NOAA Shoreline Data Rescue Project: Historical Shoreline of Narragansett, Massachusetts

A high-resolution historical shoreline dataset for Narragansett, Massachusetts, automated for use as a GIS data layer. 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 coastal erosion rates based on the high-resolution shoreline data.
• Create baseline maps for coastal zone management based on the NOAA-derived shoreline.
• Integrate historical shoreline data into modern GIS systems based on the C-COAST attribution scheme.
• Validate or compare modern shoreline data against historical interpretations.

Strengths

• Data are described as 'high-resolution' and 'accurate' for historical shoreline representation.
• Attribution uses a structured scheme (C-COAST) influenced by an international hydrographic standard.
• Source data originates from the authoritative NOAA National Ocean Service.

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.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

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

Time Range

Historical (specific range not provided).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 20:47:37.533318; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Narragansett, Massachusetts, USA.