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Historic Eelgrass Beds

Metadata:


Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection (publisher)
Originator: University of Connecticut, Long Island Sound Resource Center (data compiler and editor)
Publication_Date: 1997
Title:
Historic Eelgrass Beds
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Hartford, Connecticut, USA
Publisher: State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection
Other_Citation_Details:
This data is an historic representation of eelgrass beds and does not represent current conditions. The actual dates of data collection vary among features and range from 1905 to 1996.
Online_Linkage: http://www.ct.gov/deep
Description:
Abstract:
Historic Eelgrass Bed Polygons is a 1:24,000-scale, polygon feature-based layer that depicts the locations of historic eelgrass beds (Zostera marina) in Long Island Sound and the Niantic River, as well as in other bays, harbors and waterbodies in Connecticut's coastal area.  It also includes several points located along the north shore of Long Island.  There are a total of 52 polygon features, all of which (except the Long Island points), are located within or east of the Niantic River.  This layer can be used with Historic Eelgrass Points.   This layer does not represent current conditions.  Rather, it depicts historic eelgrass bed locations that were observed and defined either cartographically or narratively over the course of many years and from various sources.  The dates of each source's data collection are noted in the attribute table.  Feature locations are inexact.  Because of the variety of source maps and methods used for their automation, this information should be considered to have limited spatial accuracy and is appropriate for general uses only.  The data was taken from maps of various scales and projections that were drawn between 1905 and 1996.  These maps were reduced to approximately 1:24,000 scale and adjusted for best fit; eelgrass areas were redrafted onto USGS Topographic Quadrangle maps for digitizing.  In order to create a single polygon coverage, areas were considered to represent a maximum extent of eelgrass beds.  This layer was published in 1997 and is not updated.  
Purpose:
Eelgrass Historic Beds is 1:24,000-scale data.  It depicts the location of eelgrass beds that existed historically at dates specified in the attribute data, resulting from a literature review that yielded mapped data.  Use this layer with other 1:24,000-scale map data only, to provide a general indication of historical eelgrass distribution.  This layer can also be used with the following related layers:  Historic Eelgrass Points, Observed Eelgrass, Potential Eelgrass, and Eelgrass Sample Points.  This layer is not intended for maps printed at map scales greater or more detailed than 1:24,000 scale (1 inch = 2,000 feet.)
Supplemental_Information:
The label points generated by ArcInfo software in the creation of the eelgrass polygons in this layer were subsequently used in the creation of the Historic Eelgrass Points layer, which includes additional sample points derived by GPS data collection methods.  Refer to that layer for more information.
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1905
Ending_Date: 1996
Currentness_Reference:
ground condition
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned
Spatial_Domain:
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -73.472858
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -71.894735
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.348369
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 40.860074
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: Eelgrass
Theme_Keyword: Historic eelgrass
Theme_Keyword: Submerged Aquatic Vegetation
Theme_Keyword: Zostera marina
Theme_Keyword: Historic Eelgrass Beds
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Place_Keyword: Long Island Sound
Place_Keyword: Connecticut River
Place_Keyword: Connecticut Coast
Place_Keyword: New York Coast
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: U.S. Department of Commerce, 1987, Codes for the Identification of the States, the District of Columbia and the Outlying Areas of The United States, and Associated Areas (Federal Information Processing Standard 5-2): Washington, DC, National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Place_Keyword: Connecticut
Place_Keyword: CT
Place_Keyword: New York
Place_Keyword: NY
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: U.S. Department of Commerce, 1995, Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty, and Their Principal Administrative Divisions (Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 10-4): Washington, D.C., National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Place_Keyword: United States of America
