These data were developed to support ecosystem-based management in the Humboldt Bay region. The focus of the mapping effort was on shallow water benthic habitats with particular concern for eelgrass meadows. The study area covers Arcata (North) Bay, Entrance Bay, South Bay, and the Eel River Delta in Humboldt County, California. Humboldt Bay is the largest estuary north of San Francisco Bay and represents a significant resource for the north coast region. Beginning in 2007, NOAA's Office for Coastal Management, in partnership with the California Sea Grant Program and other local organizations, initiated an ecosystem-based management project for the bay. A key component of this project was the establishment of subtidal habitat goals to guide long-term management and provide a framework for conservation efforts across the land-sea interface. The collection of imagery and subsequent delineation of benthic habitat were essential steps for developing and implementing ecosystem-based management in Humboldt Bay's subtidal zone. Collectively, these efforts establish an important and replicable data and information framework crucial for ecosystem-based coastal and marine conservation planning and implementation. The layers available within the data download include biotic, field_point_sample, geoform, and substrate. Partners: California Sea Grant, Humboldt State University, California State University, California Department of Fish and Game, California Coastal Conservancy, California Sea Grant, The Nature Conservancy, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and United States Geological Survey

These data were collected under a cooperative mapping program between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management (NOAA\OCM), and the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). The primary objectives of this program were to collect marine geophysical data to develop a suite of seafloor maps to better define the extent of oyster habitats, the overall seafloor geology of the bay and provide updated information for management of this resource. In addition to their value for management of the bay's oyster resources, the maps also provide a geologic framework for scientific research and the public. High-resolution bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and seismic profile data were collected over 230 square kilometers of the floor of the bay. The study focused on the Apalachicola Bay and Western St. George Sound portions of the estuary in mostly in depths > 2.0 meters. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

This dataset has been developed for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office for Coastal Management (OCM) as a collaborative and cooperative project with the California State Coastal Conservancy (SCC) on behalf of the Ocean Protection Council (OPC) to collect and delineate habitat data in the San Francisco Bay area. Data is intended for use in coastal management decision making, including applications such as sea level rise. The mission of the Center is to support the environmental, social, and economic well-being of the coast by linking people, information, and technology. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: (843)740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

These data were collected under a cooperative mapping program between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management (NOAA\OCM), and the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). The primary objectives of this program were to collect marine geophysical data to develop a suite of seafloor maps to better define the extent of oyster habitats, the overall seafloor geology of the bay and provide updated information for management of this resource. In addition to their value for management of the bay's oyster resources, the maps also provide a geologic framework for scientific research and the public. High-resolution bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and seismic profile data were collected over 230 square kilometers of the floor of the bay. The study focused on the Apalachicola Bay and Western St. George Sound portions of the estuary in mostly in depths > 2.0 meters. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

These data were collected under a cooperative mapping program between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management (NOAA\OCM), and the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). The primary objectives of this program were to collect marine geophysical data to develop a suite of seafloor maps to better define the extent of oyster habitats, the overall seafloor geology of the bay and provide updated information for management of this resource. In addition to their value for management of the bay's oyster resources, the maps also provide a geologic framework for scientific research and the public. High-resolution bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and seismic profile data were collected over 230 square kilometers of the floor of the bay. The study focused on the Apalachicola Bay and Western St. George Sound portions of the estuary in mostly in depths > 2.0 meters. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

These data were collected under a cooperative mapping program between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management (NOAA\OCM), and the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). The primary objectives of this program were to collect marine geophysical data to develop a suite of seafloor maps to better define the extent of oyster habitats, the overall seafloor geology of the bay and provide updated information for management of this resource. In addition to their value for management of the bay's oyster resources, the maps also provide a geologic framework for scientific research and the public. High-resolution bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and seismic profile data were collected over 230 square kilometers of the floor of the bay. The study focused on the Apalachicola Bay and Western St. George Sound portions of the estuary in mostly in depths > 2.0 meters. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

In 2006 and 2007 the NOAA Office for Coastal Management purchased services to process existing digital multi-spectral imagery (ADS-40) and create digital benthic habitat data from this imagery for selected Texas coastal bend bays.The Center worked cooperatively with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas A and M University Center for Coastal Studies to develop benthic habitat data, primarily Submerged Aquatic Vegetation(SAV) for several coastal bays. This data will support the state's recently adopted Seagrass Monitoring Program which calls for regional mapping of SAV for status and trends assessment. The Center, Texas A and M, and TPWD have coordinated on the requirements of this project. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

In 2006 and 2007 the NOAA Office for Coastal Management purchased services to process existing digital multi-spectral imagery (ADS-40) and create digital benthic habitat data from this imagery for selected Texas coastal bend bays. The Center worked cooperatively with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas A and M University Center for Coastal Studies to develop benthic habitat data, primarily Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) for several coastal bays. This data will support the state's recently adopted Seagrass Monitoring Program which calls for regional mapping of SAV for status and trends assessment. The Center, Texas A and M, and TPWD have coordinated on the requirements of this project. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

In 2006 and 2007 the NOAA Office for Coastal Management purchased services to process existing digital multi-spectral imagery (ADS-40) and create digital benthic habitat data from this imagery for selected Texas coastal bend bays. The Center worked cooperatively with Fugro EarthData, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas A and M University Center for Coastal Studies to develop benthic habitat data, primarily Submerged Aquatic Vegetation(SAV) for several coastal bays. This data will support the state's recently adopted Seagrass Monitoring Program which calls for regional mapping of SAV for status and trends assessment. The Center, Texas A and M, and TPWD have coordinated on the requirements of this project. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

In June 1995, the Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce (CREST) acquired 295 true color aerial photographs (1:12,000) of Willapa Bay, Washington, from the State of Washington Department of Transportation (WDOT), suitable for the interpretation of submerged rooted aquatic vascular plant populations. In August 1995, field surveys were conducted by a team composed of staff from Oregon State University, CREST, and the Washington Department of Natural Resources, for spectral signature development and verification as well as habitat observation. The submerged plant populations were interpreted and mapped from the photographs and transferred onto State of Washington 1:12,000 Orthophoto maps (USGS 7.5' quadrangle). The interpretations were digitized into a geographic information system (GIS) for the creation of a habitat polygon map. All interpretation, digitization and photography acquisition were according to stringent parameters detailed in the Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) Protocol (NMFS Technical Document 123). Two datasets were used as ancillary information to complement the interpreted habitat polygons. In 1996, color aerial videography was obtained from WDOT for post mapping verification and accuracy assessments. Marine Resources Consultants, Inc. and the University of Washington collected videography from 29 underwater transects to verify the deep-water edge of selected seagrass beds in the southern portion of the bay. The date, time, geographic coordinates and depth were updated every 2 to 4 seconds and recorded directly on the videotape images. Latitude and longitude were provided by a differentially corrected global positioning system (GPS). The initial presence/absence map of SAV produced by CREST was later segmented by depth to discriminate between two very different seagrass communities and support field accuracy assessment. Final field verification of the data by personnel from CREST and the NOAA Office for Coastal Management was conducted in the Summer of 1997. The benthic data is classified according to the System for Classification of Habitats in Estuarine and Marine Environments (SCHEME). This system is fully described in "Development of a System for Classification of Habitats in Estuarine and Marine Environments (SCHEME) for Florida, Report to U.S. EPA - Gulf of Mexico Program, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Marine Research Institute. Review Draft 12/04/02." Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov