Technical Procedures for Wetlands Status and Trends 

 

Operational Version 

December 2004 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

Branch of Habitat Assessment 

Arlington, VA 22203 
2

PROGRAM CONTACTS

Dr. Mamie Parker 

Assistant Director, Fisheries and Habitat Conservation 

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

202 208-6394 

Dr. Benjamin N. Tuggle 

Chief, Division of Federal Program Activities 

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

703 358-2161

John W. Cooper 

Chief, Branch of Habitat Assessment

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

703 358-2161 

Thomas E. Dahl 

Wetlands Status and Trends Biologist 

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

608 783-8425 
3

CONTENTS 

 Page No. 

General Disclaimer ................................................................................ 4 

Preface............................................................................................... 5 

I. Introduction ...................................................................................... 6 

II. The Service’s Wetlands Status and Trends Component.................................. 6 

III. Mandates and Authorization ............................................................... 7 

IV. Operational Terms and Definitions........................................................ 8 

V. Limitations................................................................................... 11 

VI. Technical Aspects and Specifications................................................... 12 

VII. Methods of Data Collection and Image Analysis..................................... 14 

VIII. Working with the Digital Imagery and 

Geodatabase Files Provided ...............................................................17 

IX. Delineation of Status and Trends Plot Data............................................... 23 

X. Image Analysis Specifications and Guidelines........................................... 25

XI. Plot Editing Guidelines ...................................................................... 27 

XII. Editing Status and Trends Geodatabase Files ............................................ 36 

XIII. Field Reconnaissance ......................................................................43 

IVX. Quality Control and Quality Assurance..................................................46 

XV. Materials Handling and Tracking - Safeguarding Information.......................48 

XVI. Mandatory Submissions....................................................................48 

XVII. Achieving Quality Requirements for Wetland Status and Trends.................49 

XVIII. References.................................................................................52 

APPENDIX A. Definitions of Habitat Categories Used by Status and Trends..........54 
4

APPENDIX B. Hammond Physiographic Subdivisions and Code Abbreviations......58 

APPENDIX C. Field Trip Report Outline ....................................................59 

APPENDIX D. Field Site Data Form...........................................................60 

APPENDIX E. Status and Trends Tracking Form............................................61 

General Disclaimer 

The use of trade, product, industry or firm names or products in this report is for informative 

purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Government or the Fish and 

Wildlife Service.
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TECHNICAL PROCEDURES FOR WETLANDS STATUS AND TRENDS

PREFACE

These specifications serve as a reference for conducting the image analysis work normally 

associated with mapping wetlands and deepwater habitats. It is impractical to include all of the 

technical aspects of data handling and analysis within this document or anticipate all resource 

inventory needs. Users are advised that other written conventions may be useful in describing 

image interpretation and mapping protocols and should be referenced as appropriate. More 

detailed field guides, regional information, wetland plant lists and soils descriptions are also 

available. 

This information is intended to provide general guidelines for work performance, but should not 

be substituted for direct communication with the appropriate Program, Project or Technical 

Specialist(s) regarding procedural questions. For additional information contact: 

 

Chief, Branch of Habitat Assessment 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

4401 N. Fairfax Drive 

Arlington, VA 22203 

This document is intended to be comprehensive, however situations may develop that require 

modifications or additions. 
6

I. Introduction

The mission of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, 

wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The 

Service supports active programs relating to migratory birds, endangered species, certain marine 

mammals, inland sport fisheries and wildlife refuges. The Service communicates information 

essential for public awareness and understanding of the importance of fish and wildlife resources 

and changes reflecting environmental conditions that ultimately will affect the welfare of human 

beings. To this end, the Service maintains an active Federal role in the inventory and monitoring 

of wetland habitats of the Nation. 

The scientific integrity of the Wetlands Status and Trends is unchallenged as it represents the 

most comprehensive and contemporary effort to track wetlands resources on a national scale. 

The Service provides habitat information to a diverse clientele including local planning 

commissions, regional governments, multinational corporations, and foreign governments. 

However, the Service must continue to develop additional applications of its data that will 

facilitate broader use and relevancy for integrated natural resource management and decision 

making in the future. Advances in information technology and geographic information systems 

have influenced public expectations for greater utility and functionality from Government data 

sources. 

There is an ever growing importance and sensitivity placed on data quality and integrity. The 

Service strives to present information on wetlands, deepwater and related habitats in an accurate, 

clear, complete and unbiased manner. To ensure the effectiveness and reliability of wetland 

status and trends data, the Service has established these procedural guidelines and adheres to the 

various quality assurance and quality control measures described. The goal of these guidelines 

and protocols is to ensure that the data collection, analysis, verification and reporting methods 

used produce information suitable to support decisions for which the data was intended. 

The technical procedures described here have been developed by the Service to provide the 

protocols needed to produce accurate wetland acreage estimates for the Nation. 

II. The Service’s Wetlands Status and Trends Component 

Data from status and trends provide important long-term trend information about specific 

changes and places and the overall status of wetlands in the United States. The historical data 

base that the Service has developed through Status and Trends, provides photographic evidence 

of land use and wetlands extent dating back to the 1950s. This provides an accurate record to 

assist in future restoration efforts. 

The Service’s wetland trends monitoring effort provides comprehensive information available to 

decision makers and the general public. The Service has rigorously documented the historic 

downward trend in wetland losses since the 1950s. At that time the average annual wetland loss 

rate was 458,000 acres. During the mid-1970s to mid-1980s the loss rate had declined to 290,000 
7

wetland acres annually. More recently, the Service reported to Congress in 2001 that the 

Nation’s wetland loss rate was about 59,000 wetland acres annually. The Service has produced 

four national reports. They are used by Federal and State agencies, the scientific community and 

conservation groups for planning, decision making and wetland policy formulation and 

assessment. 

Our Strategic Plan and the Wetlands Status and Trends Component 

Contemporary scientific information on wetlands should be the 

bedrock of good policy. The Service’s strategic plan for wetlands 

is focused on the development and dissemination of 

wetlands information to Service resource managers and the public. 

The Service’s wetlands expertise positions the Agency to assume 

an even greater future role in aquatic habitat policy development. 

Resource managers increasingly need contemporary information on 

aquatic habitats to address increasingly complex issues. To 

successfully meet these Agency needs in the 21st century, a 

strategic vision has been developed to focus on various program 

elements including: Trend and Change Analyses of Wetlands and 

Other Aquatic Habitats - Intensifying the analysis of trends in 

aquatic habitats at the state, ecoregion, or watershed level, 

especially in areas that have experienced substantial wetland 

change or that are changing rapidly. 

Goal Statement

The goal of Wetlands Status and Trends is to provide the Nation with current scientifically valid 

information on the status and extent of wetland, riparian and related aquatic resources and 

monitor trends of these resources over time. 

III. Mandate and Authorizations 

In 1986, the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act (Public Law 99-645) was enacted to promote 

the conservation of our Nation’s wetlands. Congress recognized that wetlands are nationally 

significant resources and that these resources have been affected by human activities. Under the 

provisions of this Act, Section 401 requires the Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct wetland 

status and trends studies of the Nation’s wetlands at periodic intervals. Reports on the status and 

trends of wetland area were produced by the Service in 1983/84, 1990, 1991, and 2000 (Frayer et

al. 1983; Tiner 1984; Dahl 1990; Dahl and Johnson 1991, Dahl 2000). .

On Earth Day (April 2004) the President announced that the Fish and Wildlife Service would 

complete an updated wetlands status and trends study in 2005 - five years ahead of schedule. 

This directive effectively placed the Service’s Wetlands Status and Trends component on a five 

year reporting cycle. 
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IV. Operational Terms and Definitions 

Study Objectives 

This study was designed to be a quantitative measure of the areal extent of all wetlands in the 

conterminous United States. 

Habitats Addressed: The Service’s Wetlands Status and Trends study design, training and 

operations are aimed specifically at monitoring the nation’s wetlands. The Service has 

specialized knowledge of wetland habitats, classification, and cover type changes. The focus of 

reporting is on the Nation’s wetlands regardless of ownership. 

Wetland Definition and Classification 

The Fish and Wildlife Service uses the Cowardin et al. (1979) definition of wetland. This 

definition is the standard for the agency and is the national standard for wetland mapping, 

monitoring, and data reporting as determined by the Federal Geographic Data Committee. It is a 

two-part definition as indicated below:

Wetlands are lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water 

table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. 

For purposes of this classification wetlands must have one or more of the following three 

attributes: (1) at least periodically, the land supports predominantly hydrophytes, (2) the 

substrate is predominantly undrained hydric soil, and (3) the substrate is nonsoil and is 

saturated with water or covered by shallow water at some time during the growing season 

of each year. 

Ephemeral waters, which are not recognized as a wetland type, and certain types of “farmed 

wetlands” as defined by the Food Security Act and that do not coincide with Cowardin et al.

definition were not included in this study. The definition and classification of wetland types are 

consistent between every status and trends study conducted by the Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Habitat category definitions are given in synoptic form in Table 1. The reader is encouraged to 

review Appendix A, which provides complete definitions of wetland types and land use 

categories used in this study. 

 

Wetland Classification Applications

The Service has made adaptations or modifications to the Cowardin classification system to 

accommodate the use of remotely sensed imagery as the primary data source. For example, 

water chemistry, halinity, water depth, substrate size and type and even some differences in 

vegetative species cannot always be reliably ascertained from air photos or satellite imagery used 

by the Service. Image analysts must rely primarily on physical or spectral characteristics evident 

on high altitude imagery, in conjunction with collateral data, to make decisions regarding 

wetland classification and deepwater determinations1

. 

 

1

Analysis of imagery is often supplemented with limited field work and ground observations. 
9

Table 1. Wetland, deepwater, and upland categories used to conduct wetland status and 

trends studies. The definitions for each category appear in Appendix A. 

Salt Water Habitats Common Description

Marine Subtidal* Open Ocean 

Marine Intertidal Near shore 

Estuarine Subtidal* Open-water/bay bottoms 

Estuarine Intertidal Emergents Salt marsh 

Estuarine Intertidal Forested/Shrub Mangroves or other estuarine shrubs 

Estuarine Intertidal Unconsolidated Shore Beaches/bars 

Estuarine Aquatic Bed Submerged or floating estuarine 

vegetation** 

Riverine* (may be tidal or non-tidal) River systems 

Freshwater Habitats 

Palustrine Forested Forested swamps 

Palustrine Shrub Shrub wetlands 

Palustrine Emergents Inland marshes/wet meadows 

Palustrine Unconsolidated Shore Shore beaches/bars 

Palustrine Unconsolidated Bottom Open-water ponds 

Palustrine Aquatic Bed Floating aquatic/submerged vegetation 

Palustrine farmed Farmed wetland 

Lacustrine* Lakes and reservoirs 

Uplands 

Agriculture Cropland, pasture, managed rangeland 

Urban Cities and incorporated developments 

Forested Plantations Planted or intensively managed forests; 

 silviculture 

Rural Development Non-urban developed areas and 

 infrastructure 

Other Uplands Rural uplands not in any other category; 

 barren lands 

_________________________ 

*Constitutes deepwater habitat 
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Deepwater Habitats

Wetlands and deepwater habitats are defined separately by Cowardin et al. (1979) because the 

term wetland does not include deep, permanent water bodies. Deepwater habitats are 

permanently flooded land lying below the deepwater boundary of wetlands. Deepwater habitats 

include environments where surface water is permanent and often deep, so that water, rather than 

air, is the principal medium in which the dominant organisms live, whether or not they were 

attached to the substrate. For the purposes on conducting status and trends work all lacustrine

and riverine waters are deepwater habitats. 

Riparian Habitats

Riparian habitats are among the most important vegetative communities for western wildlife 

species. Because of its expertise in wetland identification and mapping, the Service maps 

riparian areas of the western United States. The Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 authorized the 

Service to map habitats used by fish and wildlife resources. Under that authority, the Service 

developed and implemented “A System for Mapping Riparian Areas in the Western United 

States” (USFWS 1997). The Services riparian mapping system has been used to locate and 

describe this unique vegetative community throughout the western United States. The Service’s 

riparian definition is: 

Riparian areas are plant communities contiguous to and affected by surface and 

subsurface hydrologic features of perennial or intermittent lotic and lentic water bodies 

(rivers, streams, lakes or drainage ways). Riparian areas have one or both of the 

following characteristics: 1) distinctively different vegetative species than adjacent areas, 

and 2) species similar to adjacent areas but exhibiting more vigorous or robust growth 

forms. Riparian areas are usually transitional between wetland and upland. 