Access_Constraints: None. The data is in the public domain and may be redistributed.
Use_Constraints:
None. No restrictions or legal prerequisites for using the data.  Note:  the data is not intended for maps printed at map scales greater or more detailed than 1:24,000 scale (1 inch = 2,000 feet.)  Once acquired, any modification made to the data must be noted in the metadata. When printing this information on a map or using it in a software application, analysis, or report, please acknowledge the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection as the source for this information.
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection
Contact_Person: Kevin O'Brien
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address:
79 Elm Street
City: Hartford
State_or_Province: Connecticut
Postal_Code: 06106-5127
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 860-424-3034
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 860-424-4054
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: dep.gisdata@ct.gov
Hours_of_Service: Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 16:30 Eastern Standard Time
Browse_Graphic:
Browse_Graphic_File_Name: http://www.cteco.uconn.edu/metadata/dep/browsegraphic/eelgrassbedhistoricfullview.gif
Browse_Graphic_File_Description:
Full view of Historic Eelgrass Bed Points and Historic Eelgrass Beds, which are covered by the points at this map scale.
Browse_Graphic_File_Type: GIF
Browse_Graphic:
Browse_Graphic_File_Name: http://www.cteco.uconn.edu/metadata/dep/browsegraphic/eelgrassbedhistoricdetailview.gif
Browse_Graphic_File_Description:
Detail view of Historic Eelgrass Beds and Historic Eelgrass Bed Points
Browse_Graphic_File_Type: GIF
Native_Data_Set_Environment:
These data are maintained by the State of Connecticut using ArcGIS software developed by Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) in a Microsoft Windows operating system environment.
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Data_Quality_Information:
Attribute_Accuracy:
Attribute_Accuracy_Report:
Attributes were derived from literature review and checked by the compiler and other reviewers (or co-authors) in a consistent manner. Since attributes were derived from multiple sources the accuracy of reporting or consistency of observations is likely to vary.
Logical_Consistency_Report:
Historic data is assumed to be complete for the set of literature reviewed; however, additional historic references to eelgrass locations may exist. The data is not presumed to be a comprehensive representation of pre-1996 eelgrass distribution.  Refer to Source Information for a list of historic references for this data.
Completeness_Report:
The completeness of the data reflects the feature content of the data sources, which include the sources as noted in the Source attribute in the data table.  These sources include paper maps, reports and memoranda.  The Historic Eelgrass Beds layer is complete in the sense that it accurately reflects the contents of the source information available at the time the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection created the layer.  This data is not updated.
Positional_Accuracy:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:
Because of the variety of the source information and the methods used for their compilation, this data should be considered to have very limited spatial accuracy and is appropriate for general uses at no greater than 1:24,000 scale.  Mapped locations were made to fit the 1:24,000 scale USGS topographic quadrangle maps.   General locations are based on text descriptions of varying detail and may be representative of a very general area such as a large cove or embayment.
Lineage:
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection
Publication_Date: Varied
Title:
Memoranda and Historic Maps of Eelgrass Areas
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: documents
Publication_Information:
Publisher: State of Connecticut
Other_Citation_Details:
This information was compiled between 1915 and 1990 at differing scales and projections and do not represent a single level of spatial accuracy. Digital compilation of this source data was completed by Mary DiGiacomo-Cohen, Long Island Sound Resource Center, University of Connecticut, Avery Point, Groton, Connecticut, in association with Ruth Linden and Dr. Charles Yarish, University of Connecticut, Stamford, Connecticut.
Source_Scale_Denominator: Varied and/or unknown
Type_of_Source_Media: paper
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1915
Ending_Time: 1990
Source_Currentness_Reference:
ground condition
Source_Citation_Abbreviation:
Source 1 - Memoranda and Historic Maps of Eelgrass Areas
Source_Contribution:
The following paper maps and/or memoranda were used as source data for features in this layer:

