Data Management Plan

The ESIL data set contains vector lines representing the shoreline and coastal habitats of the Florida Panhandle, classified according to the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) classification system. This data set comprises a portion of the ESI data for the Florida Panhandle. ESI data characterize the marine and coastal environments and wildlife by their sensitivity to spilled oil. The ESI data include information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources. See also the ESIP (ESI shoreline polygons) and HYDRO (Hydrography lines and polygons) data layers, part of the larger Florida Panhandle ESI database, for additional shoreline information.

Process Steps:

• 2012-08-01 00:00:00 - Original ESI maps were re-examined and fully updated using the sources and methods described below. The intertidal shoreline habitats of the Florida Panhandle were mapped via interpretation of a continuous, overlapping sets of georeferenced oblique aerial photographs. These photographs were acquired for the counties of Okaloosa, Walton, Gulf, Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson, and Taylor in April 2010 during overflights conducted at elevations of 400-600 feet and slow air speed. All flights were planned to maximize time on site during the 2.5 hours preceding and the 2.5 hours following peak low tide. Continuous, overlapping set of georeferenced oblique aerial photographs for the counties of Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Bay were obtained from Pictometry International Corp. of Rochester, New York. Where appropriate, revisions to the existing shoreline were made and, where necessary, multiple habitats were described for each shoreline segment. See the HYDRO metadata for additional source information for the vector lines attributed with the ESI. The above digital and/or hardcopy sources were compiled to create the ESI data layer. Depending on the type of source data, three general approaches are used for compiling the data layer: 1) hardcopy maps are digitized at their source scale; 2) digital data layers are evaluated and used "as is" or integrated with the hardcopy data sources; and 3) overflight changes are digitized from the scanned and registered hardcopy field maps or aerial photography. After the initial shoreline classification, these data are edgematched and checked for logical consistency errors. Review maps are plotted at 1:24,000 scale for verification of polygonal and linear attributes. See the Lineage section for additional information on the type of source data for this data layer. The compiled ESI, biology, and human-use data are plotted onto hardcopy draft maps. Following the delivery of draft maps to the participating resource experts, a second set of interviews are conducted to review the maps. If necessary, edits to the ESI data layer are made based on the recommendations of the resource experts, and final hardcopy maps and digital data are created.

Contact NOAA for distribution options (see Distributor). ESI data are processed into multiple formats. Distribution formats include a Geodatabase (including an ArcMap .mxd file, complete with database links and symbology), ARC export files, and shapefiles. The database files, available in text and INFO(R) formats, are provided in both the NOAA standard relational database format (see NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS ORCA 115) and in a simplified desktop flat file format. This metadata document includes information about both of these database formats.;