Shoreline Data Rescue Project: Historical Shoreline of Delaware Bay, Delaware

A high-resolution historical shoreline dataset for Delaware Bay, Delaware, automated for GIS use. The data are derived from shoreline maps produced by the NOAA National Ocean Service and its predecessor agencies, based on imagery interpretation and field surveys. The attribution follows the NGS-developed C-COAST scheme, influenced by the International Hydrographic Organization's S-57 standard.

Use Cases

• Analyze historical shoreline change based on high-resolution GIS data.
• Integrate shoreline data into coastal management models based on the C-COAST attribution scheme.
• Validate modern shoreline surveys against historical baselines based on NOAA's map interpretations.

Strengths

• Data are described as high-resolution and accurate for GIS applications.
• Derived from authoritative NOAA National Ocean Service shoreline maps.
• Attribution follows a structured scheme (C-COAST) influenced by an international hydrographic standard.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and file size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data formats are PDF and HTML, which may require conversion for direct GIS use.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce.

Collection Method

Derived from shoreline maps produced by NOAA NOS and predecessors, based on office interpretation of imagery and/or field surveys.

Time Range

Historical, but specific temporal coverage is not stated.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 20:57:42.464548; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Delaware Bay, Delaware, North America.