These ESRI shape files are of National Park Service tract and boundary data that was created by the Land Resources Division. Tracts are numbered and created by the regional cartographic staff at the Land Resources Program Centers and are associated to the Land Status Maps. This data should be used to display properties that NPS owns and properties that NPS may have some type of interest such as scenic easements or right of ways.

Continuous resistivity profiling (CRP) surveys were conducted at Cape Cod National Seashore in 2004 and 2006 in order to test hypotheses about groundwater flow under and into estuaries and the Atlantic Ocean. Coastal resource managers here and elsewhere are concerned about nutrients that are entering coastal waters via submarine groundwater discharge, which are contributing to eutrophication and harmful algal blooms. CRP is used to measure electrical resistivity of sediments, a property that is sensitive to differences in salinity of submarine ground water. The 2004 and 2006 surveys used floating resistivity streamers of 100 m and 50 m respectively. The depth penetration of the streamers is approximately 20% of the streamer length which translates to approximately 20-25 m with the 100 m streamer and 12-14 m with the 50 m streamer. These data were processed using AGI's EarthImager 2D software.

Report provided to Barnstable County, MA entitled Bay scallop population structure on Cape Cod and the evaluation of enhancement efforts based on genetic markers: The use of microsatellite markers to improve bay scallop stock enhancement efforts Jan 2005

The datasets used in this study are provided in 7 folders:

“dataset A”, containing data from Sandwich Town Neck Beach on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. These images are published as a USGS data series (Sherwood et al., 2021) are publicly available at https://doi.org/10.5066/P9BFD3YH


“dataset B”, containing data from North and South Carolina collected immediately after Hurricane Florence in October 2018. National Geodetic Survey emergency response imagery courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, available at https://storms.ngs.noaa.gov


“dataset C”, containing some examples of shoreline environments captured by a low-altitude aircraft. These images are published as a USGS data series (Kranenburg et al., 2020) are publicly available at https://doi.org/10.5066/P9CA3D8P


“dataset D”, containing data collected from the Pearl River and its tributary the Bogue Chitto, and from the Chickasawhay, Buoy and Leaf tributaries of the Pascagoula River, in spring 202...

Continuous resistivity profiling (CRP) surveys were conducted at Cape Cod National Seashore in 2004 and 2006 in order to test hypotheses about groundwater flow under and into estuaries and the Atlantic Ocean. Coastal resource managers here and elsewhere are concerned about nutrients that are entering coastal waters via submarine groundwater discharge, which are contributing to eutrophication and harmful algal blooms. CRP is used to measure electrical resistivity of sediments, a property that is sensitive to differences in salinity of submarine ground water. The 2004 and 2006 surveys used floating resistivity streamers of 100 m and 50 m respectively. The depth penetration of the streamers is approximately 20% of the streamer length which translates to approximately 20-25 m with the 100 m streamer and 12-14 m with the 50 m streamer. These data were processed using AGI's EarthImager 2D software.

Due to continued coastal population growth and increased threats of erosion, current data on trends and rates of shoreline movement are required to inform shoreline and floodplain management. The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management launched the Shoreline Change Project in 1989 to identify erosion-prone areas of the coast. In 2001, a 1994 shoreline was added to calculate both long- and short-term shoreline change rates at 40-meter intervals along ocean-facing sections of the Massachusetts coast. The Coastal and Marine Geology Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, has compiled reliable historical shoreline data along open-facing sections of the Massachusetts coast under the Massachusetts Shoreline Change Mapping and Analysis Project 2013 Update. Two oceanfront shorelines for Massachusetts (approximately 1,800 km) were (1) delineated using 2008/09 color aerial orthoimagery, and (2) extracted from topographic LIDAR datasets (2007) obtained from NOAA's Ocean Service, Coastal Services Center. The new shorelines were integrated with existing Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (MA CZM) and USGS historical shoreline data in order to compute long- and short-term rates using the latest version of the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS).

These data show the locations of all extant lighthouses and lights along the coast of Massachusetts. While many of the lighthouses represented are active aids to navigation maintained by the United States Coast Guard, others are not and are maintained privately. All lighthouses are shown in their current positions and may have been moved from their original locations. The layer was produced by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM).

