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. We converted the photointerpreted data into a format usable in a geographic information system (GIS) by employing three fundamental processes: (1) orthorectify, (2) digitize, and (3) develop the geodatabase. All digital map automation was projected in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM), Zone 16, using the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). Orthorectify: We orthorectified the interpreted overlays by using OrthoMapper, a softcopy photogrammetric software for GIS. One function of OrthoMapper is to create orthorectified imagery from scanned and unrectified imagery (Image Processing Software, Inc., 2002). The software features a method of visual orientation involving a point-and-click operation that uses existing orthorectified horizontal and vertical base maps. Of primary importance to us, OrthoMapper also has the capability to orthorectify the photointerpreted overlays of each photograph based on the reference information provided. Digitize: To produce a polygon vector layer for use in ArcGIS (Environmental Systems Research Institute [ESRI], Redlands, California), we converted each raster-based image mosaic of orthorectified overlays containing the photointerpreted data into a grid format by using ArcGIS. In ArcGIS, we used the ArcScan extension to trace the raster data and produce ESRI shapefiles. We digitally assigned map-attribute codes (both map-class codes and physiognomic modifier codes) to the polygons and checked the digital data against the photointerpreted overlays for line and attribute consistency. Ultimately, we merged the individual layers into a seamless layer. Geodatabase: At this stage, the map layer has only map-attribute codes assigned to each polygon. To assign meaningful information to each polygon (e.g., map-class names, physiognomic definitions, links to NVCS types), we produced a feature-class table, along with other supportive tables and subsequently related them together via an ArcGIS Geodatabase. This geodatabase also links the map to other feature-class layers produced from this project, including vegetation sample plots, accuracy assessment (AA) sites, aerial photo locations, and project boundary extent. A geodatabase provides access to a variety of interlocking data sets, is expandable, and equips resource managers and researchers with a powerful GIS tool.

In this course, you will learn to work within the free and open-source R environment with a specific focus on working with and analyzing geospatial data. We will cover a wide variety of data and spatial data analytics topics, and you will learn how to code in R along the way. The Introduction module provides more background info about the course and course set up. This course is designed for someone with some prior GIS knowledge. For example, you should know the basics of working with maps, map projections, and vector and raster data. You should be able to perform common spatial analysis tasks and make map layouts. If you do not have a GIS background, we would recommend checking out the West Virginia View GIScience class. We do not assume that you have any prior experience with R or with coding. So, don't worry if you haven't developed these skill sets yet. That is a major goal in this course. Background material will be provided using code examples, videos, and presentations. We have provided assignments to offer hands-on learning opportunities. Data links for the lecture modules are provided within each module while data for the assignments are linked to the assignment buttons below. Please see the sequencing document for our suggested order in which to work through the material. After completing this course you will be able to: prepare, manipulate, query, and generally work with data in R. perform data summarization, comparisons, and statistical tests. create quality graphs, map layouts, and interactive web maps to visualize data and findings. present your research, methods, results, and code as web pages to foster reproducible research. work with spatial data in R. analyze vector and raster geospatial data to answer a question with a spatial component. make spatial models and predictions using regression and machine learning. code in the R language at an intermediate level.

Wadi Hasa Sample Dataset — GRASS GIS Location
Version 1.0 (2025-09-19)

Overview
--------
This archive contains a complete GRASS GIS *Location* for the Wadi Hasa region (Jordan), including base data and exemplar analyses used in the Geomorphometry chapter. It is intended for teaching and reproducible research in archaeological GIS.

How to use
----------
1) Unzip the archive into your GRASSDATA directory (or a working folder) and add the Location to your GRASS session.
2) Start GRASS and open the included workspace (Workspace.gxw) or choose a Mapset to work in.
3) Set the computational region to the default extent/resolution for reproducibility:
g.region n=3444220 s=3405490 e=796210 w=733450 nsres=30 ewres=30 -p
4) Inspect layers as needed:
g.list type=rast,vector
r.info

Citation & License
------------------
Please cite this dataset as:

Isaac I. Ullah. 2025. *Wadi Hasa Sample Dataset (GRASS GIS Location)*. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17162040

All contents are released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. The original Wadi Hasa survey dataset is available at: https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Wadi_Hasa_Ancient_Pastoralism_Project/1404216 The original Wadi Hasa survey dataset is available at: https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Wadi_Hasa_Ancient_Pastoralism_Project/1404216

Coordinate Reference System
---------------------------
- Projection: UTM, Zone 36N
- Datum/Ellipsoid: WGS84
- Units: meter
- Coordinate system and units are defined in the GRASS Location (PROJ_INFO/UNITS).

Default Region (computational extent & resolution)
--------------------------------------------------
- North: 3444220
- South: 3405490
- East: 796210
- West: 733450
- Resolution: 30 (NS), 30 (EW)
- Rows x Cols: 1291 x 2092 (cells: 2700772)

Directory / Mapset Structure
----------------------------
This Location contains the following Mapsets (data subprojects), each with its own raster/vector layers and attribute tables (SQLite):
- Boolean_Predictive_Modeling: 8 raster(s), 4 vector(s)
- ISRIC_soilgrid: 31 raster(s), 0 vector(s)
- Landsat_Imagery: 3 raster(s), 0 vector(s)
- Landscape_Evolution_Modeling: 41 raster(s), 0 vector(s)
- Least_Cost_Analysis: 13 raster(s), 4 vector(s)
- Machine_Learning_Predictive_Modeling: 70 raster(s), 11 vector(s)
- PERMANENT: 4 raster(s), 2 vector(s)
- Sentinel2_Imagery: 4 raster(s), 0 vector(s)
- Site_Buffer_Analysis: 0 raster(s), 2 vector(s)
- Terrain_Analysis: 27 raster(s), 2 vector(s)
- Territory_Modeling: 14 raster(s), 2 vector(s)
- Trace21k_Paleoclimate_Downscale_Example: 4 raster(s), 2 vector(s)
- Visibility_Analysis: 11 raster(s), 5 vector(s)

Data Content (summary)
----------------------
- Total raster maps: 230
- Total vector maps: 34

Raster resolutions present:
- 10 m: 13 raster(s)
- 30 m: 183 raster(s)
- 208.01 m: 2 raster(s)
- 232.42 m: 30 raster(s)
- 1000 m: 2 raster(s)

Major content themes include:
- Base elevation surfaces and terrain derivatives (e.g., DEMs, slope, aspect, curvature, flow accumulation, prominence).
- Hydrology, watershed, and stream-related layers.
- Visibility analyses (viewsheds; cumulative viewshed analyses for Nabataean and Roman towers).
- Movement and cost-surface analyses (isotropic/anisotropic costs, least-cost paths, time-to-travel surfaces).
- Predictive modeling outputs (boolean/inductive/deductive; regression/classification surfaces; training/test rasters).
- Satellite imagery products (Landsat NIR/RED/NDVI; Sentinel‑2 bands and RGB composite).
- Soil and surficial properties (ISRIC SoilGrids 250 m products).
- Paleoclimate downscaling examples (CHELSA TraCE21k MAT/AP).

Vectors include:
- Archaeological point datasets (e.g., WHS_sites, WHNBS_sites, Nabatean_Towers, Roman_Towers).
- Derived training/testing samples and buffer polygons for modeling.
- Stream network and paths from least-cost analyses.

Important notes & caveats
-------------------------
- Mixed resolutions: Analyses span 10 m (e.g., Sentinel‑2 composites, some derived surfaces), 30 m (majority of terrain and modeling rasters), ~232 m (SoilGrids products), and 1 km (CHELSA paleoclimate). Set the computational region appropriately (g.region) before processing or visualization.
- NoData handling: The raw SRTM import (Hasa_30m_SRTM) reports extreme min/max values caused by nodata placeholders. Use the clipped/processed DEMs (e.g., Hasa_30m_clipped_wshed*) and/or set nodata with r.null as needed.
- Masks: MASK rasters are provided for analysis subdomains where relevant.
- Attribute tables: Vector attribute data are stored in per‑Mapset SQLite databases (sqlite/sqlite.db) and connected via layer=1.

Provenance (brief)
------------------
- Primary survey points and site datasets derive from the Wadi Hasa projects (see Figshare record above).
- Base elevation and terrain derivatives are built from SRTM and subsequently processed/clipped for the watershed.
- Soil variables originate from ISRIC SoilGrids (~250 m).
- Paleoclimate examples use CHELSA TraCE21k surfaces (1 km) that are interpolated to higher resolutions for demonstration.
- Satellite imagery layers are derived from Landsat and Sentinel‑2 scenes.

Reproducibility & quick commands
--------------------------------
- Restore default region: g.region n=3444220 s=3405490 e=796210 w=733450 nsres=30 ewres=30 -p
- Set region to a raster: g.region raster=

Change log
----------
- v1.0: Initial public release of the teaching Location on Zenodo (CC BY 4.0).

