National Mapping Standard for Wetlands Margarete Heber U

National Mapping Standard for Wetlands Margarete Heber, U. S. EPA Wetland Mapping Standard Workgroup Chair 12/15/2021 1

Workgroup Participants • • • Jane Awl, TVA Colleen Charles, USGS Tom Dahl, FWS Randall Gray, USDA Larry Handley, USGS Margarete Heber, EPA Palmer Hough, EPA Chanda Littles, EPA Christine Mazzarella, EPA Marti Mc. Guire, NOAA 12/15/2021 • • • Edmund Miller, OSD Kathy Mulder, EPA K. Neimond, NACO Norman Melvin, NRCS Bill Pearson, FWS James Robb, Indiana Mark Sudol, COE Ralph Tiner, FWS Bill Wilen, FWS Andy Damasis DHS 2

Purpose of Workgroup • To develop and finalize a national standard for mapping wetlands at multiple, compatible scales, and in multiple time-frames • To facilitate mapping by various entities and integrate data into the NWI Geodatabase and delivery to the National Map • To ensure consistency in updating wetlands maps while preserving availability of older, historic, baseline wetlands maps for change assessment 12/15/2021 3

Business Case: Need standard to enable Feds, States, Tribes, and Locals to… – Map and input data into the NWI Geodatabase and the National Map; and – Facilitate mapping layers that can be used across geopolitical and watershed boundaries. 12/15/2021 4

Wetland maps are essential to… • Get a complete and accurate picture of wetland resources in the US • Calculate (not estimate) wetland loss and gain • See wetland geospatial distribution • Complete the watershed picture on the National Map – wetlands currently missing 12/15/2021 5

Scope of Standard • Federally funded mapping efforts required to use standard • Other mapping efforts strongly encouraged to use standard 12/15/2021 6

Justification • There is currently no FGDC-approved standard for wetland mapping • FWS will never have the resources to undertake wetland mapping alone, especially on a continual basis – a partnership between several agencies (Fed, State, Tribal, Local and others) can accomplish this 12/15/2021 7

Benefits • Any entity could map using the standard and help construct or update the wetlands layer of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure • A standard will help streamline mapping efforts for greater consistency and efficiency 12/15/2021 8

Next Steps • Present proposal to stakeholder groups (i. e. ASWM, Na. CO, NSGIC, etc. ) • Begin drafting standard • Post standard on web and solicit comments 12/15/2021 9

QUESTIONS? ? 12/15/2021 10