Recommended minimal metadata elements, short notations on entries for the elements, and sample data to illustrate the elements per Fish and Wildlife Service Metadata Guidance
- Identification_Information
- Data_Quality_Information
- Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
- Spatial_Reference_Information
- Entity_and_Attribute_Information
- Distribution_Information
- Metadata_Reference_Information
Data Set Name: Wetlands Classification Maps - NWI
- 1 Identification Information:
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- 1.1 Citation: {who created this data set - numbering changes as this information can be used elsewhere in the documentation}
- 1.2 Description
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- 1.2.1 Abstract: {background information about the data set}
- NWI digital data files are records of wetlands location and classification as defined by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. This data set is one of a series available in 7.5 minute by 7.5 minute blocks containing ground planimetric coordinates of wetlands point, line, and area features and wetlands attributes. When completed, the series will provide coverage for all of the contiguous United States, Hawaii, Alaska, and U.S. protectorates in the Pacific and Caribbean. The digital data as well as the hardcopy maps that were used as the source for the digital data are produced and distributed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's National Wetlands Inventory project.
- 1.2.2 Purpose: {Why did you want the data in the first place?}
- The data provide consultants, planners, and resource managers with information on wetland location and type. The data were collected to meet U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's mandate to map the wetland and deepwater habitats of the United States.
- 1.3 Time Period {time frame of data set - you need to choose one}
- 1.4 Status
- 1.5 Spatial Domain
- 1.6 Keywords {Keywords of any type are used for locating data when it is documented in a searchable database. The theme and place keywords will probably be the mostly commonly used for FWS data. As with any use of keywords, thought should be given to assigning words the users may search on, or words you will remember in 5 years! Multiple keywords are allowed.}
- 1.7 Access Constraints: {Are there legal restrictions or prerequisites for access? An example might be the need to protect the exact location of archeological sites.} None
- 1.8 Use Constraints: {Legal restrictions, limits due to data quality, etc} Federal, State, and local regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over wetlands may define and describe wetlands in a different manner than that used in this inventory. There is no attempt, in either the design or products of this inventory, to define the limits of proprietary jurisdiction of any Federal, State, or local government or to establish the geographical scope of the regulatory programs of government agencies. Persons intending to engage in activities involving modifications within or adjacent to wetland areas should seek the advice of appropriate Federal, State, or local agencies concerning specified agency regulatory programs and proprietary jurisdictions that may affect such activities.
- 1.9 Point of Contact (Section 10 - Contact Information) {who can you get it from- this information is available elsewhere (section 6 and 10) in the documentation; it can be entered here also if the contact is completely different}
- 1.10 BROWSE GRAPHIC {Some of the most useful documentation incorporates a picture of what the data looks like. That is what a browse graphic is - an illustration. Remember the old a picture is worth a thousand words?.... If you use this section, you need all three items below}
- 1.13 NATIVE DATA SET ENVIRONMENT: {This section can also include information about the size of the dataset; Kb, MB, etc}
- NWI uses Wetlands Analytical Mapping System (WAMS) software version 4.06 running under the SUNOS 4.x operating system to digitize wetlands information.
- 2 Data Quality Information
- {Just how good is the data anyhow?? - basic plain English description of attributes, the actual lines or topology, the geographic registration, and the original hard copy data that was automated. NOTE - the report is more descriptive, the assessment more specific or measurable. Your choice will depend on the type and quality of your data. It generally would not be necessary to do both}
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- 2.1 Attribute Accuracy
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- 2.1.1 ATTRIBUTE ACCURACY REPORT:
- Attribute accuracy is tested by manual comparison of the source with hard copy printouts and/or symbolized display of the digital wetlands data on an interactive computer graphic system. In addition, WAMS software (USFWS-NWI) tests the attributes against a master set of valid wetland attributes.
- 2.2 Logical Consistency Report: {how well does everything line up? How was it checked? General description}
- Polygons intersecting the neatline are closed along the border. Segments making up the outer and inner boundaries of a polygon tie end-to-end to completely enclose the area. Line segments are a set of sequentially numbered coordinate pairs. No duplicate features exist nor duplicate points in a data string. Intersecting lines are separated into individual line segments at the point of intersection. Point data are represented by two sets of coordinate pairs, each with the same coordinate values. All nodes are represented by a single coordinate pair which indicates the beginning or end of a line segment. The neatline is generated by connecting the four corners of the digital file, as established during initialization of the digital file. All data crossing the neatline are clipped to the neatline and data within a specified tolerance of the neatline are snapped to the neatline. Tests for logical consistency are performed by WAMS verification software (USFWS-NWI).
