| Summary: | The most widely used approach to sensitive environment mapping in the U.S. is NOAA's Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI). This approach systematically complies information in standard formats for coastal shoreline sensitivity, biological resources, and human-use resources. ESI maps are useful for identifying sensitive resources before a spill occurs so that protection priorities can be established and cleanup strategies designed in advance. Using ESIs in spill response and planning reduces the environmental consequences of the spill and cleanup efforts. This data product includes data presented as GIS project files, MOSS files, extensive metadata and documentation, and .PDF maps for non-GIS users. ESI MAPS SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR NAVIGATION. These files comprise modifications and additions to earlier releases of ESI atlases developed for the Gulf of Mexico region which are also archived at the NODC under separate accession numbers - Gulf of Mexico (Alabama 2007, Louisiana 2003, Mississippi 1997) under NODC accession number 0036821, and Florida 1995-997 under NODC accession number 0014187. The PDF maps included on this release for the upper Texas coast are also available as an earlier product filed under NODC accession number 0046089. This release for the Gulf of Mexico ESI atlas was produced in May 2010. Specifically, it includes 1. New ESI data for Mississippi published in hard copy format in December, 2009, 2. Modifications to data layers in the Louisiana GIS data, 3. Adds the Florida ESI Geodatabase and PDFs to the DVD, and replaces the ESI, ESIP, hydro, and Hydrol data layers with updated shoreline data collected in 2003. 4. Upper coast Texas PDFs were included on this DVD release.
|
|---|