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New Jersey Coastal Data
 Coastal data are important for land use managers, planners, emergency
management personnel, municipal officials and property owners alike.
A number of agencies actively collect and maintain coastal data, and
produce maps that can be very informative and useful to many people.
The New Jersey Coastal Management Program seeks to increase awareness
of, and facilitate access to these data. This page is provided as
a descriptive reference of access links for a variety of New Jersey
coastal maps and data. For a more extensive listing of Internet sites
that provide coastal information, please click "Coastal
Links" on the toolbar above.
GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
Extensive environmental data are available as digital coverage in
the Department's Geographic Information System (GIS) database: www.nj.us/dep/gis.
This information includes land use and land cover, soils, slopes,
wetlands, lakes, streams, tidelands, geology, watershed locations
and boundaries, 1995-1997 color infrared digital imagery and much
more. Hard copies of various maps and environmental reports can also
be obtained from the Department's Maps and Publications Office: www.nj.gov/dep/njgs/pricelst.
HISTORICAL SHORELINE AND BATHYMETRIC DATA
Historical shoreline maps can be used to evaluate changes over time
and predict areas of future shoreline change. The Department has produced
map data showing historical shoreline changes along the Atlantic Ocean
and Delaware Bay, dating back to the mid-1800's. These data are available
as a digital data layer ("HISTSHORE" coverage) via the DEP
GIS program: www.nj.gov/dep/gis.
Hard copies of these maps are available for review at the Department's
Land Use Regulation Program office: www.nj.gov/dep/landuse.
Copies of historical inlet bathymetry maps are also available for
review at the Land Use Regulation Program office, by appointment.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coastal Services
Center also maintains digital shoreline data for the United States: www.csc.noaa.gov.
HISTORICAL SURVEYS, MAPS AND AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
The Department maintains a library of current and historical surveys,
maps and aerial photography for use in operating the Tidelands Management
Program. Information about aerial photography coverage and flight
dates can be obtained from the Tidelands Management Program: www.nj.gov/dep/landuse/tl_main.html.
Additional maps and aerial photography are available from the United
States Geological Survey, Geospatial Data and Aerial Photography Division: www.usgs.gov/ngpo/index.html.
TIDELANDS MAPS AND ORTHOPHOTOS
The Department maintains copies of orthophotographs and claims overlays
showing the limits of the State claims to areas now or formerly flowed
by the mean high tide (tidelands), as well as copies of all Tidelands
grants, leases and licenses. These Tidelands maps and photographs
can be obtained from the Department's Tidelands Management Program: www.nj.gov/dep/landuse/tl_main.html.
The Tidelands orthophoto maps and claims overlays are also available
for review in each county clerk's office for that respective county
and at the Tidelands Management Program office in Trenton, by appointment.
WETLAND MAPS
The Wetlands Act of 1970 required coastal wetlands to be delineated and mapped. Wetlands permits are required for all activities in the mapped wetland areas. Aerial photographic mapping provides an upper wetlands boundary line. A listing of all map numbers included in this determination are provided at N.J.A.C. 7:7-2.2 of the Coastal Permit Program Rules. Copies of these maps are available for viewing at the Division of Land Use Regulation office in Trenton by filling out an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request.
There is also a Web Map Service (WMS) for the 1970 Coastal Wetlands basemaps where you can obtain georeferenced digital copies. (You will need GIS or GIS compatable software to utilize this service. There are free alternatives.) Please see the New Jersey Geographic Information Network Orthoimagery WMS for more information.
If unmapped coastal wetland vegetation exists upland of the mapped upper wetlands boundary or there is no official map for the property, then the wetlands area is regulated under the Freshwater Wetlands rules.
 BEACH PROFILE DATA
Through a contract with the Richard Stockton College Coastal Research
Center, the Department obtains dune, beach and nearshore profile data
at 120 locations along the New Jersey shore in the spring and fall
of each year. The New Jersey Beach Profile Network (NJBPN) monitoring
locations extend from Aberdeen on Raritan Bay in the north, down to
Cape May Point at the south, and around into Delaware Bay up to Reeds
Beach. These survey data include cross-sectional profiles and quantitative
measurements of volumetric changes along the profiles over time, dating
back to 1986. Data is available from the Stockton Coastal Research
Center: intraweb.stockton.edu/eyos/page.cfm?siteID=149&pageID=4.
REAL TIME COASTAL DATA
Rutgers University's Institute for Marine and Coastal Science (IMCS)
also maintains an oceanographic and meteorological data collection
system known as LEO-15 (Long-term Ecosystem Observatory at 15 meter
depth). Access real-time and archived information, including satellite
imagery, buoy tracking data, currents and other underwater data at: marine.rutgers.edu/cool.Stevens
Institute of Technology maintains the Coastal Monitoring Network (CMN)
at three locations along the New Jersey oceanfront: Belmar, Long Beach
Township and Avalon. Automated stations collect and disseminate real
time oceanographic and meteorological information including wave height
and period, mean water level, water temperature, wind speed and direction,
barometric pressure, air temperature and digital imagery of the beach.
Access these real time data from the Stevens Institute, Davidson Laboratory
website: www.stevens.edu/ses.
RECREATIONAL BEACH WATER QUALITY
The Department administers the Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program
with the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services and local
environmental health agencies. Recreational beach water quality monitoring
during the summer season is performed routinely on Mondays and throughout
the week, as necessary, at 184 ocean monitoring stations. View this
monitoring information: www.njbeaches.org.
NAUTICAL CHARTS, BATHYMETRIC AND HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEYS
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean
Service, Office of Coast Survey maintains recent and historical nautical
charts for all United States waters. Access these data and other information
regarding bathymetric and hydrographic surveys at: www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/staff/chartspubs.html.
STORM TRACKING INFORMATION
Keep track of storm activity with links to the National Weather Service: www.nws.noaa.gov;
and the National Hurricane Center: www.nhc.noaa.gov.
SATELLITE IMAGERY
Access extensive satellite imagery, including real time imagery,
from the Satellite Services Division of the National Environmental
Satellite, Data and Information Service: www.noaa.gov/satellites.html.
WATER LEVELS, TIDES AND CURRENTS
Access information regarding water levels, tides, currents and predictions
via the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National
Ocean Service, Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services
website: tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov
METEOROLOGICAL AND OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA
Access extensive real time and historical meteorological and oceanographic
data from the National Data Buoy Service: www.ndbc.noaa.gov.
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