Upland Habitats 

The Service uses an abbreviated upland classification system with five generalized categories as 

seen in Table 1. Some habitat monitoring projects may require more specialized upland 

classification. For these projects, the Service uses the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) land 

classification scheme described by Anderson et al. (1976). More detailed Level 1 or Level 2 

descriptors found in Anderson et al. (1976) or other schemes may be used to satisfy specific 

study applications. 

V. Limitations 

Certain habitats were excluded from this study because of the limitations of aerial imagery as the 

primary data source to detect wetlands. These include seagrasses or submerged aquatic 

vegetation that are found in the intertidal and subtidal zones of estuaries and near shore coastal 

waters (Orth et al. 1990). The detection of submerged aquatic vegetation using aerial imagery is 

difficult without extensive surface level observations, tide stage data, water clarity data, and 

because of surface waves (Ferguson et al. 1993). Because of these requirements, the majority of 

seagrasses are not delineated as part of the status and trends studies. 
11

Ephemeral waters not recognized as a wetland type by Cowardin et al. (1979), are not included 

in this study. 

VI. Technical Aspects and Project Specifications 

Sampling Design

The approach used is a stratified random sampling of plots. These are examined, with the use of 

remotely sensed data in combination with field work, to determine wetland change. 

 

To monitor changes in wetland area, the 48 conterminous States are stratified or divided by State 

boundaries and 35 physiographical subdivisions described by Hammond (1970) and shown in 

Figure 1. Zone 36 was added by the Service to include coastal wetlands and nearshore features. 

A list of the physiographic regions by name, abbreviation code and map number is provided in 

Appendix B. 

To permit even spatial coverage of the sample and to allow results to be computed easily by sets 

of States, the 36 physiographic regions formed by the Hammond subdivisions and the coastal 

zone stratum are intersected with State boundaries to form 220 subdivisions or strata. An 

example of this stratification approach and the way it relates to sampling frequency is shown for 

Georgia (Figure 2). 

 
12
13

Figure 2. Physiographic strata in Georgia. 

Within the physiographic strata described above, weighted, stratified sample plots are randomly 

allocated in proportion to the amount of wetland acreage expected to occur within each stratum. 

Each sample area is a surface plot 2.0 miles ( 3.218 km) on a side or 4 square miles of area 

equaling 2,560 acres (1,036 ha). The study includes all wetlands regardless of land ownership. 

The advantages to this design are that it was developed by an interagency group of spatial 

sampling experts specifically to monitor wetland changes. It can be used to monitor conversions 

between ecologically different wetland types, as well as, measure wetland gains and losses. 

 For each sample plot, the rate of change among all wetland types between the two dates of 

imagery is used to estimate the total area of the sample plot in each wetland type and the changes 

in wetland area between dates. The changes are recorded in categories that can be considered the 

result of either natural change, such as the natural succession of emergent wetlands to shrub 

wetlands, or human induced change. Areas of the sample plot that have been identified in 

previous eras as wetlands but are no longer wetlands, are placed into five land use categories 

including agriculture, upland forested plantations, upland areas of rural development, upland 

urban landscapes and other miscellaneous lands. The outputs from this analysis are change 

matrices that provided estimates of wetland area by type and observed changes over time. 

Rigorous quality control inspections are built into the interpretation, data collection and analysis 

processes. 
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Suitable Imagery 

Only good quality imagery is acquired and used. Either high resolution satellite imagery or 

aerial photography is used. The preferred type is color infrared imagery. Experienced wetland 

interpreters have found color infrared to be superior to other imagery types for recognition and 

classification of wetland vegetation types. 

In some instances, the Service has arranged custom flights to acquire recent imagery that would 

accurately portray surface water conditions. 

Wherever possible, leaf-off (early spring or late fall) imagery is preferred. A number of studies 

have found that imagery obtained when vegetation is dormant allows for better identification of 

wetland boundaries, areas covered by water, drainage patterns, separation of coniferous from 

deciduous forest, and classification of some understory vegetation. (U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency 1991) There are distinct advantages to using leaf-off imagery to detect the 

extent of forested wetland. Visual evidence of hydrologic conditions such as saturation, 

flooding, or ponding combined with collateral data sources including soil surveys, topographic 

maps, and wetland maps are used to identify and delineate the areal extent of forested wetlands. 

Leaf-off imagery is an important tool in this process. 

VII. Methods of Data Collection and Image Analysis

The delineation of wetlands, deepwater habitats and riparian features through image analysis 

forms the foundation for deriving all subsequent products and data results. Consequently, the 

Service places a great deal of emphasis on the quality of the image interpretation. The Service 

makes no attempt to adapt or apply the products of these techniques to regulatory or legal 

authorities regarding wetland boundary determinations, jurisdiction or land ownership, but rather 

uses the information to assist in making trends estimates characterizing wetland habitats. 

 

 Image Interpretation of Wetlands - General Concepts

There are "basic elements" that can aid in identification of wetland habitats from aerial 

photographs or satellite imagery. The image analyst uses these to make decisions about 

ecological habitat boundaries to delineate wetlands. These same elements are used in the 

quality control review of delineated information to check for accuracy and completeness. 

 

Tone (also called Hue or Color) -- Tone refers to the relative brightness or color of 

elements on an image. It is, perhaps, the most basic of the interpretive elements because 

without tonal differences none of the other elements could be discerned. 

Size -- The size of objects must be considered in the context of the scale of an image. The 

scale will help you determine if an object is a stock pond or large lake. 

Shape -- Refers to the general outline of objects. Regular geometric shapes are usually 

indicators of human presence and use. 

Texture -- The impression of "smoothness" or "roughness" of image features is caused 
15

by the frequency of change of tone on images. It is produced by a set of features too 

small to identify individually. Grass, cement, and water generally appear "smooth", while 

a forest canopy may appear "rough". 

Pattern (spatial arrangement) -- The patterns formed by objects in an image can be 

diagnostic. Consider the difference between (1) the random pattern formed by a natural 

grove of trees and (2) the evenly spaced rows formed by an orchard or planted forest. 

Shadow -- Shadows aid analysts in determining the height of objects on aerial imagery, 

however, they also may obscure objects lying within them. 

Geographic Location -- This characteristic of imagery is especially important in 

identifying vegetation types and land forms. For example, large oval depressions can 

readily be identified as pocosin wetlands in coastal plain of South Carolina. 

Association -- Some objects are always found in association with other objects. The 

context of an object can provide insight into what it is. For instance, golf courses 

generally contain open water ponds (wetlands) used as water traps. 

For general information on photo interpretation and photo interpretation techniques, users are 

referred to the following publications:

Avery, T.E. 1968. Interpretation of Aerial Photographs 2nd edition. Burgess 

Publishing Co., Minneapolis, MN. 324 p. 

 

Lillesand, T.M. and R.W. Kiefer. 1987. Remote Sensing and Image 

Interpretation 2nd edition. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, NY. 

721 p.

W. Philipson (editor) 1996. Manual of Photographic Interpretation (Second 

edition). American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. 

Bethesda, MD 

On-Screen (Heads-up) Method. The accepted technique used to interpret and delineate 

wetlands for Status and Trends is the on-screen method using digital, rectified imagery. 

The on-screen or heads-up method involves viewing digital map data that overlays digital 

imagery on a personal computer screen (monitor). Changes to the data to make it current with 

the digital imagery can be made on-screen, checked and saved or exported. 

The heads-up method, as described here, was primarily developed for updating wetland features. 

It employs geodatabase formats for viewing, editing and storing the status and trends digital data. 

This greatly improves the administration, access, management and integration of spatial data. 

The heads-up method has several distinct advantages: 

• Uses digital imagery (DOQs or satellite data) 

• Digital Raster Graphics (DRGs) provide a direct backdrop for image 
16

interpretation and checking 

• Automated verification routines can incorporate GIS capability 

There are also several disadvantages associated with this method: 

• The process is machine/cursor driven. This requires an ArcGIS literate 

operator 

• On-screen viewing may lower resolution and limited stereo capabilities 

• The image analyst may over delineate features 

The heads-up process relies on the image interpreter’s ability to recognize, accurately delineate 

and classify wetlands, perform edits, and verify the digital data. Customized Arc tools were 

created to allow quicker attribution of status and trends features using wetland and deepwater 

codes as well as upland codes. A custom verification tool was also developed to provide quality 

control or logic checks of the digital data. 

Editing and updating wetland digital data using the heads - up process implies the following: 

• Digital imagery will be used as the base imagery to update the wetlands 

information 

• The existing status and trends digital data will overlay and register to a 

USGS DRG of the topographic base map 

• Use ArcGIS software in a Windows environment to edit existing digital 

data 

• Use the Service’s customized software tools to assist the updating and 

editing and data verification processes 

Minimum Hardware and Software Requirements

Desktop Work Stations: The customized Attribution and Verification Tools are extensions to 

Environmental Systems Research, Incorporated’s (ESRI) ArcGIS desktop geographic 

information system (GIS) product. To run these tools, any workstation must be capable of 

running the ArcGIS suite, including Arc Desktop and Arc Workstation. ESRI has published 

system requirements for ArcGIS on their web site: www.esri.com. The following minimum 

hardware requirements are necessary: 

• CPU with a clock speed of 2 gigahertz or faster 

• 1 gigabyte of physical RAM 

• AGP video card with 64 megabytes of video memory 

• 10/100-base-T network adapter 

• SCSI or ATA100 IDE hard drive 
17

• 1024 x 768 resolution monitor2

Software - ArcGIS 9.0 (or later) is used to perform update edits in a heads-up environment. 

ArcMAP provides a suite of efficient editing tools, interactive editing capability and integrated 

version control of data. Customized attribution and verification processes are integrated into the 

ArcGIS on-screen display. 

Personnel Qualifications

Using the on-screen method, image analysts are responsible for ecological integrity of the 

mapping process as well as most of the cartographic accuracy. The identification, delineation 

and attribution of features is done within the digital data file requiring analysts to understand the 

ecological aspects of wetlands as well as be able to operate in a computerized mapping 

environment. For this reason, image analysts using this method should be experienced with Arc 

Desktop (8.3, 9.0 or later versions) software, and have some familiarity with geodatabases and 

editing spatial data. Image analysts must have an understanding of surface water hydrology and 

wetland ecology. The analyst observes the amount of standing water, if any, visible on the 

photograph and relates it to the date of photography, type of wetland vegetation, local or regional 

precipitation patterns, length of growing season, soil types, physiographic position, and 

knowledge of the area gained from supplemental data sources. 

 

VIII. Working with the Digital Imagery and Geodatabase Files Provided 

Status and trends plots to be updated are provided to the image analysts on CDs or DVD media. 

Plots are grouped by state and will vary between 9 to 20 plots per CD (larger quantities on 

DVD). Digital wetlands data are provided in personal geodatabase format. These data are in a 

uniform projection (Albers Equal-Area Conic Projection). The horizontal planar units are meters. 

The horizontal planar datum is the North American Datum of 1983, also called NAD83. The 

CDs will contain the following information: 

1. The 2005 era digital imagery (all imagery is ortho-rectified) 

2. A geodatabase containing the digital wetlands data (era 97 delineations and a 

copy of the era ’97 data coded as ‘era 05’) 

3. The customized status and trends attribution and verification tools 

4. Instructions for tool installation 

5. A status and trends tracking form that will indicate the number of plots 

completed, state, date, image analyst, and any “NO CHANGE” plots being 

returned 

6. A standardized field trip report outline to be used when submitting field trip 

reports 

 

2

 Dual monitors may be preferred 
18

7. A standardized field site form to be used at specific field check sites 

8. Information on the imagery type and date(s) included on the tracking form 

Analysts must review and update (delineate) where necessary, wetland, deepwater and upland 

features within the plot boundary. All work is to be done in ArcGIS 9.0. Tools and verification 

are designed to work in Arc 9.0. 

Updated plots must be verified and the data returned to the Service for additional quality control 

reviews. 

