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Massachusetts Seagrass 1996

Published by Office for Coastal Management | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Metadata Last Checked: February 14, 2026 | Last Modified: 2026-02-17T00:00:00.000+00:00
These data represent submerged aquatic vegetation, primarily eelgrass (Zostera marina), along the Atlantic coast of Massachusetts. This data collection was a partnership between the Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) at NOAA's Office for Coastal Management, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's Wetlands Conservancy Program, and the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management. Conventional color metric aerial photography was acquired from 1994 to 1996 at a scale of 1:20,000, according to stringent parameters detailed in the C-CAP protocol. The photography was photointerpreted using a biocular stereoscope, and eelgrass was then delineated onto acetate overlays affixed to each photograph. In addition, a point file was generated based on field-verified sites as well as all occurrences of widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima) and algae. Extensive fieldwork, including underwater video, was conducted to develop signatures and gather surface-level data where the presence or extent of habitat was not apparent from the photography. The layers available within the data download include biotic and substrate. Partners: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Wetlands Conservancy Program and the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management

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