Contact
-------
For questions, corrections, or suggestions, please contact Isaac I. Ullah

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within California’s State Waters. The program supports a large number of coastal-zone- and ocean-management issues, including the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) (California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2008), which requires information about the distribution of ecosystems as part of the design and proposal process for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas. A focus of CSMP is to map California’s State Waters with consistent methods at a consistent scale. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization of swath sonar data (the undersea equivalent of satellite remote-sensing data in terrestrial mapping), acoustic backscatter, seafloor video, seafloor photography, high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles, and bottom-sediment sampling data. The map products display seafloor morphology and character, identify potential marine benthic habitats, and illustrate both the surficial seafloor geology and shallow (to about 100 m) subsurface geology. It is emphasized that the more interpretive habitat and geology data rely on the integration of multiple, new high-resolution datasets and that mapping at small scales would not be possible without such data. This approach and CSMP planning is based in part on recommendations of the Marine Mapping Planning Workshop (Kvitek and others, 2006), attended by coastal and marine managers and scientists from around the state. That workshop established geographic priorities for a coastal mapping project and identified the need for coverage of “lands” from the shore strand line (defined as Mean Higher High Water; MHHW) out to the 3-nautical-mile (5.6-km) limit of California’s State Waters. Unfortunately, surveying the zone from MHHW out to 10-m water depth is not consistently possible using ship-based surveying methods, owing to sea state (for example, waves, wind, or currents), kelp coverage, and shallow rock outcrops. Accordingly, some of the data presented in this series commonly do not cover the zone from the shore out to 10-m depth. This data is part of a series of online U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) publications, each of which includes several map sheets, some explanatory text, and a descriptive pamphlet. Each map sheet is published as a PDF file. Geographic information system (GIS) files that contain both ESRI ArcGIS raster grids (for example, bathymetry, seafloor character) and geotiffs (for example, shaded relief) are also included for each publication. For those who do not own the full suite of ESRI GIS and mapping software, the data can be read using ESRI ArcReader, a free viewer that is available at http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcreader/index.html (last accessed September 20, 2013). The California Seafloor Mapping Program is a collaborative venture between numerous different federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector. CSMP partners include the California Coastal Conservancy, the California Ocean Protection Council, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Geological Survey, California State University at Monterey Bay’s Seafloor Mapping Lab, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Center for Habitat Studies, Fugro Pelagos, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, including National Ocean Service–Office of Coast Surveys, National Marine Sanctuaries, and National Marine Fisheries Service), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. These web services for the Offshore of Coal Oil Point map area includes data layers that are associated to GIS and map sheets available from the USGS CSMP web page at https://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/mapping/csmp/index.html. Each published CSMP map area includes a data catalog of geographic information system (GIS) files; map sheets that contain explanatory text; and an associated descriptive pamphlet. This web service represents the available data layers for this map area. Data was combined from different sonar surveys to generate a comprehensive high-resolution bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter coverage of the map area. These data reveal a range of physiographic including exposed bedrock outcrops, large fields of sand waves, as well as many human impacts on the seafloor. To validate geological and biological interpretations of the sonar data, the U.S. Geological Survey towed a camera sled over specific offshore locations, collecting both video and photographic imagery; these “ground-truth” surveying data are available from the CSMP Video and Photograph Portal at https://doi.org/10.5066/F7J1015K. The “seafloor character” data layer shows classifications of the seafloor on the basis of depth, slope, rugosity (ruggedness), and backscatter intensity and which is further informed by the ground-truth-survey imagery. The “potential habitats” polygons are delineated on the basis of substrate type, geomorphology, seafloor process, or other attributes that may provide a habitat for a specific species or assemblage of organisms. Representative seismic-reflection profile data from the map area is also include and provides information on the subsurface stratigraphy and structure of the map area. The distribution and thickness of young sediment (deposited over the past about 21,000 years, during the most recent sea-level rise) is interpreted on the basis of the seismic-reflection data. The geologic polygons merge onshore geologic mapping (compiled from existing maps by the California Geological Survey) and new offshore geologic mapping that is based on integration of high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter imagery seafloor-sediment and rock samplesdigital camera and video imagery, and high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles. The information provided by the map sheets, pamphlet, and data catalog has a broad range of applications. High-resolution bathymetry, acoustic backscatter, ground-truth-surveying imagery, and habitat mapping all contribute to habitat characterization and ecosystem-based management by providing essential data for delineation of marine protected areas and ecosystem restoration. Many of the maps provide high-resolution baselines that will be critical for monitoring environmental change associated with climate change, coastal development, or other forcings. High-resolution bathymetry is a critical component for modeling coastal flooding caused by storms and tsunamis, as well as inundation associated with longer term sea-level rise. Seismic-reflection and bathymetric data help characterize earthquake and tsunami sources, critical for natural-hazard assessments of coastal zones. Information on sediment distribution and thickness is essential to the understanding of local and regional sediment transport, as well as the development of regional sediment-management plans. In addition, siting of any new offshore infrastructure (for example, pipelines, cables, or renewable-energy facilities) will depend on high-resolution mapping. Finally, this mapping will both stimulate and enable new scientific research and also raise public awareness of, and education about, coastal environments and issues. Web services were created using an ArcGIS service definition file. The ArcGIS REST service and OGC WMS service include all Offshore Coal Oil Point map area data layers. Data layers are symbolized as shown on the associated map sheets.

Overview:
The Copernicus DEM is a Digital Surface Model (DSM) which represents the surface of the Earth including buildings, infrastructure and vegetation. The original GLO-30 provides worldwide coverage at 30 meters (refers to 10 arc seconds). Note that ocean areas do not have tiles, there one can assume height values equal to zero. Data is provided as Cloud Optimized GeoTIFFs. Note that the vertical unit for measurement of elevation height is meters.

The Copernicus DEM for Europe at 3 arcsec (0:00:03 = 0.00083333333 ~ 90 meter) in COG format has been derived from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30, mirrored on Open Data on AWS, dataset managed by Sinergise (https://registry.opendata.aws/copernicus-dem/).

Processing steps:
The original Copernicus GLO-30 DEM contains a relevant percentage of tiles with non-square pixels. We created a mosaic map in VRT format and defined within the VRT file the rule to apply cubic resampling while reading the data, i.e. importing them into GRASS GIS for further processing. We chose cubic instead of bilinear resampling since the height-width ratio of non-square pixels is up to 1:5. Hence, artefacts between adjacent tiles in rugged terrain could be minimized:

gdalbuildvrt -input_file_list list_geotiffs_MOOD.csv -r cubic -tr 0.000277777777777778 0.000277777777777778 Copernicus_DSM_30m_MOOD.vrt

In order to reduce the spatial resolution to 3 arc seconds, weighted resampling was performed in GRASS GIS (using r.resamp.stats -w and the pixel values were scaled with 1000 (storing the pixels as integer values) for data volume reduction. In addition, a hillshade raster map was derived from the resampled elevation map (using r.relief, GRASS GIS). Eventually, we exported the elevation and hillshade raster maps in Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) format, along with SLD and QML style files.

Projection + EPSG code:
Latitude-Longitude/WGS84 (EPSG: 4326)

Spatial extent:
north: 82:00:30N
south: 18N
west: 32:00:30W
east: 70E

Spatial resolution:
3 arc seconds (approx. 90 m)

Pixel values:
meters * 1000 (scaled to Integer; example: value 23220 = 23.220 m a.s.l.)

Software used:
GDAL 3.2.2 and GRASS GIS 8.0.0 (r.resamp.stats -w; r.relief)

Original dataset license:
https://spacedata.copernicus.eu/documents/20126/0/CSCDA_ESA_Mission-specific+Annex.pdf

Processed by:
mundialis GmbH & Co. KG, Germany (https://www.mundialis.de/)

Abstract

The Urban Green Raster Germany is a land cover classification for Germany that addresses in particular the urban vegetation areas. The raster dataset covers the terrestrial national territory of Germany and has a spatial resolution of 10 meters. The dataset is based on a fully automated classification of Sentinel-2 satellite data from a full 2018 vegetation period using reference data from the European LUCAS land use and land cover point dataset. The dataset identifies eight land cover classes. These include Built-up, Built-up with significant green share, Coniferous wood, Deciduous wood, Herbaceous vegetation (low perennial vegetation), Water, Open soil, Arable land (low seasonal vegetation). The land cover dataset provided here is offered as an integer raster in GeoTiff format. The assignment of the number coding to the corresponding land cover class is explained in the legend file.

Data acquisition

The data acquisition comprises two main processing steps: (1) Collection, processing, and automated classification of the multispectral Sentinel 2 satellite data with the “Land Cover DE method”, resulting in the raw land cover classification dataset, NDVI layer, and RF assignment frequency vector raster. (2) GIS-based postprocessing including discrimination of (densely) built-up and loosely built-up pixels according NDVI threshold, and creating water-body and arable-land masks from geo-topographical base-data (ATKIS Basic DLM) and reclassification of water and arable land pixels based on the assignment frequency.

Data collection

Satellite data were searched and downloaded from the Copernicus Open Access Hub (https://scihub.copernicus.eu/).

The LUCAS reference and validation points were loaded from the Eurostat platform (https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/lucas/data/database).

The processing of the satellite data was performed at the DLR data center in Oberpfaffenhofen.

GIS-based post-processing of the automatic classification result was performed at IOER in Dresden.

Value of the data

The dataset can be used to quantify the amount of green areas within cities on a homogeneous data base [5].

Thus it is possible to compare cities of different sizes regarding their greenery and with respect to their ratio of green and built-up areas [6].

Built-up areas within cities can be discriminated regarding their built-up density (dense built-up vs. built-up with higher green share).

Data description

A Raster dataset in GeoTIFF format: The dataset is stored as an 8 bit integer raster with values ranging from 1 to 8 for the eight different land cover classes. The nomenclature of the coded values is as follows: 1 = Built-up, 2=open soil; 3=Coniferous wood, 4= Deciduous wood, 5=Arable land (low seasonal vegetation), 6=Herbaceous vegetation (low perennial vegetation), 7=Water, 8=Built-up with significant green share. Name of the file ugr2018_germany.tif. The dataset is zipped alongside with accompanying files: *.twf (geo-referencing world-file), *.ovr (Overlay file for quick data preview in GIS), *.clr (Color map file).

A text file with the integer value assignment of the land cover classes. Name of the file: Legend_LC-classes.txt.

