Approved Maritime Limits for New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, USA

Metadata:

• Identification_Information
• Data_Quality_Information
• Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
• Spatial_Reference_Information
• Entity_and_Attribute_Information
• Distribution_Information
• Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator:

Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office of Coast Survey (OCS)

Publication_Date: 20040519

Title:

Approved Maritime Limits for New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, USA

Edition: v. 1.0

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Silver Spring, Maryland

Publisher: NOAA's Ocean Service, Office of Coast Survey (OCS)

Online_Linkage: <http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/csdl/mbound.htm>

Description:

Abstract:

NOAA's Office of Coast Survey (OCS) is responsible for generating the 3 Nautical Mile Line, Territorial Sea, Contiguous Zone, and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Traditionally, these maritime limits have been generated by hand from the low water line depicted on paper, U.S. nautical charts. Upon final approval by the U.S. Baseline Committee, these legally-binding maritime limits are applied to the next edition of nautical charts produced by the Marine Chart Division of OCS.

Due to new cartographic production processes and the availability of digital products such as Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs), the Coast Survey Development Laboratory (CSDL) is supporting OCS' Chief Geographer in developing improved techniques for generating more accurate, digital maritime boundaries. Through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software such as CARIS' LOTS and ESRI's ArcGIS, CSDL will provide NOAA cartographers and the public with the latest vector representations of these boundaries.

In our effort to create digital boundaries, we are utilizing CSDL's Extracted Vector Shoreline from the largest scale nautical charts. This low water line is used as input to CARIS' LOTS: Limits and Boundaries software for the designation of a baseline. Once the boundaries are created, they are exported to a shapefile file using CARIS' Import SHP utility. These polyline shapefiles are contained within a zipped file.

Purpose:

This dataset is to be used as the source for the depiction of maritime limits on NOAA's paper nautical chart and electronic navigational chart. The maritime limits were constructed from baseline points that represent the most seaward, drying features at mean lower low water on NOAA's largest scale, latest edition, paper nautical charts of the area. These digital boundaries do NOT represent the legal depiction of the maritime limits.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: 2004

Currentness_Reference: publication date

Status:

Progress: Complete

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: Continually

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -75.449722

East_Bounding_Coordinate: -73.904167

North_Bounding_Coordinate: 40.504722

South_Bounding_Coordinate: 37.800000

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Theme_Keyword: GIS

Theme_Keyword: Boundary

Theme_Keyword: Baseline

Theme_Keyword: Limits

Theme_Keyword: 3 Nautical Mile Line

Theme_Keyword: Maritime

Theme_Keyword: Law of the Sea

Theme_Keyword: Territorial Sea

Theme_Keyword: Contiguous Zone

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Place_Keyword: New Jersey

Place_Keyword: Delaware

Place_Keyword: Maryland

Place_Keyword: Delaware Bay

Place_Keyword: Chincoteague Bay

Place_Keyword: Atlantic Ocean

Place_Keyword: Mid-Atlantic

Access_Constraints: NONE

Use_Constraints: NOT FOR LEGAL USE

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office of Coast Survey (OCS)

Contact_Position: Chief Geographer

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical address

Address: 1315 East-West Highway N/CSx5

City: Silver Spring

State_or_Province: Maryland

Postal_Code: 20910

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: (301) 713-2780

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 301-713-4501

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: Curtis.Loy@noaa.gov

Hours_of_Service: Monday - Friday, 0900 EST - 1700 EST

Native_Data_Set_Environment: CARIS' Law of the Sea: Limits and Boundaries v. 4.02, Win 2K

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:

In CARIS LOTS, one working mapping file was used for the New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland project area. The map projection was set to Mercator with a 0.0002 meter X/Y resolution. The scaling latitude used for the CARIS map was determined by finding the midpoint between the northeast and southwest bounding coordinates of the project area. The baseline points were derived from the largest scale charts. As NOAA's raster nautical charts were brought into the CARIS environment, the CARIS map was reprojected on the fly to match the chart's projection. To aid in the baseline point designation process, NOAA utilized the Extracted Vector Shoreline product. This product contains the vector low water line extracted from source binary raster files which are compiled to create the paper nautical chart. The Extracted Vector Shoreline was adjusted to achieve a 1 to 1 correspondence between it and the raster nautical chart. In some instances, the Extracted Vector Shoreline did not provide full coverage; therefore, heads-up digitizing in the CARIS environment was necessary. The attributes established in LOTS were SourceDoc and Limit. The SourceDoc values reflect the nautical chart upon which the baseline points were taken and are assumed to be accurate. No added tests were conducted.

