Puget Sound Intertidal Habitat Inventory from 1996-1997 Surveys

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources' Nearshore Habitat Program collected this Intertidal Habitat Inventory for Puget Sound. Approximately 230 miles of shoreline in Skagit and Island Counties were surveyed during the summers of 1996 and 1997 as part of the Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program. The dataset is hosted by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information and NASA's Earthdata platform.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the distribution and quality of intertidal habitats along surveyed shorelines.
• Establishing a 1990s baseline for monitoring long-term changes in Puget Sound's nearshore environment.
• Supporting habitat conservation and restoration planning for species of commercial and recreational value.

Strengths

• Surveys cover approximately 230 miles of Puget Sound shoreline, providing substantial spatial coverage.
• Data collection was part of the structured Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program (PSAMP).
• Cross-platform presence on NOAA/NCEI and NASA Earthdata indicates recognized importance and curation.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and data formats are not provided by any source.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date, with one listing 2026-03-06 and another 1996-07 30.
• The dataset's age means it represents a historical snapshot and may not reflect current conditions.

Provenance

Source

Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Aquatic Resources Division, Nearshore Habitat Program.

Collection Method

Field surveys conducted along the shoreline.

Time Range

1996-07-30 to 1997

Freshness

2026-03-06 00:17:17.940003

Geography

Puget Sound, from the Northern Skagit County border to the north fork of the Skagit River and northern Whidbey Island in Island County.