Barrett, J. M., 1991, Untitled compilation of eelgrass beds prepared by the Nature Conservancy for the Natural Resources Center, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.

Brown,L.K., 1996, personal communication to M. DiGiacomo-Cohen,
description of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
observations of eelgrass populations around Fishers Island, NY.

Johnson,D.S., and York,H.H., 1915, The relation of plants to
tide-levels. A study of factors affecting the distribution of marine
plants. Carnegie Institution of Washington No. 206, 143 p.

Knight,J.L., and Lawton,R.B., 1974, Report on the possible influence of
thermal additions on the growth of eelgrass (Zostera marina) in Jordan
Cove, Waterford, Connecticut. Report to Northeast Utilities Service
Company.

Northeast Utilities Environmental Laboratory, 1990, Monitoring the
Marine Environment of Long Island Sound at Millstone Nuclear Power
STation, Waterford, Connecticut. Annual Report 1989.

Rozsa,R., 1994. Long term decline of Zostera marina in Long Island and
Fishers Island Sounds. unpublished report.

Swenarton, J. Pers comm to J. Barrett

Welsh,B.L., 1980, A study of Jordan Cove: its hydraulic character,
sediment and macrophyte distributions as related to shoaling. Final
draft report submitted to Commissioner of Environmental Protection,
Department of Environmental Protection, State of Connecticut, 80 p.
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: United States Geological Survey
Publication_Date: 1969-1984
Title:
USGS Quadrangle Maps
Source_Scale_Denominator: 24000
Type_of_Source_Media: paper
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1969
Ending_Date: 1984
Source_Currentness_Reference:
publication date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation:
Source 2 - USGS Quadrangle Maps
Source_Contribution:
This data source serves as the basis for the final digitizing of the Historic Eelgrass Bed layer.  Areas of eelgrass referenced in Source 1 were manually transferred and represented as polygons onto 1:24,000 scale USGS Quadrangle Maps (Source 2) prior to tablet digitizing.
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection
Publication_Date: 1997
Title:
Historic Eelgrass Beds Coverage
Edition: 1997
Online_Linkage: http://www.ct.gov/deep
Source_Scale_Denominator: 24000
Type_of_Source_Media: disc
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Single_Date/Time:
Calendar_Date: 1997
Source_Currentness_Reference:
publication date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation:
Source 3 - Historic Eelgrass Bed Coverage
Source_Contribution:
This data source refers to all features combined in one statewide layer. Since initial publication in 1997, subsequent publication of the layer was generated by the State of Connecticut in order to convert from NAD 27 to NAD 83. Consequently, a different copy of this layer was produced, representing the change in the state plane coordinate system.  Changes made to the entire layer are reflected in metadata process steps where this particular data source is cited as both the Source Used and the Source Produced.
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection
Publication_Date: 1999
Title:
Historic Eelgrass Beds Shapefile
Edition: 1999
Online_Linkage: http://www.ct.gov/deep
Source_Scale_Denominator: 24000
Type_of_Source_Media: disc
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Single_Date/Time:
Calendar_Date: 1997
Source_Currentness_Reference:
publication date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation:
Source 4 - Historic Eelgrass Bed Shapefile
Source_Contribution:
This source represents the final form of Historic Eelgrass Beds and was produced from an ArcInfo coverage.  
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
Polygons represent some previously mapped distributions of Zostera marina (eelgrass).  All were digitized off 1:24,000 USGS topographic quadrangles.  Maps of various scales and projections (some unknown) in Knight and Lawton, 1974; Welsh, 1980; Brown, 1996; and Johnson and York, 1915 were reduced to approximately 1:24,000 scale and adjusted for best fit; eelgrass areas were redrafted onto quadrangles for digitizing.  The same process was used for original maps from the Northeast Utilities Report, except the maps were either enlarged or already close to 1:24,000 scale.  In order to create a single polygon coverage, areas were considered to represent a maximum extent of eelgrass beds - the large area on the western side of Jordan Cove is a combination of the overlapping distributions mapped in 1974 and 1985.  Juliana Barrett's compilation maps were drawn on 1:24,000 scale quadrangles; polygons originating from that compilation were digitized as is.  Because of the variety of the source maps and methods used for their automation, this coverage should be considered to have limited spatial accuracy and is appropriate for general uses only.  Note that the label points from all polygons were put into the eelhistx datalayer - a point coverage of historic occurrences of eelgrass for which the literature did not contain mapped areas.  This digital compilation is based for the most part on a literature review by Ron Rozsa (CT DEP) and Ruth Linden / Charles Yarish (UCONN Stamford), and Mary DiGiacomo-Cohen (LISRC) and is not presumed to be a comprehensive representation of the pre-1993 distribution of Zostera marina.  

