Refugio Beach Oil Spill Shoreline Oiling Categories, California

A 2015 dataset from the Refugio Beach oil spill in California depicts the maximum categorical shoreline oiling observed throughout the impact area. It was compiled by NOAA and partner survey teams using the Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Technique (SCAT) during daily surveys. The layer represents the highest oiling category observed for each shoreline segment at any point during the spill response.

Use Cases

• Mapping the spatial distribution of oiling severity based on the categorical shoreline oiling observations.
• Assessing environmental damage for restoration planning based on the maximum oiling impact per shoreline segment.
• Modeling coastal oil spill impacts and recovery timelines based on the compiled SCAT survey data.

Strengths

• Data is tied to a specific, well-documented environmental event (the May 19, 2015 Refugio Beach oil spill).
• Compiled from systematic, daily field surveys using the standardized Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Technique (SCAT).
• Represents a compilation of maximum observed oiling, which may be useful for worst-case impact analysis.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic and temporal bias inherent to the specific spill event and response period.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.

Collection Method

Compiled from daily shoreline oiling surveys conducted by NOAA and state/federal partners using the Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Technique (SCAT).

Time Range

2015, following the May 19 oil spill.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 22:21:18.629076; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Shoreline impact area of the Refugio Beach Oil Spill, Santa Barbara County, California, USA.