Acquiring and Incorporating Collateral Digital Data 

Minimal data requirements for updating status and trends plots using the heads-up method are 

recent digital imagery, trend plot digital data files, and digital raster graphics (DRGs). Optional 

collateral data may include digital soils data, hydrology (NHD), coastal navigation chart data, 

supplemental imagery, etc. 

Imagery, DRGs, NHD hydrography data, soils data or other collateral data are currently available 

by accessing The National Map at: http://nationalmap.gov/index.html. Other collateral data are 

available through agency web sites including the following: 

 NRCS soils data at: http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov/

 NOAA coastal navigation charts at: http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/index.htm 

Viewing Reference DRG’s and OrthoPhotos in ArcMap 

When reviewing digital plot data it is invaluable to have ancillary imagery, topographic maps 

and other collateral data to use as additional sources of information. This can be achieved 

without having the data stored locally, but through the use of Web Mapping Services (WMS). 

All that is needed is internet access and some simple customization of ArcMap to view Open 

Geographic Consortium (OGC) layers. 

Adding an OGC Layer to ArcMap 

 To add OGC layers to ArcMap follow this two-step process: 1.) Download and install 

 the OGC Interoperability Add-On for ArcGIS from ESRI. 2.) Configure the Add-On to 

 call for WMS layers from the Microsoft Terraserver. The following instructions provide 

 steps for both of the operations. 

1. Configuring ArcMap for OGC Compatibility 

a. Download the OGC Interoperability Add-On for ArcGIS from ESRI. The 

download link is at http://www.esri.com/software/opengis/ogc-download.html

b. Install by running the Setup.exe file 

c. Start ArcMap and select Tools Æ Customize 

d. Check the box next to Interoperability Tools in the window in Figure 3.a. 
19

Figure 3.a. Adding Interoperability Tools to ArcMap 

 e. The Interoperability toolbar will appear on your screen. This can be moved or 

 anchored into your ArcMap session in a convenient location. 

2. Adding WMS (OGC) Layers to an ArcMap Session 

 a. Click the WMS Button on your newly added Interoperability Tools bar. 

 b. In the URL from server box type: 

 http://terraserver.microsoft.com/ogccapabilities.ashx? Figure 3.b.(2) 
20

Figure 3.b. Adding a URL to WMS Dialog Box 

3. Click the Get List Button. (3) 

4. Select the Layers you want by checking the box to their left and click Add Data 

 (Figure 3.c). 

2

3
21

Figure 3.c. Selecting the Data Desired for your ArcMap Session. 

 

Digital Raster Graphics (DRGs) 

A DRG is a scanned image of a USGS standard series topographic map. The image inside the 

map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and uses the UTM projection. The 

horizontal positional accuracy and datum of the DRG matches the accuracy and datum of the 

source map. These form the standard base map for the status and trends sample plots and should 

be used as both a base and as a source of collateral data for identifying wetlands. 

 Optimum transparency for DRG backdrops - DRG images should be visible as a 

 backdrop to the imagery being used for mapping. The recommended transparency setting 

 for viewing DRG backdrops is 75%. Transparency settings within an ArcMap session 

 should not exceed 80% or be less than 60%. The DRG image may be toggled on and off 

 as needed when conducting active editing or feature delineations on the digital image. 

 
22

Digital Orthophotos (DOQs)

Digital orthophotos are rectified digital photography that combine the image characteristics of a 

photograph with the geometric qualities of a map. Digital orthophotos are geo-referenced. This 

means that any point on the orthophoto is referenced to its actual latitude/longitude (its actual 

location on the earth). Ortho-rectification removes distortion in the photo and provides uniform 

scale throughout the image. 

Many digital orthophoto quarter quads (DOQQs) are produced by the USGS and represent a 

quarter of a standard USGS 1:24,000 quadrangle. DOQQs are either gray scale (black and 

white) or color infrared and have a 1.0. meter ground resolution. DOQQ's are projected in UTM 

meters in NAD83 Datum. USGS DOQ's meet National Map Accuracy Standards at 1:12,000 

scale for 3.75-minute quarter quadrangles and at 1:24,000 scale for 7.5-minute quadrangles 

(corresponding to standard, 7.5-minute USGS topographic maps). The National Map provides 

DOQs for the country. These can be accessed and used as supplemental photography by image 

analysts as described earlier. 

Checking Data Alignment and Registration 

Not all DOQs have been made by USGS and may not meet these specifications. For this reason, 

checking the accuracy and registration of the DOQ is an important first step. This can be done 

by aligning the DOQ image with the matching portion of the DRG. Since USGS base map has 

always, and will continue to be the base map for the wetlands status and trends effort, all digital 

data is aligned or compared to the standard DRG. If imagery is scanned and rectified, acquired 

from non-conventional sources or if satellite imagery is used, the images must match the DRG 

base. This can be accomplished by checking alignment of known features on the image and map 

for correlation or checking datum corner points. Generally there should be close agreement 

between the digital imagery, the DRG and the digital status and trends polygonal data. (Note: If 

there are major discrepancies between these data layers (as illustrated in the inset example on 

the next page), plot(s) should be identified and returned to the project manager. New plots 

with corrected data will be provided.) 

 

Using Stereoscopic Interpretation and Collateral Hard-copy Imagery 

Hard-copy, historic aerial photography is available for most status and trends plot areas. On a 

limited basis, these photos may be made available to assist in the update process. 

Air photo interpretation involving three-dimensional viewing of successive air photos that 

overlap the same geographic area (between flight lines) provides a useful method to confirm 

interpretation work. In stereo view, topographic relief features become recognizable. Photos are 

examined stereoscopically and supporting information from topographic maps, soil surveys, and 

other land cover maps assist in this process. This, combined with the visual appearance of 

discrete vegetation communities based on color, texture and relative height, permits an 

experienced wetlands interpreter to identify wetland habitats. This process has been employed 

successfully by Service biologists to map wetlands since the mid 1970s. All stereo photo 

interpretation should be done using equipment equal to or better than four-power (4X) mirror 

stereoscopes. 
23

IX. Delineation of Status and Trends Plot Data 

The Service identifies wetlands and deepwater habitats primarily by the analysis of high altitude 

imagery. Wetlands are identified based on vegetation, visible hydrology and geography. There 

is a margin error inherent in the use of imagery, thus detailed on-the-ground inspection of any 

particular site, may result in revision of the wetland boundaries or classification established 

through image analysis. The accuracy of image interpretation depends on the quality of the 

imagery, the experience of the image analysts, the amount and quality of the collateral data, and 

the amount of ground truth verification work conducted 

Wetlands, deepwater and upland habitats will be labeled using the letter and number code 

(alphanumeric) that correspond to attribute codes and classification descriptors in Table 2. 

Classification of each delineated unit shall include the appropriate system, subsystem and class. 

Split-class attributes are not allowed and no point or linear features are included in the status and 

trends data set. Features that are too small to be delineated as polygons will not be included 

(also see p. 25). 

Wetland delineation line work will follow the border of the wetland boundary. No upland 

features should be included as part of a wetland feature (i.e. adjacent roads, railroads, etc.). 

The aerial imagery in combination with field reconnaissance will prevail as the principle data 

source for monitoring change. Changes which have taken place since the time of image capture 

(wetland gains or losses) should not be included as part of the mapping effort. Maximum 

vegetative summer growth in an average year and at the average low water level shall be basis 

for classification. 

Figure 4. High altitude imagery is the principle data source for determining wetland change. This photo is a color 

infrared high altitude photograph, original scale 1:40,000. 
24

Table 2. Wetland, deepwater, and upland categories used in national status and trends update study. 

Attribute Code Salt Water Habitats Common Description

M1 Marine Subtidal* Open Ocean 

M2 Marine Intertidal Near shore 

E1UB Estuarine Subtidal* Open water/bay bottoms 

E2EM Estuarine Intertidal Emergents Salt marsh 

E2SS Estuarine Intertidal Forested/Shrub Mangroves or other 

 estuarine shrubs 

E2US Estuarine Intertidal Unconsolidated Shore Beaches/bars 

E2AB Estuarine Aquatic Bed** Submerged or floating 

 estuarine vegetation 

RIV Riverine* (may be tidal or non tidal) River systems 

 Freshwater Habitats 

PFO Palustrine Forested Forested swamps 

PSS Palustrine Shrub Shrub wetlands 

PEM Palustrine Emergents Inland marshes/wet meadows 

PUS Palustrine Unconsolidated Shore Shore beaches/bars 

 PUB Palustrine Unconsolidated Bottom Open water ponds 

 PAB Palustrine Aquatic Bed Ponds with floating 

 aquatics 

Pf Palustrine farmed Farmed wetlands/rice 

 

LAC Lacustrine* Lakes and reservoirs 

 Uplands 

UA Agriculture Cropland, pasture, 

 managed rangeland 

UB Urban Cities and incorporated 

 developments 

UFP Forested Plantations Planted or intensively 

 managed forests; 

 silviculture 

URD Rural Development Non urban developed areas 

 and infrastructure 

UO Other Uplands Rural uplands not in any 

 other category; 

 barren lands 

*Constitutes deepwater habitat 
25

X. Image Analysis Specifications and Guidelines 

Wetland Status and Trends employs remote sensing techniques to locate, identify and classify 

wetlands, deepwater habitats and upland land use. Currently, a combination of digital high 

altitude photography and high resolution satellite imagery is used. The image analysis of 

wetlands, deepwater habitats and upland land use forms the foundation for deriving all 

subsequent products and data results. Consequently, the Service places a great deal of emphasis 

on the quality of the initial image interpretation process. 

Minimum Delineation Unit for Wetlands 

The minimum targeted delineation unit for wetlands identified is one acre (0.40 ha). Results of 

past status and trends studies indicate the actual minimum feature delineated to be about 0.1 acre 

(0.04 ha), however not all features less than the target size were detected (Figure 5). The 

minimum size for wetland delineations should not be defined using sample plot boundaries, but 

by the total size of the feature regardless of the acreage within the Status and Trends sample plot 

area. All features delineated must be polygons. 

There is no minimum unit applicable to wetland change delineation. 

Figure 5. Small wetlands less than the minimum target size should be included when detected. This wetland 

is a fraction of an acre, but is apparent on the source imagery. 

Level of Accuracy for Wetland Classification

Minimal classification accuracy shall be 95 percent. Wetland Status and Trends requires 

accurate delineation and classification to the "Class" level as described by Cowardin et al. 

(1979). 

Minimum Delineation Unit for Uplands

Wetland Status and Trends uses a modified version of the Anderson, et al. (1976) upland land 

use categories. The minimum delineation unit for identifying uplands is five acres (2.0 ha). In 

some instances it may be important to delineate smaller units (e.g. small upland islands created 
26

in waterways,) but areas smaller than five acres of one upland land use type surrounded by 

another upland land use type should not be delineated. The minimum mapping size for upland 

delineations should not be defined using sample plot boundaries, but by the total size of the 

feature regardless of the acreage within the Status and Trends sample plot area. 

 

Level of Accuracy for Upland Classification

Minimal classification accuracy shall be 95 percent. 

Additionally, the following apply: 

• Roads within urbanized settings should be classified as upland-urban. 

• Major (4-lane or greater) highways in rural areas should be classified as 

upland-rural development. Smaller roads in rural settings should not be 

delineated. 

• Narrow (less than two or three crown widths) lines of trees (e.g. 

shelterbelts) should not be delineated. These should be classified with the 

surrounding upland land use. 

Edge Matching Adjacent Sample Plots 

Adjacent plots should be identified and where possible, these sample plots should be interpreted 

together through the change analysis phase. The image analyst is required to take steps to ensure 

accurate feature edge-matching of all finalized interpretation.

Collateral Data as an Aid to Image Analysis

The analyst is required to use all available and approved imagery, topographic maps, soils 

information or any other sources of collateral data during image interpretation. Review of these 

materials is helpful in interpreting aerial photographs or satellite images. Sources of collateral 

data may include the following: 

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Topographic Maps or Digital Raster Graphic 

 (DRG): Areas indicated on USGS 1:24,000 scale topographic maps by swamp 

 symbology should be closely inspected on the source imagery. These features are 

 often excellent indicators of wetland and unless strong evidence indicates otherwise, 

 should be included on the map. Due to the nature of USGS topographic mapping, 

 wetlands marked on USGS quadrangles tend to be at least seasonally flooded (U.S. 

