research conducted for NOAA over the last two years. Due to the interpretation of DOQQs as a part 
of this project, the ESI classification update may exceed this positional accuracy.



This data is provided 'as is' and its vertical positional accuracy has not been verified by GeoPlan



A note concerning data scale:

Scale is an important factor in data usage. Certain scale 
datasetsare not suitable for some project, analysis, or
modeling purposes. Please be sure you are using the best
available data.

1:24000 scale datasets are recommended for projects that 
are at the county level.

1:24000 data should NOT be used for high accuracy base 
mapping such as property parcel boundaries.

1:100000 scale datasets are recommended for projects that 
are at the multi-county or regional level.

1:250000 scale datasets are recommended for projects that 
are at the regional or state level or larger.

Vector datasets with no defined scale or accuracy should 
be considered suspect. Make sure you are familiar with 
your data before using it for projects or analyses. Every 
effort has been made to supply the user with data 
documentation. For additional information, see the 
References sectionand the Data Source Contact section of 
this documentation. For more information regarding scale 
and accuracy, see our web pages at:

http://www.geoplan.ufl.edu/education.html

REFERENCES:
FMRI
For more information contact the FWC-FMRI (Florida Fish 
and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Florida Marine Research 
Institute) GIS data librarian at gislibrarian@fwc.state.fl.us
http://ocean.floridamarine.org/mrgis/viewer.htm

DATA LINEAGE SUMMARY:
The most recent LULC data from the state WMDs were 
obtained and processed to identify and create shoreline, 
ESI polygon, and hydrography layers. The shoreline was 
then attributed with an updated ESI shoreline habitat 
classification and other attributes (described below) using 
the pre-existing ESI shoreline (from the FL G-WIS data set), 
LULC data, and on-screen photo-interpretation of DOQQs.  
DOQQs associated with the corresponding LULC data were 
used during this process (e.g., 1995 DOQQs were used in 
areas where 1995 LULC data were available). In some cases 
where the shoreline position derived from the LULC data 
differed significantly from the shoreline visible on the DOQQs, 
the shoreline was updated by on-screen digitizing or with 
supplemental shoreline supplied by FMRI. A final quality 
control check for completeness, topological and logical 
consistency, rules for geography, and database to geography 
relationships were checked and validated.
Process Date: 20030800

GeoPlan downloaded this data in shapefile format from the FMRI FTP site: ftp.floridamarine.org/users/ism/datareq/ and projected to FGDL Albers HPGN. When received, the data was in Geographic projection, Datum: NAD 83, Spheroid: GRS1980. -Reprojected data to FGDL Albers HPGN -Added DESCRIPT field based on DESC_ -Deleted OBJECTID, G_SOURCE, A_SOURCE, SHAPE_LEN fields from attribute table -Renamed shapefile from esi_classification_fl_arc to SENSHR -Upcased DESCRIPT fields Process Date: 20030800
MAP PROJECTION PARAMETERS:

Projection                          ALBERS
Datum                               HPGN
Units                               METERS
Spheroid                            GRS1980
1st Standard Parallel               24  0  0.000
2nd Standard Parallel               31 30  0.000
Central Meridian                   -84 00  0.000
Latitude of Projection's Origin     24  0  0.000
False Easting (meters)              400000.00000
False Northing (meters)             0.00000

DATA SOURCE CONTACT (S):

Name:
Abbr. Name:
Address:


Phone:

Web site:
E-mail:
Contact Person:
         Phone:
        E-mail:
Florida Marine Research Insititute
FMRI
100 8th Ave SE
St. Petersburg, FL
33701-5095
(727) 896-8626

http://www.floridamarine.org/ gislibrarian@fwc.state.fl.us GIS Data Librarian

FGDL CONTACT:
Name:                   FLORIDA GEOGRAPHIC DATA LIBRARY
Abbr. Name:             FGDL
Address:                Florida Geographic Data Library
                        431 Architecture Building
                        PO Box 115706
                        Gainesville, FL  32611-5706
Web site:               http://www.fgdl.org

Contact FGDL: 

      Technical Support:	        http://www.fgdl.org/fgdlfeed.html
      FGDL Frequently Asked Questions:  http://www.fgdl.org/fgdlfaq.html
      FGDL Mailing Lists:		http://www.fgdl.org/fgdl-l.html
      For FGDL Software:                http://www.fgdl.org/software.html