Due to continued coastal population growth and increased threats of erosion, current data on trends and rates of shoreline movement are required to inform shoreline and floodplain management. The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management launched the Shoreline Change Project in 1989 to identify erosion-prone areas of the coast. In 2001, a 1994 shoreline was added to calculate both long- and short-term shoreline change rates at 40-meter intervals along ocean-facing sections of the Massachusetts coast. The Coastal and Marine Geology Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, has compiled reliable historical shoreline data along open-facing sections of the Massachusetts coast under the Massachusetts Shoreline Change Mapping and Analysis Project 2013 Update. Two oceanfront shorelines for Massachusetts (approximately 1,800 km in total length) were (1) delineated using 2008/09 color aerial orthoimagery, and (2) extracted from topographic LIDAR datasets (2007) obtained from NOAA's Ocean Service, Coastal Services Center. The new shorelines were integrated with existing Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management and USGS historical shoreline data in order to compute long- and short-term rates using the latest version of the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS).

Environmental parameters affecting plant productivity and microbial respiration, such as water level, salinity, and groundwater temperature included in these datasets, are key components of wetland carbon cycling, carbon storage, and capacity to maintain elevation. Data were collected to (1) provide background data to evaluate potential differences in water level and carbon flux between wetland sites with differing elevation and tidal inundation and (2) facilitate applications of Blue Carbon projects in coastal wetlands. Associated child pages include continuous water level, salinity, and temperature from shallow wells installed in coastal wetland sites on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. These datasets are grouped by the project they support or by study site. Project study sites include salt marshes with natural tidal flow, salt marshes that were previously tidally restricted and have been restored, impounded coastal wetlands with restricted tidal flow inclusive of various vegetation types, and Phragmites dominated areas fringing natural salt marshes.

Elevation maps (also known as Digital Elevation Models or DEMs) of Cape Cod National Seashore were produced from remotely-sensed, geographically-referenced elevation measurements in cooperation with NASA and NPS. Point data in ascii text files were interpolated in a GIS to create a grid or digital elevation model (DEM) of each beach surface. Elevation measurements were collected in Massachusetts, over Cape Cod National Seashore using the NASA Experimental Advanced Airborne Research LiDAR (EAARL), a pulsed laser ranging system mounted onboard an aircraft to measure ground elevation and coastal topography. The system uses high frequency laser beams directed at the earth's surface through an opening in the bottom of the aircraft's fuselage. The laser system records the time difference between emission of the laser beam and the reception of the reflected laser signal in the aircraft. The plane travels over the beach at approximately 60 meters per second while surveying from the low-water line to the landward base of the sand dunes. The EAARL, developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) located at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, measures ground elevation with a vertical resolution of 15 centimeters. A sampling rate of 3 kHz or higher results in an extremely dense spatial elevation data set. Over 100 kilometers of coastline can be easily surveyed within a 3- to 4-hour mission time period. The ability to sample large areas rapidly and accurately is especially useful in morphologically dynamic areas such as barrier beaches. Quick assessment of topographic change can be made following storms comparing measurements against baseline data. When subsequent elevation maps for an area are analyzed, they provide a useful tool to make management decisions regarding coastal development. For more information on Lidar science and the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL) system and surveys, see http://ngom.usgs.gov/dsp/overview/index.php and http://ngom.usgs.gov/dsp/tech/eaarl/index.php .

Due to continued coastal population growth and increased threats of erosion, current data on trends and rates of shoreline movement are required to inform shoreline and floodplain management. The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management launched the Shoreline Change Project in 1989 to identify erosion-prone areas of the coast. In 2001, a 1994 shoreline was added to calculate both long- and short-term shoreline change rates at 40-meter intervals along ocean-facing sections of the Massachusetts coast. The Coastal and Marine Geology Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, has compiled reliable historical shoreline data along open-facing sections of the Massachusetts coast under the Massachusetts Shoreline Change Mapping and Analysis Project 2013 Update. Two oceanfront shorelines for Massachusetts (approximately 1,800 km) were (1) delineated using 2008/09 color aerial orthoimagery, and (2) extracted from topographic LIDAR datasets (2007) obtained from NOAA's Ocean Service, Coastal Services Center. The new shorelines were integrated with existing Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (MA CZM) and USGS historical shoreline data in order to compute long- and short-term rates using the latest version of the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS).

