Title

Estuaries (including macrophyte detail)

Data Quality Statement

Name: Data Quality Statement

Protocol: WWW:DOWNLOAD-1.0-http--download

Description:

DQS - Estuaries (including macrophyte detail)

Function: download

NSWEstuariesMacrophyteDetail20110331

Name: NSWEstuariesMacrophyteDetail20110331

Protocol: WWW:DOWNLOAD-1.0-http--download

Description:

Data for download

Function: download

Code

51de3d40-0a1b-495c-9697-6030c9f5c37d

Name

ISO 19115

Edition

2016

Type

vector

Geometric Object Type

complex

Code identifying the spatial reference system

4283

Topic category

Title

ANZLIC Search Words

Reference date

2008-05-16

Coordinate reference system

Authority code

urn:ogc:def:cs:EPSG::

Code identifying the coordinate reference system

5711

End position

N/A

Contact info

Contact position

Data Broker

Organisation name

NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Telephone number

131555

Email address

data.broker@environment.nsw.gov.au

Web address

https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/dcceew

Responsible party role

pointOfContact

Lineage

The initial stage in developing the Estuaries datasets was to create hydrological catchment layers comprising line (EstuaryDrainageCatchmentsBdy) and polygon (EstuaryDrainageCatchments) feature classes. These initial datasets defined a true representation of the hydrological catchment/watershed for NSW coastal estuaries.; ; Whilst there was a clear goal at the beginning of the project the output datasets were not specified, nor were the methods or datasets from which they would be produced. Instead the project has evolved as datasets have become available and input has been received on the suitability and usability of certain themes. ; ; After consideration it was decided that the incorporation of macrophyte information with the waterbody layer would more accurately represent the estuarine area. This produced a dataset which could assist in estuarine modelling. The macrophyte information comprising areas of seagrass (predominantly inundated), mangrove (regularly inundated) and saltmarsh (occasionally inundated) from the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Macrophyte (2005) spatial layer (Estuarine_Macrophytes) was incorporated into the temporary hydrological catchments and waterbodies layer.; ; Stage 1: Defining the Estuarine and Freshwater Waterbodies.; The areas representing the estuarine and freshwater waterbodies were defined using Waterbody Area from TOPO_DELIVERY.HydroArea(LPMA) and Tidal and Mangrove Limit, Survey of Tidal Limits and Mangrove Limits in NSW estuaries 1996 to 2005. Only continuous waterbodies located downstream of the tidal limits (Tidal and Mangrove Limit - DNR, 2006) were selected. Waterbodies that intersected the tidal limit were cut and attributed separately with a designation of Freshwater for those sections upstream of the tidal limit. Before cutting the waterbodies the following information was referred to: location of the tidal limit points, location descriptions in the attribute table and a topographic image.; NB. In the course of the project several errors with the topographic waterbody boundary were identified. ; ; Stage 2: Unioning the Hydrological Catchments & Waterbodies. The EstuaryDrainageCatchments and estuarine and freshwater waterbodies created in stage 1 were combined through use of the union command. This created a combined spatial layer representing estuarine waterbodies and catchments and freshwater waterbodies.; ; Stage 3: Inclusion of NSW Macrophyte Mapping. ; After consideration it was decided that the incorporation of macrophyte information with the waterbody layer would more accurately represent the estuarine area. This produced a dataset which could assist in estuarine modelling. The macrophyte information comprising areas of seagrass (predominantly inundated), mangrove (regularly inundated) and saltmarsh (occasionally inundated) from the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Macrophyte (2005) spatial layer (Estuarine_Macrophytes) was incorporated into the temporary hydrological catchments and waterbody layer. ; This Macrophyte layer did not provide coverage for the Sydney Central Coast area of NSW. A gap existed between the Hunter River and Bellambi Lake catchments, leaving a total of 35 catchments whose estuarine boundary were not altered by the inclusion of macrophyte information. In addition to the Central Coast gap there were a further 36 catchments along the coast that did not have Macrophyte information. ; ; Stage 4: Inclusion of Central Coast Macrophyte Mapping (DPI, 2008). ; Supply of the draft NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Macrophyte 2008 spatial information allowed updating of the estuarine areas for the Central Coast