These data provide an accurate high-resolution shoreline compiled from imagery of NARRAGANSETT BAY, RI . This vector shoreline data is based on an office interpretation of imagery that may be suitable as a geographic information system (GIS) data layer. This metadata describes information for both the line and point shapefiles. The NGS attribution scheme 'Coastal Cartographic Object Attribute Source Table (C-COAST)' was developed to conform the attribution of various sources of shoreline data into one attribution catalog. C-COAST is not a recognized standard, but was influenced by the International Hydrographic Organization's S-57 Object-Attribute standard so the data would be more accurately translated into S-57. This resource is a member of https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/39808

This hosted feature layer has been published in RI State Plane Feet NAD 83 Eelgrass beds, estuarine and marine wetlands in Narragansett Bay delineated from 1999 true color aerial photography and coded according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States (Cowardin, L.M., V. Carter, F.C. Golet, and T. Laroe. 1979.(Reprinted 1992). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington DC. FWS/OBS-79/31. 103 pp." ) Planning for critical habitat protection, inventory of eelgrass beds and coastal wetlands Target minimum polygonal mapping unit was 0.5 acre for eelgrass beds, 0.25 acre for discrete coastal wetlands, and 3 to 5 acres for internal polygons.

These data were automated to provide an accurate high-resolution historical shoreline of Narragansett Bay suitable as a geographic information system (GIS) data layer. These data are derived from shoreline maps that were produced by the NOAA National Ocean Service including its predecessor agencies which were based on an office interpretation of imagery and/or field survey. The NGS attribution scheme 'Coastal Cartographic Object Attribute Source Table (C-COAST)' was developed to conform the attribution of various sources of shoreline data into one attribution catalog. C-COAST is not a recognized standard, but was influenced by the International Hydrographic Organization's S-57 Object-Attribute standard so the data would be more accurately translated into S-57. This resource is a member of https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/39808

Narragansett Bay, Little Narragansett Bay, and the Southwest Coastal Ponds are the three estuarine study areas under the purview of the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program. This dataset represents all coastal waters and the coastline of Rhode Island and portions of coastline in neighboring Connecticut and Massachusetts, divided into thirteen sections of NBEP’s study areas according to all available information and the most common delineations of NBEP’s study areas. It includes the estuaries, the salt ponds, and estuarine tributaries. Sections are generally made up of several bay segments, grouped according to flow and connectivity between bay segments as well as areas considered unique for planning and/or management purposes. The boundaries of NBEP estuarine waters correspond to delineations by researchers studying the Bay. The Estuary Program compiled all available information and used the most common delineations to define estuarine waters. The upper boundaries of the estuarine waters correspond to the limits of tidal waters defined by: (1) the presence of existing dams (as of 2016) and (2) the extent of estuarine waters as defined and delineated by the states to assess water quality and shellfishing areas. The outer boundary of Narragansett Bay spans Point Judith and Sakonnet Point. See below for a full listing of data sources. This dataset is intended for use in general planning, GIS analysis, and mapping at watershed and subwatershed scales. For more information, please reference the 2017 State of Narragansett Bay & Its Watershed Technical Report (nbep.org).

This hosted feature layer has been published in RI State Plane Feet NAD 83 Landuse / landcover classification of uplands in the 500 foot buffer zone of coastal wetlands, delineated from 1996 true color aerial photography and coded according to a modified Anderson (1976) classification. Intended for use in planning for critical habitat protection, wetland restoration. For features with a minimum .5 acre resolution within 500 feet of Narragansett Bay and adjacent waters.

These data were automated to provide an accurate high-resolution historical shoreline of Narragansett Bay-East Passage, RI suitable as a geographic information system (GIS) data layer. These data are derived from shoreline maps that were produced by the NOAA National Ocean Service including its predecessor agencies which were based on an office interpretation of imagery and/or field survey....

This geodatabase contains data from the 2017 State of Narragansett Bay and Its Watershed Technical Report (nbep.org), Chapter 12: "Salt Marsh." The Narragansett Bay Estuary Program compiled a dataset of salt marsh and brackish marsh in Narragansett Bay, Little Narragansett Bay, the Coastal Ponds, and the Sounds using the US Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) dataset for Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. This data source was selected because the data collection methods used by the US Fish and Wildlife Service were consistent between both states. The NWI used 2008 imagery for Massachusetts (except for the upper Taunton River imagery from 1995) and 2010 imagery for Rhode Island. Data were summarized at the study area, bay section, and bay segment scales.

