Metadata for 2001 Low-Flow Fisheries Habitat of the Yellowstone River

- Identification Information
- Data Quality Information
- Spatial Data Organization Information
- Spatial Reference Information
- Entity and Attribute Information
- Distribution Information
- Metadata Reference Information
- FGDC XML Metadata

Identification Information:

Citation:
  Originator: DTM Consulting
  Publication date: 01/29/2015
  Title: 2001 Low-Flow Fisheries Habitat of the Yellowstone River
  Publisher: Montana State Library
  Online linkage: ftp://ftp.geoinfo.msl.mt.gov/Data/Spatial/NonMSDI/Collections/Yellowstone_River_Clearinghouse/Shapefiles/YellowstoneFishHabitat1950_2001.zip
  Larger Work Citation:
    Title: Yellowstone River Clearinghouse GIS Layers
    Online linkage: http://mslapps.mt.gov/Geographic_Information/Data/DataList/datalist_Details.aspx?did={17daa910-aba0-11e3-a5e2-0800200c9a66}
Abstract:
  These data show fishery habitat types of the Yellowstone River at low-flow stage, derived from aerial photographs made in August 2001. It is part of a series of datasets that show fishery habitat types for 2001 and the 1950s, showing low-flow conditions at the time of the photography and interpreted bankfull conditions. The mapping extent starts approximately 10 miles upstream from Park City and extends to the confluence with the Missouri River.
  The 2001 mapping was performed by DTM Consulting in 2009 and the same mapping criteria were applied to the 1950s imagery in 2011. The changes in the 2001 mapping were mainly focused in the Secondary Seasonal habitats and involved removing Point, Side and Mid Channel Bars from these essentially dry channels.
  There is one key difference between the 2001 and 1950s mapping. The 2001 mapping utilized the detailed color-infrared imagery. This imagery does a very good job of highlighting vegetation on the bars. This allowed for fairly consistent identification of the general vegetation characteristics on the bars (emergent, established, mature, no veg). The 1950s black and white imagery allows for this vegetation attribution in some areas, but it is very inconsistent. Herbaceous vegetation and wet sand/gravel look very similar. Because we could not consistently populate this attribute, it has been omitted from the 1950s data set.
Time period of content:
  Beginning date: 08/03/2001
  Ending date: 08/06/2001
  Currentness reference: Ground Condition
Access constraints: None
Use constraints:
  The Montana State Library provides this product/service for informational purposes only. The Library did not produce it for, nor is it suitable for legal, engineering, or surveying purposes. Consumers of this information should review or consult the primary data and information sources to ascertain the viability of the information for their purposes. The Library provides these data in good faith but does not represent or warrant its accuracy, adequacy, or completeness. In no event shall the Library be liable for any incorrect results or analysis; any direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages to any party; or any lost profits arising out of or in connection with the use or the inability to use the data or the services provided. The Library makes these data and services available as a convenience to the public, and for no other purpose. The Library reserves the right to change or revise published data and/or services at any time.
Point of contact:
  Tony Thatcher
  DTM Consulting
  211 N Grand Ave, Suite J
  Bozeman, MT 59715
  Telephone: 406-585-5322
  E-Mail: tony@dtmgis.com

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Data Quality Information:

