The CZM Mapping and Data Management Program produces maps and updates jurisdictional boundaries to define and describe important features of the coastal zone.
Links and Descriptions
The following delineation projects have been completed:
- Massachusetts Coastal Zone Boundary - As part of the update of the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management Policy Guide - October 2011—the official statement of the Massachusetts coastal program policies and legal authorities—CZM’s Mapping and Data Management Program updated the official coastal zone boundary. A boundary description (PDF, 111 KB), GIS shapefile (ZIP, 828 KB), and Google Earth file (KMZ, 293 KB) are available.
- No Discharge Zone (NDZ) Mapping - NDZs are designated bodies of water where the discharge of all boat sewage, whether treated or not, is prohibited. All of Massachusetts waters are designated as “no discharge” for vessel sewage. CZM’s Mapping and Data Management Program has produced the official statewide boundary map (PDF, 1 MB) for the statewide NDZ.
- Designated Port Area (DPA) Boundary Maps - In 2011, CZM updated the DPA boundary maps and descriptions. The previously effective maps were available in hard-copy format only, and in some cases, boundaries were ambiguous.
- Chapter 91 Boundaries - Massachusetts General Law Chapter 91 is the Commonwealth's primary tool for protection and promotion of public use of tidelands and other waterways. Chapter 91 regulates activities on coastal waterways, including construction and dredging and filling in tidelands. CZM’s Mapping and Data Management Program has mapped the presumed extent of Chapter 91 jurisdiction along the coast, for reference when filing Chapter 91 applications. These data layers are available through CZM’s online data portal and mapping tool, the Massachusetts Ocean Resource Information System (MORIS).