This geodatabase contains data from the 2017 State of Narragansett Bay and Its Watershed Technical Report (nbep.org), Chapter 11: "Seagrasses." The Narragansett Bay Estuary Program compiled several temporal datasets of seagrass distribution in Narragansett Bay, Little Narragansett Bay, the Coastal Ponds, and the Sounds. A record of historical eelgrass distribution from 1840-1899 in Narragansett Bay was compiled by combining anecdotal data reporting presence or absence of seagrasses and the extent (in acres) when information was available for each segment. These data were from Kopp, B.S., A.M. Doherty, and S.W. Nixon (1995) report, "A Guide to Site Selection for Eelgrass Restoration Projects in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. Providence, RI: Technical Report to the RIDEM Narragansett Bay Project." Using recent Rhode Island Eelgrass Task Force (Task Force) surveys, NBEP compiled the extent of seagrasses in 2006, 2009 (Coastal Ponds only), 2012, and 2016. Data were summarized at several scales.

Gravel, sand, silt, and clay contents were determined for samples from Narragansett Bay and the adjacent Rhode Island Shelf. In the Narragansett Bay system, clayey silt and sand-silt-clay are the most abundant sediments. Sand is abundant locally and on the inner shelf. In general, toward the lower passages of the Bay the sediments show a progressive change to coarser textures.

This geodatabase contains data from the 2017 State of Narragansett Bay and Its Watershed Technical Report (nbep.org), Chapter 22: "Water Quality Conditions for Recreation." Water quality classifications were based on Massachusetts and Rhode Island Assessment Databases for 2014 (MassDEP 2015, RIDEM 2015). This assessment specifically focuses on causes of water quality impairment that are detrimental to recreational use with an emphasis on pathogen pollution. The Estuary Program re-classified water quality in four categories. The first, “Acceptable” includes waters that fully support recreational use, equivalent to a “fully supporting” determination by the states. The second category, “Impacted by Pathogens,” includes waters that are “not supporting” of recreational use due to impact by pathogens. To determine water quality conditions for recreational use, the states also make assessments based on other parameters, such as odor, that are unrelated to pathogens. Thus, the third category included waters “Impacted by Other,” i.e., waters that were “not supporting” of recreational use due to parameters other than pathogens. The fourth category, “Unassessed for Recreational Use,” includes waters that are assessed by the states for other uses (e.g., Aquatic Life Use), but not for Recreational Use. Summary tables catalog the extent of estuarine, lake/pond, and stream/river water quality classifications for 2014 in the study areas and major river basins.

Sediment Types dataset current as of 1993. Narragansett Bay Sediments; A map of Narragansett Bay sediments from McMaster, 1960.

Narragansett Bay, Little Narragansett Bay, and the Southwest Coastal Ponds are the three estuarine study areas under the purview of the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program. This dataset represents the drainage areas of the major rivers that flow into NBEP’s estuarine study areas. The four river basins in Narragansett Bay are defined as the area of the landscape that drains into the Taunton, Blackstone, and Pawtuxet Rivers and their tributaries as well as the drainage area for Coastal Narragansett Bay, which encompasses all land that drains directly into Narragansett Bay. The areal extents of river basins in Narragansett Bay were delineated based on grouping Watershed Planning Areas (WPAs) according to major rivers and their tributaries (for more information about the development of WPAs, see WPA_NBEP2017). River basins were not derived from the U.S. Geological Survey hierarchical system of hydrologic units, but WPA groupings were informed by MassGIS Major Watersheds (2000) and USGS HUC10 boundaries (2015). The Little Narragansett Bay and the Southwest Coastal Ponds drainage areas were not segmented further into river basins (for more information about the boundary of the Little Narragansett Bay watershed, see STUDYAREAS_NBEP2017). River basin coastlines were updated with NBEP’s estuarine coastline delineation (for details about NBEP’s coastline delineation, see metadata for BAYS_NBEP2019). This dataset is intended for use in general planning, GIS analysis, and mapping at watershed and subwatershed scales. For more information, please reference the 2017 State of Narragansett Bay & Its Watershed Technical Report (nbep.org).

Shorelines, Other dataset current as of 1989. Rhode Island Shoreline and Islands; s44bby89; Coastal Rhode Island and Narragansett Bay with coastal ponds and coding for islands. Shoreline and islands were digitized from mylar quad maps with a digitizing tablet.

Extent (in acres) of seagrasses in Narragansett Bay in 2006. Data are from the Rhode Island Eelgrass Task Force, which developed a standard set of mapping and monitoring protocols to survey seagrass. This dataset was created for the 2017 State of Narragansett Bay and Its Watershed Technical Report (nbep.org). It is intended for general planning, graphic display, and GIS analysis.