Lineage:
  Process step:
    All digitizing was performed in ArcGIS using heads-up digitizing techniques. Features were mapped at approximately 1:6,000 for the upper reaches (Regions A, B, and C), while 1:8,000 was used for Region D due to the larger features in the river. These scales allowed comparable features to be mapped between the 1950s and 2001 data sets. The low-flow mapping represents the visible features and resulting habitats at the time of the imagery. This results in a greater level of detail and refinement of features over the bankfull mapping.
    All mapping starts with the Bankfull Channel mapping from the earlier "Bank and Flow Lines of the Yellowstone River, 1950-2001" data set. This data set defines the interpreted bankfull channel. Islands that contain mature vegetation are part of this dataset. Both of the fisheries habitat mapping data sets start with the associated Bankfull Channel linework. This initial data set is then subdivided into fisheries habitat units.
  Process step:
    The bankfull habitat conditions were mapped first. This data focuses on the interpreted conditions at typical bankfull flows. As such, there are not bars, dry channel areas, or other such low flow features mapped. Habitat units tend to cross the entire channel, incorporating areas that do not contain water during base flow conditions. Secondary channels and Secondary Seasonal channels are not subdivided into smaller units such as Scour and Channel Crossover.
  Process step:
    Low-Flow Conditions:
    Mapping low flow habitat conditions focuses on capturing the conditions that fish and other aquatic species encounter the majority of the year. This data set includes the mapping of mid-channel bars, point bars, side bars, and areas of dry channel. (Note: these areas equate to the Unconsolidated Shore areas in the riparian/wetlands land cover mapping.) The low-flow habitats were mapped after the bankfull conditions. For the most part, this ensures that habitats such as Bluffs, Terraces, and Rip Rap Banks are consistent between the low-flow and bankfull mapping. In some cases where the low-flow channel no longer runs against a boundary feature (Bluff, Terrace, etc.) that the bankfull flow accesses, the habitat unit will shift to Scour. Again, Secondary channels and Secondary Seasonal channels are not subdivided into smaller units.
  Process step:
    General Guidelines for Digitizing
    Defining exact boundaries for specific habitat units can be challenging, as the boundary between habitat units often represents a gradient or transition between units. To assist in defining habitat types consistently, the following guidelines were used.
    - For the low-flow mapping, the first step is to define the point, mid-channel, and side bars, as well as dry channel areas. Sometimes it can be difficult to discern between Side Bars (depositional features that tend to introduce sinuosity to the low-flow channel) and Dry Channel areas. When in doubt, these areas are attributed as Dry Channel.
    - Bars that appear to be point bars but are opposite fixed banks (bedrock, riprap) were called Dry Channel. In these areas the channel is not migrating, so they should not be building point bars. The exception is where a bendway is translating downstream and building a bar as it translates.
    - Open sand/gravel areas attached to vegetated island units are attributed as Dry Channel, unless they are obviously better described as Point Bars.
    - Next, Secondary Seasonal channels are defined. These are side channels that are either completely dry or have a mix of wetted area and dry area. No obvious continuous flow-through of water. Secondary channels are not differentiated further into Scour, Channel Crossover, etc. No bars are defined for Secondary Seasonal channels in the low-flow habitat dataset.
    - Next, Secondary Channels are defined. These show evidence of continuous water surface flow) for their entire length. When in doubt, these channels were attributed as Secondary Seasonal. As with Secondary Seasonal Channels, Secondary Channels were not differentiated further into Scour, Channel Crossover, etc. unless they were composed of well-defined units along their entire length.
    - In the last step, the habitats in the main channel are defined.
    - Where channel split results in fairly equal flow around an island or group of islands, detailed mapping is completed in each channel.
    - Where a series of Secondary and Secondary Seasonal channels converge and begin to carry significant flow, detailed mapping will start up in the merged channel.
    - In most situations a single bendway was mapped as a single habitat unit even if it contained multiple features. For example, a bendway that started as a Riprap Bottom but only had riprap for part of the bendway would not be split into Riprap Bottom and Scour habitat units. In this case it would take on the dominant controlling habitat feature and be mapped as a single unit. As a general rule, if the feature contained more than 50% riprap it was mapped as a riprap

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Spatial Data Organization Information:

Point and vector object information:
  SDTS object type: GT-polygon composed of chains
    SDTS object count: 2449

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Spatial Reference Information:

Horizontal coordinate system definition:
  Map projection:
    Map projection name: NAD 1983 StatePlane Montana FIPS 2500
    Lambert conformal conic:
    NAD 1983 StatePlane Montana FIPS 2500
    Standard parallel: 45.0
    Standard parallel: 49.0
    Longitude of central meridian: -109.5
    Latitude of projection origin: 44.25
    False easting: 600000.0
    False northing: 0.0
  Planar distance units: meter
  Geodetic model:
    Horizontal datum name: D North American 1983
    Ellipsoid name: GRS 1980
    Semi-major axis: 6378137.0
    Denominator of flattening ratio: 298.257222101

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Entity and Attribute Information:

Entity type label: lowflow_habitat_1950s
  Attribute label: FID
    Attribute definition: Shapefile sequence number
  Attribute label: Shape
    Attribute definition: Feature geometry
  Attribute label: ACRES
    Attribute definition: Area of the polygon in acres
  Attribute label: Reach_ID
    Attribute definition: Reach Identifier
  Attribute label: Hab_Code
    Attribute definition:
      Habitat Code. The names of the habitats are available in the Habitat field. The habitats were originally delveloped by Matt Jeager.

    Attribute Value | Definition of Attribute Value
    SC | Scour pool, unconstrained channel
    BL | Scour pool, base of bluff
    T | Scour pool, base of terrace
    RRB | Scour Pool, riprap bottom
    RRM | Scour Pool, riprap margin
    CC | Channel Crossover
    2C | Secondary Channel
    2CS | Secondary Channel, Seasonal
    Confluence | Confluence
    PB | Point Bar
    SB | Side Bar
    MCB | Mid-Channel Bar
    DC | Dry Channel
    I | Island
    Dam | Dam
    OUT | Not Mapped

  Attribute label: Habitat
    Attribute definition:
      Name of Habitat. The habitats were originally delveloped by Matt Jeager.

