Environmental Sensitivity Index Atlas For Mid-Atlantic States

ESI data for Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania characterize shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources by their sensitivity to spilled oil. The atlas contains GIS files, PDF maps, and user guides for the period from 1969 to 2000. NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information compiled this data, with a version finalized in May 2002.

Use Cases

• Modeling potential oil spill trajectories and impacts using shoreline habitat classifications and biological resource locations.
• Prioritizing coastal protection and cleanup efforts by analyzing sensitivity rankings for human-use resources like parks or marinas.
• Assessing changes in coastal vulnerability by comparing historical ESI data layers against newer surveys.
• Creating regional response plans by integrating GIS files on biological resources with real-time spill data.

Strengths

• Data covers three states (Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania) for regional analysis.
• Includes three main ESI components: shoreline habitats, biological resources, and human-use resources.
• Provides multiple file types including GIS data, PDF maps, and detailed user guides for varied applications.

Limitations

• Temporal coverage ends in 2000, making the data over two decades old and potentially not reflecting current conditions.
• Specific row counts, column details, and sample sizes are not provided in the description.
• Geographic scope is limited to three Mid-Atlantic states, not a national or global dataset.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI Accession 0014793).

Collection Method

Developed for use within desktop GIS systems; compilation method not detailed.

Time Range

1969 to 2000 (May 2002 version 3).

Freshness

null

Geography

Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, USA.