Experimental design, materials and methods

The first essential step to create the dataset is the automatic classification of a satellite image mosaic of all available Sentinel-2 images from May to September 2018 with a maximum cloud cover of 60 percent. Points from the 2018 LUCAS (Land use and land cover survey) dataset from Eurostat [1] were used as reference and validation data. Using Random Forest (RF) classifier [2], seven land use classes (Deciduous wood, Coniferous wood, Herbaceous vegetation (low perennial vegetation), Built-up, Open soil, Water, Arable land (low seasonal vegetation)) were first derived, which is methodologically in line with the procedure used to create the dataset "Land Cover DE - Sentinel-2 - Germany, 2015" [3]. The overall accuracy of the data is 93 % [4].

Two downstream post-processing steps served to further qualify the product. The first step included the selective verification of pixels of the classes arable land and water. These are often misidentified by the classifier due to radiometric similarities with other land covers; in particular, radiometric signatures of water surfaces often resemble shadows or asphalt surfaces. Due to the heterogeneous inner-city structures, pixels are also frequently misclassified as cropland.

To mitigate these errors, all pixels classified as water and arable land were matched with another data source. This consisted of binary land cover masks for these two land cover classes originating from the Monitor of Settlement and Open Space Development (IOER Monitor). For all water and cropland pixels that were outside of their respective masks, the frequencies of class assignments from the RF classifier were checked. If the assignment frequency to water or arable land was at least twice that to the subsequent class, the classification was preserved. Otherwise, the classification strength was considered too weak and the pixel was recoded to the land cover with the second largest assignment frequency.

Furthermore, an additional land cover class "Built-up with significant vegetation share" was introduced. For this purpose, all pixels of the Built-up class were intersected with the NDVI of the satellite image mosaic and assigned to the new category if an NDVI threshold was exceeded in the pixel. The associated NDVI threshold was previously determined using highest resolution reference data of urban green structures in the cities of Dresden, Leipzig and Potsdam, which were first used to determine the true green fractions within the 10m Sentinel pixels, and based on this to determine an NDVI value that could be used as an indicator of a significant green fraction within the built-up pixel. However, due to the wide dispersion of green fraction values within the built-up areas, it is not possible to establish a universally valid green percentage value for the land cover class of Built-up with significant vegetation share. Thus, the class essentially serves to the visual differentiability of densely and loosely (i.e., vegetation-dominated) built-up areas.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) [10.06.03.18.101].The provided data has been developed and created in the framework of the research project “Wie grün sind bundesdeutsche Städte?- Fernerkundliche Erfassung und stadträumlich-funktionale Differenzierung der Grünausstattung von Städten in Deutschland (Erfassung der urbanen Grünausstattung)“ (How green are German cities?- Remote sensing and urban-functional differentiation of the green infrastructure of cities in Germany (Urban Green Infrastructure Inventory)). Further persons involved in the project were: Fabian Dosch (funding administrator at BBSR), Stefan Fina (research partner, group leader at ILS Dortmund), Annett Frick, Kathrin Wagner (research partners at LUP Potsdam).

References

[1] Eurostat (2021): Land cover / land use statistics database LUCAS. URL: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/lucas/data/database

[2] L. Breiman (2001). Random forests, Mach. Learn., 45, pp. 5-32

[3] M. Weigand, M. Wurm (2020). Land Cover DE - Sentinel-2—Germany, 2015 [Data set]. German Aerospace Center (DLR). doi: 10.15489/1CCMLAP3MN39

[4] M. Weigand, J. Staab, M. Wurm, H. Taubenböck, (2020). Spatial and semantic effects of LUCAS samples on fully automated land use/land cover classification in high-resolution Sentinel-2 data. Int J Appl Earth Obs, 88, 102065. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2020.102065

[5] L. Eichler., T. Krüger, G. Meinel, G. (2020). Wie grün sind deutsche Städte? Indikatorgestützte fernerkundliche Erfassung des Stadtgrüns. AGIT Symposium 2020, 6, 306–315. doi: 10.14627/537698030

[6] H. Taubenböck, M. Reiter, F. Dosch, T. Leichtle, M. Weigand, M. Wurm (2021). Which city is the greenest? A multi-dimensional deconstruction of city rankings. Comput Environ Urban Syst, 89, 101687. doi: 10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2021.101687

This database was prepared using a combination of materials that include aerial photographs, topographic maps (1:24,000 and 1:250,000), field notes, and a sample catalog. Our goal was to translate sample collection site locations at Yellowstone National Park and surrounding areas into a GIS database. This was achieved by transferring site locations from aerial photographs and topographic maps into layers in ArcMap. Each field site is located based on field notes describing where a sample was collected. Locations were marked on the photograph or topographic map by a pinhole or dot, respectively, with the corresponding station or site numbers. Station and site numbers were then referenced in the notes to determine the appropriate prefix for the station. Each point on the aerial photograph or topographic map was relocated on the screen in ArcMap, on a digital topographic map, or an aerial photograph. Several samples are present in the field notes and in the catalog but do not corresp ...

A spatial tiling index designed for storage of file-based image and other raster (i.e., LiDAR elevation, landcover) data sets. A regular grid with origin at 0,0 of the Washington North State Plane Coordinate System, with grid cells defined by orthogonal bounds 7500 feet long in easting and in northing. Only those cells currently involved in one of several image/raster data projects for King County and southwestern Snohomish County are labelled, though the labeling scheme can be extended. The name of the spatial index is derived from the acronym (I)n(D)e(X) (P)olygons at the (7500) foot tile level, or idxp7500. Cell label is a row-id cocantenated with a column-id generating a four-character identifier that uniquely identifies every cell. The row portion of the identifier is a two-character alpha code of the format aa, ab, ac.... ba, bb, etc. and the column portion is a two-digit integer value such as 01, 02, 03.... 11,12,13, etc. A composite cell identifier would be then, for example, aa01, aa02, .....ba11,ba12, etc. Not all image and raster data is stored at the tiling level represented by this index. Data is stored at this level if full-resolution, uncompressed data would generate larger than manageable file sizes at a larger tile size.

For a series of studies on the ecosystem service values of chaparral in Southern California, we developed a raster data layer providing an ecological unit classification of the Southern California landscape. This raster dataset is at a 30 meter pixel resolution and partitions the landscape into 37 different ecological unit types. This dataset was derived through a GIS-based cluster analysis of 10 different physiographic variables, namely soil suborder type, terrain geomorphon type, flow accumulation, slope, solar irradiation, annual precipitation, annual minimum temperature, actual evapotranspiration, and climatic water deficit. This partitioning was based on physiographic variables rather than vegetation types because of the wish to have the ecological units reflect biophysical characteristics rather than the historical land use patterns that may influence vegetation. The cluster analysis was performed across a set of 10,000 points randomly placed on a GIS layer stack for the 10 variables. These random points were grouped into 37 discrete clusters using an algorithm called partitioning around medoids. This assignment of points to clusters was then used to train a random forest classifier, which in turn was run across the GIS stack to produce the output raster layer.

This dataset is described in the following book chapter publication:

Underwood, Emma C., Allan D. Hollander, Patrick R. Huber, and Charlie Schrader-Patton. 2018. “Mapping the Value of National Forest Landscapes for Ecosystem Service Provision.” In Valuing Chaparral, 245–70. Springer Series on Environmental Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68303-4_9.

Methods Summary of Methods for Developing Ecological Units in Southern California

Allan Hollander and Emma Underwood, University of California Davis.

1) Compiling GIS layers. These data were compiled from a variety of sources and resolutions (Table 1) for the southern California study area (see Methods_figure_1.png for the study area). The original resolution of these raster layers ran from 10 meters to 270 meters, and resampling was conducted so all analyses were performed at a 30 meter raster resolution. We decided not to include vegetation in the data stack as the aim was to capture biophysical characteristics and vegetation will reflect current landscape history and land use patterns (e.g. fire history, type conversion from shrubland, or agricultural use). Lakes and reservoirs were omitted from the subsequent analysis. Data compiled:

a) Soil suborders. This was a discretely-classified raster layer with 22 soil suborder classes included in the southern California region. This was derived from the gridded Soil Survey Geographic Database (gSSURGO, available at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/survey/geo/?cid=nrcs142p2_053628). This product is a rasterization at a 10-meter resolution of the county-scale SSURGO data published by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

b) Terrain geomorphons. This raster layer derives from a DEM surface and classifies the landscape into 10 discrete landform types, examples being ridges, slopes, hollows, and valleys. The algorithm for geomorphon classification uses a pattern recognition approach based on line of sight analysis (Jasiewisc and Stepinski 2013). This layer was created from a 30 meter DEM in GRASS 7.0.0, using the extension r.geomorphon (https://grass.osgeo.org/grass70/manuals/addons/r.geomorphon.html).

c) Annualized solar irradiation. This layer uses the r.sun model available in GRASS 7.0.0 (https://grass.osgeo.org/grass70/manuals/r.sun.html) which calculates direct, diffuse, and reflected solar irradiation for a given day, location, topography, and atmospheric conditions. This layer was created from a 30 meter DEM and assumes clear-sky conditions. To estimate the total annual irradiation, the model was run for every 15th day and these values were integrated over the year.

d) Flow accumulation. This layer is another product of 30 meter DEM data and measures the upslope area in pixel count that conceivably drains into a given pixel. This was calculated using the accumulation option in the GRASS 7.0.0 command r.watershed (https://grass.osgeo.org/grass70/manuals/r.watershed.html)

e) Slope. This was derived from 30 meter DEM data using the GRASS 7.0.0 command r.slope.aspect, and is measured in degrees.

f) Annual precipitation. This layer came from the 2014 Basin Characterization Model (BCM) for California (Flint et al. 2013) and gives the average annual precipitation between 1981 and 2010 at a 270-meter resolution.

g) Annual minimum temperature. This layer also came from BCM (Flint et al. 2013) and gives the average annual minimum temperature between 1981 and 2010 at a 270-meter resolution. Minimum temperature was included in the set of climate variables to represent montane winter conditions.

h) Climatic water deficit. This layer also came from the BCM (Flint et al. 2013) and gives the average climatic water deficit between 1981 and 2010 at a 270-meter resolution. The two evapotranspiration variables (climatic water deficit and actual evapotranspiration) are included in this set because they are strong drivers of vegetation distribution (Stephenson 1998).

i) Actual evapotranspiration. This layer also came from the BCM (Flint et al. 2013) and gives the average actual evapotranspiration between 1981 and 2010 at a 270-meter resolution.