area of NSW from the Hunter River (NthSthNo 60) to Bellambi Lake (NthSthNo 97). The processes and checks were the same as those carried out in Stage 3. Catchments for which macrophyte information did not exist are:; Glenrock Lagoon,; Middle Camp Creek,; Moonee Beach Creek,; Avoca Lake,; Curl Curl Lagoon,; Wattamolla Creek,; Hargraves Creek,; Stanwell Creek,; Stoney Creek,; Flanagans Creek,; Hewitts Creek (Nil Estuary),; Woodlands Creek,; Slacky Creek,; Whartons Creek (Nil Estuary),; Collins Creek (Nil Estuary),; Bellambi Gully,; Bellambi Lake.; ; Stage 5: Representation to CMA region.; The large file size and number of polygons within the dataset, meant that the final layer was difficult to manage. To increase manageability and processing speeds it was decided to represent the dataset through 3 feature classes based on Catchment Management Authority regions. The relevant catchments were selected and exported to create the files:; Northern Rivers; ; Sydney Metro, Hawkesbury Nepean, and Hunter Central Rivers;; *Southern Rivers. ; ; Stage 6: Extending Estuarine areas to the Tidal Limit.; A shortcoming in the datasets from previous stage is that not all estuarine areas extend to the tidal limit as defined by the Tidal and Mangrove limit (DNR, 2006) dataset. The purpose of Stage 6 was to create a continuous estuarine area from the Tidal Limit to the ocean or bay. It should be noted that the edits here did not involve altering whether an estuarine mouth was open to the sea or not. It did, however, result in continuous estuarine areas flowing into bays.; Any gaps in the dataset were identified and drainage lines were selected from TOPO_DELIVERY.HydroLine and buffered by a width of 0.5m giving a total stream width of 1m. The union command was then used to combine these buffered areas with the three CMA datasets created in Stage 5.; ; Stage 7: Defining Estuarine & Non Estuarine Hydrological Catchment Areas.; Defining the catchment boundaries was undertaken by Graeme Short, Natural Resource Project Officer. Graeme has extensive experience in API and used this knowledge to subdivide the existing catchment areas into estuarine and non estuarine (freshwater) catchments. The boundaries were created through on screen digitising with reference to both the topographic contour and drainage layers.; The process is very subjective and dependent on the experience of the individual doing the assessment and their ability to remain consistent in their method. There were also a number of constraints with the major one being the limited number of tidal limit points occurring on the smaller tributaries. The other constraint hindering interpretation were those areas which have an altered landscape. These landscapes usually occur on the flatter alluvial areas and have altered watercourses and man-made canals. Examples of these occur in the larger catchments on the North Coast and the Shoalhaven River on the South Coast. For these reasons it is difficult to correctly identify the catchment areas with the end product over exaggerating the total estuarine area. Table 26 identifies those catchments where no catchment was defined due to the absence of tidal limit points.; As stated above the process is a manual one and the outcome may not appropriately represent catchment areas as they occur in the real world. The only current method available that could be used to deliver an improved product would be the use of LiDAR or DEM in conjunction with an increased number of tidal limit points on key tributaries.; ; Stage 8: Creating a Simplified Representation of the Estuarine Area.; The inclusion of the macrophyte information created an intricate and large spatial layer. The purpose of simplifying this layer was to remove the internal estuarine detail, creating a generalised waterbody for each estuary. This process was performed by dissolving all internal estuarine boundaries and merging the three CMA areas. ; ; Stage 9 (Dec 2010): Merging of EstuaryTidalLimit_Macrophytes CMA areas.; The three CMA areas of Estuary Tidal Limit with Macrophyte detail created in Stage 5 - 7 were remerged to make a single detailed layer for NSW.

Limitations on public access

Explanation

10m - 100m

Contact position

Data Broker

Organisation name

NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Telephone number

131555

Email address

data.broker@environment.nsw.gov.au

Web address

https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/dcceew

Responsible party role

pointOfContact

Contact position

Data Broker

Organisation name

NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Telephone number

131555

Email address

data.broker@environment.nsw.gov.au

Web address

https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/dcceew

Responsible party role

pointOfContact