This feature contains vector lines representing the shoreline and coastal habitats of California. Line segments are classified according to the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) classification system and are a compilation of the ESI data from the most recent ESI atlas publications. The ESI data includes information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources. This California dataset contains only the ESI shoreline data layer and is a merged set of individual ESI data sets to cover the entire California coast. For many parts of the California shoreline, the NOAA-ESI database lists several shoreline types present at a given location, described from landward to seaward. A simplified singular classification [Map_Class] was created to generalize the most dominant features of the multiple shore type attributes present in the raw data.

More information can be found at the source citation at ESI Guidelines | response.restoration.noaa.gov

Attributes:

• Line: Type of geographic feature (H: Hydrography, P: Pier, S: Shoreline)

• Most_sensitive: If multiple shoreline types appear in ESI classification, this field represents the highest value (most sensitive type); otherwise it is the same value as the ESI field.

• Shore_code: The ESI shoreline type. In many cases shorelines are ranked with multiple codes, such as "6B/3A" (listed landward to seaward).

• Source: Original year of ESI data.

• Esi_description: Concatenation of shore type descriptions (listed landward to seaward)

• Shoretype_1: Numeric classification for the first (most landward) ESI type.

• Shoretype_1_name: Physical description for the first ESI type.

• Shoretype_2: Numeric classification for the second ESI type.

• Shoretype_2_name: Physical description for the second ESI type

• Shoretype_3: Numeric classification for the third (most seaward) ESI type.

• Shoretype_3_name: Physical description for the third ESI type.

• Map_class: Generalized ESI shoreline type for simplified symbolization.

NOAA ESI Guidelines:

• 1A: Exposed, Rocky Shores

• 1B: Exposed, Solid Man-made Structures

• 1C: Exposed, Rocky Cliffs w/Boulder Talus Base

• 2A: Exposed, Wave-Cut Platforms (Bedrock/Mud/Clay)

• 2B: Exposed Scarps and Steep Slopes (Clay)

• 3A: Fine- to Medium-grained Sand Beaches

• 3B: Scarps and Steep Slopes (Sand)

• 3C: Tundra Cliffs

• 4: Coarse-grained Sand Beaches

• 5: Mixed Sand and Gravel Beaches

• 6A: Gravel Beaches

• 6B: Riprap

• 6D: Boulder Rubble

• 7: Exposed Tidal Flats

• 8A: Sheltered Scarps (Bedrock/Mud/Clay)

• 8B: Sheltered, Solid Man-made Structures

• 8C: Sheltered Riprap

• 8D: Sheltered, Rocky, Rubble Shores

• 8E: Peat Shorelines

• 9A: Sheltered Tidal Flats

• 9B: Vegetated Low Banks

• 9C: Hyper-Saline Tidal Flats

• 10A: Salt and Brackish Water Marshes

• 10B: Freshwater Marshes

• 10C: Swamps

• 10D: Scrub-shrub Wetlands

• 10E: Inundated Low-Lying Tundra

• 10F: Mangroves

• S: Shoreline