Shorelines, Current dataset current as of 1993. This dataset shows the Coastline of RI and nearby CT and MA including Narragansett Bay its tributaries along with near shore and offshore islands. Coastline and islands were hand digitized from source with digitizing tablet and three resulting coverages.

To protect public health from contaminated shellfish, primarily due to harmful pathogens, state agencies regulate where shellfish can and cannot be harvested for direct human consumption. The status of shellfishing areas serves as an indicator of public health conditions in the Bay. This vector dataset contains shellfishing area classifications for 2005 in the Narragansett Bay, Little Narragansett Bay, and Southwest Coastal ponds. Using data from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MADMF) and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), The Narragansett Bay Estuary Program defined three categories derived from the shellfish growing area classification systems used by Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In “Approved” areas, shellfish harvesting is allowed for direct human consumption all year round (some exceptions may apply). “Conditionally Approved” areas allow shellfish harvesting for direct human consumption with some restrictions, depending on each state’s shellfish program criteria. In “Prohibited” areas, shellfish harvesting is not allowed for direct human consumption. This dataset is intended for use in general planning, GIS analysis, and graphic display at watershed and subwatershed scales. For more information, please reference the 2017 State of Narragansett Bay & Its Watershed Technical Report (nbep.org) or contact Julia.twichell@nbep.org.

Report on the Analysis of True Color Aerial Photographs to Map Submerged Aquatic Vegetation and Coastal Resource Areas in Narragansett Bay Tidal Waters and Nearshore Areas in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Census block groups for Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut as defined by the 2020 U.S. Census. Census data has been supplemented with town names (RIGIS 2001; MassGIS 2021; CTDEEP 2005), watersheds (USGS WBD 2023), and NBEP study areas (NBEP 2017). This dataset is intended for general planning, graphic display, and GIS analysis.

Polygon dataset of visitation to public coastal access sites in Narragansett Bay, Little Narragansett Bay, the Rhode Island Salt Ponds, and the Rhode Island Atlantic shore. Visits longer than 5 minutes and between the hours of 8am-6pm were tabulated for each month from July to September 2019 based on cell phone location records. Records were obtained anonymized from Airsage and corrected using observed visitation counts from Narragansett Town Beach. Site location and type attributes were based on coastal access source datasets from MA CZM, RIGIS, and CT DEEP. Site polygons represent the boundaries of the site and were digitized from satellite imagery. They include associated parking lots. Some point locations from sources were combined if they represented part of one larger site. This dataset was created as a 2021 update for the 2017 State of Narragansett Bay and Its Watershed Technical Report (nbep.org). It is intended for general planning, graphic display, and GIS analysis.

This vector dataset contains water quality classifications for 2014 in the rivers and streams of Narragansett Bay, Little Narragansett Bay, and Southwest Coastal ponds watersheds. Water quality classifications were based on Massachusetts and Rhode Island Assessment Databases for 2014 (MassDEP 2015, RIDEM 2015). This assessment specifically focuses on causes of water quality impairment that are detrimental to aquatic life with an emphasis on nutrient enrichment and low dissolved oxygen. The Estuary Program re-classified water quality in four categories. The first, “Acceptable” includes waters that fully support aquatic life, equivalent to a “fully supporting” determination by the states. Acceptable waters are generally not tested for all parameters that may affect aquatic life use. Information about the testing completed for each waterway was unavailable. As a result, waters classified as “Acceptable” may not have been tested for nutrient concentrations or dissolved oxygen levels, and thus are not a direct proxy for those parameters. The second category, “Impacted by Nutrients/DO,” includes waters that are “not supporting” of aquatic life due to nutrient enrichment or depleted oxygen. To determine water quality conditions for aquatic life, the states also test many other parameters, such as toxins, that are unrelated to nutrients and dissolved oxygen. Thus, the third category included waters “Impacted by Other,” i.e., waters that were “not supporting” of aquatic life due to parameters other than nutrient enrichment or oxygen depletion. The fourth category, “Unassessed for Aquatic Life Use,” includes waters that are assessed by the states for other uses (e.g., Recreational Use), but not for Aquatic Life Use. River and stream lengths are calculated in miles. This dataset is intended for use in general planning, GIS analysis, and graphic display at watershed and subwatershed scales. For more information, please reference the Integrated List reporting from Massachusetts and Rhode Island as well as the 2017 State of Narragansett Bay & Its Watershed Technical Report (nbep.org).