NOAA Shoreline Website

A Guide to National Shoreline Data and Terms

Access Federal Shoreline Data

Shoreline Potential
Applications
Scale Source Coverage Tidal Datum
NOAA National Shoreline Shoreline Change Analysis, Nautical Chart Production, Cartographic Representation, and Boundary Determination Local
1:5,000 – 1:20,000
NOAA T-sheets and georeferenced aerial photos Continental U.S. + AK, HI, PR, VI, Great Lakes MHW and MLLW
NOAA Composite Shoreline Cartographic Representation and Boundary Determination Local
1:5,000 – 1:20,000
NOAA T-sheets Continental U.S. + HI MHW
USGS Vector Shorelines Shoreline Change Analysis, Cartographic Representation, and Boundary Determination Local
1:5,000 – 1:20,000
NOAA T-sheets U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Southeast Atlantic, and California MHW
NOAA OCS Shorelines Cartographic Representation and Boundary Determination National
1:10,000 – 1:80,000
NOAA Nautical Charts Continental U.S. + AK, HI, PR, VI, Great Lakes MHW and MLLW
NOAA Medium Resolution Shoreline Cartographic Representation and Boundary Determination National
1:70,000 average
NOAA Nautical Charts Continental U.S. only MHW or MHHW
Prototype Global Shoreline Cartographic Representation and Boundary Determination Global
1:75,000 and smaller
LANDSAT GeoCover World-wide HWL
World Vector Shoreline Plus Cartographic Representation and Boundary Determination Global
1:250,000 – 1:120,000,000
Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) Digital Landmass Blanking data World-wide MHW
NOAA Continually Updated Shoreline Product Shoreline Change Analysis, Shoreline Change Analysis, Cartographic Representation National
1:1,000 – 1:24,000
NOAA National Shoreline, lidar, imagery Continental U.S. + AK, HI, and U.S. Territories MHW