CANADA_WVS_GEO_WGS84 - World Vector Shoreline of Canada

Frequently-anticipated questions:

• What does this data set describe?
  1. How should this data set be cited?
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
• Who produced the data set?
  1. Who are the originators of the data set?
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
• Why was the data set created?
• How was the data set created?
  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
• How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?
  1. How well have the observations been checked?
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the data, including topology?
• How can someone get a copy of the data set?
  1. Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
  2. Who distributes the data?
  3. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
  4. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
  5. How can I download or order the data?
• Who wrote the metadata?

Title: CANADA_WVS_GEO_WGS84 - World Vector Shoreline of Canada

Abstract:

This data layer represents the Canadian provinces and territories as well as coastline, international boundaries, and provincial boundaries. It was created from a combination of World Vector Shoreline (WVS) data and World Data Bank II (WDBII) data to produce a medium resolution shoreline with provincial and international boundaries.

Supplemental_Information:

Internal lakes have been removed from the source data, Word Vector Shoreline (WVS), during processing as this data set is intended to provide a relatively detailed representation of the Canadian shoreline.

Shoreline based on Mean High Water (MHW).

This data compilation does not include all the features (such as lakes, rivers, breakwaters, glaciers, international boundaries, country names, etc.) that DMA has in their original data set (WDBII).

1. How should this data set be cited?

   Paskevich, Valerie, Unpublished Material, CANADA_WVS_GEO_WGS84 - World Vector Shoreline of Canada.

   Online Links:

   • <http://coastalmap.marine.usgs.gov/GISdata/basemaps/canada/shoreline/canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.zip>

2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

   West_Bounding_Coordinate: -141.014576

   East_Bounding_Coordinate: -52.621617

   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 83.212613

   South_Bounding_Coordinate: 41.904434

3. What does it look like?

   <http://coastalmap.marine.usgs.gov/GISdata/canada/shoreline/canada_wvs_geo_wgs84-thumb.gif> (GIF)

   Thumbnail image showing extent and data coverage of layer.

   <http://coastalmap.marine.usgs.gov/GISdata/canada/shoreline/canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.gif> (GIF)

   Image showing extent and coverage of data layer.

   <http://coastalmap.marine.usgs.gov/GISdata/canada/shoreline/east_canada_wvs.gif> (GIF)

   Image showing detail of eastern Canada shoreline.

4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

   Calendar_Date: unknown

   Currentness_Reference: publication date

5. What is the general form of this data set?

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data

6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
   1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):

      • G-polygon (29012)

   2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.000001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.000001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees.

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is WGS_1984.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257224.
      

      Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:

      Depth_System_Definition:

      Depth_Datum_Name: Mean high water

7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

   canada_wvs_geo_wgs84

   Shapefile Attribute Table (Source: ESRI)

   FID

   Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI)

   Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   Shape

   Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI)

   Coordinates defining the features.

   AREA

   Area of polygon in native units. (Source: Software Computed)

   PERIMETER

   Length of polygon perimeter in native units. (Source: Software Computed)

   PROVINCE

   Province name (Source: Data Compiler)

   Character string containing Province name.

   ABBREV

   Province abbreviation (Source: Data Compiler)

   Value	Definition
   AB	Alberta
   BC	British Columbia
   MB	Manitoba
   NB	New Brunswick
   NL	Newfoundland and Labrador
   NT	Northwest Territories
   NS	Nova Scotia
   NU	Nunavut
   ON	Ontario
   PE	Prince Edward Island
   QC	Quebec
   SA	Saskatchewan
   YT	Yukon

   Entity_and_Attribute_Overview: Province name and abbreviation codes.

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   • Valerie Paskevich

2. Who also contributed to the data set?

   Please recognize the U.S. Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) as the originator of the World Vector Shoreline (WVS) data, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for originator of the Medim Resolution Digital Vector Shoreline of the Great Lakes region.

3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

   U.S. Geological Survey
   c/o Valerie Paskevich
   Information Specialist, GIS Coordinator
   384 Woods Hole Road
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   USA
   

   (508) 548-8700 x2281 (voice)
   (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
   vpaskevich@usgs.gov
   

This shapefile may be used as a general basemap data layer to illustrate the shoreline of Canada with detail appropriate for national, regional, and local levels, and may be utilized in any Geographic Information System (GIS).

1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

   wvs_wnatl (source 1 of 3)

   Review, International Hydrographic , 1990, World Vector Shoreline for North America.

   Type_of_Source_Media: disc

   Source_Scale_Denominator: 250000

   Source_Contribution:

   The World Vector Shoreline (WVS) dataset was developed by the National Geospatial-Information Agency (NGA) (formerly the U.S. Defense Mapping Agency - DMA) as a digital data file, at a nominal scale of 1:250,000 and referenced to the World Geodetic System (WGS-84) datum. The WVS is divided into ten ocean basin area files. This data layer is a subset of the North America region and provides the main source of the Canadian shoreline used to create this data layer.

   The main source material for the WVS was DMA's Digital Landmass Blanking (DLMB) database which was derived primarily from the Joint Operations Graphics and coastal nautical charts produced by DMA. The DLMB data consisted of a land/water flag file on a 3 by 3 arc-second interval geographic grid. This raster database was converted into vector form to create WVS and explains the 3 arc-second stepping interval apparent in the coastline when plotted out at high scale. For areas of the world not covered by the DLMB database, the shoreline was taken from the best available hard copy sources at a preferred scale of 1:250,000 (or up to 1:125,000 where the source data allowed).

   The DMA WVS datasets were compiled into separate 'coast' format data files for use with the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program cartographic plotting program MAPGEN during the 1980's. These 'coast' format files were the source to retrieve the WVS datasets and is the result of what is presented here.

   WDBII (source 2 of 3)

   Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), World Databank II (WDBII).

   Type_of_Source_Media: disc

   Source_Scale_Denominator: 2000000

   Source_Contribution:

   The internal boundaries of Canada were extracted from the data set.

   Great Lakes Coast (source 3 of 3)

   National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Medium Resolution Digital Vector Shoreline.

   Online Links:

   • <http://sposerver.nos.noaa.gov/projects/shoreline/shoreline.html>

   Type_of_Source_Media: disc

   Source_Scale_Denominator: 70000

   Source_Contribution:

   GL80_1 through GL80_5 provide the shoreline all five Great Lakes in their entirety and the St. Lawrence River/Seaway to Ogdensburg, New York. The shoreline of Ontario was extracted from this data set and replaced the low resolution shoreline.

2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

   Date: 28-Nov-2001 (process 1 of 7)

   Program 'getcoast' was used to extract the vector coastline information and create ASCII lat/lon text files of the various archived coastline files at the USGS, Woods Hole Science Center.

   Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Valerie Paskevich
   U.S. Geological Survey
   Information Specialist, GIS Coordinator
   384 Woods Hole Road
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   USA
   

   508-548-8700 x2281 (voice)
   508-457-2310 (FAX)
   vpaskevich@usgs.gov
   

   Data sources used in this process:

   • wvs_wnatl.cdr
   • wvs_wnatl.cdt
   • wdbII.cdr
   • wdbII.cdt

   Data sources produced in this process:

   • wvs_natl.txt
   • wdbii.txt

   Date: 28-Nov-2001 (process 2 of 7)

   The required vector text files were imported into vector segments in the PCI database and verified

   Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Valerie Paskevich
   U.S. Geological Survey
   Information Specialist, GIS Coordinator
   384 Woods Hole Road
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   USA
   

   508-548-8700 x2281 (voice)
   508-457-2310 (FAX)
   vpaskevich@usgs.gov
   

   Data sources used in this process:

   • wvs_wnatl.txt
   • wdbii.txt

   Data sources produced in this process:

   • na.pix

   Date: 08-Jul-2004 (process 3 of 7)

   The WVS data for Canada was extracted from the North America region and stored in a new vector segment of a new PCI file.

   Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Valerie Paskevich
   U.S. Geological Survey
   Information Specialist, GIS Coordinator
   384 Woods Hole Road
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   USA
   

   508-548-8700 x2281 (voice)
   508-457-2310 (FAX)
   vpaskevich@usgs.gov
   

   Data sources used in this process:

   • na.pix

   Data sources produced in this process:

   • canada.pix

   Date: 23-Mar-2004 (process 4 of 7)

   The vector data was checked to insure closed polygons for all the islands. The shoreline of Ontario along the Great Lakes (Lakes Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario) was replaced with the NOAA's medium resolution digital vector shoreline of the Great Lakes shoreline to provide more detail. Attribute fields for province name and abbreviation were added. The final vector segment was exported from the PCI file.

   Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Valerie Paskevich
   U.S. Geological Survey
   Information Specialist, GIS Coordinator
   384 Woods Hole Road
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   USA
   

   508-548-8700 x2281 (voice)
   508-457-2310 (FAX)
   vpaskevich@usgs.gov
   

   Data sources used in this process:

   • canada.pix

   Data sources produced in this process:

   • canada.e00
   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.shp
   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.shx

   Date: 14-Oct-2004 (process 5 of 7)

   Converted the exported data file to a coverage. The coverage was then processed with ArcInfo to clean and build the polygons. The cleaned coverage was then exported as a shapefile.

   Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Valerie Paskevich
   U.S. Geological Survey
   Information Specialist, GIS Coordinator
   384 Woods Hole Rd.
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   USA
   

   (508) 548-8700 x2281 (voice)
   (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
   vpaskevich@usgs.gov
   

   Data sources used in this process:

   • canada.e00
   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.dbf
   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.shx

   Data sources produced in this process:

   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.shp
   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.shp
   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.shx
   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.prj

   Date: 18-Oct-2004 (process 6 of 7)

   Created a 'prj' file for the data layer. The data layer was visually checked in ArcGIS.

   Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Valerie Paskevich
   U.S. Geological Survey
   Information Specialist, GIS Coordinator
   384 Woods Hole Road
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   USA
   

   (508) 548-8700 x2281 (voice)
   (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
   vpaskevich@usgs.gov
   

   Data sources used in this process:

   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.shp

   Data sources produced in this process:

   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.shp

   Date: 04-Aug-2006 (process 7 of 7)

   Closed two small island polygons that were causing the data layer to flip the polygon coverages.

   Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Valerie Paskevich
   U.S. Geological Survey
   Information Specialist / GIS Coordinator
   384 Woods Hole Road
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   USA
   

   (508) 548-8700 x2281 (voice)
   (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
   vpaskevich@usgs.gov
   

   Data sources used in this process:

   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.dbf
   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.shp
   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.shx

   Data sources produced in this process:

   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.dbf
   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.shp
   • canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.shx

3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

1. How well have the observations been checked?

   Attributes were labelled by visual identification. Country name, sovereign and island name were identified from various map sources. The island attribute is incomplete.

2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

   Feature specification that 90% of all identifiable shoreline features should be located within 500 metres (i.e. 2mm at 1:250,000) of their true geographic position with respect to the WGS-84 datum.

3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

   This is a subset of the World Vector Shorline north America coastline. The shoreline of Canada was extracted to create an ArcView shapefile format data layer for use in GIS applications. The WVS data were merged with WDBII political boundaries to add the US/Canada political boundary and internal Canadian provincial boundaries. Some smaller islands (less than a dozen) may have been lost during processing due to unresolved closures in the original dataset. Coastlines of the larger Canadian lakes that were present in the WVS data set were deleted. This data set is intended to be a relatively accurate and medium-resolution representation of the Canadian shoreline,

5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

   No additional checks for topological consistency were performed on the data.

   No duplicate features are present. All polygons are closed, and all lines intersect where intended. No undershoots or overshoots are present.

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: none

Use_Constraints:

These data are NOT to be used for navigation purposes.

These data are NOT to be used for legal purposes.

Public domain data from the U.S. government is freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. Please recognize the United States Geological Survey as the originator of this dataset.

1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

   U.S. Geological Survey
   c/o Valerie Paskevich
   Information Specialist, GIS Coordinator
   384 Woods Hole Road
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   USA
   

   (508) 548-8700 x2281 (voice)
   (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
   vpaskevich@usgs.gov
   

2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

   Downloadable Data: World Vector Shoreline (WVS) for Canada - canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.zip

3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

   Although this data set has been used by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS as to the accuracy of the data and/or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the USGS in the use of these data or related materials.

   Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

4. How can I download or order the data?
   • Availability in digital form:

     Data format:	The archive files contains the shapefile components, avl, prj, browse graphic and metadata files. in format SHP (version ArcView 3.2) ESRI polygon shapefile Size: 24.533
     Network links:	<http://coastalmap.marine.usgs.gov/GISdata/basemaps/canada/shoreline/canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.zip> \\192.168.0.85\Data01\basemaps\canada\shoreline\wvs\canada_wvs_geo_wgs84.zip

   • Cost to order the data: None

5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?

   The data are available in Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) shapefile format. The user must have ArcGIS® or ArcView® 3.0 or greater software to read and process the data file. In lieu of ArcView or ArcGIS, the user may utilize another GIS application package capable of importing data. A free data viewer, arcexplorer, is available from ESRI at www.esri.com.

Dates:

Last modified: 07-Aug-2006

Metadata author:

U.S. Geological Survey
c/o Valerie Paskevich
Information Specialist, GIS Coordinator
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
USA

508-548-8700 x2281 (voice)
508-457-2310 (FAX)
vpaskevich@usgs.gov

Metadata standard:

FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)

Metadata extensions used:

• <http://www.esri.com/metadata/esriprof80.html>