Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the 

U.S. Government

This map was printed on an electronic plotter directly from digital files. Dimensional calibration may vary between electronic plotters 

and between X and Y directions on the same plotter, and paper may change size due to atmospheric conditions; therefore, scale and 

proportions may not be true on plots of this map.

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services, Box 25286, Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225, 1–888–ASK–USGS

Digital files available at https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20181023

Suggested Citation: Cochrane, G.R., Hartwell, S.R., and Johnson, S.Y., 2018, Marine benthic habitats from the Coastal and Marine 

Ecological Classification Standard, Offshore of Gaviota map area, California, sheet 6 in Johnson, S.Y., Dartnell, P., Cochrane, G.R., 

Hartwell, S.R., Golden, N.E., Kvitek, R.G., and Davenport, C.W. (S.Y. Johnson and S.A. Cochran, eds.), California State Waters Map 

Series—Offshore of Gaviota, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2018–1023, pamphlet 41 p., 9 sheets, scale 1:24,000, 

https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20181023.

ISSN 2331-1258 (online)

https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20181023

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120°20' 120°15'

34°30'

34°25'

Figure 1. Map showing video-observation locations, sample localities, and seismic tracklines for Offshore of Gaviota map area.

3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters

Sample locality

Seismic tracklines

Video observation

EXPLANATION

#

Approximate modern shoreline—From National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s

(NOAA’s) Shoreline Data Explorer

Bathymetric contours—Derived from 

modified 2-m-resolution bathymetry grid.

Contour interval: 10 m

Map-unit

label

Area,

in square meters

S1 27,854,140

S2 10,364,978

S3 12,434,811

S4 1,068,996

S5 291,658

S6 12,574,410

S7 7,111

S9 349,274

S10 146,355

S11 1,116,801

S13 13,840,013

41,005

6,117,475

L1

L2

Table 1. Total area, in square meters, of each 

marine benthic habitat class from Coastal 

and Marine Ecological Classification 

Standard mapped in Offshore of Gaviota map 

area.

L3

S14

S15

3,239,731

12,246,730

99,409

20

L3

L2

L1

S14

S13

S11

S10

S9

S7

S6

S5

S3

S4

S2

S1

S15

DESCRIPTION OF MAP UNITS

CONTINENTAL/ISLAND SHELF

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Shelf. Ripples. Medium Sand. Soft Substrate 

Induration. Decades Persistence

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Shelf. Ripples. Rock Outcrop. Sand. Bedrock. 

Mixed Substrate Induration. Years Persistence

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Shelf. Rock Outcrop. Bedrock. Hard Substrate 

Induration. Centuries Persistence

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Shelf. Pockmark Field. Fine Unconsolidated 

Substrate. Soft Substrate Induration. Decades Persistence

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Shelf. Sandy Gravel. Soft Substrate Induration. 

Decades Persistence

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Shelf. Sandy Silt-Clay. Soft Substrate Induration. 

Decades Persistence

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Shelf. Scour Depression. Gravelly Sand. Soft 

Substrate Induration. Decades Persistence

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Shelf. Submarine Slide Deposit. Sandy Gravel. Soft 

Substrate Induration. Decades Persistence

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Shelf. Tar Mound. Rock Substrate. Hard Substrate 

Induration. Centuries Persistence

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Shelf. Trawling Scar. Decades Persistence

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Shelf. Apron. Gravelly Sand. Soft Substrate 

Induration. Decades Persistence

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Shelf. Bar. Pipeline Area. Decades Persistence

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Shelf. Bar. Sandy Gravel. Mixed Substrate 

Induration. Decades Persistence

CONTINENTAL/ISLAND SLOPE

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Slope. Runnel/Rill. Silty Sand. Soft Substrate 

Induration. Decades Persistence

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Slope. Sandy Silt-Clay. Soft Substrate Induration. 

