Riverine Sand Mining/Scofield Island Restoration (BA-40): 2018 habitat classification, detailed habitat classes

The Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) program was developed by Louisiana's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and is implemented as a component of the System Wide Assessment and Monitoring Program (SWAMP). The program uses both historical data and contemporary data collections to assess and monitor changes in the aerial and subaqueous extent of islands, habitat types, sediment texture and geotechnical properties, environmental processes, and vegetation composition. Examples of BICM datasets include still and video aerial photography for documenting shoreline changes, shoreline positions, habitat mapping, land change analyses, light detection and ranging (lidar) surveys for topographic elevations, single-beam and swath bathymetry, and sediment grab samples. For more information about the BICM program, see Kindinger and others (2013). The U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center provides support to the BICM program through the development of habitat map products using aerial imagery and lidar elevation data and assessing change in habitats over time. These data provide a snapshot of barrier island habitats and can be combined with other past and/or future maps to monitor these valuable natural resources over time. CPRA conducts restoration and monitoring activities on barrier islands in Louisiana. The BICM habitat classification scheme and methodology are used for Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) restoration projects that fall on barrier islands. This product is a detailed habitat map for the Riverine Sand Mining/Scofield Island Restoration (BA-40) CWPPRA project area. This product also includes recommended symbology for BICM detailed habitat classes with and without outlines. Please see the Entity and Attribute Information section in this metadata file for the BICM barrier island habitat and habitat descriptions and the Processing Steps section for information on methodology for map development. For more information about recent BICM habitat mapping, see Enwright and others (2020).