Using ESRI ArcInfo software, features were digitized by registering the source map (Source 2) to the digitizing tablet and using the crosshairs of the digitizer's mouse to manually capture the geometry (location) of features drafted on the map. The corners of the USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle maps are used as registration points and are depicted on the source map. The source map was registered to the digitizing tablet by digitizing (entering) the locations of four quadrangle corner registration points shown on the map. ArcInfo software compared the values of the digitized coordinates with the actual (true) values for the quadrangle corner (tic) features.
Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:
Source 1 - Memoranda and Historic Maps of Eelgrass Areas
Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:
Source 2 - USGS Quadrangle Maps
Process_Date: 1996
Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation:
Source 3 - Historic Eelgrass Bed Coverage
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: University of Connecticut, Long Island Sound Resource Center
Contact_Person: Mary DiGiacomo-Cohen
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 860-405-9015
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
Datum conversion - Using ESRI ArcInfo software, the Historic Eelgrass Beds layer was converted from the Connecticut State Plane Coordinate System of 1927 (NAD27) to the Connecticut State Plane Coordinate System of 1983 (NAD83). The NADCON (North American Datum CONversion) data transformation was used.
Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:
Source 3 - Historic Eelgrass Bed Coverage
Process_Date: 1997
Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation:
Source 3 - Historic Eelgrass Bed Coverage
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
Using ArcView 3, the Historic Eelgrass Bed Coverage was converted to a Shapefile format.  
Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation:
Source 3 - Historic Eelgrass Bed Coverage
Process_Date: 1997
Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation:
Source 4 - Historic Eelgrass Bed Shapefile
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Organization: State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection
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Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:
Indirect_Spatial_Reference_Method:
State of Connecticut, United States of America
Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Vector
Point_and_Vector_Object_Information:
SDTS_Terms_Description:
SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: G-polygon
Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 52
SDTS_Terms_Description:
SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: Point
Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 216
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Spatial_Reference_Information:
Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Planar:
Map_Projection:
Map_Projection_Name: Lambert Conformal Conic
Lambert_Conformal_Conic:
Lambert Conformal Conic
Standard_Parallel: 41.200000
Standard_Parallel: 41.866667
Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -72.750000
Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 40.833333
False_Easting: 999999.999996
False_Northing: 499999.999998
Planar_Coordinate_Information:
Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate_Representation:
Abscissa_Resolution: 0.000250
Ordinate_Resolution: 0.000250
Planar_Distance_Units: survey feet
Geodetic_Model:
Horizontal_Datum_Name: North American Datum of 1983
Ellipsoid_Name: Geodetic Reference System 80
Semi-major_Axis: 6378137.000000
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257222
Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Altitude_System_Definition:
Altitude_Resolution: 1.000000
Altitude_Encoding_Method: Explicit elevation coordinate included with horizontal coordinates
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Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Detailed_Description:
Entity_Type:
Entity_Type_Label: Historic Eelgrass Beds
Entity_Type_Definition:
Historic Eelgrass Beds represented as polygon features
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: OBJECTID
Attribute_Definition:
Internal feature number.
Attribute_Definition_Source:
ESRI
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain:
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: SHAPE
Attribute_Definition:
Feature geometry.
Attribute_Definition_Source:
ESRI
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain:
Coordinates defining the features.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: DATEOBSV
Attribute_Definition:
Year or span of years eelgrass was observed in that area.
Attribute_Definition_Source:
State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain:
Various dates or date ranges from 1905 through 1996
Beginning_Date_of_Attribute_Values: 1905
Ending_Date_of_Attribute_Values: 1996
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: LOCATION
Attribute_Definition:
A brief description of the eelgrass bed's location; may include notation of sample station.  In that case the polygon label point was intentionally placed at the approximate location of the sample station within a particular bed and not randomly in the polygon representing it.
Attribute_Definition_Source:
State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain:
Narrative description of location of eelgrass bed.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: SOURCE
Attribute_Definition:
Refers to source of information (see bibliography in Source 1 Citation Information) for a particular bed.  In cases where a personal communication is noted, generally that person communicated with J. Barrett for the purpose of her compilation, not for the purpose of this digital compilation.
Attribute_Definition_Source:
State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain:
Narrative description of the source of the data.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: SPC_X
Attribute_Definition:
State Plane Coordinate X value.
Attribute_Definition_Source:
State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain:
X coordinate value in Connecticut State Plane coordinate system, NAD 83.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: SPC_Y
Attribute_Definition:
State Plane Coordinate Y value.
Attribute_Definition_Source:
State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain:
Y coordinate value in Connecticut State Plane coordinate system, NAD 83.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: SHAPE.area
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: SHAPE.len
Overview_Description:
Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
Includes Historic Eelgrass Bed polygon features such as the date the data was collected (DATE), the source of the data (SOURCE), a narrative description of the location (LOCATION), and the x and y coordinates in Connecticut State Plane NAD 83 of the bed locations (SPC_X and SPC_Y).  This layer is generally symbolized cartographically as a single feature classification.
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Distribution_Information:
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: State of Connecticut, Department of Enviromental Protection
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address:
79 Elm Street
City: Hartford
State_or_Province: Connecticut
Postal_Code: 06106-5127
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 860-424-3034
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 860-424-4054
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: dep.gisdata@ct.gov
Hours_of_Service: Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 16:30 Eastern Standard Time
Resource_Description: Historic Eelgrass Beds
Standard_Order_Process:
Digital_Form:
Digital_Transfer_Information:
Format_Name: Shapefile, Feature Class
Format_Version_Number: ArcGIS
File_Decompression_Technique: Zip file
Digital_Transfer_Option:
Online_Option:
Computer_Contact_Information:
Network_Address:
Network_Resource_Name: http://www.ct.gov/deep
Fees: An online copy of the data may be accessed without charge.
Custom_Order_Process:
The data distributor does not provide custom GIS analysis or mapping services. Data is available in a standard format and may be converted to other formats, projections, coordinate systems, or selected for specific geographic regions by the party receiving the data.
Technical_Prerequisites:
Geographic information sytem (GIS), computer-aided drawing or other mapping software is necessary to display, view and access the information.
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Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date: 20120119
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection
Contact_Person: Jacqueline Mickiewicz
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address:
79 Elm Street
City: Hartford
State_or_Province: Connecticut
Postal_Code: 06106-5127
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 860-424-3540
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 860-424-4058
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: dep.gisdata@ct.gov
Hours_of_Service: Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 16:30 Eastern Standard Time
Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
Metadata_Time_Convention: local time
Metadata_Extensions:
Online_Linkage: http://www.esri.com/metadata/esriprof80.html
Profile_Name: ESRI Metadata Profile
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