Table 1. Summary of GIS data stack

    LAYER


    ORIGINAL SOURCE


    ORIGINAL RESOLUTION


    THEME








    Soil suborders


    gSSURGO


    10 meters


    Soil type




    Terrain geomorphons


    Digital elevation model


    30 meters


    Geomorphometry




    Solar irradiation


    Digital elevation model


    30 meters


    Energy balance




    Flow accumulation


    Digital elevation model


    30 meters


    Geomorphometry




    Slope


    Digital elevation model


    30 meters


    Geomorphometry




    Annual precipitation


    Basin Characterization Model


    270 meters


    Climate




    Annual min temperature


    Basin Characterization Model


    270 meters


    Climate




    Climatic water deficit


    Basin Characterization Model


    270 meters


    Climate




    Actual evapotranspiration


    Basin Characterization Model


    270 meters


    Climate

2) Generating 10,000 random points. A mask was imposed to limit analyses to the 35,158 square study area and 10,000 random points were generated to create a data table of the values of each GIS layer at each of the random points. This data table was the basis for sorting the random points into a limited number of clustered types. The first step in doing this is calculating in multivariate space the distance with respect to these environmental variables each random point is from every other point, in other words creating a dissimilarity matrix.

3) Assigning weights to variables. Because the 9 environmental variables use completely different metrics and are a combination of numerical and categorical types, calculating an environmental distance between any two of these random points requires some weighting to be assigned to each of the environmental variables to sum up their relative distances. A subanalysis to determine these weightings used a subset of the study area, the Santa Clara River watershed. Since these ecological units are intended to summarize a diverse set of ecological services, we chose three different proxy variables from the GIS data available for this area to represent biomass, hydrological response, and biodiversity. These proxies included mean annual MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) value for biomass, recharge for hydrological response, and habitat type in the California Wildlife Habitat Relations (CWHR) classification for biodiversity.

The MODIS EVI data was derived by averaging over the 2000-2014 period the maximum EVI value in a single year. The MODIS index used was MOD13Q1 (https://lpdaac.usgs.gov/dataset_discovery/modis/modis_products_table/mod13q1) at a 250 meter resolution, available at 16-day intervals.


The hydrological recharge data were extracted from the 2014 Basin Characterization Model (Flint et al. 2013) at 270 meter resolution.


The CWHR habitat type came from the 2015 FRAP vegetation layer (FVEG15_1, from http://frap.fire.ca.gov/data/frapgisdata-sw-fveg_download), available at a 30 meter resolution.

a) We used random forest regression and classification (Hastie et al. 2009) to determine a ranking of importance values of these predictor variables using random forest regression for EVI and recharge and random forest classification for the habitat type. These were calculated using the randomForest package in R (Liaw and Wiener 2002).

b) We then averaged these three sets of importance values to create an overall set of weightings to enter into the dissimilarity matrix (Table 2).

Table 2. Weightings for each variable to reflect their relative importance to the ecological units

    VARIABLE NAME


    WEIGHT




    Precipitation


    1.00




    Annual minimum temperature


    0.600




    Slope


    0.507




    Climatic water deficit


    0.413




    Annualized solar radiation


    0.404




    Soil suborder

The toolbox simply allows one to copy the symbology from one layer opened in ArcMap and paste (apply) it to one or more other layers loaded in the table of contents (TOC). Works on rasters (images) and feature layers. For example, it is good for defining a single image with the outside collar (usually 0) to transparent and then applying this setting to many images.This is essentially an alternative to running the built-in ArcMap tool "Apply Symbology From Layer" in batch. http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#//00170000006n000000Tip: There is a commented portion of code which can help make many *.lyr files from one input layer. The output path is hardwired to c:\temp but it can be update.Tip: For setting the same color-scale for many images (e.g. DEMs), then I recommend loading them into a Mosaic Datatype. This allows all images in the Mosaic to have one symbology mapping. See: Raster Riser for a Mosaic tutorial: http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/facilities/mrctr/gis-toolsOriginal version 0.1, June 30, 2013. Version 0.2, Nov 14, 2014. Added check for groups or layers with spaces which is not currently supported. The recommendation is to just replace spaces with underscores. Works with ArcMap 10.2 and 10.2.2.Please report any issues.

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within California’s State Waters. The program supports a large number of coastal-zone- and ocean-management issues, including the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) (California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2008), which requires information about the distribution of ecosystems as part of the design and proposal process for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas. A focus of CSMP is to map California’s State Waters with consistent methods at a consistent scale. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization of swath sonar data (the undersea equivalent of satellite remote-sensing data in terrestrial mapping), acoustic backscatter, seafloor video, seafloor photography, high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles, and bottom-sediment sampling data. The map products display seafloor morphology and character, identify potential marine benthic habitats, and illustrate both the surficial seafloor geology and shallow (to about 100 m) subsurface geology. It is emphasized that the more interpretive habitat and geology data rely on the integration of multiple, new high-resolution datasets and that mapping at small scales would not be possible without such data. This approach and CSMP planning is based in part on recommendations of the Marine Mapping Planning Workshop (Kvitek and others, 2006), attended by coastal and marine managers and scientists from around the state. That workshop established geographic priorities for a coastal mapping project and identified the need for coverage of “lands” from the shore strand line (defined as Mean Higher High Water; MHHW) out to the 3-nautical-mile (5.6-km) limit of California’s State Waters. Unfortunately, surveying the zone from MHHW out to 10-m water depth is not consistently possible using ship-based surveying methods, owing to sea state (for example, waves, wind, or currents), kelp coverage, and shallow rock outcrops. Accordingly, some of the data presented in this series commonly do not cover the zone from the shore out to 10-m depth. This data is part of a series of online U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) publications, each of which includes several map sheets, some explanatory text, and a descriptive pamphlet. Each map sheet is published as a PDF file. Geographic information system (GIS) files that contain both ESRI ArcGIS raster grids (for example, bathymetry, seafloor character) and geotiffs (for example, shaded relief) are also included for each publication. For those who do not own the full suite of ESRI GIS and mapping software, the data can be read using ESRI ArcReader, a free viewer that is available at http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcreader/index.html (last accessed September 20, 2013). The California Seafloor Mapping Program is a collaborative venture between numerous different federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector. CSMP partners include the California Coastal Conservancy, the California Ocean Protection Council, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Geological Survey, California State University at Monterey Bay’s Seafloor Mapping Lab, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Center for Habitat Studies, Fugro Pelagos, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, including National Ocean Service–Office of Coast Surveys, National Marine Sanctuaries, and National Marine Fisheries Service), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. These web services for the Offshore of Ventura map area includes data layers that are associated to GIS and map sheets available from the USGS CSMP web page at https://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/mapping/csmp/index.html. Each published CSMP map area includes a data catalog of geographic information system (GIS) files; map sheets that contain explanatory text; and an associated descriptive pamphlet. This web service represents the available data layers for this map area. Data was combined from different sonar surveys to generate a comprehensive high-resolution bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter coverage of the map area. These data reveal a range of physiographic including exposed bedrock outcrops, large fields of sand waves, as well as many human impacts on the seafloor. To validate geological and biological interpretations of the sonar data, the U.S. Geological Survey towed a camera sled over specific offshore locations, collecting both video and photographic imagery; these “ground-truth” surveying data are available from the CSMP Video and Photograph Portal at https://doi.org/10.5066/F7J1015K. The “seafloor character” data layer shows classifications of the seafloor on the basis of depth, slope, rugosity (ruggedness), and backscatter intensity and which is further informed by the ground-truth-survey imagery. The “potential habitats” polygons are delineated on the basis of substrate type, geomorphology, seafloor process, or other attributes that may provide a habitat for a specific species or assemblage of organisms. Representative seismic-reflection profile data from the map area is also include and provides information on the subsurface stratigraphy and structure of the map area. The distribution and thickness of young sediment (deposited over the past about 21,000 years, during the most recent sea-level rise) is interpreted on the basis of the seismic-reflection data. The geologic polygons merge onshore geologic mapping (compiled from existing maps by the California Geological Survey) and new offshore geologic mapping that is based on integration of high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter imagery seafloor-sediment and rock samplesdigital camera and video imagery, and high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles. The information provided by the map sheets, pamphlet, and data catalog has a broad range of applications. High-resolution bathymetry, acoustic backscatter, ground-truth-surveying imagery, and habitat mapping all contribute to habitat characterization and ecosystem-based management by providing essential data for delineation of marine protected areas and ecosystem restoration. Many of the maps provide high-resolution baselines that will be critical for monitoring environmental change associated with climate change, coastal development, or other forcings. High-resolution bathymetry is a critical component for modeling coastal flooding caused by storms and tsunamis, as well as inundation associated with longer term sea-level rise. Seismic-reflection and bathymetric data help characterize earthquake and tsunami sources, critical for natural-hazard assessments of coastal zones. Information on sediment distribution and thickness is essential to the understanding of local and regional sediment transport, as well as the development of regional sediment-management plans. In addition, siting of any new offshore infrastructure (for example, pipelines, cables, or renewable-energy facilities) will depend on high-resolution mapping. Finally, this mapping will both stimulate and enable new scientific research and also raise public awareness of, and education about, coastal environments and issues. Web services were created using an ArcGIS service definition file. The ArcGIS REST service and OGC WMS service include all Offshore of Ventura map area data layers. Data layers are symbolized as shown on the associated map sheets.

