Gulf of Mexico Oyster Data for Deepwater Horizon Damage Assessment

NOAA compiled this collection of American oyster data from the Gulf of Mexico to assess ecosystem injury following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. It includes discrete samples, field observations, photographs, and related files gathered by the Oysters Technical Working Group. The data spans from June 2003 to December 2015 and was archived by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Use Cases

• Analyze trends in oyster reef health using field observation data before and after the 2010 spill.
• Correlate environmental data from discrete samples with photographic evidence of reef condition.
• Model the spatial extent of injury to oyster populations using geospatial data compiled in the DIVER warehouse.
• Support restoration planning by assessing the magnitude of ecosystem injury documented in the PDARP.

Strengths

• Data collection spans over 12 years, from 2003 to 2015.
• Includes multiple data modalities: discrete samples, field observations, and photographs.
• Compiled by authoritative agencies NOAA OR&R and NCEI for a formal damage assessment.

Limitations

• Specific sample sizes, row counts, and column details are unknown.
• Data collection is focused on the Gulf of Mexico, limiting geographic generalizability.
• The latest data point is from December 2015, representing a static historical snapshot.

Provenance

Source

NOAA Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) and Trustees, archived by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

Collection Method

Compiled from discrete samples, field observations, and photographs by the Oysters Technical Working Group (TWG) for the NRDA process.

Time Range

2003-06-18 to 2015-12-04

Freshness

Static archive; last updated 2015-12-04.

Geography

Gulf of Mexico, specifically areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.