Shoreline sensitivity to spilled oil in coastal environments in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington, USA

This data set contains polygons representing the shoreline and coastal habitats in Puget Sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington, classified according to the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) classification system. This data set comprises a portion of the ESI data for Puget Sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca. ESI data characterize the marine and coastal environments and wildlife by their sensitivity to spilled oil. The ESI data include information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources. This data set comprises a portion of the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) data for Puget Sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington. ESI data characterize the marine and coastal environments and wildlife by their sensitivity to spilled oil. The ESI data include information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources. The item ESI contains values representing the ESI shoreline type. In many cases, shorelines are ranked with multiple codes, such as "6B/3A" (listed landward to seaward from left to right). The first code, "6B", is the most landward shoreline type and the second code, "3A", is the shoreline type closest to the water. Singular shoreline types are listed below. No multiple codes are listed, but all multiple codes included in the data set can be assembled from the codes described. The ESI rankings progress from low to high susceptibility to oil spills. To determine the sensitivity of a particular intertidal shoreline habitat, the following factors are integrated: (1) Shoreline type (substrate, grain size, tidal elevation, origin); (2) Exposure to wave and tidal energy; (3) Biological productivity and sensitivity; (4) Ease of cleanup. Prediction of the behavior and persistence of oil in intertidal habitats is based on an understanding of the dynamics of the coastal environments, not just the substrate type and grain size. The intensity of energy expended upon a shoreline by wave action, tidal currents, and river currents directly affects the persistence of stranded oil. The need for shoreline cleanup activities is determined, in part, by the slowness of natural processes in removal of oil stranded on the shoreline. The potential for biological injury, and ease of cleanup of spilled oil, are also important factors in the ESI ranking. Generally speaking, areas exposed to high levels of physical energy, such as wave action and tidal currents, and low biological activity rank low on the scale, whereas sheltered areas with associated high biological activity have the highest ranking.