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within California’s State Waters. The program supports a large number of coastal-zone- and ocean-management issues, including the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) (California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2008), which requires information about the distribution of ecosystems as part of the design and proposal process for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas. A focus of CSMP is to map California’s State Waters with consistent methods at a consistent scale. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization of swath sonar data (the undersea equivalent of satellite remote-sensing data in terrestrial mapping), acoustic backscatter, seafloor video, seafloor photography, high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles, and bottom-sediment sampling data. The map products display seafloor morphology and character, identify potential marine benthic habitats, and illustrate both the surficial seafloor geology and shallow (to about 100 m) subsurface geology. It is emphasized that the more interpretive habitat and geology data rely on the integration of multiple, new high-resolution datasets and that mapping at small scales would not be possible without such data. This approach and CSMP planning is based in part on recommendations of the Marine Mapping Planning Workshop (Kvitek and others, 2006), attended by coastal and marine managers and scientists from around the state. That workshop established geographic priorities for a coastal mapping project and identified the need for coverage of “lands” from the shore strand line (defined as Mean Higher High Water; MHHW) out to the 3-nautical-mile (5.6-km) limit of California’s State Waters. Unfortunately, surveying the zone from MHHW out to 10-m water depth is not consistently possible using ship-based surveying methods, owing to sea state (for example, waves, wind, or currents), kelp coverage, and shallow rock outcrops. Accordingly, some of the data presented in this series commonly do not cover the zone from the shore out to 10-m depth. This data is part of a series of online U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) publications, each of which includes several map sheets, some explanatory text, and a descriptive pamphlet. Each map sheet is published as a PDF file. Geographic information system (GIS) files that contain both ESRI ArcGIS raster grids (for example, bathymetry, seafloor character) and geotiffs (for example, shaded relief) are also included for each publication. For those who do not own the full suite of ESRI GIS and mapping software, the data can be read using ESRI ArcReader, a free viewer that is available at http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcreader/index.html (last accessed September 20, 2013). The California Seafloor Mapping Program is a collaborative venture between numerous different federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector. CSMP partners include the California Coastal Conservancy, the California Ocean Protection Council, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Geological Survey, California State University at Monterey Bay’s Seafloor Mapping Lab, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Center for Habitat Studies, Fugro Pelagos, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, including National Ocean Service–Office of Coast Surveys, National Marine Sanctuaries, and National Marine Fisheries Service), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. These web services for the Point Conception to Hueneme Canyon map area includes data layers that are associated to GIS and map sheets available from the USGS CSMP web page at https://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/mapping/csmp/index.html. Each published CSMP map area includes a data catalog of geographic information system (GIS) files; map sheets that contain explanatory text; and an associated descriptive pamphlet. This web service represents the available data layers for this map area. Data was combined from different sonar surveys to generate a comprehensive high-resolution bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter coverage of the map area. These data reveal a range of physiographic including exposed bedrock outcrops, large fields of sand waves, as well as many human impacts on the seafloor. To validate geological and biological interpretations of the sonar data, the U.S. Geological Survey towed a camera sled over specific offshore locations, collecting both video and photographic imagery; these “ground-truth” surveying data are available from the CSMP Video and Photograph Portal at https://doi.org/10.5066/F7J1015K. The “seafloor character” data layer shows classifications of the seafloor on the basis of depth, slope, rugosity (ruggedness), and backscatter intensity and which is further informed by the ground-truth-survey imagery. The “potential habitats” polygons are delineated on the basis of substrate type, geomorphology, seafloor process, or other attributes that may provide a habitat for a specific species or assemblage of organisms. Representative seismic-reflection profile data from the map area is also include and provides information on the subsurface stratigraphy and structure of the map area. The distribution and thickness of young sediment (deposited over the past about 21,000 years, during the most recent sea-level rise) is interpreted on the basis of the seismic-reflection data. The geologic polygons merge onshore geologic mapping (compiled from existing maps by the California Geological Survey) and new offshore geologic mapping that is based on integration of high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter imagery seafloor-sediment and rock samplesdigital camera and video imagery, and high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles. The information provided by the map sheets, pamphlet, and data catalog has a broad range of applications. High-resolution bathymetry, acoustic backscatter, ground-truth-surveying imagery, and habitat mapping all contribute to habitat characterization and ecosystem-based management by providing essential data for delineation of marine protected areas and ecosystem restoration. Many of the maps provide high-resolution baselines that will be critical for monitoring environmental change associated with climate change, coastal development, or other forcings. High-resolution bathymetry is a critical component for modeling coastal flooding caused by storms and tsunamis, as well as inundation associated with longer term sea-level rise. Seismic-reflection and bathymetric data help characterize earthquake and tsunami sources, critical for natural-hazard assessments of coastal zones. Information on sediment distribution and thickness is essential to the understanding of local and regional sediment transport, as well as the development of regional sediment-management plans. In addition, siting of any new offshore infrastructure (for example, pipelines, cables, or renewable-energy facilities) will depend on high-resolution mapping. Finally, this mapping will both stimulate and enable new scientific research and also raise public awareness of, and education about, coastal environments and issues. Web services were created using an ArcGIS service definition file. The ArcGIS REST service and OGC WMS service include all Point Conception to Hueneme Canyon map area data layers. Data layers are symbolized as shown on the associated map sheets.

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within California’s State Waters. The program supports a large number of coastal-zone- and ocean-management issues, including the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) (California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2008), which requires information about the distribution of ecosystems as part of the design and proposal process for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas. A focus of CSMP is to map California’s State Waters with consistent methods at a consistent scale. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization of swath sonar data (the undersea equivalent of satellite remote-sensing data in terrestrial mapping), acoustic backscatter, seafloor video, seafloor photography, high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles, and bottom-sediment sampling data. The map products display seafloor morphology and character, identify potential marine benthic habitats, and illustrate both the surficial seafloor geology and shallow (to about 100 m) subsurface geology. It is emphasized that the more interpretive habitat and geology data rely on the integration of multiple, new high-resolution datasets and that mapping at small scales would not be possible without such data. This approach and CSMP planning is based in part on recommendations of the Marine Mapping Planning Workshop (Kvitek and others, 2006), attended by coastal and marine managers and scientists from around the state. That workshop established geographic priorities for a coastal mapping project and identified the need for coverage of “lands” from the shore strand line (defined as Mean Higher High Water; MHHW) out to the 3-nautical-mile (5.6-km) limit of California’s State Waters. Unfortunately, surveying the zone from MHHW out to 10-m water depth is not consistently possible using ship-based surveying methods, owing to sea state (for example, waves, wind, or currents), kelp coverage, and shallow rock outcrops. Accordingly, some of the data presented in this series commonly do not cover the zone from the shore out to 10-m depth. This data is part of a series of online U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) publications, each of which includes several map sheets, some explanatory text, and a descriptive pamphlet. Each map sheet is published as a PDF file. Geographic information system (GIS) files that contain both ESRI ArcGIS raster grids (for example, bathymetry, seafloor character) and geotiffs (for example, shaded relief) are also included for each publication. For those who do not own the full suite of ESRI GIS and mapping software, the data can be read using ESRI ArcReader, a free viewer that is available at http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcreader/index.html (last accessed September 20, 2013). The California Seafloor Mapping Program is a collaborative venture between numerous different federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector. CSMP partners include the California Coastal Conservancy, the California Ocean Protection Council, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Geological Survey, California State University at Monterey Bay’s Seafloor Mapping Lab, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Center for Habitat Studies, Fugro Pelagos, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, including National Ocean Service–Office of Coast Surveys, National Marine Sanctuaries, and National Marine Fisheries Service), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. These web services for the Offshore of Santa Barbara map area includes data layers that are associated to GIS and map sheets available from the USGS CSMP web page at https://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/mapping/csmp/index.html. Each published CSMP map area includes a data catalog of geographic information system (GIS) files; map sheets that contain explanatory text; and an associated descriptive pamphlet. This web service represents the available data layers for this map area. Data was combined from different sonar surveys to generate a comprehensive high-resolution bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter coverage of the map area. These data reveal a range of physiographic including exposed bedrock outcrops, large fields of sand waves, as well as many human impacts on the seafloor. To validate geological and biological interpretations of the sonar data, the U.S. Geological Survey towed a camera sled over specific offshore locations, collecting both video and photographic imagery; these “ground-truth” surveying data are available from the CSMP Video and Photograph Portal at https://doi.org/10.5066/F7J1015K. The “seafloor character” data layer shows classifications of the seafloor on the basis of depth, slope, rugosity (ruggedness), and backscatter intensity and which is further informed by the ground-truth-survey imagery. The “potential habitats” polygons are delineated on the basis of substrate type, geomorphology, seafloor process, or other attributes that may provide a habitat for a specific species or assemblage of organisms. Representative seismic-reflection profile data from the map area is also include and provides information on the subsurface stratigraphy and structure of the map area. The distribution and thickness of young sediment (deposited over the past about 21,000 years, during the most recent sea-level rise) is interpreted on the basis of the seismic-reflection data. The geologic polygons merge onshore geologic mapping (compiled from existing maps by the California Geological Survey) and new offshore geologic mapping that is based on integration of high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter imagery seafloor-sediment and rock samplesdigital camera and video imagery, and high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles. The information provided by the map sheets, pamphlet, and data catalog has a broad range of applications. High-resolution bathymetry, acoustic backscatter, ground-truth-surveying imagery, and habitat mapping all contribute to habitat characterization and ecosystem-based management by providing essential data for delineation of marine protected areas and ecosystem restoration. Many of the maps provide high-resolution baselines that will be critical for monitoring environmental change associated with climate change, coastal development, or other forcings. High-resolution bathymetry is a critical component for modeling coastal flooding caused by storms and tsunamis, as well as inundation associated with longer term sea-level rise. Seismic-reflection and bathymetric data help characterize earthquake and tsunami sources, critical for natural-hazard assessments of coastal zones. Information on sediment distribution and thickness is essential to the understanding of local and regional sediment transport, as well as the development of regional sediment-management plans. In addition, siting of any new offshore infrastructure (for example, pipelines, cables, or renewable-energy facilities) will depend on high-resolution mapping. Finally, this mapping will both stimulate and enable new scientific research and also raise public awareness of, and education about, coastal environments and issues. Web services were created using an ArcGIS service definition file. The ArcGIS REST service and OGC WMS service include all Offshore of Santa Barbara to Pescadero Region data layers. Data layers are symbolized as shown on the associated map sheets.