Logical_Consistency_Report:

The data, which reflects the largest scale nautical charts of the area, are believed to be logically consistent.

Completeness_Report:

The maritime limits are complete for New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. The limits may be updated at a later date if the charted depiction of the farthest seaward low-water mark changes. These limits were created for internal purposes only to improve the accuracy of the charted maritime limits. These limits are not designed for legal purposes. For a legal depiction of the limits, please see NOAA's paper or raster nautical charts.

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

No specific test was performed on the dataset. The data is a reflection of the largest scale raster nautical charts of the area. The number of decimal places used in the output format does not imply an accuracy level higher than the source chart documents.

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy:

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

The maritime limits are projected from a designated baseline. Points representing the baseline are referenced from the farthest seaward low-water mark as depicted on the largest scale, raster nautical charts. No specific test was used to determine the vertical accuracy of the points.

Lineage:

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office of Coast Survey (OCS)

Publication_Date: 2000-2004

Title:

Maptech's BSB-format raster nautical charts: 12401, 12325, 12324_1, 12324_2, 12324_3, 12324_5, 12324_7, 12316_1, 12316_2, 12318_2, 12316_4, 12317, 12327, 12323, 12318_1, 12304, 12216_2, 12216_1, 12214, 12211_1, and 12211_2.

Edition: latest edition

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: raster digital data

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Silver Spring, Maryland

Publisher: NOAA's Ocean Service, Office of Coast Survey (OCS)

Online_Linkage:

Nautical Charts: <http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/staff/charts.htm>

Source_Scale_Denominator: 10,000

Type_of_Source_Media: raster nautical chart

Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 2000

Ending_Date: 2004

Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: BSB

Source_Contribution:

The maritime limits are created from normal baseline points. Points representing the baseline are referenced from the farthest seaward low-water mark as depicted on the largest scale, paper nautical charts. NOAA's raster nautical charts were used as backdrops in the CARIS map. As these charts were brought into the CARIS environment, the CARIS map was reprojected on the fly to match the chart's projection. The latest edition charts were used as referenced in the citation information section above. The dates of these latest editions were current as of 2004.

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office of Coast Survey (OCS)

Publication_Date: 2000-2004

Title:

Vector Shoreline of NOAA's raster nautical charts: 12401, 12325, 12324_1, 12324_2, 12324_3, 12324_5, 12324_7, 12316_1, 12316_2, 12318_2, 12316_4, 12317, 12327, 12323, 12318_1, 12304, 12216_2, 12216_1, 12214, 12211_1, and 12211_2.

Edition: latest edition

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Silver Spring, Maryland

Publisher: NOAA's Ocean Service, Office of Coast Survey (OCS)

Online_Linkage: <http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/csdl/ctp/cm_vs.htm>

Source_Scale_Denominator: 10,000

Type_of_Source_Media: online, vector

Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 2000

Ending_Date: 2004

Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: VECSHORE

Source_Contribution:

CARIS LOTS has a tool called the "Envelope of Arcs," which requires a vector low water line input in order to create the limits and determine contributing baseline points. NOAA's Extracted Vector Shoreline (EVS) was used when available to make the job of boundary delimitation more efficient. The EVS' mean lower low water and mean high water lines were merged using Safe's Feature Manipulation Engine (FME) to a single low water line. Modification of the EVS occurred in the CARIS environment to achieve a 1 to 1 relationship between the raster nautical chart and the extracted low water line. In some cases, either not enough information was provided in the EVS or there was no EVS available for a particular chart. In these cases, the low water line was delineated through heads-up digitizing in the CARIS environment. The resulting vector low water line was used as input to the "Envelope of Arcs" tool. This vector low water line corresponds to the latest edition raster nautical chart as referenced in the citation information section above. The dates of these latest editions were current as of 2004.

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

The latest edition, largest scale charts and associated vector low water lines were used to create a continuous vector low water line from which baseline points would be chosen from. In the LOTS environment, the "Envelope of Arcs from Normal Points" tool was applied to the cleaned low water line. As input to the "Envelope of Arcs" tool, OCS selected the limit distance in nautical miles and designated the attributes for the baseline points. This tool generated the contributing baseline points and the boundary limit using a wagon-wheel filtering process of rolling a circle with a diameter specified by the limit distance and choosing the seaward-most points along the low water line.