Years Persistence

Transform Continental Margin. Continental/Island Slope. Rock Outcrop. Bedrock. Hard Substrate 

Induration. Centuries Persistence

EXPLANATION OF MAP SYMBOLS

Contact

Area of “no data”—Areas beyond 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters were not mapped 

as part of California Seafloor Mapping Program

3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters

Bathymetric contour (in meters)—Derived from modified 2-m-resolution bathymetry grid. Contour 

interval: 10 m

DISCUSSION

This map shows physical marine benthic habitats in the Offshore of Gaviota map area. Marine benthic habitats represent a 

particular type of water quality, substrate, geomorphology, seafloor process, or any other attribute that may provide a habitat for 

a specific species or an assemblage of organisms. Marine benthic habitats are classified using the Coastal and Marine Ecological 

Classification Standard (CMECS), developed by representatives from a consortium of federal agencies. CMECS is the Federal 

standard for marine habitat characterization (available at https://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/

cmecs-folder/CMECS_Version_06-2012_FINAL.pdf). The standard provides an ecologically relevant structure for biologic-, 

geologic-, chemical-, and physical-habitat attributes.

This map illustrates the geoform and substrate components of the standard and their distribution in the Offshore of Gaviota 

map area. Geoform components describe the major geomorphic and structural characteristics of the coast and seafloor (that is, 

the tectonic and physiographic settings and the geological, biogenic, and anthropogenic features). This map was derived from 

the geologic and geomorphic map of the seafloor (see sheet 9) by translation of the map-unit descriptions into the best-fit values 

of the CMECS classes. The map also includes a temporal attribute for each unit that indicates time period of persistence, as well 

as an induration attribute that allows resymbolization of the data-catalog shapefile into a simple map of hard-mixed-soft 

attributes of Essential Fish Habitat assessment (Greene and Bizzarro, 2003). Table 1 shows the total area (in square meters) of 

each CMECS class mapped.

REFERENCE CITED

Greene, H.G., and Bizzarro, J.J., 2003, Essential fish habitat characterization and mapping of the California continental margin: 

Final Report to Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, CFDA #11-454, 14 p., available at http://marinehabitat.psmfc.

org/files/source_docs/EFH_report_with_Appendices.pdf.

120°30' 120° 119°30'

34°

34°30'

Limit of California’s

State Waters

Kilometers 0 5 10

Santa Barbara Channel

Area of

Map

Santa Barbara CALIF.

MAP LOCATION

Anacapa Is.

Santa Cruz Is.

Santa Rosa Is.

San Miguel Is.

Marine Benthic Habitats from the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard, Offshore of Gaviota Map Area, California

By

Guy R. Cochrane, Stephen R. Hartwell, and Samuel Y. Johnson

2018 

ONE MILE = 0.869 NAUTICAL MILES

BATHYMETRIC CONTOUR INTERVAL 10 METERS

1 .5 0 1 KILOMETER

1000 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 FEET

1 1/2 0 1 MILE

SCALE 1:24 000

APPROXIMATE MEAN

DECLINATION, 2018

MAGNETIC NORTH

TRUE NORTH

12 / ° 1

Onshore elevation data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2

(NOAA) Office for Coastal Management’s Digital Coast (available at 

http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/data/coastallidar/) and from U.S. 

Geological Survey’s National Elevation Dataset (available at 

http://ned.usgs.gov/). California's State Waters limit from NOAA Office of Coast 

Survey

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 10N

NOT INTENDED FOR NAVIGATIONAL USE

Marine benthic habitats from Coastal and Marine Ecological 

Classification Standard mapped by Guy R. Cochrane, Stephen 

R. Hartwell, and Samuel Y. Johnson, 2016. Bathymetric contours 

by Peter Dartnell, 2016

GIS database and digital cartography by Guy R. Cochrane and 

Stephen R. Hartwell

Manuscript approved for publication February 12, 2018

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120°15'

120°15'

120°20'

120°20'

34°30'

34°30'

34°25'

34°25'

Open-File Report 2018–1023

Sheet 6 of 9

Pamphlet accompanies map

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey