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Estuary Data Mapper: A coastal information system to propel emerging science and inform environmental management decisions
Citation:
Torre, D., N. Detenbeck, AND T. Plessel. Estuary Data Mapper: A coastal information system to propel emerging science and inform environmental management decisions. Coastal GeoTools Conference, North Charleston, South Carolina, February 06 - 09, 2017.
Impact/Purpose:
This abstract was written to be accepted into the Coastal Geotools conference in North Charleston, South Carolina, February 6 to 9th, 2017. This submission is being made as a "Tool Showcase" to present the Estuary Data Mapper and introduce the audience to this tool as well as answer any questions regarding the use of this tool.
Description:
The Estuary Data Mapper (EDM) is a free, interactive virtual gateway to coastal data aimed to promote research and aid in environmental management. The graphical user interface allows users to custom select and subset data based on their spatial and temporal interests giving them easy access to visualize, retrieve, and save data for further analysis. Data are accessible across estuarine systems of the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Pacific regions of the United States and includes: (1) time series data including tidal, hydrologic, and weather, (2) water and sediment quality, (3) atmospheric deposition, (4) habitat, (5) coastal exposure indices, (6) historic and projected land-use and population, (7) historic and projected nitrogen and phosphorous sources and load summaries. EDM issues Web Coverage Service Interface Standard queries (WCS; simple, standard one-line text strings) to a public web service to quickly obtain data subsets by variable, for a date-time range and area selected by user. EDM is continuously being enhanced with updated data and new options. Recent additions include a comprehensive suite of nitrogen source and loading data, and inputs for supporting a modeling approach of seagrass habitat. Additions planned for the near future include 1) support for Integrated Water Resources Management cost-benefit analysis, specifically the Watershed Management Optimization Support Tool and 2) visualization of the combined effects of climate change, land-use and green infrastructure on habitat and biotic integrity for a series of pilot projects across the United States. EDM is an efficient tool for visualizing and obtaining large volumes of coastal data imperative to management, planning and research. Online tutorials are available to showcase the tool and cover basic needs such as visualizing, retrieving and saving data.