 Geological Survey 2001). All permanent water bodies are also mapped by USGS and can 

 be accessed through the National Hydrography Dataset. 

 

 USGS maps also provide excellent information regarding slope, land use and some 

 cultural features. Close attention should be paid to the topographic contour lines on the 

 USGS maps. Many interpretation errors can be avoided if the degree of slope is taken 

 into consideration. The location, shape, drainage pattern, and surrounding physical and 

 cultural features are all important clues when delineating wetlands. 

Natural Resource Conservation Service County Soil Surveys or Digital Soils 

Information: Soil survey maps are useful collateral data providing the description, 

classification, and mapping of soils within a county. Soil maps are a representation of 

various soil patterns within a landscape. The complexity of the soil patterns, scale of the 

base photography, field techniques employed, date compiled, and the minimum mapping 
27

unit for soil classification all play a roll in how the soils information was produced and 

the utility as collateral data for mapping wetlands. When used by an experienced image 

analyst as collateral data, soils maps are useful in assisting in separating upland from 

wetland (hydric) soils. 

The soil survey geographic (SSURGO) data base duplicates the original soil survey maps 

and presents it in digital form. The SSURGO data represents the most detailed level of 

digital soil information. 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Navigational Charts: A NOAA 

navigational, or nautical chart, is a graphic representation of the estuarine, marine and 

near shore environment. They are primarily used to plot routes for sea-going vessels. All 

nautical charts depict coastline features, configuration of the sea bottom, tidal ranges, 

location of man-made and natural hazards to navigation, and the properties of the earth’s 

magnetism. Nautical charts are especially useful in determining the subtidal and 

intertidal subsystem breaks in the Marine and Estuarine wetland classification systems. 

They are also useful in determining the location and extent of mangroves, coastal shoals, 

flats or bars. 

Previous Edition National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) Maps and Ancillary Project 

Information: Whenever a previous edition of an NWI map exists, the analyst will use 

the map as collateral information to determine the location and extent of wetlands based 

on an earlier time period. Using previous edition Service wetland maps will provide 

important information on the presence or absence of wetlands. This information is useful 

to the analyst using more current imagery, or imagery of a different scale, or emulsion. 

Local or Regional Studies or Maps: The analyst is also encouraged to consult 

appropriate internal and external resources (regional experts, on-site resource managers, 

etc.) to assist in the interpretation process. Examples of this type of information include: 

Water management or district maps, vegetation maps or surveys, and local habitat studies 

or characterizations. The Service’s Regional Wetland Coordinators, state agencies, or 

regional authorities are often good sources for such information. The interpretation and 

delineation of wetlands and deepwater habitats is expected to meet the Service’s 

standards for accuracy and consistency. Communication and problem resolution 

procedures to ensure product acceptance should be maintained throughout the project. 

XI. Plot Editing Guidelines 

The following guidelines have been established to further describe project objectives: 

Working scales - The nominal project scale for the Service’s wetland status and trends plots is 

1:12,000. Over-delineation of features is possible given the quality of some of the digital 

imagery being used. This should be avoided to realize project efficiencies and has led to 

establishing specific project scale thresholds. 
28

Universal scale - The universal working scale is the scale where many edits are done in ArcMap 

and the delineations are reviewed and quality controlled. The universal scale should range 

between 1:8,000 and 1:10,000 in an ArcMap session. This exceeds the nominal scale to ensure 

accuracy and sufficient detail. 

Maximum zoom - This is the maximum magnification an analyst should use for wetland 

delineation and classification purposes. This scale is established at 1:5,000. Delineations 

performed below this maximum zoom threshold greatly exceed the project’s nominal scale, and 

may misrepresent the data as being more precise than can by supported by the techniques and 

objectives as established by the Service. Delineations performed at scales larger (more detailed) 

than this threshold lead to project inefficiencies. 

Analyst corrections - Corrections to the existing digital data will be made to fix past mistakes. 

Corrections include such things as missed wetlands, areas incorrectly delineated as wetland, 

repositioning or rectification of old line work and corrections to the wetland or upland 

classification. Status and Trends does not generate maps for public distribution. For this reason 

the geo-position of polygons or line work is secondary importance to proper identification and 

accurate delineation of the wetland feature (Figure 6). 

Figure 6. In this example, some the line work around the lake does not fit the basin exactly. However, the 

size, shape, general location and classification of the lake have not changed over time. There has been no 

visible ecological change since the last update. In this instance, image analysts shall add the new ponds that 

have been created (blue arrows) rather than adjust the lake boundary to be more precise. 

Change Detection 
29

Change detection and analysis involves identifying wetland gains and/or losses, covertype 

changes as well as upland land use changes. To determine changes between eras the analyst is 

required to compare the existing plot information from the past era to more recent imagery or the 

same area (Figure 7). All changes should represent realistic and logical analysis, avoiding any 

false or unlikely changes. An example of an unlikely change might involve upland urban (UB) 

being converted to palustrine forested wetland (PFO) over the course of a five year time span. 

This type of change will be carefully scrutinized and verified, if possible, by field examination or 

collateral data. 

Figure 7. Change detection involves a comparison of two different eras (T1 and T2) over time. 

Analyst updates or changes - to the wetland delineations are based on actual change over time. 

Updates included the deletion of lost wetlands (Figure 8), additions of new wetlands, the 

reshaping of wetland boundaries based on changes that have occurred over time, and reclassification of wetlands that have changed cover-type. Changes in upland land use that have 

occurred over time (i.e. agriculture to urban) are not made unless it involves a wetland feature 

change. 

Figure 8. Some update changes are obvious on the imagery. In this example, historic wetlands indicated by 

red polygons have been lost to urban development. 

The goals of updating wetland status and trends plots are to produce data that match existing 

 5 Years

T1 T2 
30

wetland and deepwater conditions (on-the-ground) as closely as possible, and to use resources 

efficiently and cost effectively. Extraneous effort to “over delineate” or make previously 

mapped features conform to criteria greatly exceeding the project objectives should be avoided 

(U.S. Geological Survey 2001). Editing shall conform to the principles listed below: 

• The resulting data set must support clear, unambiguous interpretation and 

readability of the wetland features that conform to the project’s objectives.

• The classification accuracy of the mapped features must meet current standards, 

and the plot data overall must represent the scientific precision that underlies the 

Service’s habitat monitoring objectives. 

Wetland status and trends plots should reflect ecological change or changes in land use that 

influence the size, distribution or classification of wetland habitats. Enhancements to refine 

cartographic precision should be undertaken only to the extent they bring products into 

conformance with the project objectives and quality requirements. 

Wetland and deepwater feature delineation and attribution provide the distinguishing 

characteristics needed to differentiate between features that have some ecological distinction or 

uniqueness. The decision to retain or change the existing map features or attributes is based on 

several factors considered to be revision guidelines. 

Plot Revision Guidelines:

Retain all lakes, ponds, rivers, bays, sounds, estuaries, perennial streams (polygons) and 

other water bodies regardless of size, unless a feature has obviously changed or no longer 

exists. 

Revise coastal shorelines only if there are obvious manmade changes or substantial 

natural changes. Tide stages do not reflect ecological change in shoreline delineations. 

 

Revise wetland or deepwater boundaries by using collateral data sources and the 

geographical features that define location and configuration. 

Revise existing wetland and deepwater habitat delineations and attributes only where 

reliable collateral data indicates a change or there is positive visual evidence of a change. 

Do not revise classifications based on apparent draw down or temporary drought 

conditions (i.e. changing a permanent reservoir in draw down from lacustrine to 

palustrine - unconsolidated shore). 

Do not revise bathymetric information unless new information is available or where 

shorelines have obviously been modified. 

Revise classification of vegetative surface cover only in one of the following minimum 

change criteria is met: 
31

• The total area of the feature to be re-delineated or re-classified is greater than 1.0 

acre. 

• The hierarchy of the re-classification is Cowardin class level or higher. 

Avoid False Precision and Misrepresentation of Data 

Technological advances in the acquisition of remotely sensed imagery and computerized 

mapping techniques often provide the ability to capture more detailed information about earth 

objects. The use of such technologies can be a tremendous advantage in terms of producing 

better quality natural resource information in a more timely fashion and often at a reduced cost. 

However, appropriate use of these capabilities requires specific knowledge of project objectives, 

limitations, and the proper application of the end products.

When mapping wetlands, deepwater and riparian habitats, image analysts will address the 

following criteria in priority order:

 1. Delineation of wetland and deepwater habitats to closely resemble size and shape 

2. Appropriate classification to the Cowardin class level 

 

3. Approximation of geographical position within 10 m as determined by the 

 imagery 

 

4. Revisions to reflect more precise geographical location or boundary 

 determination as can be determined by the imagery 

Unrealistic attempts to characterize habitats in greater detail should be avoided unless 

specifically instructed by Service Project Manager. Detail is often confused with quality. The 

goal of the Service is to produce high quality products that accurately reflect the status of our 

nation’s wetland resources. Steps that are implemented to add additional detail (delineation or 

classification of extremely small features or components) lends a sense of false precision and can 

misrepresent the data in way that it was not intended to be used. 

Within a wetland boundary, the delineation of ecologically unsubstantiated internal breaks 

should be avoided. Intricate sub-delineation of cover-type changes (less than 0.5 ac.) within a 

wetland is often not warranted. In areas of undulating terrain (i.e. ridge and swale) or complexes 

of wetland classes (i.e. small shrub islands within emergent meadow), it is best to identify and 

characterize the wetland by a single classification rather than attempt to delineate and classify 

internal features. 

If wetland sub-units are too small in area based on the minimum delineation unit to allow 

separate delineation of each cover type, the polygon should be classified to represent the cover 

type encompassing the greatest acreage (Figure 9a). Polygons that may contain a mosaic of 

cover types or ecosystem components and cannot be delineated separately will be classified 

using the dominant component (Figure 9b). 
32

PEM - 10-%

PFO – 20% 

PSS – 55% 

PEM - 25%

PAB - 55%

 PFO – 35% 

Figure 9a. In this example, a wetland with a Figure 9b. If a mosaic of cover types cannot be 

 total area less than one acre is correctly delineated separately, the area should be classified 

classified as PSS. using the dominant component. This wetland 

 complex is correctly classified as PAB. 

False Change 

False changes are areas where the image analyst is fooled by the appearance of change to the 

wetland or upland. Common examples of false changes include: 

• Palustrine farmed wetlands during dry cycles 

• Deepwater draw down 

• Drought conditions 

• Excess surface water or ephemeral water 

• Flooding 

Avoid making false changes to the data. In general, false changes can be avoided by observing 

positive visual evidence of a change in land use. This may include the presence of new 

drainage ditches (Figures 10 and 11), canals or other man-made water courses, evidence of 

dredging, spoil deposition or fills, impoundments or excavations, structures or pavement or 

hardened surfaces. 
33

Figure 10. Positive visual evidence of change includes drainage ditches like the one in this photograph. This 

wetland basin has been effectively drained by this outlet ditch. 

Figure 11. The basin outlined in this photograph has been effectively drained by subsurface tile. The tile 

head is indicated by the red pointer. 

Lands with Special Characteristics 

Palustrine Farmed Wetland (Pf): Farmed wetlands are wetlands that meet the Cowardin et al. 

definition where the soil surface has been mechanically or physically altered for production of 

crops, but hydrophytes will become re-established if farming is discontinued. 

Status and trends plots will include all types of farmed wetlands. Typically these include 

cranberry bogs, farmed prairie pothole type depressions, farmed playa lakes, and diked former 

tidelands in California. Other examples of farmed wetlands that should be included: rice 
34

farming, farmed alluvial depressions, farmed floodplain wetlands, and some types of flooded 

cultivated grassland (Figures 12 and 13). 

Figure 12. An example of a farmed floodplain. The wet swale areas in this photograph are still considered 

wetland because they are not artificially drained. 

Figure 13. A farmed wetland occupies this depression. 

Transitional Lands: Transitional areas include those lands which are changing from one land 

use to another. They generally occur in larger acreage blocks of 40 acres or more. They are 

characterized by the lack of any remote sensor information which would enable the interpreter to 

predict reliably the future use. This transitional phase occurs when wetlands have been drained, 

ditched, filled, leveled or the vegetation has been removed and the area is temporarily bare. 

Agricultural lands may be differentiated by surrounding land use; patterned system of irrigation 
35

or access roads, etc. Forested Plantations may appear more irregularly shaped with fewer access 

points. If surrounding land use patterns do not give any indication to the possible future use of 

the transition area, and the area is determined to be upland, the category Upland Other should be 

applied. 

Upland Forested Plantation: Forested plantations include upland pine plantations such as 

those found in the Southeastern United States (Figure 14) and hardwood plantations as found in 

selected areas (i.e. Arkansas). Forested plantations can be identified by the following remote 

sensing indicators: 

 1) Trees planted in rows or blocks 

 2) Forested blocks growing with uniform crown heights 

 3) Logging activity and use patterns including access roads or trails, loading 

 and skidding pads. 

 

Figure 14. This color infrared aerial photograph shows many of the remote sensing indicators 

used to identify forested plantations. Trees with uniform crown height (A);, block or patch 

cutting/planting (B); trees planted in rows (C); evidence of logging activity and use patterns such 

as skids and haul roads. 

In the Southeast, pockets of wetlands are often found within planted tracts of pine. Field 

observations indicate that planted trees in these wetlands may eventually die off and reveal 

emergents or wet shrubs on the photography. These identifiable areas should be delineated and 

classified by the appropriate class descriptor (PEM, PSS, etc). 

Where there is no evidence of a wetland (water area, break in canopy cover, cover type change, 

stressed vegetation, etc) following silviculture plantings, it will be assumed the wetland has been 

drained or otherwise destroyed and recorded as a loss. 
36

Certain species planted on undrained or incompletely drained hydric soils may thrive. These 

may occur in floodplains, bays or pocosins and should be delineated as wetland. Other areas 

may be sufficiently drained or filled such that the area will no longer exhibit wetland 

characteristics. In these instances silvicultural activities have effectively converted the wetland 

to upland. These areas will be delineated as a loss. 

Hardwood plantations (e.g. St. Francis National Forest in Arkansas) are managed forest stands. 

Both upland and bottomland hardwood wetlands are managed by clear cutting on an 80-100 year 

cycle. Reforestation is accomplished by natural regeneration and planting. Wetland/Upland 

determinations remain unchanged (for this type of plantation). 

Christmas tree farms are included in the upland forested plantation category but groves and 

orchards are categorized as upland agriculture. 

Other Special Considerations - Split Plots

Status and trends plots are 2 miles by 2 miles (total 4 square miles). In most plots the entire area 

is analyzed. However, due to the plot location selection, it is necessary for some plots to be 

considered split. Plots can be split only by State lines and physical subdivision lines. Map 

boundaries and photo edges do not split plots. 

Split plots may contain an area labeled “out”. This means that this portion of the plot area is 

outside of the state or physiographic strata the plot was selected to represent. In rare instances 

some plots may contain an “out” area outside of the bounded study area for the project. 

When updating a split plot, it is important to work in the correct state and physical subdivision. . 

Previous era data delineations will determine the area of the plot to be updated. Any questions 

on determining the boundary location of a split should be directed to quality control personnel, if 

no decision is reached, consult Service’s Project Manager. 

XII. Editing Status and Trends Geodatabase Files 

Arc Map Editing - Image Analysis 

In an open ArcMap session, there are several digital map parameters that need to be set prior to 

editing. These include: 

Optimal polygon color, fill and line width - It is necessary to set optimal parameters for 

working with existing digital wetland map data in an ArcMap edit session. Optimum 

polygon outline color must provide the image analyst good contrast between the line 

work and source imagery. Thus, polygon color is based on imagery type. Bright yellow 

or red colors display well against the gray scales of black and white imagery. Other 

colors may be more appropriate if the imagery is color or color infrared, or if the line 

work is displayed directly on the DRG backdrop. Black, white and low contrast colors 

should not be used. A solid polygon fill color should not be used during the wetland 

interpretation process. This prevents the image analyst from clearly viewing the 

underlying image and may adversely influence wetland cover type classification. Color 
37

fills may be useful in searching and identifying particular polygons or habitat types form 

the attribute table or for other quality control measures. In these instances, fill color is 

determined by the analyst. 

Polygon outline width (line weight) in ArcMap should not be so heavy as to mask the 

boundaries of wetlands on the imagery or so thin that they are difficult to detect or give a 

false sense of boundary precision. Settings for polygon outline width shall not be less 

than 0.50 or exceed 2.5. Line widths of 0.75 to 1.25 are considered optimum. 

 Polygon labels - should be displayed for most of the edit session. This enables the image 

analyst to determine the accuracy of existing feature classifications. Labels may be 

toggled on and off to better view landscape features or details during an edit session. 

Label color and font size are determined by the image analyst, but should provide high 

contrast for easy viewing without masking important image characteristics. 

 DRG and other collateral layers - may be toggled on and off to facilitate viewing the 

 imagery and delineating features. Collateral data layers may be viewed separately or in 

 various combinations at the discretion of the image analyst. 

Editing Status and Trends Plots in ArcMAP 

Status and trends plots are unique from wetland maps and the same editing routines that can be 

used successfully to update a map may not apply to this project. For example, the entire land area 

of the sample plot is classified based on land use for a specific timeframe. This creates challenges 

when making certain corrections or update changes to the geodatabase. Additionally, changes in 

land use and wetland cover type are tracked as reporting categories for determining status and 

trends. The following are some procedures developed for updating the Status and Trends data. 

Trend Plots 9.0 - File Permissions 

 The tool only works on geodatabases that can be edited. After the data are copied from a 

 CD or DVD make sure the properties to the file are not read-only. This is done in 

 Windows Explorer by right clicking the file or folder, clicking ‘Properties’ and making 

 sure the ‘Read-only’ box is NOT checked. Also, if the data are copied to a network drive 

 make sure that drive is shared and you have write access to that drive. You may need to 

 see your System Administrator to do this.

Adding the Topology Layer 

When adding data to an ArcMap session, add only the topology layer from the 

geodatabase. A message will pop-up asking if you want to add all feature classes that 

participate in the topology to the map (Figure 15.a). Click Yes. 
38

Figure 15.a.

This will add all the associated feature classes in the topology and everything you need to 

delineate the Status and Trends plots, except the imagery. 

Adding the Topology Toolbar

To use some of the topological tools in ArcMap you need the topology toolbar. To view 

this toolbar in ArcMap, click View > Toolbars > Topology. The topology toolbar will 

appear and can be anchored to various locations in your ArcMap window. 

Correcting Mistakes on the ‘Era 97’ Data Set 

Prior to updating the plot to ‘era 05’ image analysts shall review the existing plot digital 

data for completeness and accuracy. (Remember at this point the ‘era 05’ digital data is an 

exact copy of the ‘era 97’ trend plot data.) Errors should be obvious if something has been 

missed or mis-labeled in the ‘era 97’ data. If errors are discovered, the image analyst will 

NOT attempt to fix the digital data - doing so can affect both the ‘era 97’ and ‘era 05 data’. 

To correct these errors analysts will identify the correction(s) on a hard copy printout of the 

plot line work and labels and send the hard copy correction to the USGS office in Madison, 

WI. Errors will be verified and corrected in the ‘era 97’ data set at that time. The ‘era 05’ 

digital data may be revised to reflect these corrections as long as they correspond to the 

hard copy changes provided. 

Note: Using the ‘Reshape feature’ task will NOT be done for normal delineation of Status 

and Trends polygons. By reshaping a polygon you change the old line work and thus the 

old acreage of previous era delineations. 

Updating the Digital Data 

Analysts will assume no change has occurred in the delineations until data source prove 

otherwise. At that time image analysts may find the following procedures useful in 

updating the digital data for ‘era 05’. 

Cutting Polygons 

Cutting existing polygons into multiple polygons is how to delineate change on the plots. 

This preserves the old label and line work of the previous era. To cut a polygon: 

1. Select the polygon to edit with the edit tool on the editor toolbar. 

2. Select “Cut Polygon Features” in the task pull down menu 

. 

3. Select the sketch tool on the Editor Toolbar. 
39

4. Click outside the selected polygon, then click (digitize) along the intended border 

 of the new polygon (Figure 15.b.), and double-click outside the polygon to cut the 

 polygon into two pieces (Figure 15.c.). 

 Figure 15.b. Figure 15.c.

5. Be sure to change the attribute label in the newest era to the correct code. 

Deleting Polygons 

Deleting polygons leaves a hole in the seamless layer and removes all old labels. A 

polygon should NOT be deleted but rather re-labeled to its new code. The historic line 

work must be left intact. 

There may be situations where a mistake was made during delineation of a new polygon 

and it needs to be removed. If this occurs instead of deleting the polygon merge it with 

polygon adjacent to it with the appropriate code. 

1. Select both polygons with the edit tool . 

2. With both polygons selected, select the Merge option in the Editor pull-down 

 menu . 

3. In the Merge pop-up window (Figure 15.d) select the polygon with the 

 appropriate code to merge to. When you click on the feature in the pop-up 

 window the associated polygon highlights in the ArcMap window. 

 Figure 15.d. 
40

Creating New Polygons 

New polygons are created by using the ‘cutting polygons’ method described above, 

although this only works for new polygons that are adjacent to an existing polygon. If a 

new isolated polygon needs to be delineated use the following procedures: 

1. Select the “Create New Feature” task in the editor toolbar. 

2. Use the sketch tool to delineate the new polygon. 

3. With the new polygon selected, select the clip option in the Editor pull-down 

 menu , and discard area that intersects (Figure 15.e). 

 

 Figure 15.e. 

4. The polygon is no longer overlapping, but it does not contain the old attribute. 

5. With the new polygon selected click the “Attributes” button on the Editor 

 Toolbar. 

6. The attributes pop-up window for that polygon will show up on your desktop, 

 but notice the Attribute is <Null> for all eras (Figure 15.f). 

 Figure 15.f. 
41

7. Click on the ATT fields and select the correct attribute for ‘era 05” (Figure 15.g). 

 The attributes must match the surrounding polygon as that is where this new 

 polygon originated from. The only attribute that should be different is the 

 ERA_05_ATT. 

 Figure 15.g. 

8. The PLOTNAME and PLOTNO should also be filled in to match the 

 surrounding polygons. 

Border Polygons

Polygons along the edge of the plot must not be delineated past the plot boundary. To 

avoid this set the snapping environment to snap to the plot edge. 

1. In the Editor pull-down menu selecting the snapping option 

. 

2. A snapping window should appear in the ArcMap window. 

3. In the snapping window check the ‘Edge’ box for the Trend_Plots layer. 

4. Now when the sketch tool is used to delineate a polygon when you near the 

 plot boundary the tool automatically snaps to the plot edge. This allows for exact 

 delineation along the plot boundary. 
42

Validating Topology

The topological rules created for Status and Trends do not allow polygons to overlap within 

a layer, and all Status and Trends polygons must be completely contained or covered by the 

plot polygon. In other words no two trend polygons can occupy the same space and all 

trend polygons must be within the boundaries of the plots. To validate topology: 

1. Select one of the validation options from the topology toolbar. 

a. Validate Entire Topology 

b. Validate Current Extent 

c. Validate a Specified Area 

2. When the topology layer is visible (checked in the table of contents on the right side 

 of ArcMap) any topological errors should be highlighted in red. 

3. If delineations were done correctly there should be no topological errors. 

4. Errors can also be viewed by clicking the Error Inspector on the Topology 

 toolbar. 

a. The Error Inspector pop-up window appears in the ArcMap window. 

b. Select ‘Search Now’ in this window to view topological errors. 

5. Overlapping topological errors can be remedied by clipping one of the polygons and 

 discarding area that intersects. 

6. The topological errors caused by polygons extending beyond the plot boundary 

 and be remedied by using the ‘Cut Polygon Features’ task. With the snapping 

 environment set to Trend_Plots edge, cut the polygon along the trend plot boundary 

 and delete the portion of the polygon outside the plot boundary. 

Attribution (labeling) of Features 

Table 2 provides the legal attribute habitat codes for status and trends plots. These will be 

displayed as options as part of the “Attributes Tool” on the Editor Toolbar and can be 

selected from a pull-down list. In addition “OUT” may also appear as part of some plots. 

An ‘OUT” area is part of the plot that is not included in the study either for bounding 

purposes of the physiographic region or the overall study perimeter. The customized status 

and trends tools in Arc do not allow analysts to enter codes other than those legal habitat 

codes or an “OUT”. 

