FLORIDA GEOGRAPHIC DATA LIBRARY DOCUMENTATION
VERSION 2006

TITLE: FLORIDA'S ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE SHORELINES

Geodataset Name:       SENSHR_AUG03
Geodataset Type:       SHAPEFILE
Geodataset Feature:    Polyline
Feature Count:         51395
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
This dataset contains the locations and descriptions of Florida's environmentally sensitive shorelines. This edition 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
DATA SOURCE(S):                    Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Research Planning, Inc.
SCALE OF ORIGINAL SOURCE MAPS:     Unknown
DATE OF AUTOMATION OF SOURCE:      200308
GEODATASET EXTENT:                 State of Florida

FEATURE ATTRIBUTE TABLES:

Datafile Name: SENSHR_AUG03.DBF
ITEM NAME WIDTH TYPE N. DECIMAL DEGREES
OBJECTID
4 OID ---
ESI
10 String ---
LINE
1 String ---
ENVIR
1 String ---
MANGROVE
1 String ---
VER_NEED
1 String ---
VER_DATE
10 String ---
G_SOURCE
6 Number ---
A_SOURCE
6 Number ---
DESC_
250 String ---
CASE_
19 Number 5
FREQUENCY
19 Number 5
SHRT_DESC
254 String ---
MOST_SENS
16 String ---
MSTSENDES
150 String ---
DESCRIPT
254 String ---
FGDLAQDATE
8 Date ---
SHAPE
4 Geometry ---
AUTOID
4 Integer ---
SHAPE.LEN
0 Double ---

FEATURE ATTRIBUTE TABLES CODES AND VALUES:

Item
Item Description
OBJECTID Internal feature number.

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

1C = Exposed rocky cliffs with boulder talus base

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

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/Riverine: 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 verifica

G_SOURCE Geographic source integer identifier that links records in ESI.AAT to records in the SOURCES data table.

A_SOURCE Attribute source integer identifier that links records in ESI.AAT to records in the SOURCES data table.

DESC_ Frequency of arcs with a given ESI value (complex)

CASE_ ESI numerical/alpha value of the most oil spill sensitive shoreline type for any given arc regardless of landward or seaward orientation.

FREQUENCY Verbal short description of most oil spill sensitive shoreline type

SHRT_DESC A textual description of all shoreline types represented by the arc.

MOST_SENS ESI code representing the most sensitive habitat type present for a given segment of shoreline. This is biased towards alphabetical order for segments where two habitats of equal sensitivity are present. For example, for an ESI of 10A/10B, the MOST_SENS value is 10A.

MSTSENDES Textual description of the most sensitive habitat type.

DESCRIPT FGDL added field based on SHRT_DESC

FGDLAQDATE FGDL added field based on date received from source.

SHAPE Feature geometry.

AUTOID FGDL Unique ID

SHAPE.LEN No description


USER NOTES:
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. See also the 
separate ESIP (GT-polygon) layer for polygonal ESI habitat features.

The attribute table for these data has been expanded to include an easier to 
interpret ESI shoreline description and classification system for use in the Florida 
Marine Spill Analysis System (FMSAS) map legends and products.  The original 
DESC (Detailed shoreline classification verbal description) field has been simplified 
into the SHRTDESC field (shorter verbal description) in order to fit into the textual 
"Resources At Risk" report generated by the FMSAS.  Additional fields have  been 
added to the attribute table to simplify map symbology and maximize understanding 
of habitat types for protection by responders.  These fields are MOST_SENS 
(Classification of the most sensitive shoreline type (to oil spills) on any particular arc), 
and MSTSENDES (Verbal description of the most sensitive shoreline type).

A frequency of each arc ESI classification (complex classification) was also generated 
in this process (FREQUENCY).

See Data Lineage for examples of this process.
Richard Knudsen - FMSAS Manager, April 2004

Prepared by Research Planning, Inc., Columbia, South Carolina for the Florida 
Marine Research Institute (FMRI), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 
(FFWCC), St. Petersburg, Florida

The data layer ESI contains arcs (complete chains) representing the shoreline 
attributed with a habitat and oil spill sensitivity classification system described in 
NOAA (2002), Environmental Sensitivity Index Guidelines, Version 3.0, NOAA 
Technical Memorandum NOS OR&R 11, Seattle, Wa., 89 pp + appendices.

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.

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

THE DATA INCLUDED IN FGDL ARE 'AS IS' AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED
AS LEGALLY BINDING. THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA GEOPLAN CENTER SHALL
NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES SUFFERED AS A RESULT OF USING,
MODIFYING, CONTRIBUTING OR DISTRIBUTING THE MATERIALS.

A note about data scale: 

Scale is an important factor in data usage.  Certain scale datasets
are 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.
1:125000 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 analysis. Every effort has been
made to supply the user with data documentation. For additional
information, see the References section and the Data Source Contact
section of this documentation. For more information regarding
scale and accuracy, see our webpage at:
http://geoplan.ufl.edu/education.html

REFERENCES:
For more information contact the Florida Fish
and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Fish 
and Wildlife Research Institute,
GIS data librarian at gislibrarian@myfwc.com
http://ocean.floridamarine.org/mrgis/viewer.htm

Online ESI atlas's and metadata by region:
http://ocean.floridamarine.org/esimaps/

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: 200308

The attribute table for these data has been expanded to include an easier to interpret ESI shoreline description and classification system for use in the Florida Marine Spill Analysis System (FMSAS) map legends and products. The original DESC (Detailed shoreline classification verbal description) field has been simplified into the SHRTDESC field (shorter verbal description) in order to fit into the textual "Resources At Risk" report generated by the FMSAS. Additional fields have been added to the attribute table to simplify map symbology and maximize understanding of habitat types for protection by responders. These fields are MOST_SENS (Classification of the most sensitive shoreline type (to oil spills) on any particular arc), and MSTSENDES (Verbal description of the most sensitive shoreline type). A frequency of each arc ESI classification (complex classification) was also generated in this process (FREQUENCY) Example of how complex classification scheme was simplified to most sensitive classification system: Shoreline arc esi coding: ESI = 10A/7/4 was simplified to MOSTSENS = 10A Example of how detailed description was simplified to short description: DESC = "Estuarine/Lacustrine/Riverine: Freshwater marsh/Estuarine: Salt- and brackish- water marsh" was simplified to: SHRT_DESC = "10B/10A: Freshwater marsh/Salt- and brackish- water marsh" Note: Numerical ESI code was joined with short verbal description. Process Date: April 2004
GeoPlan received this data in shapefile format on CD-ROM from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. When received, the data was in Geographic projection, Datum: NAD 83, Spheroid: GRS1980. The data was projected to FGDL Albers HARN. - Reprojected data to FGDL Albers HPGN - Deleted OBJECT_ID field from attribute table - Deleted SHAPE.LEN field from attribute table - Added DESCRIPT field based on SHRT_DESC field - Added FGDLAQDATE field based on date received from source - Renamed shapefile from esi_classification_fl_arc to senshr_aug03 - Upcased all fields Process Date: 20060606
Dataset copied. Process Date:
Metadata imported. Process Date:
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 Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
FWRI
100 Eighth Avenue Southeast
St. Petersburg, Florida
33701
727-896-8626

http://ocean.floridamarine.org/mrgis/viewer.htm GISLibrarian@MyFWC.com GISLibrarian

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

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