These data are qualitatively derived interpretive polygon shapefiles and selected source raster data defining surficial geology, sediment type and distribution, and physiographic zones of the sea floor from Nahant to Northern Cape Cod Bay. Much of the geophysical data used to create the interpretive layers were collected under a cooperative agreement among the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Coastal and Marine Geology Program, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Initiated in 2003, the primary objective of this program is to develop regional geologic framework information for the management of coastal and marine resources. Accurate data and maps of seafloor geology are important first steps toward protecting fish habitat, delineating marine resources, and assessing environmental changes because of natural or human effects. The project is focused on the inshore waters of coastal Massachusetts. Data collected during the mapping cooperative involving the USGS have been released in a series of USGS Open-File Reports (http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/coastal_mass/html/current_map.html). The interpretations released in this study are for an area extending from the southern tip of Nahant to Northern Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts. A combination of geophysical and sample data including high resolution bathymetry and lidar, acoustic-backscatter intensity, seismic-reflection profiles, bottom photographs, and sediment samples are used to create the data interpretations. Most of the nearshore geophysical and sample data (including the bottom photographs) were collected during several cruises between 2000 and 2008. More information about the cruises and the data collected can be found at the Geologic Mapping of the Seafloor Offshore of Massachusetts Web page: http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/coastal_mass/.

A bare-earth topography Digital Elevation Model (DEM) mosaic for the Cape Cod National Seashore was produced from remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements acquired cooperatively by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Park Service (NPS). Elevation measurements were collected over Cape Cod National Seashore using the first-generation National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL), a pulsed laser ranging system mounted onboard an aircraft to measure ground elevation, vegetation canopy, and coastal topography. The system uses high-frequency laser beams directed at the Earth's surface through an opening in the bottom of the aircraft's fuselage. The laser system records the time difference between emission of the laser beam and the reception of the reflected laser signal in the aircraft. The plane travels over the target area at approximately 60 meters per second at an elevation of approximately 300 meters, resulting in a laser swath of approximately 240 meters with an average point spacing of 2-3 meters. The EAARL, developed originally by NASA at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, measures ground elevation with a vertical resolution of 3 centimeters. A sampling rate of 3 kilohertz or higher results in an extremely dense spatial elevation dataset. Over 100 kilometers of coastline can be surveyed easily within a 3- to 4-hour mission. When resultant elevation maps for an area are analyzed, they provide a useful tool to make management decisions regarding land development.

The files linked to this reference are the geospatial data created as part of the completion of the baseline vegetation inventory project for the NPS park unit. Current format is ArcGIS file geodatabase but older formats may exist as shapefiles. A map showing the locations of vegetation map classes in the park was created, following the USGS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program protocols (TNC and ESRI 1994a,b,c). A dichotomous field key was developed for these vegetation map classes to assist with field recognition and classification. The vegetation map covers 10,833 ha (26,769 ac) of Cape Cod National Seashore. The most abundant forest vegetation association is Pitch Pine - Oak Forest, which covers 1,756 ha (4,339 ac).

Due to continued coastal population growth and increased threats of erosion, current data on trends and rates of shoreline movement are required to inform shoreline and floodplain management. The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management launched the Shoreline Change Project in 1989 to identify erosion-prone areas of the coast. In 2001, a 1994 shoreline was added to calculate both long- and short-term shoreline change rates at 40-meter intervals along ocean-facing sections of the Massachusetts coast. The Coastal and Marine Geology Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, has compiled reliable historical shoreline data along open-facing sections of the Massachusetts coast under the Massachusetts Shoreline Change Mapping and Analysis Project 2013 Update. Two oceanfront shorelines for Massachusetts (approximately 1,800 km) were (1) delineated using 2008/09 color aerial orthoimagery, and (2) extracted from topographic LIDAR datasets (2007) obtained from NOAA's Ocean Service, Coastal Services Center. The new shorelines were integrated with existing Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (MA CZM) and USGS historical shoreline data in order to compute long- and short-term rates using the latest version of the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS).

This dataset provides information about the number of properties, residents, and average property values for Cape Cod Way cross streets in Rochester, NY.

The reconnaissance maps upon which this data set is based show the areal distribution of the major bottom sediment types covering the sea floor off Massachusetts between Cape Ann and Cape Cod. The maps were intended as a guide to the future mapping of gravel, sand, silt, and clay, and, because these sediments reflect the hydraulic conditions, they are also helpful for deducing the important sediment transport mechanisms.