Status and Trends Verification Tool 

The verification was developed for ArcGIS version 9.0 and has been designed specifically 

for status and trends work. It checks for improbable changes that may represent errors in 

the image interpretation. Such improbable changes consider the length of time between 

update cycles, identify certain unrealistic cover-type changes such open water ponds 

changing to forested wetland. When these features are identified, the image analyst must 

determine if the data accurately reflect the change in condition. The verification tool also 

checks for other types of errors in the digital data. Listed below are several important 

features about the trend verification tool: 
43

• Identifies improbable changes 

• Identifies unattributed or null polygons 

• Finds adjacent polygons with the same attribute within a single era 

• Locates potential digital slivers < 0.01 ac 

 Submission of “No Change” Plots 

If there has been no change to the wetland or upland characteristics on a plot and there are 

no corrections to the data, the plot number is recorded on the Tracking Form as a ‘No 

Change’ plot and forwarded on for quality control inspection(s). Following quality control, 

if there are still no changes indicated, the plot can be returned without further work. It is 

not necessary to run verification on a ‘No Change’ plot. 

XIII. Field Reconnaissance 

Field reconnaissance can address questions regarding image interpretation, land use practices, and 

classification of wetlands. Field work is also done as a quality control measure to verify 

information is correct. 

Initial field reconnaissance provides an opportunity for image analysts to become familiar with 

wetland communities and land use patterns. Information gained from field studies in combination 

with the analyst’s skills and experience in image interpretation and use of collateral data should 

result in successful wetland delineation and classification. Field work shall involve visits to a 

cross section of wetland types and geographical settings, as well as to sites that may be updated 

using different image types, scales, and dates. 

Timing of field work inevitably influences results, particularly regarding vegetation data and water 

regime classification. Work conducted in early spring will highlight different components of an 

ecosystem than work conducted late in fall when different water conditions and plant species may 

predominate on the same site. 

Preparation for Field Reconnaissance

To ensure accurate and consistent interpretation of photography and to resolve various problems, 

analysts need to spend time in the field correlating image signatures with wetland and upland 

types. The actual number of person-days required in the field is often determined by access to 

field sites, weather, travel logistics, etc. Preplanning of the field trip should include identification 

of hydric soils or hydric soil characteristics likely to be encountered, information about common 

wetland plants and their distribution, dominant land use, drainage practices, agricultural crops and 

some preliminary image analysis of sites to be field inspected. 

Field sites should be chosen based on such things as commonly occurring image signatures or 

habitats characterizing an area; unusual but important imagery signatures (some which may be 

difficult to identify); borderline signatures (those features that might be wetland or upland) and; 
44

specific signature problems based on the date of photography (recent burning, extreme high or low 

water conditions). All sites should be accessible. 

 

Field Sites and Data Collection

While in the field, representative photographs (slides or digital) of land use and wetland types 

should be obtained. Field data sheets for selected sites should be completed. The exact location of 

the field photographs, site location referred to in notes and other information must be provided. 

Wherever possible, digital cameras, data recorders, image display laptops, and ground positioning 

satellite (GPS) should be used to provide more accurate information. 

Any handwritten field notes regarding changes observed should be clear and understandable. 

Notations might include: ‘extend or add this wetland’; ‘delete wetland’; or ‘refine delineation’. 

Time spent in the field is invaluable. To realize the maximum, it is often necessary to reassess 

some potential field sites based on work already completed versus time, access to sites and 

priorities. 

Field Work as Verification

Image interpreters may conduct field verification exercises to ensure accurate and consistent 

interpretation of imagery. Field trip reports and Field Data Sheets provide documentation of the 

field verification efforts including, general descriptions of wetlands and uplands in an area, 

descriptions of surface water conditions both on the imagery and at the time of field work, and 

details about the quality of the source materials used. 

 

Aids to Field Determinations:

 

 Plant Species That Occur in Wetlands

The presence of wetland plant species often provide important collateral information to 

help biologists determine if a site is a wetland or to gain insight to length and periodicity of 

flooding. Many plant species, however, seemingly grow equally well in wetlands and 

upland conditions. To clarify what plants may be found in wetlands, the Service has 

prepared a list of wetland plant species, “National List of Plant Species That Occur in 

Wetlands” (Reed 1988). In the listing, wetland plants are divided into four indicator 

categories based on a frequency of occurrence in wetland. These categories include: 

 

Obligate wetland - almost always found in wetlands (>99% of the time) 

Facultative wet - usually found in wetlands (66-99%) 

Facultative - sometimes found in wetlands (33-66%) 

Facultative upland - seldom found in wetlands (<33%)1

 A list of plant species with the wetland indicator status found at a particular site can 

provide useful information about the site. This information, taken from the field data form, 

will be entered into a database for future reference and use.

 

1

The wetlands indicator categories should not be equated to degrees of wetness. 
45

 

Hydric Soil Lists and Indicators

Hydric soils are defined as soils that formed under conditions of saturation, flooding, or 

ponding long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the 

upper part (Federal Register, July 13, 1994). 

A list of the Nation's soils with actual or high potential for hydric conditions has been 

prepared by Natural Resources Conservation Service. "Hydric Soils of the United States" 

includes at least one phase in the listing that meets the hydric soil criteria. The list does not 

include soils that are classified at categories higher than the series level in Soil Taxonomy 

(Soil Survey Staff 1999) nor does it include map units that may contain these series. The 

list is useful in identifying map units that may contain hydric soils. There is a national list 

of hydric soils as well as state and county lists. While the state and county lists may 

provide more regionally specific information, analysts should be aware that they may not 

be comprehensive in their presentation of all soil series with hydric characteristics. 

Hydric soils lists and maps reflect only the soil series or map unit considered hydric. Soil 

map units may contain inclusions of smaller features with hydric characteristics (wetland). 

Soils that are artificially drained or protected (for instance, by levees) may be listed as 

hydric even though it will no longer meet the Cowardin definition of wetland. 

Experienced analysts should rely on field indicators as a more reliable way to help identify 

extant wetlands. Nearly all hydric soils exhibit characteristic morphologies that result from 

repeated periods of saturation and/or inundation for more than a few days. Saturation or 

inundation when combined with anaerobic microbiological activity in the soil causes a 

depletion of oxygen. This anaerobiosis promotes biogeochemical processes such as the 

accumulation of organic matter and the reduction, translocation, and/or accumulation of 

iron and other reducible elements. These processes result in characteristic morphologies 

which persist in the soil during both wet and dry periods, making them particularly useful 

for identifying hydric soils (U.S.D.A., Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wetland 

Science Institute and Soils Division 1996). Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United 

States (USDA 2003) is a guide to help identify and delineate hydric soils in the field. 

 

Field Forms and Reporting Requirements 

A field trip report is required for all status and trends field trips. A standardized field trip report 

outline is included as Appendix C.

Field trip reports shall discuss the details of the field reconnaissance efforts (including participants, 

dates, and location), collateral data sources and uses, general descriptions of wetlands and uplands 

in the area, description of water conditions, details about the quality and interpretation of the 

imagery and any special problems or findings. 

During each field trip, participants are encouraged to complete Field Data Forms at a variety of 

different check sites which are well distributed throughout the trip area. The exact number of 
46

check sites may be determined by specific project specifications, weather conditions, access to 

sites, trip objectives, etc. Good quality digital photographs should be provided for field sites for 

which a Field Data Form is completed (Field Data Form is included in Appendix D). Protocols for 

submitting digital Field Data Forms and digital photographs are discussed below.

Private Land Access Protocol 

The Service respects private property and land owner rights. Personnel should contact landowners 

in advance to obtain permission to access private lands to conduct field verification or evaluations. 

Site visits will not be made where this is not possible, or landowners can not be contacted. At no 

time should Service personnel cross fences, gates, barriers or traverse posted property without 

permission of the landowner. 

IVX. Quality Control and Quality Assurance 

A quality assurance program is essential for ensuring the validity of analytical data. The Service 

has developed and implemented quality assurance measures that provide appropriate methods to 

take field measurements, ensure sample integrity and provide oversight of analyses which included 

reporting of procedural and statistical confidence levels. 

Because of the sample based approach, various quality control and quality assurance measures 

were built into the data collection, review, analysis and reporting stages. Some of the major 

quality control steps include:

Plot Location and Positional Accuracy. Status and trends sample plots are permanently 

fixed georeferenced areas that are revisited periodically to monitor land use and cover type 

changes. The plot coordinates are positioned precisely using a system of redundant backup 

locators on prints produced from a geographic information system, topographic maps, other 

maps used for collateral information, and the aerial imagery. Plot outlines are computer 

generated for the correct spatial coordinates, size and projection. Plot locations are 

transferred and registered onto all work materials. 

Imagery, Base Maps, and Collateral Data. Aerial imagery is the primary data source, but 

it is used with reliable collateral data such as topographic maps, coastal navigation charts, 

published soil surveys, published wetland maps, and State, local or regional studies. 

Internal reviews and checking. Quality control of interpreted map products will be 

performed on 100 % of the project area by a qualified image analyst other than the person 

performing the original work. To accomplish this, the review analyst will perform an 

incremental screen by screen (working west to east or north to south) qualitative review of 

the project area at 1:12,000 scale or larger. Following completion of row or column of 

screen views edits should be saved in the personal geodatabase.

Internal quality control review of interpreted images should include a comparison of 

contours, hydrographic symbols or cultural features from the DRG to wetland delineations 

and vegetation signatures. There is considerable latitude allowed in conducting qualitative 

reviews, however, a complete review of the project area with the backdrop of the DRG 
47

visible at a scale not less than 1:12,000 must be completed (Figure 16). All work shall 

adhere to quality requirements and technical specifications. 

Figure 16. The DRG backdrop assists in quality control reviews. In this example swamp symbols from 

the DRG indicate two wetlands (red arrows) that might have been missed. 

Attribute table review. During this quality control review the analyst will access the 

 Arc attribute table and review for errors. Checks should be performed for null attributes, 

 empty attributes, and possible misclassifications. 

Data Verification. There are tremendous advantages in using newer technologies to store 

and analyze geographic data. The Geodatabase is a storage mechanism for spatial and 

attribute data that contains specific storage structures for features, collections of features, 

attributes, relationships between attributes and relationships between features. Many of the 

geopositional data checks are now inherent in the creation of a geodatabase in ArcMap 

version 9.0. Topological checks such as defined projections are no longer necessary in a 

geodatabase since the geodatabase itself cannot be created without defining the coordinate 

system. 

Customized data verification tools have been constructed to automate (to the extent 

possible) the quality control functions necessary to ensure the geodatabase is accurate. 

This suite of functions has been designed to address geopositional errors, digital anomalies, 

and some logic checks that make use of the power of the geographic information system. 

These tools are extensions to Environmental Systems Research, Incorporated’s (ESRI) 

ArcMap desktop geographic information system (GIS) product. 

The geospatial analysis capability built into this study provides a complete digital database 

to better assist analysis of wetland change information. 
48

Minimizing Procedural Error 

Procedural or measurement errors occur in the data collection phase of any study and must be 

considered. Procedural error is related to the ability to accurately recognize and classify wetlands 

both from multiple sources of imagery and on-the-ground evaluations. Types of procedural errors 

include missed wetlands, inclusion of upland as wetland, misclassification of wetlands or 

misinterpretation of data collection protocols. The amount of introduced procedural error is 

usually a function of the quality of the data collection conventions; the number, variability, 

training and experience of data collection personnel; and the rigor of any quality control or quality 

assurance measures. The image analyst must take the appropriate steps to ensure that procedural 

error is minimal. 

Rigorous quality control reviews and redundant inspections are incorporated into the data 

collection and data entry processes to help reduce the level of procedural error. 

XV. Materials Handling and Tracking – Safeguarding Information 

The Service’s wetland Status and Trends plot locations are considered proprietary information. 

Their location shall not be disclosed by copying or transmitting plot locations, geographical 

coordinates, or other locator information. Plots boundaries or data shall not be displayed, 

published or otherwise distributed. 

The location of these sample plots is not made public in an effort to avoid abnormal land use 

actions or compromise any privacy issues regarding private lands. Work materials and files should 

be safeguarded and distribution of information or work materials should be done only with the 

consent of the Service’s Wetlands Status and Trends Project Manager. 

There may also be copyright or use restrictions on the imagery used to update the plot information. 