    Attribute Value | Definition of Attribute Value
    Scour pool, unconstrained channel | Scour pool occurring in otherwise unconstrained river channel. Generally occurs on the outsides of bend ways or long, straight sections.
    Scour pool, base of bluff | Scour pool located at the base of a bedrock bluff. Indicates a relatively permanent pool location bounded by a geologic constraint. If the bluff is protected by rip rap, as is the case where the railroad occupies a shelf at the base of the bluff, then it is attributed as Rip Rap Margin.
    Scour pool, base of terrace | Scour pool located at the base of a terrace (Quarternary Alluvium). Terrace units generally were identified from LiDAR mapping as part of the Channel Migration Zone work. Indicates a relatively permanent pool location bounded by a geologic constraint. If the terrace is protected by rip rap, for whatever reason, then it is attributed as Rip Rap Margin.
    Scour Pool, riprap bottom | Scour pool occurring in riprap constrained channel where riprap is located in the middle of the active channel area.
    Scour Pool, riprap margin | Scour pool occurring in riprap constrained channel where riprap is located at the edge of the active channel area.
    Channel Crossover | A transitional unit where the river is translating from one bendway or pool to the next.
    Confluence | Areas where larger tributaries merge with the main stem and don’t fit into the traditional habitat units.
    Point Bar | Areas in the bank full lines that show aggradation associated with the insides of a bendway. Can include exposed gravel, or areas with vegetation, as long as they lie within the bank full area.
    Side Bar | Areas in the bank full lines that show aggradation along the sides of a channel. These bar areas create channel sinuosity at low flows but are inundated at higher or bank full flows. Can include exposed gravel, or areas with vegetation, as long as they lie within the bank full area.
    Mid-Channel Bar | Areas in the bank full lines that show aggradation, creating islands within the low flow area. MCBs are not connected to vegetated islands (see Dry Channel). Can include exposed gravel or areas with emergent vegetation, as long as they lie within the bank full area.
    Dry Channel | This is a general category for areas within the bank full boundaries that do not fit into Point Bar, Side Bar, Mid-channel Bar, or Island categories. They are generally associated with split flows around islands where there is exposed channel bed at low flow, but does not appear to be strictly depositional in nature, though they could still have some depositional characteristics. Can include exposed gravel or areas with vegetation, as long as they lie within the bank full area.
    Island | Vegetated islands.
    Dam | Habitat unit is influenced by a dam in the main channel.
    Not Mapped | The polygon is outside of the area mapped by Jaeger. Includes all of Park and Sweet Grass Counties, and Stillwater County (Reaches A10-A14).

  Attribute label: Vegetation
    Attribute definition:
      The vegetation attribute is intended to give a general characterization of the vegetation in the bar, dry channel, and island habitat units. The units can generally be thought of as: None, Low, Moderate, High.

    Attribute Value | Definition of Attribute Value
    No Veg | No vegetation is present (bare gravels or sand)
    Emergent | Evidence of some vegetation (mostly grasses and some shrubs), though generally no mature woody veg
    Established | Moderate amount of vegetation present, some of which is mature
    Mature | Mature vegetation is present, including grasses, shrubs and trees

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Distribution Information:

Distributor:
  Montana State Library
  PO Box 201800
  Helena, MT 59620-1800
  Telephone: 406-444-5354
  TDD/TTY telephone: 406-444-4799
  Fax: 406-444-0266
  E-Mail: geoinfo@mt.gov
Resource description: Downloadable Data
Distribution liability:
  The Montana State Library provides this product/service for informational purposes only. The Library did not produce it for, nor is it suitable for legal, engineering, or surveying purposes. Consumers of this information should review or consult the primary data and information sources to ascertain the viability of the information for their purposes. The Library provides these data in good faith but does not represent or warrant its accuracy, adequacy, or completeness. In no event shall the Library be liable for any incorrect results or analysis; any direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages to any party; or any lost profits arising out of or in connection with the use or the inability to use the data or the services provided. The Library makes these data and services available as a convenience to the public, and for no other purpose. The Library reserves the right to change or revise published data and/or services at any time.

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Metadata Reference Information:

Metadata date: 01/28/2015
Metadata review date: 12/09/2011
Metadata contact:
  Tony Thatcher
  DTM Consulting
  211 N Grand Ave, Suite J
  Bozeman, MT 59715
  Telephone: 406-585-5322
  E-Mail: tony@dtmgis.com

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