ASCII XYZ point cloud data were produced from remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements acquired cooperatively by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Park Service (NPS). Elevation measurements were collected over Cape Cod National Seashore using the first-generation National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL), a pulsed laser ranging system mounted onboard an aircraft to measure ground elevation, vegetation canopy, and coastal topography. The system uses high-frequency laser beams directed at the Earth's surface through an opening in the bottom of the aircraft's fuselage. The laser system records the time difference between emission of the laser beam and the reception of the reflected laser signal in the aircraft. The plane travels over the target area at approximately 60 meters per second at an elevation of approximately 300 meters, resulting in a laser swath of approximately 240 meters with an average point spacing of 2-3 meters. The EAARL, developed originally by NASA at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, measures ground elevation with a vertical resolution of 3 centimeters. A sampling rate of 3 kilohertz or higher results in an extremely dense spatial elevation dataset. Over 100 kilometers of coastline can be surveyed easily within a 3- to 4-hour mission. When resultant elevation maps for an area are analyzed, they provide a useful tool to make management decisions regarding land development.

Cores collected from recent drilling in western Cape Cod, Massachusetts provide insight into the topography and petrology of the underlying bedrock. Cores from 64 drill sites spread over a approximately 140 km2 study area produced samples of granitoids (31), orthogneisses (20), basalts/diabases (4), amphibolites (3), felsic mylonites (2), and dolomitic rock (2). Granitoid composition ranges from granite to tonalite and quartz diorite, but it is dominated by two-feldspar granites. Hydrothermal alteration is common in nearly all cores as evidenced by the secondary growth of chlorite and epidote. Granitoids resemble rocks of the Dedham and Fall River plutons (Wones and Goldsmith, 1991). Gneisses generally contain the mineral assemblage K-feldspar+plagioclase+quartz+/-biotite+/- chlorite+/-muscovite+/-sphene+/-epidote+oxides. Amphibolites contain the assemblage hornblende+plagioclase+quartz+biotite+epidote+/-chlorite+/-sphen+/-K-feldspar+/-sericite+ oxides. Peak metamorphic grade based on mineral assemblages is estimated at lower amphibolite facies. X-ray powder diffraction of unmetamorphosed dolomitic cores shows presence of layered silicates (clays), plagioclase, and possible magnesite. Contours of the bedrock surface show locally irregular topography suggesting erosion by glacial scour. Lithologic distribution mapping suggests a possible continuation of the New Bedford gneissic terrane that outcrops 25 km to the west. Dolomitic rocks may represent a lithified fault gauge material at the eastern edge of the gneissic zone. Basalts/diabases are interpreted to be post-metamorphic dikes associated with Mesozoic rifting.

Salt marshes are environmental ecosystems that contribute to coastal landscape resiliency to storms and rising sea level. Ninety percent of mid-Atlantic and New England salt marshes have been impacted by parallel grid ditching that began in the 1920s–40s to control mosquito populations and to provide employment opportunities during the Great Depression (James-Pirri and others, 2009; Kennish, 2001). Continued alteration of salt marsh hydrology has had unintended consequences for salt marsh sustainability and ecosystem services. Great Barnstable Marsh (Barnstable, Cape Cod, Massachusetts) has areas of salt marsh that were ditched as well as natural areas. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured parameters for groundwater wells (water elevation, water depth below land surface, salinity, and water temperature), soil and air temperature, and other meteorological parameters. All these parameters affect plant productivity and are key components of salt marsh carbon cycling, carbon storage, and its ability to maintain elevation in response to changing sea level. These USGS datasets can be used to evaluate changes in water levels across ditched and natural salt marsh regions and provide information for any future studies of salt marsh productivity and geomorphic models in Great Barnstable Marsh. James-Pirri, M.-J.,Ginsberg, H.S., Erwin,R.m., and Taylor, J., 2009, Effects of open marsh water management on numbers of larval salt marsh mosquitoes: Journal of Medical Entomology, 46(6), 1392-1399, doi:10.1603/033.046.0620. Kennish, M. J., 2001, Coastal salt marsh systems in the U.S.-A Review of Anthropogenic Impacts: Journal of Coastal Research, 17(3), 731-748, https://www.jstor.org/stable/4300224.