# Presentation: 347943

## National Mapping Standard for Wetlands 

**Margarete Heber, U.S. EPA**
**Wetland Mapping Standard Workgroup Chair**

## Introduction

**Why have a standard?**
**What exists now?**
**What we proposed in February to FGDC**
**Who is developing the standard?**
**Timeline**
**Guts of the Standard**
**Implementation**
**Your Participation**
**How Can I Get More Information?**

## 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**

## Why Have a Standard? 

- 	**A Wetland Mapping Standard will:**
**Streamline mapping efforts for greater consistency and efficiency**
**Enable any entity to map using the standard and construct or update the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) Geodatabase and the National Map**
**Facilitate consistent mapping layers that can be used across geopolitical and watershed boundaries.**

## What Exists Now?

**There is currently no FGDC-approved (Federal Geographic Data Committee) standard for wetland mapping**
**USFWS (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) will never have the resources to undertake wetland mapping and updating alone, especially on a continual basis – **
**   ****a partnership (Fed, State, Tribal, Local and others) can accomplish this**

## What Was Proposed to and Approved by the FGDC in February 2006?

**Base proposal of FGDC standards on existing FWS standards**
**Coordinate with other pertinent standards: NHD, NOAA classifications, FGDC classification standards, etc.**
**Coordinate stakeholders**
**Propose draft for comment in February 2007**

## Who is Developing the Standard?

- Colleen Charles, USGS
- Bob Pierce, USGS
- Paul Wiese, USGS
- Larry Handley, USGS
- Tom Dahl, FWS
- John Cooper, FWS
- Bill Pearson, FWS
- Ralph Tiner, FWS
- Bill Wilen, FWS, NWI
- Jo Ann Mills, FWS
- Margarete Heber, EPA
- Palmer Hough, EPA
- Chanda Littles, EPA
- Christine Mazzarella, EPA
- Myra Price, EPA
- Kathy Mulder, EPA

- Edmund Miller, OSD
- Pedro Flores, NACO
- Norman Melvin, NRCS
- James Robb, IDEM
- Mark Sudol, COE
- Andy Damasis DHS
- Jeanne Christie, ASWM
- Dawn Browne, Ducks Unlimited
- Marti McGuire, NOAA
- Mark Gernes, MPCA
- Ky Ostergaard, Indus Corp.
- Dave LaBranche, DOD
- Mark Zundel, US Bureau of Indian Affairs
- Stephen Getlein, Army Env. Center
- Jane Awl, TVA
- Randall Gray, USDA

## Timeline

**Spring 2006: **Present proposal idea to stakeholder groups (i.e. ASWM, NACo, NSGIC, etc.)
**Spring 2006: **Begin drafting standard-l year to proposal
**Fall/Winter 2006: **Interact with stakeholders
**Fall/Winter 2006: **Ensure that state and federal agencies and tribes are comfortable with proposal
**February 2007: **Present draft standard to FGDC
**February 2007: **Post proposal for comment
-      [Agencies comment formally]
**July 2007: **Respond to comments
**August/September 2007: **Finalize proposal to FGDC

## Guts of the Standard

**Functional Requirements of Wetlands Mapping Standards:**
**Wetlands Classification**
**Deepwater Habitats**
**Riparian Habitats**
**Unmapped Habitats**
**Metadata**
**Geospatial Data Standard**
**Standard Map Product**
**Targeted Mapping Unit (1:12K = 0.5 acres)**

**Data Quality Components:**
**Completeness**
**Positional Accuracy**
**Attribute Accuracy**
**Logical Consistency**
**Data Dictionary (Definitions)**
**Wetland Unique Identifiers**

## Implementation 

**Encourage states/tribes to establish wetlands mapping funding coalition**
**Any entity receiving federal money must use FGDC standard**
**Encourage others to adopt/use the standard**
**Grant money as seed money are possibilities for funding**

## Your Participation?

## QUESTIONS?

**Contact Margarete Heber at:**
_**[Heber.margarete@epa.gov](mailto:Heber.margarete@epa.gov)**__**  **_
**202-566-1189**