- 2.3 Completeness Report: {how complete is the cover - the whole state/county/etc? Were parts left out? Size of items mapped?}
- All photo-interpretable wetlands are mapped. In the treeless prairies, 1/4 acre wetlands are mapped. In forested areas, small open water and emergent wetlands are mapped. In general, the minimum mapping unit is from 1 to 3 acres depending on the wetland type and the scale and emulsion of the source aerial photography. In regions of the country where evergreen forested wetlands predominate, wetlands smaller than 3 acres may not be mapped. Thus, a detailed on-the-ground and historical analysis of a single site may result in a revision of the wetland boundaries established through photographic interpretation. In addition, some small wetlands and those obscured by dense forest cover may not be included in this data set.
- 2.4 Positional Accuracy
- Horizontal positional accuracy is tested by visual comparison of the data with hard copy maps and on-screen with existing data sets that cover the same area. How accurate are you in feet or meters? NOTE: horizontal will be more common than vertical - note NA if not needed.
- 2.5 LINEAGE
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- 2.5.1.1 Source Citation {Where did the original data come from? USGS? Historic maps?}
- 2.5.1.3 Type of Source Media: black and white aerial photograph film transparency
- 2.5.1.4 Source Time Period of Content: {choose just one}
- 2.5.1.5 Source Citation Abbreviation: NWI1a
- 2.5.1.6 Source Contribution:
- Aerial photo from which wetlands spatial and attribute data are interpreted
- 2.5.2.1 PROCESS DESCRIPTION: {How was the data entered - digitized? scanned? General steps}
- NWI maps are compiled through manual photo interpretation of NHAP or NAPP aerial photography, supplemented by soil surveys and field checking of wetland photo signatures. Delineated wetland boundaries are manually transferred from interpreted photos to USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle maps and then manually labeled. Quality control steps occur throughout the photo interpretation, map compilation, and map reproduction processes.
- 2.5.2.3 Process Date: 1992
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- 3 Spatial Data Organization Information
- {what kind of data is it? Raster, point, vector map inches - depending on that answer, other information may be needed Choose 3.1 OR 3.2. Then , if you wish more detail, chose 3.3 or 3.4 and enter the related items}
- 4 Spatial Reference Information
- {is it Lat/Long, or some other type of coordinate system such as UTM? That answer controls which other questions you need to answer on map projections, grids, etc. It may even be in table inches (local system - 4.1.3). You need to choose 4.1.1 OR 4.1.2 OR 4.1.3}
- 5 Entity and Attribute Information
- {What type of information is in any related database? An office may certainly chose to use section 5.1, which gives very detailed attribute information, much like database documentation. This includes values for the attributes such as the NWI codes. Section 5.2 will give a more general description of the items, or reference users to other documentation. You can use both 5.1 and 5.2 or just one of them.}
- 5.1 DETAILED DESCRIPTION
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- 5.1.1 Entity Type:
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- 5.1.1.1 Entity Type Label: Wetlands
- 5.1.1.2 Entity Type Definition:
- Wetlands are lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. For purposes of this classification wetlands must have one or more of the following three attributes: 1) at least periodically, the land supports predominantly hydrophytes; 2) the substrate is predominantly undrained hydric soil; and 3) the substrate is non-soil and is saturated with water or covered by shallow water at some time during the growing season of each year.
- 5.1.1.3 Entity Type Definition Source:
- Cowardin, L.M., V. Carter, F. Golet, and E. LaRoe. 1979. Classification of wetlands and deepwater habitats of the United States. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 103 pp.
- 5.2 OVERVIEW DESCRIPTION
- 6 Distribution Information
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- 6.1 DISTRIBUTOR
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- 10.2 Contact Organization Primary
- {or may be 10.1 Contact Person Primary, 10.1.1 contact person and 10.1.2 contact organization - your choice. If this information is the same as in Section 7.4 you can just reference that section.}
- 10.4 Contact Address
- 10.5 Contact Voice Telephone: 1-800-USA-MAPS
- 10.8 CONTACT ELECTRONIC MAIL ADDRESS:
- 6.3 Distribution Liability: None
- 6.4 Standard Order Process {choose 6.4.1 or 6.4.2 - the clearinghouse software will not recognize both as a standard process}
- 7 Metadata Reference Information
- {when and how was this data documented - as done? 10 years later? and who?}
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- 7.1 Metadata Date: 19940920
- 7.4 Metadata Contact:
- 7.5 Metadata Standard Name:
- FGDC Content Standards for Digital Spatial Metadata
- 7.6 Metadata Standard Version: 19940608