Watersheds
Protecting and restoring coastal resources involves understanding an array of
complex environmental factors, and synthesizing numerous information sources.
Because aquatic ecosystems are affected by so many characteristics of their
watershed, assessment and management is improved by showing the spatial
relationships among measurements.
To combine scientific data and watershed characteristics, NOAA's Assessment and
Restoration Division has developed numerous Watershed Database & Mapping
Projects that consist of one or more of the following components:
-
composited data in a standard database structure;
-
a data delivery application (Query Manager);
-
maps and a mapping program (MARPLOT) linked with Query Manager;
-
spatial data layers or themes; and,
-
inter-active, internet mapping of data and spatial information.
Using these components, contaminant concentrations in sediment or tissues,
toxicity data, natural resources, and potential habitat restoration projects
can be overlaid on watershed features and land uses, and displayed on maps at
flexible scales.
Many of the DARRP cases fall within the boundaries of a Watershed Database &
Mapping Projects. The table below links cases with watershed projects,
and has links to more information for obtaining components of the watershed
project.
Northeast Region
| DARRP Case |
State |
Watershed Project |
| Irving Oil, Chelsea Creek |
MA |
Charles
River |
| Island End River |
MA |
Charles
River |
| Dupont Newport |
DE |
Christina
River |
| Halby Chemical |
DE |
Christina
River |
| Koppers Company |
DE |
Christina
River |
| Athos Spill |
DE |
Delaware
Estuary |
| Bermuda Islander |
DE |
Delaware
Estuary |
| Presidente Rivera |
PA |
Delaware
Estuary |
| Hudson River |
NY |
Hudson
River |
| Chevron Perth Amboy Facility |
NJ |
Newark
Bay |
| Cold Springs Harbor Barge |
NJ |
Newark
Bay |
| Conoco-Phillips Bayway |
NJ |
Newark
Bay |
| Exxon Bayway |
NJ |
Newark
Bay |
| Hackensack River Study Area |
NJ |
Newark
Bay |
| Kinder Morgan Sodium Hydroxide Spill |
NJ |
Newark
Bay |
| Passaic River/Newark Bay |
NJ |
Newark
Bay |
| St Lawrence/Alcoa/GM |
NY |
St
Lawrence River
(Grasse River) |
| Vieques AFWTA |
PR |
Vieques
Island |
Northwest Region
| DARRP Case |
State |
Watershed Project |
| Tulalip Landfill/Qwuloolt |
WA |
Puget
Sound |
| Elliot Bay/Duwamish River |
WA |
Puget
Sound |
| Lower Duwamish River |
WA |
Puget
Sound |
| Commencement Bay |
WA |
Puget
Sound |
| Whatcom Creek |
WA |
Puget
Sound |
Southeast Region
| DARRP Case |
State |
Watershed Project |
| Calcasieu Estuary Bayou D'Inde |
LA |
Calcasieu |
| Calcasieu Estuary Bayou Verdine |
LA |
Calcasieu |
| Citgo Refinery, Calcasieu River |
LA |
Calcasieu |
| Vieques AFWTA |
PR |
Vieques
Island |
Southwest Region
| DARRP Case |
State |
Watershed Project |
| Apex Houston |
CA |
California |
| Command Oil Spill |
CA |
California |
| Iron Mountain Mine |
CA |
California |
| Cape Mohican |
CA |
San
Francisco Bay |
| Castro Cove/Chevron Richmond |
CA |
San
Francisco Bay |
| Cosco Busan |
CA |
San
Francisco Bay |
| Suisun Bay |
CA |
San
Francisco Bay |
| American Trader |
CA |
Southern
California |
| Halaco Engineering, Inc. |
CA |
Southern
California |
| Montrose/PV Shelf |
CA |
Southern
California |
Great Lakes Region
| DARRP Case |
State |
Watershed Project |
| Cannelton Industries |
MI |
Cannelton |
| Kalamazoo River |
MI |
Kalamazoo |
| Waukegan Harbor |
IL |
Sheboygan
River |
Other sources available on a regional-scale are Environmental Sensitivity
Indices (ESIs). ESI maps serve as quick references that contain three kinds of
information:
-
Shorelines which are ranked on their physical and biological character,
then color-coded to indicated their sensitivity to oiling.
-
Sensitive biological resources, such as seabird colonies or marine
mammal hauling grounds; and,
-
Sensitive human-use resources, such as water intakes, marinas, and
swimming beaches.
ESI maps are available in a wide variety of formats. To find more information,
availability, and links to sources go to
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/esitoolkit
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