Do not copy, duplicate or distribute this imagery. 

When receiving or transferring status and trends plots or data, keep good records of both incoming 

and outgoing work materials. 

Use certified mail, FED EX or other reasonable methods of mailing photography or other original 

work materials to provide a means of tracking and prevent loss. 

XVI. Mandatory Submissions 

A completed Status and Trends Tracking Form (Appendix E) that will indicate the number of plots 

completed, state, date, image analyst, and any “NO CHANGE” plots must be returned with the 

updated digital plot data. 

Submission of completed field data forms, field trip reports and/or field photographs are also 

required. This information should be clearly labeled with the source, date and contents. 

Photographs submitted must be linked to subject matter discussed on the field data sheet or the 
49

field trip report. Photographs submitted in digital format will be provided at 72 dpi in j-peg or tiff 

format or better. 

Photographs will be entered into the database and linked to representative plot information. 

Photographs shall be good quality. Poor quality photos that are out-of-focus, blurred or that 

otherwise do no clearly depict useful information about a site will not be accepted into the 

database. Photographs that contain private property information such as street addresses, 

telephone numbers, advertisements, vehicle license plates or recognizable profiles of individuals 

should be avoided. Copyrighted photographs will not be accepted. 

Digital Data Requirements and Delivery

 The digital data must conform to the following criteria: 

• Digital wetlands data must be provided in personal geodatabase 

format 

• Data will be in a uniform projection (Albers Equal-Area Conic 

Projection). The horizontal planar datum is the North American 

Datum of 1983, also called NAD83

 

• Data must have passed verification and all quality control review(s). 

• Internal to the project area, data should be seamless. 

Meta Data 

Because Wetlands Status and Trends distributes no map products directly to the public, there are 

no specific metadata forms to be completed. Metadata for the project are stored to comply with 

the Service’s Metadata Documentation and Record system. These data address the informational 

content of the trend plot materials. Submittal of complete and correct information on the updated 

plot transmittal sheet is important to keep these metadata records current. Information regarding 

the date, content and source of the update submissions must be completed on the transmittal sheet 

prior to submission to the Service.

 

 

XVII. Achieving Quality Requirements for Wetland Status and Trends 

Quality requirements for status and trends digital files are defined in this document. They include 

quality goals for wetland identification, delineation and classification accuracy. Additional 

requirements for digital data accuracy and metadata ensure data are complete and accurate. 

The Service has produced step-down Information Quality Guidelines for information disseminated 

by the agency. These guidelines are applicable to all Service offices that disseminate information 

to the public to ensure the information complies with the basic standards of quality to ensure and 

maximize its objectivity, utility and integrity. 

The quality and integrity of the Service’s wetland status and trends data are based on a three step 
50

quality assurance process. The data must pass these quality control procedures to ensure the 

information is accurate. The steps include: 1) review by technical specialist(s) 2) pass automated 

verification routines, and 3) pass final verification and data integrity inspection as provided by a 

database manager. These three processes are described below: 

A) Review by Technical Specialist(s) - This quality assurance step defines the 

responsibilities of the image analyst(s) for data quality and completeness. There are two 

mandatory sub-steps: 

 

Internal Inspections of Data Quality - Quality control of interpreted 

images will be performed by a qualified image analyst other than the person 

performing the original work. The reviewing analyst will adhere to all 

standards, quality requirements and technical specifications and will 

perform a 100% review of the work. This internal inspection may be 

completed by non-Service personnel under the specific technical direction of 

and performance monitoring by a Government official through an 

extramural agreement.

Internal quality control review of interpreted images should include a 

comparison of contours, hydrographic symbols or cultural features from the 

USGS base map to wetland delineations and vegetation signatures. All 

available collateral data should be used during this quality control review. 

The responsible reviewer must record the pertinent information regarding 

the review process to accompany the appropriate metadata for the project 

area. 

Service Quality Control Review - This is considered to be exclusively a 

Service function that must be performed by responsible Service personnel. 

Final quality control of status and trends plots entails checking the project 

area in its entirety by qualified personnel. Any qualified Service personnel 

may conduct final quality control reviews. These reviews may entail using 

various technical means or field verification to check the work. Final 

quality control reviewers must coordinate closely with project Manager 

regarding revisions or modification to the work products. 

 

 B) Data Verification

All digital data files will be subjected to rigorous quality control inspections. 

Digital data verification includes quality control checks that address the geospatial 

correctness, digital integrity and some cartographic aspects of the data. These steps take 

place after the ecological data collection phase of the project has been completed, reviewed 

and approved as qualitatively acceptable. Implementation of quality checks 

ensures that the data conform to the specified criteria, thus achieving the project objectives. 

The Service, in conjunction with USGS has developed customized Verification Tool for 

performing data checks on status and trends plots. This suite of tools are extensions to 

Environmental Systems Research, Incorporated’s (ESRI) ArcMap desktop geographic 

information system product. The verification tools have been constructed to automate (to 
51

the extent possible) the quality control functions necessary to ensure the geodatabase is 

accurate. Various functions have been designed to address potential errors. Additional 

quality assurance issues not readily apparent on the verification tools may be handled by 

the geodatabase architecture itself. 

Some functions the verification tool performs will flag potential problems but provide the 

image analyst the option of editing or ignoring the feature. This is to accommodate the 

image analyst’s ability to ultimately determine the best ecological portrayal of the data. 

C) Oversight, Data Integrity and Database Management

The Wetlands Geodatabase Manager has primary responsibility for the operation the 

Service’s wetlands geodatabase configuration and systems. This includes responsibility for 

the integrity and distribution of the digital geo-spatial data developed by the Service. The 

Geodatabase Manager is key to the processes used to verify, assimilate, distribute and 

archive geo-spatial wetland data. The Geodatabase Manager plays a substantial role in the 

quality assurance of the digital data files. This includes the following responsibilities: 

$ Final Data Verification - The Geodatabase Manager performs the final verification 

checks of the digital data before it is approved and entered into the wetlands 

geodatabase. This final check involves some geospatial analysis, logic checking, 

and ensuring the necessary supporting documentation has been provided in proper 

format. 

 

$ Records and Documentation - Additional reporting requirements including 

submission of the Tracking Form, Field Trip Report(s) and Field Data Form(s) are 

required. These will be used as project specific metadata information.

 

Updated digital data must be returned to the Service’s Geodatabase Manager on a 

CD or DVD with the contents and date marked. Only data in geodatabase format 

will be accepted1

. In order to ‘check-in’ revisions to the Master SDE geodatabase, 

the personal geodatabase returned must be the ‘checked-out’ geodatabase (with 

revisions) initially provided by the Geodatabase Manager. Data must have passed 

verification and quality control review(s). 

 

Submission of field photographs are also required. These should be clearly labeled 

and become the property of the Government. 

Finally, when the data pass these quality assurance steps, any information disseminated for any 

reason must be authorized by the Branch of Habitat Assessment or the Division of Habitat and 

Resource Conservation. 

 

1

 Exceptions include data provided by the Advanced Systems Center. 
52

XVIII. References 

Anderson, J.R., E.E. Hardy, J.T. Roach and R.E. Winter. 1976. A land use and land cover 

classification system for use with remote sensor data. U.S. Geological Survey Professional 

Paper 964. U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C. 28 p. 

Cowardin, L.M, V. Carter, F.C. Golet, and E.T. LaRoe. 1979. Classification of wetlands and 

deepwater habitats of the United States. Department of the Interior. U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Washington, D.C. 131 p. 

Dahl, T.E. 1990. Wetlands losses in the United States 1780s to 1980s. Department of the Interior, 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C. 21 p. 

Dahl, T.E. and C.E. Johnson. 1991. Status and trends of wetlands in the conterminous United 

States, mid-1970s to mid-1980s. U.S. Department of the Interior. U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Washington, D.C. 28 p. 

Dahl, T.E. 2000. Status and trends of wetlands in conterminous United States 1986 to 1997. U.S. 

Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C. 82 p. 

Federal Register. 1994. Changes in Hydric Soils of the United States. Washington, DC. (Hydric 

Soil Definition) 

Ferguson, R.L., L.L. Wood and D.B. Graham. 1993. Monitoring spatial change in seagrass habitat 

with aerial photography. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, 59(6). pp. 

1033–1038. 

Frayer, W.E., T.J. Monahan, D.C. Bowden, and F.A. Graybill. 1983. Status and trends of wetlands 

and deepwater habitats in the conterminous United States, 1950’s to 1970’s. Colorado State 

University, Fort Collins, CO. 31 p. 

Hammond, E.H. 1970. Physical subdivisions of the United States of America. In: U.S. Geological 

Survey. National atlas of the United States of America. Department of the Interior, 

Washington, D.C. 61 p. 

Langbein, W.B. and K.T. Iseri. 1960. General introduction and hydrologic definitions manual of 

 hydrology. Part 1. General surface water techniques. U.S. Geological Survey, Water 

 Supply Paper 1541-A. 29 p. 

Orth, R.J., K.A. Moore and J.F. Nowak. 1990. Monitoring Seagrass distribution and abundance 

 patterns: A case study from the Chesapeake Bay. In: S.J. Kiraly, F.A. Cross and J.D. 

 Buffington (eds.). Federal coastal wetland mapping programs. Biol. Rept. 90 (18). Fish 

 and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C. pp. 111–123. 

Reed, P.B.1988. National list of plant species that occur in wetlands: 1988 National Summary. 

Biol. Rept. 88 (24). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C. 244 p. 

Soil Survey Staff. 1999. Soil Taxonomy: A basic system of soil classification for making and 

interpreting soil surveys. Agriculture Handbook No. 436, 2nd edition. U.S. Department of 
53

Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Washington, D.C. 869 p. 

Tiner, R.W. Jr. 1984. Wetlands of the United States: Current status and recent trends. Department 

of the Interior. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Washington, D.C. 59 p. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1975. Soil taxonomy: A basic system of soil classification for 

making and interpreting soil surveys. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Soil Conservation 

Service, Soil Survey Staff, Agricultural Handbook 436, Washington, D.C. 754 p. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1991. Hydric Soils of the United States. Soil Conservation 

Service, Miscellaneous Publication Number 1491, Washington, D.C. 

U.S.D.A., Natural Resource Conservation Service, Wetland Science Institute and Soils Division. 

1996. Field indicators of hydric soils in the United States, Version 3.3. G.W. Hurt, P.M. 

Whited, and R.F. Pringle (eds.). USDA, NRCS in cooperation with the National Technical 

Committee for Hydric Soils, Fort Worth, TX. 

U.S.D.A., Natural Resource Conservation Service. 2003. Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the 

United States, Version 5.01. G.W. Hurt, P.M. Whited, and R.F. Pringle (eds.). USDA, 

NRCS in cooperation with the National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils, Fort Worth, 

TX. 34 p. 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1991. Wetlands detection methods investigation. Report 

No. 600/4-91/014. Systems Laboratory, Environmental Monitoring, Las Vegas, NV. 73 p. 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1995. Wetland identification and delineation. Medea 

Wetlands Study Group- Technical Report 1. Environmental Protection Agency, 

Washington, D.C. 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1997. A system for mapping riparian areas in the western United 

States. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Lakewood, CO. 15 p. 

U.S. Geological Survey. 2001. Standards for revised primary series quadrangle maps. Part 2 

Specifications. National Mapping Program Technical Instructions. U.S. Department of the 

Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA. 76 p. plus Appendices. 

 
54

APPENDIX A. Definitions of Habitat Categories Used by Status and Trends 

Wetlands1

In general terms, wetlands are lands where saturation with water is the dominant factor 

determining the nature of soil development and the types of plant and animal communities 

living in the soil and on its surface. The single feature that most wetlands share is soil or 

substrate that is at least periodically saturated with or covered by water. The water creates 

severe physiological problems for all plants and animals except those that are adapted for life 

in water or in saturated soil. 

Wetlands are lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table 

is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. For purposes of this 

classification wetlands must have one or more of the following three attributes: (1) at least 

periodically, the land supports predominantly hydrophytes2

, (2) the substrate is predominantly 

undrained hydric soil3

, and (3) the substrate is non-soil and is saturated with water or covered 

by shallow water at some time during the growing season of each year. 

