Data Collections

NWHI - Maro Reef

Approximately 1200 km WNW of Kauai and 1000 km ESE of Midway lies Maro Reef at longitude 170 degrees 35 minutes W and latitude 25 degrees 22 minutes N. Maro Reef is a shallow-water reef ecosystem approximately 50 km long and 30 km wide and covering an estimated 1,856 sq. km It is one of the most ecologically rich locales in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Only one small rock outcrop of this former island reportedly extends above the ocean surface, and then only at very low tide. Much of the reef habitat at Maro Reef is composed of a series of intricate reticulated (forming a network) reef crests and surrounding lagoons. Many areas of Maro Reef appear quite similar to Pearl and Hermes, including a few small micro atolls. This reef may have the most coral cover in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The shallow reef areas consist of numerous patch reefs, submerged pinnacles and elongate reticulate reef complexes. Channels of deep water with highly irregular bottom topography lie between the shallow reef structures.

Maps and Imagery

• Maro Reef map: 227KB, JPG file
• Maro Reef IKONOS image (13m): 1.4MB, JPG file
• Maro Reef IKONOS image (8m): 2.4MB, JPG file
• Maro Reef bathymetry image (13m): 1,030KB, JPG file
• Maro Reef bathymetry image (4m)
• Maro Reef habitat cover image (13m): 2MB, JPG file
• Maro Reef habitat cover image (4m)
• Maro Reef detailed habitat image (13m): 1.7MB, JPG file
• Maro Reef detailed habitat image (4m)

Shapefiles

Download shapefiles which correspond to the detailed habitat class and aggregated cover imagery. Each zipped shapefile consists of 6 separate files, with the same root name and .dbf, .prj, .sbn, .sbx, .shp, and .shx extensions.

• Maro Reef detailed habitat shapefile
• Maro Reef habitat cover shapefile

Assisted Files and Data