GL_Mackinac 2019 ESI: Socioeconomic Human-Use Resources for the Straits of Mackinac

Socioeconomic human-use resource data for the Great Lakes - Straits of Mackinac study area, part of a larger Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) geodatabase. The data characterize the sensitivity of coastal environments to oil spills and include vector points, lines, and polygons for features like airports, archaeological sites, pipelines, and roads. It was created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the 2019 ESI assessment of the Straits of Mackinac region.

Use Cases

• Modeling potential oil spill impacts on socioeconomic infrastructure based on the listed human-use resources.
• Assessing coastal zone management priorities based on the location of archaeological sites, historical sites, and recreational areas.
• Analyzing the proximity of energy and transportation infrastructure (pipelines, railroads, roads) to sensitive shoreline habitats.
• Planning emergency response by mapping the locations of airports, heliports, and EPA facilities relative to the coastline.

Strengths

• Data is structured within a geodatabase with related attribute tables (SOC_DAT, SOURCES) for detailed metadata.
• Covers a specific, well-defined study area including the Straits of Mackinac and portions of Lakes Michigan and Huron.
• Includes multiple vector data types (points, lines, polygons) representing distinct resource categories like abandoned vessels, campgrounds, and pipelines.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The primary file format listed is PDF, which may not be the native spatial data format, potentially complicating direct GIS use.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Likely compiled from various sources for the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) assessment.

Time Range

2019

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 22:33:02.431702; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Straits of Mackinac, nearby portions of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, and adjacent lands and waters in northern Michigan, USA.