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: BSB

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: VECSHORE

Process_Date: 200404 through 200405

Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: BASEBOUNDS

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

The resulting limits were attributed in CARIS and exported using the "Import SHP" utility in CARIS. The polyline was exported from CARIS LOTS as NAD83 using GRS 1980 ellipsoid. The limits were further attributed in ArcView 3.2a.

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: BASEBOUNDS

Process_Date: 200404 through 200407

Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: SUBJECTDATASET

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Vector

Point_and_Vector_Object_Information:

SDTS_Terms_Description:

SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: Link

Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 1

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Geographic:

Latitude_Resolution: .0002

Longitude_Resolution: .0002

Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal degrees

Geodetic_Model:

Horizontal_Datum_Name: North American Datum of 1983

Ellipsoid_Name: Geodetic Reference System 1980

Semi-major_Axis: 6,378,137.0

Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.26

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Detailed_Description:

Entity_Type:

Entity_Type_Label: Maritime Limits

Entity_Type_Definition: Shapefile Attribute Table

Entity_Type_Definition_Source: None

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Limit

Attribute_Definition: Limit identifier

Attribute_Definition_Source: Office of Coast Survey

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: Three Nautical Mile Line

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Three Nautical Mile Line (old Territorial Sea)

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Office of Coast Survey

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: Territorial Sea

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Territorial Sea

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Office of Coast Survey

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: Contiguous Zone

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Contiguous Zone

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Office of Coast Survey

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: Exclusive Economic Zone

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Exclusive Economic Zone

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Office of Coast Survey

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Location

Attribute_Definition: Identifier of feature within a state or territory

Attribute_Definition_Source: Office of Coast Survey

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Contains free text for location descriptions as a subset of the state or territory, for example "St. Croix" of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: State

Attribute_Definition:

Identifier of the state(s) or territory from which the limit is drawn

Attribute_Definition_Source: Office of Coast Survey

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain: Contains free text of the state(s) or territory name.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Apprvdate

Attribute_Definition:

Approval date of baseline points by the ad hoc Committee on the U.S. Baseline

Attribute_Definition_Source: Office of Coast Survey

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Date Field formatted as YYYYMMDD for the date on which the limits were approved by the U.S. Baseline Committee, chaired by the Department of State.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: SrcScaleRange

Attribute_Definition:

The range of scales of source documents from which the limits are projected.

Attribute_Definition_Source: Office of Coast Survey

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Text Field showing the scale range for the source documents. For example 1: "10,000-80,000".

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: SrcBeginDate

Attribute_Definition:

Beginning publication date of source documents formatted in YYYY.

Attribute_Definition_Source: Office of Coast Survey

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Date Field formatted as YYYY for the beginning publication date of the source documents.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: SrcEndDate

Attribute_Definition: Ending publication date of source documents formatted in YYYY.

Attribute_Definition_Source: Office of Coast Survey

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Date Field formatted as YYYY for the ending publication date of the source documents.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: SrcDatum

Attribute_Definition:

Datum of the source documents from which the limits are projected.

Attribute_Definition_Source: Office of Coast Survey

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Text description of the datum for determining the limits. For example "NAD83/WGS84".

Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office of Coast Survey (OCS)

Contact_Position: Chief Geographer

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical address

Address: 1315 East-West Highway N/CSx5

City: Silver Spring

State_or_Province: Maryland

Postal_Code: 20910

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: (301) 713-2780

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (301) 713-4501

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: Curtis.Loy@noaa.gov

Hours_of_Service: Monday - Friday, 0900 EST - 1700 EST

Resource_Description: Downloadable Data

Distribution_Liability:

Users must assume responsibility to determine the appropriate use of this data set. The digital maritime limits are not to be used for a LEGAL definition. The legal definition still remains the depiction on NOAA's nautical charts. Please contact the Chief Geographer for more detailed information if required.

Standard_Order_Process:

Digital_Form:

Digital_Transfer_Information:

Format_Name: SHP (ESRI polyline shapefile)

Format_Version_Date: 20040708

Digital_Transfer_Option:

Online_Option:

Computer_Contact_Information:

Network_Address:

Network_Resource_Name: <http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/csdl/mbound.htm>

Fees: None

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20040708

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office of Coast Survey (OCS)

Contact_Position: Physical Scientist

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Mailing and physical address

Address: 1315 East-West Highway N/CS12

City: Silver Spring

State_or_Province: Maryland

Postal_Code: 20910

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: (301) 713-2645 X140

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (301) 713-4501

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: Meredith.Westington@noaa.gov

Hours_of_Service: Monday - Friday, 0900 EST - 1700 EST

Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998

Metadata_Time_Convention: local time