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within California’s State Waters. The program supports a large number of coastal-zone- and ocean-management issues, including the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) (California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2008), which requires information about the distribution of ecosystems as part of the design and proposal process for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas. A focus of CSMP is to map California’s State Waters with consistent methods at a consistent scale. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization of swath sonar data (the undersea equivalent of satellite remote-sensing data in terrestrial mapping), acoustic backscatter, seafloor video, seafloor photography, high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles, and bottom-sediment sampling data. The map products display seafloor morphology and character, identify potential marine benthic habitats, and illustrate both the surficial seafloor geology and shallow (to about 100 m) subsurface geology. It is emphasized that the more interpretive habitat and geology data rely on the integration of multiple, new high-resolution datasets and that mapping at small scales would not be possible without such data. This approach and CSMP planning is based in part on recommendations of the Marine Mapping Planning Workshop (Kvitek and others, 2006), attended by coastal and marine managers and scientists from around the state. That workshop established geographic priorities for a coastal mapping project and identified the need for coverage of “lands” from the shore strand line (defined as Mean Higher High Water; MHHW) out to the 3-nautical-mile (5.6-km) limit of California’s State Waters. Unfortunately, surveying the zone from MHHW out to 10-m water depth is not consistently possible using ship-based surveying methods, owing to sea state (for example, waves, wind, or currents), kelp coverage, and shallow rock outcrops. Accordingly, some of the data presented in this series commonly do not cover the zone from the shore out to 10-m depth. This data is part of a series of online U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) publications, each of which includes several map sheets, some explanatory text, and a descriptive pamphlet. Each map sheet is published as a PDF file. Geographic information system (GIS) files that contain both ESRI ArcGIS raster grids (for example, bathymetry, seafloor character) and geotiffs (for example, shaded relief) are also included for each publication. For those who do not own the full suite of ESRI GIS and mapping software, the data can be read using ESRI ArcReader, a free viewer that is available at http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcreader/index.html (last accessed September 20, 2013). The California Seafloor Mapping Program is a collaborative venture between numerous different federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector. CSMP partners include the California Coastal Conservancy, the California Ocean Protection Council, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Geological Survey, California State University at Monterey Bay’s Seafloor Mapping Lab, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Center for Habitat Studies, Fugro Pelagos, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, including National Ocean Service–Office of Coast Surveys, National Marine Sanctuaries, and National Marine Fisheries Service), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. These web services for the Offshore of Tomales Point map area includes data layers that are associated to GIS and map sheets available from the USGS CSMP web page at https://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/mapping/csmp/index.html. Each published CSMP map area includes a data catalog of geographic information system (GIS) files; map sheets that contain explanatory text; and an associated descriptive pamphlet. This web service represents the available data layers for this map area. Data was combined from different sonar surveys to generate a comprehensive high-resolution bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter coverage of the map area. These data reveal a range of physiographic including exposed bedrock outcrops, large fields of sand waves, as well as many human impacts on the seafloor. To validate geological and biological interpretations of the sonar data, the U.S. Geological Survey towed a camera sled over specific offshore locations, collecting both video and photographic imagery; these “ground-truth” surveying data are available from the CSMP Video and Photograph Portal at https://doi.org/10.5066/F7J1015K. The “seafloor character” data layer shows classifications of the seafloor on the basis of depth, slope, rugosity (ruggedness), and backscatter intensity and which is further informed by the ground-truth-survey imagery. The “potential habitats” polygons are delineated on the basis of substrate type, geomorphology, seafloor process, or other attributes that may provide a habitat for a specific species or assemblage of organisms. Representative seismic-reflection profile data from the map area is also include and provides information on the subsurface stratigraphy and structure of the map area. The distribution and thickness of young sediment (deposited over the past about 21,000 years, during the most recent sea-level rise) is interpreted on the basis of the seismic-reflection data. The geologic polygons merge onshore geologic mapping (compiled from existing maps by the California Geological Survey) and new offshore geologic mapping that is based on integration of high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter imagery seafloor-sediment and rock samplesdigital camera and video imagery, and high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles. The information provided by the map sheets, pamphlet, and data catalog has a broad range of applications. High-resolution bathymetry, acoustic backscatter, ground-truth-surveying imagery, and habitat mapping all contribute to habitat characterization and ecosystem-based management by providing essential data for delineation of marine protected areas and ecosystem restoration. Many of the maps provide high-resolution baselines that will be critical for monitoring environmental change associated with climate change, coastal development, or other forcings. High-resolution bathymetry is a critical component for modeling coastal flooding caused by storms and tsunamis, as well as inundation associated with longer term sea-level rise. Seismic-reflection and bathymetric data help characterize earthquake and tsunami sources, critical for natural-hazard assessments of coastal zones. Information on sediment distribution and thickness is essential to the understanding of local and regional sediment transport, as well as the development of regional sediment-management plans. In addition, siting of any new offshore infrastructure (for example, pipelines, cables, or renewable-energy facilities) will depend on high-resolution mapping. Finally, this mapping will both stimulate and enable new scientific research and also raise public awareness of, and education about, coastal environments and issues. Web services were created using an ArcGIS service definition file. The ArcGIS REST service and OGC WMS service include all Offshore of Tomales Point map area data layers. Data layers are symbolized as shown on the associated map sheets.

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within California’s State Waters. The program supports a large number of coastal-zone- and ocean-management issues, including the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) (California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2008), which requires information about the distribution of ecosystems as part of the design and proposal process for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas. A focus of CSMP is to map California’s State Waters with consistent methods at a consistent scale. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization of swath sonar data (the undersea equivalent of satellite remote-sensing data in terrestrial mapping), acoustic backscatter, seafloor video, seafloor photography, high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles, and bottom-sediment sampling data. The map products display seafloor morphology and character, identify potential marine benthic habitats, and illustrate both the surficial seafloor geology and shallow (to about 100 m) subsurface geology. It is emphasized that the more interpretive habitat and geology data rely on the integration of multiple, new high-resolution datasets and that mapping at small scales would not be possible without such data. This approach and CSMP planning is based in part on recommendations of the Marine Mapping Planning Workshop (Kvitek and others, 2006), attended by coastal and marine managers and scientists from around the state. That workshop established geographic priorities for a coastal mapping project and identified the need for coverage of “lands” from the shore strand line (defined as Mean Higher High Water; MHHW) out to the 3-nautical-mile (5.6-km) limit of California’s State Waters. Unfortunately, surveying the zone from MHHW out to 10-m water depth is not consistently possible using ship-based surveying methods, owing to sea state (for example, waves, wind, or currents), kelp coverage, and shallow rock outcrops. Accordingly, some of the data presented in this series commonly do not cover the zone from the shore out to 10-m depth. This data is part of a series of online U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) publications, each of which includes several map sheets, some explanatory text, and a descriptive pamphlet. Each map sheet is published as a PDF file. Geographic information system (GIS) files that contain both ESRI ArcGIS raster grids (for example, bathymetry, seafloor character) and geotiffs (for example, shaded relief) are also included for each publication. For those who do not own the full suite of ESRI GIS and mapping software, the data can be read using ESRI ArcReader, a free viewer that is available at http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcreader/index.html (last accessed September 20, 2013). The California Seafloor Mapping Program is a collaborative venture between numerous different federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector. CSMP partners include the California Coastal Conservancy, the California Ocean Protection Council, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Geological Survey, California State University at Monterey Bay’s Seafloor Mapping Lab, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Center for Habitat Studies, Fugro Pelagos, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, including National Ocean Service–Office of Coast Surveys, National Marine Sanctuaries, and National Marine Fisheries Service), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. These web services for the Pigeon Point to Monterey map area includes data layers that are associated to GIS and map sheets available from the USGS CSMP web page at https://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/mapping/csmp/index.html. Each published CSMP map area includes a data catalog of geographic information system (GIS) files; map sheets that contain explanatory text; and an associated descriptive pamphlet. This web service represents the available data layers for this map area. Data was combined from different sonar surveys to generate a comprehensive high-resolution bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter coverage of the map area. These data reveal a range of physiographic including exposed bedrock outcrops, large fields of sand waves, as well as many human impacts on the seafloor. To validate geological and biological interpretations of the sonar data, the U.S. Geological Survey towed a camera sled over specific offshore locations, collecting both video and photographic imagery; these “ground-truth” surveying data are available from the CSMP Video and Photograph Portal at https://doi.org/10.5066/F7J1015K. The “seafloor character” data layer shows classifications of the seafloor on the basis of depth, slope, rugosity (ruggedness), and backscatter intensity and which is further informed by the ground-truth-survey imagery. The “potential habitats” polygons are delineated on the basis of substrate type, geomorphology, seafloor process, or other attributes that may provide a habitat for a specific species or assemblage of organisms. Representative seismic-reflection profile data from the map area is also include and provides information on the subsurface stratigraphy and structure of the map area. The distribution and thickness of young sediment (deposited over the past about 21,000 years, during the most recent sea-level rise) is interpreted on the basis of the seismic-reflection data. The geologic polygons merge onshore geologic mapping (compiled from existing maps by the California Geological Survey) and new offshore geologic mapping that is based on integration of high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter imagery seafloor-sediment and rock samplesdigital camera and video imagery, and high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles. The information provided by the map sheets, pamphlet, and data catalog has a broad range of applications. High-resolution bathymetry, acoustic backscatter, ground-truth-surveying imagery, and habitat mapping all contribute to habitat characterization and ecosystem-based management by providing essential data for delineation of marine protected areas and ecosystem restoration. Many of the maps provide high-resolution baselines that will be critical for monitoring environmental change associated with climate change, coastal development, or other forcings. High-resolution bathymetry is a critical component for modeling coastal flooding caused by storms and tsunamis, as well as inundation associated with longer term sea-level rise. Seismic-reflection and bathymetric data help characterize earthquake and tsunami sources, critical for natural-hazard assessments of coastal zones. Information on sediment distribution and thickness is essential to the understanding of local and regional sediment transport, as well as the development of regional sediment-management plans. In addition, siting of any new offshore infrastructure (for example, pipelines, cables, or renewable-energy facilities) will depend on high-resolution mapping. Finally, this mapping will both stimulate and enable new scientific research and also raise public awareness of, and education about, coastal environments and issues. Web services were created using an ArcGIS service definition file. The ArcGIS REST service and OGC WMS service include all Pigeon Point to Monterey map area data layers. Data layers are symbolized as shown on the associated map sheets.

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within California’s State Waters. The program supports a large number of coastal-zone- and ocean-management issues, including the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) (California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2008), which requires information about the distribution of ecosystems as part of the design and proposal process for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas. A focus of CSMP is to map California’s State Waters with consistent methods at a consistent scale. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization of swath sonar data (the undersea equivalent of satellite remote-sensing data in terrestrial mapping), acoustic backscatter, seafloor video, seafloor photography, high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles, and bottom-sediment sampling data. The map products display seafloor morphology and character, identify potential marine benthic habitats, and illustrate both the surficial seafloor geology and shallow (to about 100 m) subsurface geology. It is emphasized that the more interpretive habitat and geology data rely on the integration of multiple, new high-resolution datasets and that mapping at small scales would not be possible without such data. This approach and CSMP planning is based in part on recommendations of the Marine Mapping Planning Workshop (Kvitek and others, 2006), attended by coastal and marine managers and scientists from around the state. That workshop established geographic priorities for a coastal mapping project and identified the need for coverage of “lands” from the shore strand line (defined as Mean Higher High Water; MHHW) out to the 3-nautical-mile (5.6-km) limit of California’s State Waters. Unfortunately, surveying the zone from MHHW out to 10-m water depth is not consistently possible using ship-based surveying methods, owing to sea state (for example, waves, wind, or currents), kelp coverage, and shallow rock outcrops. Accordingly, some of the data presented in this series commonly do not cover the zone from the shore out to 10-m depth. This data is part of a series of online U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) publications, each of which includes several map sheets, some explanatory text, and a descriptive pamphlet. Each map sheet is published as a PDF file. Geographic information system (GIS) files that contain both ESRI ArcGIS raster grids (for example, bathymetry, seafloor character) and geotiffs (for example, shaded relief) are also included for each publication. For those who do not own the full suite of ESRI GIS and mapping software, the data can be read using ESRI ArcReader, a free viewer that is available at http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcreader/index.html (last accessed September 20, 2013). The California Seafloor Mapping Program is a collaborative venture between numerous different federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector. CSMP partners include the California Coastal Conservancy, the California Ocean Protection Council, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Geological Survey, California State University at Monterey Bay’s Seafloor Mapping Lab, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Center for Habitat Studies, Fugro Pelagos, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, including National Ocean Service–Office of Coast Surveys, National Marine Sanctuaries, and National Marine Fisheries Service), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. These web services for the Offshore Fort Ross map area includes data layers that are associated to GIS and map sheets available from the USGS CSMP web page at https://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/mapping/csmp/index.html. Each published CSMP map area includes a data catalog of geographic information system (GIS) files; map sheets that contain explanatory text; and an associated descriptive pamphlet. This web service represents the available data layers for this map area. Data was combined from different sonar surveys to generate a comprehensive high-resolution bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter coverage of the map area. These data reveal a range of physiographic including exposed bedrock outcrops, large fields of sand waves, as well as many human impacts on the seafloor. To validate geological and biological interpretations of the sonar data, the U.S. Geological Survey towed a camera sled over specific offshore locations, collecting both video and photographic imagery; these “ground-truth” surveying data are available from the CSMP Video and Photograph Portal at https://doi.org/10.5066/F7J1015K. The “seafloor character” data layer shows classifications of the seafloor on the basis of depth, slope, rugosity (ruggedness), and backscatter intensity and which is further informed by the ground-truth-survey imagery. The “potential habitats” polygons are delineated on the basis of substrate type, geomorphology, seafloor process, or other attributes that may provide a habitat for a specific species or assemblage of organisms. Representative seismic-reflection profile data from the map area is also include and provides information on the subsurface stratigraphy and structure of the map area. The distribution and thickness of young sediment (deposited over the past about 21,000 years, during the most recent sea-level rise) is interpreted on the basis of the seismic-reflection data. The geologic polygons merge onshore geologic mapping (compiled from existing maps by the California Geological Survey) and new offshore geologic mapping that is based on integration of high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter imagery seafloor-sediment and rock samplesdigital camera and video imagery, and high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles. The information provided by the map sheets, pamphlet, and data catalog has a broad range of applications. High-resolution bathymetry, acoustic backscatter, ground-truth-surveying imagery, and habitat mapping all contribute to habitat characterization and ecosystem-based management by providing essential data for delineation of marine protected areas and ecosystem restoration. Many of the maps provide high-resolution baselines that will be critical for monitoring environmental change associated with climate change, coastal development, or other forcings. High-resolution bathymetry is a critical component for modeling coastal flooding caused by storms and tsunamis, as well as inundation associated with longer term sea-level rise. Seismic-reflection and bathymetric data help characterize earthquake and tsunami sources, critical for natural-hazard assessments of coastal zones. Information on sediment distribution and thickness is essential to the understanding of local and regional sediment transport, as well as the development of regional sediment-management plans. In addition, siting of any new offshore infrastructure (for example, pipelines, cables, or renewable-energy facilities) will depend on high-resolution mapping. Finally, this mapping will both stimulate and enable new scientific research and also raise public awareness of, and education about, coastal environments and issues. Web services were created using an ArcGIS service definition file. The ArcGIS REST service and OGC WMS service include all Offshore Fort Ross map area data layers. Data layers are symbolized as shown on the associated map sheets.

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within California’s State Waters. The program supports a large number of coastal-zone- and ocean-management issues, including the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) (California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2008), which requires information about the distribution of ecosystems as part of the design and proposal process for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas. A focus of CSMP is to map California’s State Waters with consistent methods at a consistent scale. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization of swath sonar data (the undersea equivalent of satellite remote-sensing data in terrestrial mapping), acoustic backscatter, seafloor video, seafloor photography, high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles, and bottom-sediment sampling data. The map products display seafloor morphology and character, identify potential marine benthic habitats, and illustrate both the surficial seafloor geology and shallow (to about 100 m) subsurface geology. It is emphasized that the more interpretive habitat and geology data rely on the integration of multiple, new high-resolution datasets and that mapping at small scales would not be possible without such data. This approach and CSMP planning is based in part on recommendations of the Marine Mapping Planning Workshop (Kvitek and others, 2006), attended by coastal and marine managers and scientists from around the state. That workshop established geographic priorities for a coastal mapping project and identified the need for coverage of “lands” from the shore strand line (defined as Mean Higher High Water; MHHW) out to the 3-nautical-mile (5.6-km) limit of California’s State Waters. Unfortunately, surveying the zone from MHHW out to 10-m water depth is not consistently possible using ship-based surveying methods, owing to sea state (for example, waves, wind, or currents), kelp coverage, and shallow rock outcrops. Accordingly, some of the data presented in this series commonly do not cover the zone from the shore out to 10-m depth. This data is part of a series of online U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) publications, each of which includes several map sheets, some explanatory text, and a descriptive pamphlet. Each map sheet is published as a PDF file. Geographic information system (GIS) files that contain both ESRI ArcGIS raster grids (for example, bathymetry, seafloor character) and geotiffs (for example, shaded relief) are also included for each publication. For those who do not own the full suite of ESRI GIS and mapping software, the data can be read using ESRI ArcReader, a free viewer that is available at http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcreader/index.html (last accessed September 20, 2013). The California Seafloor Mapping Program is a collaborative venture between numerous different federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector. CSMP partners include the California Coastal Conservancy, the California Ocean Protection Council, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Geological Survey, California State University at Monterey Bay’s Seafloor Mapping Lab, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Center for Habitat Studies, Fugro Pelagos, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, including National Ocean Service–Office of Coast Surveys, National Marine Sanctuaries, and National Marine Fisheries Service), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. These web services for the Offshore of Bodega Head map area includes data layers that are associated to GIS and map sheets available from the USGS CSMP web page at https://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/mapping/csmp/index.html. Each published CSMP map area includes a data catalog of geographic information system (GIS) files; map sheets that contain explanatory text; and an associated descriptive pamphlet. This web service represents the available data layers for this map area. Data was combined from different sonar surveys to generate a comprehensive high-resolution bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter coverage of the map area. These data reveal a range of physiographic including exposed bedrock outcrops, large fields of sand waves, as well as many human impacts on the seafloor. To validate geological and biological interpretations of the sonar data, the U.S. Geological Survey towed a camera sled over specific offshore locations, collecting both video and photographic imagery; these “ground-truth” surveying data are available from the CSMP Video and Photograph Portal at https://doi.org/10.5066/F7J1015K. The “seafloor character” data layer shows classifications of the seafloor on the basis of depth, slope, rugosity (ruggedness), and backscatter intensity and which is further informed by the ground-truth-survey imagery. The “potential habitats” polygons are delineated on the basis of substrate type, geomorphology, seafloor process, or other attributes that may provide a habitat for a specific species or assemblage of organisms. Representative seismic-reflection profile data from the map area is also include and provides information on the subsurface stratigraphy and structure of the map area. The distribution and thickness of young sediment (deposited over the past about 21,000 years, during the most recent sea-level rise) is interpreted on the basis of the seismic-reflection data. The geologic polygons merge onshore geologic mapping (compiled from existing maps by the California Geological Survey) and new offshore geologic mapping that is based on integration of high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter imagery seafloor-sediment and rock samplesdigital camera and video imagery, and high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles. The information provided by the map sheets, pamphlet, and data catalog has a broad range of applications. High-resolution bathymetry, acoustic backscatter, ground-truth-surveying imagery, and habitat mapping all contribute to habitat characterization and ecosystem-based management by providing essential data for delineation of marine protected areas and ecosystem restoration. Many of the maps provide high-resolution baselines that will be critical for monitoring environmental change associated with climate change, coastal development, or other forcings. High-resolution bathymetry is a critical component for modeling coastal flooding caused by storms and tsunamis, as well as inundation associated with longer term sea-level rise. Seismic-reflection and bathymetric data help characterize earthquake and tsunami sources, critical for natural-hazard assessments of coastal zones. Information on sediment distribution and thickness is essential to the understanding of local and regional sediment transport, as well as the development of regional sediment-management plans. In addition, siting of any new offshore infrastructure (for example, pipelines, cables, or renewable-energy facilities) will depend on high-resolution mapping. Finally, this mapping will both stimulate and enable new scientific research and also raise public awareness of, and education about, coastal environments and issues. Web services were created using an ArcGIS service definition file. The ArcGIS REST service and OGC WMS service include all Offshore of Bodega Head map area data layers. Data layers are symbolized as shown on the associated map sheets.

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within California’s State Waters. The program supports a large number of coastal-zone- and ocean-management issues, including the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) (California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2008), which requires information about the distribution of ecosystems as part of the design and proposal process for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas. A focus of CSMP is to map California’s State Waters with consistent methods at a consistent scale. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization of swath sonar data (the undersea equivalent of satellite remote-sensing data in terrestrial mapping), acoustic backscatter, seafloor video, seafloor photography, high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles, and bottom-sediment sampling data. The map products display seafloor morphology and character, identify potential marine benthic habitats, and illustrate both the surficial seafloor geology and shallow (to about 100 m) subsurface geology. It is emphasized that the more interpretive habitat and geology data rely on the integration of multiple, new high-resolution datasets and that mapping at small scales would not be possible without such data. This approach and CSMP planning is based in part on recommendations of the Marine Mapping Planning Workshop (Kvitek and others, 2006), attended by coastal and marine managers and scientists from around the state. That workshop established geographic priorities for a coastal mapping project and identified the need for coverage of “lands” from the shore strand line (defined as Mean Higher High Water; MHHW) out to the 3-nautical-mile (5.6-km) limit of California’s State Waters. Unfortunately, surveying the zone from MHHW out to 10-m water depth is not consistently possible using ship-based surveying methods, owing to sea state (for example, waves, wind, or currents), kelp coverage, and shallow rock outcrops. Accordingly, some of the data presented in this series commonly do not cover the zone from the shore out to 10-m depth. This data is part of a series of online U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) publications, each of which includes several map sheets, some explanatory text, and a descriptive pamphlet. Each map sheet is published as a PDF file. Geographic information system (GIS) files that contain both ESRI ArcGIS raster grids (for example, bathymetry, seafloor character) and geotiffs (for example, shaded relief) are also included for each publication. For those who do not own the full suite of ESRI GIS and mapping software, the data can be read using ESRI ArcReader, a free viewer that is available at http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcreader/index.html (last accessed September 20, 2013). The California Seafloor Mapping Program is a collaborative venture between numerous different federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector. CSMP partners include the California Coastal Conservancy, the California Ocean Protection Council, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Geological Survey, California State University at Monterey Bay’s Seafloor Mapping Lab, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Center for Habitat Studies, Fugro Pelagos, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, including National Ocean Service–Office of Coast Surveys, National Marine Sanctuaries, and National Marine Fisheries Service), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. These web services for the Point Sur to Point Arguello map area includes data layers that are associated to GIS and map sheets available from the USGS CSMP web page at https://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/mapping/csmp/index.html. Each published CSMP map area includes a data catalog of geographic information system (GIS) files; map sheets that contain explanatory text; and an associated descriptive pamphlet. This web service represents the available data layers for this map area. Data was combined from different sonar surveys to generate a comprehensive high-resolution bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter coverage of the map area. These data reveal a range of physiographic including exposed bedrock outcrops, large fields of sand waves, as well as many human impacts on the seafloor. To validate geological and biological interpretations of the sonar data, the U.S. Geological Survey towed a camera sled over specific offshore locations, collecting both video and photographic imagery; these “ground-truth” surveying data are available from the CSMP Video and Photograph Portal at https://doi.org/10.5066/F7J1015K. The “seafloor character” data layer shows classifications of the seafloor on the basis of depth, slope, rugosity (ruggedness), and backscatter intensity and which is further informed by the ground-truth-survey imagery. The “potential habitats” polygons are delineated on the basis of substrate type, geomorphology, seafloor process, or other attributes that may provide a habitat for a specific species or assemblage of organisms. Representative seismic-reflection profile data from the map area is also include and provides information on the subsurface stratigraphy and structure of the map area. The distribution and thickness of young sediment (deposited over the past about 21,000 years, during the most recent sea-level rise) is interpreted on the basis of the seismic-reflection data. The geologic polygons merge onshore geologic mapping (compiled from existing maps by the California Geological Survey) and new offshore geologic mapping that is based on integration of high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter imagery seafloor-sediment and rock samplesdigital camera and video imagery, and high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles. The information provided by the map sheets, pamphlet, and data catalog has a broad range of applications. High-resolution bathymetry, acoustic backscatter, ground-truth-surveying imagery, and habitat mapping all contribute to habitat characterization and ecosystem-based management by providing essential data for delineation of marine protected areas and ecosystem restoration. Many of the maps provide high-resolution baselines that will be critical for monitoring environmental change associated with climate change, coastal development, or other forcings. High-resolution bathymetry is a critical component for modeling coastal flooding caused by storms and tsunamis, as well as inundation associated with longer term sea-level rise. Seismic-reflection and bathymetric data help characterize earthquake and tsunami sources, critical for natural-hazard assessments of coastal zones. Information on sediment distribution and thickness is essential to the understanding of local and regional sediment transport, as well as the development of regional sediment-management plans. In addition, siting of any new offshore infrastructure (for example, pipelines, cables, or renewable-energy facilities) will depend on high-resolution mapping. Finally, this mapping will both stimulate and enable new scientific research and also raise public awareness of, and education about, coastal environments and issues. Web services were created using an ArcGIS service definition file. The ArcGIS REST service and OGC WMS service include all Point Sur to Point Arguello map area data layers. Data layers are symbolized as shown on the associated map sheets.

Malaria, a life-threatening disease transmitted by mosquitoes, affects millions of people worldwide. This map highlights malaria rates among children age 2 to 10 in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2000 and 2015. Treatment and prevention efforts such as insecticide-treated mosquito nets and rapid diagnostic tests significantly decreased the number of malaria cases in Africa. Find out where malaria rates increased or decreased from 2000 to 2015. Click here to view this map in an interactive app.Source: The Malaria Atlas Project

This geodatabase includes spatial datasets that represent the Texas Coastal Uplands and Mississippi Embayment aquifer system in the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. Included are: (1) polygon extents; datasets that represent the aquifer system extent, the entire extent subdivided into subareas or subunits, and any polygon extents of special interest (outcrop areas, no data available, areas underlying other aquifers, anomalies, for example), (2) raster datasets for the altitude of each aquifer subarea or subunit, (3) altitude, and/or if applicable, thickness contours used to generate the surface rasters, (4) georeferenced images of the figures that were digitized to create the altitude and thickness contours. The images and digitized contours are supplied for reference. The extent of the Texas Coastal Uplands and Mississippi Embayment aquifer system is derived from the linework in the aquifer system extent maps in U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1416-B (USGS PP 1416-B), plates 11, 13, 15, 16, and 17, and from a digital version of the aquifer extents presented in the U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Atlas 730, Chapters E and F. The Texas Coastal Uplands and Mississippi Embayment aquifer system has 6 aquifer subunits, in order from the most surficial to the deepest: A1: Upper Claiborne aquifer, A2: Middle Claiborne aquifer, A3: Lower Claiborne- Upper Wilcox aquifer, A4: Middle Wilcox aquifer, A5: Lower Wilcox aquifer, A6: McNairy-Nacatoch aquifer. The altitude and thickness contours for each available subunit were digitized from georeferenced figures of altitude contours in USGS PP 1416-B, and the resultant top and bottom altitude values were interpolated into surface rasters within a GIS using tools that create hydrologically correct surfaces from contour data, derives the altitude from the thickness (depth from the land surface), and merges the subareas into a single surface. The primary tool was an enhanced version of "Topo to Raster" used in ArcGIS, ArcMap, Esri 2014. The raster surfaces were corrected for the areas where the altitude of an underlying layer of the aquifer exceeded altitude of an overlying layer.