The term wetland includes a variety of areas that fall into one of five categories: (1) areas with 

hydrophytes and hydric soils, such as those commonly known as marshes, swamps, and bogs; 

(2) areas without hydrophytes but with hydric soils—for example, flats where drastic 

fluctuation in water level, wave action, turbidity, or high concentration of salts may prevent the 

growth of hydrophytes; (3) areas with hydrophytes but non-hydric soils, such as margins of 

impoundments or excavations where hydrophytes have become established but hydric soils 

have not yet developed; (4) areas without soils but with hydrophytes such as the seaweed covered 

portions of rocky shores; and (5) wetlands without soil and without hydrophytes, such 

as gravel beaches or rocky shores without vegetation. 

Marine System The marine system consists of the open ocean overlying the continental shelf and 

its associated high energy coastline. Marine habitats are exposed to the waves and currents of the 

open ocean. Salinity exceeds 30 parts per thousand, with little or no dilution except outside the 

mouths of estuaries. Shallow coastal indentations or bays without appreciable freshwater inflow 

and coasts with exposed rocky islands that provide the mainland with little or no shelter from wind 

and waves, are also considered part of the Marine System because they generally support a typical 

marine biota. 

Estuarine System The estuarine system consists of deepwater tidal habitats and adjacent tidal 

wetlands that are usually semi enclosed by land but have open, partly obstructed, or sporadic 

access to the open ocean, and in which ocean water is at least occasionally diluted by freshwater 

runoff from the land. The salinity may be periodically increased above that of the open ocean by 

 

1

Adapted from Cowardin et al. 1979.

2

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has published the list of plant species that occur in wetlands of the United States (Reed 1988).

3

U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed the list of hydric soils for the United States (U.S. Department of Agriculture 1991).
55

evaporation. Along some low energy coastlines there is appreciable dilution of sea water. 

Offshore areas with typical estuarine plants and animals, such as red mangroves (Rhizophora 

mangle) and eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica), are also included in the Estuarine System. 

Marine and Estuarine Subsystems

Subtidal The substrate is continuously submerged by marine or estuarine waters. 

 

Intertidal The substrate is exposed and flooded by tides. Intertidal includes the splash zone of 

coastal waters. 

Palustrine System The palustrine (freshwater) system includes all nontidal wetlands dominated by 

trees, shrubs, persistent emergents, emergent mosses or lichens, farmed wetlands, and all such 

wetlands that occur in tidal areas where salinity due to ocean derived salts is below 0.5 parts per 

thousand. It also includes wetlands lacking such vegetation, but with all of the following four 

characteristics: (1) area less than 20 acres (8 ha); (2) an active wave formed or bedrock shoreline 

features are lacking; (3) water depth in the deepest part of a basin less than 6.6 feet (2 meters) at 

low water; and (4) salinity due to ocean derived salts less than 0.5 parts per thousand. 

Classes

Unconsolidated Bottom: Unconsolidated bottom includes all wetlands with at least 25 percent 

cover of particles smaller than stones, and a vegetative cover less than 30 percent. Examples of 

unconsolidated substrates are: sand, mud, organic material, cobble gravel. 

 

Aquatic Bed Aquatic beds are dominated by plants that grow principally on or below the surface 

of the water for most of the growing season in most years. Examples include seagrass beds, 

pondweeds (Potamogeton spp.), wild celery (Vallisneria americana), waterweed (Elodea spp.), 

and duckweed (Lemna spp.). 

Rocky Shore Rocky shore includes wetland environments characterized by bedrock, stones, or 

boulders which singly or in combination have an areal cover of 75 percent or more and an areal 

vegetative coverage of less than 30 percent. 

 

Unconsolidated Shore Unconsolidated shore includes all wetland habitats having two 

characteristics: (1) unconsolidated substrates with less than 75 percent areal cover of stones, 

boulders or bedrock and; (2) less than 30 percent areal cover of vegetation other than pioneering 

plants. 

Emergent Wetland Emergent wetlands are characterized by erect, rooted, herbaceous 

hydrophytes, excluding mosses and lichens. This vegetation is present for most of the growing 

season in most years. These wetlands are usually dominated by perennial plants. 

Shrub Wetland Shrub Wetlands include areas dominated by woody vegetation less than 20 feet 

(6 meters) tall. The species include true shrubs, young trees, and trees or shrubs that are small or 

stunted because of environmental conditions. 
56

Forested Wetland Forested Wetlands are characterized by woody vegetation that is 6 meters tall 

or taller. 

Farmed Wetland: Farmed wetlands are wetlands that meet the Cowardin et al. definition where 

the soil surface has been mechanically or physically altered for production of crops, but where 

hydrophytes will become reestablished if farming is discontinued. 

DEEPWATER HABITATS:

Wetlands and deepwater habitats were defined separately because the term wetland does not 

include deep, permanent water bodies. For conducting status and trends studies, Riverine and 

Lacustrine were considered deepwater habitats. Elements of Marine or Estuarine systems can be 

wetland or deepwater. Palustrine includes only wetland habitats. 

Deepwater habitats were permanently flooded land lying below the deepwater of wetlands. 

Deepwater habitats include environments where surface water is permanent and often deep, so that 

water, rather than air, is the principal medium in which the dominant organisms live, whether or 

not they were attached to the substrate. As in wetlands, the dominant plants were hydrophytes; 

however, the substrates were considered nonsoil because the water is too deep to support emergent 

vegetation (U.S. Department of Agriculture 1975). 

Riverine System The Riverine system includes deepwater habitats contained in a channel, with 

the exception of habitats with water containing ocean derived salts in excess of 0.5 parts per 

thousand. A channel is "an open conduit either naturally or artificially created which periodically 

or continuously contains moving water, or which forms a connecting link between two bodies of 

standing water" (Langbein and Iseri 1960). 

Lacustrine System The lacustrine system includes deepwater habitats with all of the following 

characteristics: (1) situated in a topographic depression or a dammed river channel; (2) lacking 

trees, shrubs, persistent emergents, emergent mosses or lichens with greater than 30 percent 

coverage; (3) total area exceeds 20 acres (8 ha). 

Uplands 

Agriculture1: Agricultural land may be defined broadly as land used primarily for production of 

food and fiber. Agricultural activity is evidenced by distinctive geometric field and road patterns 

on the landscape and the traces produced by livestock or mechanized equipment. Examples of 

agricultural land use include cropland and pasture; orchards, groves, vineyards, nurseries, 

cultivated lands, and ornamental horticultural areas including sod farms; confined feeding 

operations; and other agricultural land including livestock feed lots, farmsteads including 

houses, support structures (silos) and adjacent yards, barns, poultry sheds, etc. 

 

1

Adapted from Anderson et al. 1976.
57

Urban: Urban land is comprised of areas of intensive use in which much of the land is covered by 

structures (high building density). Urbanized areas are cities and towns that provide the goods 

and services needed to survive by modern day standards through a central business district. 

Services such as banking, medical and legal office buildings, supermarkets, and department 

stores make up the business center of a city. Commercial strip developments along main 

transportation routes, shopping centers, contiguous dense residential areas, industrial and 

commercial complexes, transportation, power and communication facilities, city parks, ball 

fields and golf courses can also be included in the urban category. 

Forested Plantation: Forested plantations include areas of planted and managed forest stands. 

Planted pines, Christmas tree farms, clear cuts, and other managed forest stands, such as hardwood 

forestry are included in this category. Forested plantations can be identified by observing the 

following remote sensing indicators: 1) trees planted in rows or blocks; 2) forested blocks growing 

with uniform crown heights; and 3) logging activity and use patterns. 

Rural Development: Rural developments occur in sparse rural and suburban settings outside 

distinct urban cities and towns. They are characterized by non-intensive land use and sparse 

building density. Typically, a rural development is a cross-roads community that has a corner gas 

station and a convenience store which are surrounded by sparse residential housing and 

agriculture. Scattered suburban communities located outside of a major urban center can also be 

included in this category as well as some industrial and commercial complexes; isolated 

transportation, power, and communication facilities; strip mines; quarries; and recreational areas 

such as golf courses, etc. Major highways through rural development areas are included in the rural 

development category. 

Other Land Use: Other Land Use is composed of uplands not characterized by the previous 

categories. Typically these lands would include native prairie; unmanaged or non-patterned upland 

forests and scrub lands; and barren land. Lands in transition may also fit into this category. 

Transitional lands are lands in transition from one land use to another. They generally occur in 

large acreage blocks of 40 acres (16 ha) or more and are characterized by the lack of any 

remote sensor information that would enable the interpreter to reliably predict future use. The 

transitional phase occurs when wetlands are drained, ditched, filled, leveled, or the vegetation 

has been removed and the area is temporarily bare. 
58

APPENDIX B: Hammond Physiographic Subdivisions and Code Abbreviations 

PHYSICAL SUBDIVISION ABBREVIATION and NUMERIC CODE

 1 Adirondack - New England Highlands ANEH (1) 

 2 Appalachian Highlands AH (2) 

 3 Basin and Range Area B+RA (3) 

 4 Blue Mountains BM (4) 

 5 Cascade-Klamath-Sierra Nevada Ranges CKSNR (5) 

 6 Central Valley of California CVC (6) 

 7 Coast Ranges CR (7) 

 8 Colorado River Plateau CRP (8) 

 9 Columbia Basin CB (9) 

10 Dakota-Minnesota Drift and Lake-bed Flats DMDLBF (10) 

11 East-Central Drift and Lake-bed Flats ECDLBF (11) 

12 Eastern Interior Uplands and Basins EIUB (12) 

13 Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Flats GACF (13) 

14 Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Rolling Plains GARP (14) 

15 Harney-Owyhee Broken Lands HOBL (15) 

16 High Plains HP (16) 

17 Lower Mississippi Alluvial Plain LMAP (17) 

18 Lower New England LNE (18) 

19 Mid-Continent Plains and Escarpments MCPE (19) 

20 Middle Rocky Mountains MRM (20) 

21 Middle Western Upland MWU (21) 

22 Nebraska Sand Hills NSH (22) 

23 North Central Lakes-Swamp-Moraine Plains NCLSMP (23) 

24 Northern Rocky Mountains NRM (24) 

25 Ozark-Ouachita Highlands OOH (25) 

26 Puget-Willamette Lowland PWL (26) 

27 Rocky Mountain Piedmont RMP (27) 

28 Snake River Lowland SRL (28) 

29 Southern Rocky Mountains SRM (29) 

30 Southern Wisconsin Hills SWH (30) 

31 Stockton-Balcones Escarpment SBE (31) 

32 Upper Gila Mountains UGM (32) 

33 Upper Missouri Basin and Broken Lands UMBBL (33) 

34 West-Central Rolling Hills WCRH (34) 

35 Wyoming-Big Horn Basin WBHB (35) 

36 Coastal Zone CZ (36)
59

APPENDIX C: Field Trip Report Outline 

Standardized Field Trip Report Outline 

WETLAND STATUS AND TRENDS 

TRIP REPORT 

(Give Location i.e. Coastal Louisiana) 

1.) Dates: Field trip dates 

2.) Areas Visited in the Field: Location information (coastal/interior/landmark cities etc.) 

3.) Purpose of Trip: 

4.) Personnel: List people on the trip (also include any other agency personnel and the 

 dates they traveled) 

5.) Summary of Findings: Brief description of area in general 

 (coastal, inland, county, etc.) 

Note land use and dominant land forms, field conditions, etc. 

6.) Wetlands: Synopsis of problems/conditions relative to wetlands in the study area. This may 

 be broken out into inland and coastal discussion, etc. 

7.) Uplands: Same as for Wetlands section. Mention predominate crops, upland plant 

 communities, development, etc. 

8.) Vegetation List: Does not need to be extensive but representative of wetland vegetation. 

9.) Plot List: List by Quad Name, Plot Number, and sites field inspected. 
60

APPENDIX D: WETLAND STATUS AND TRENDS FIELD DATA FORM 

Status and Trends Field Data Form 

Plot number: ____________________ State:______________

Date of field visit:____________________________________

Study: 2005 era Update_______________________________

Field personnel:________________________________________________________________

Coordinates or site location:______________________________________________________

Ownership:____________________________________________________________________

Wetland/upland field classification:________________________________________________

Vegetation:_____________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Soil Name:______________________________________________________________________

Survey date:___________________________________

Listed as hydric: Yes________ No_________

List used: National_______ State_______ County________

Remarks: 
61

APPENDIX E. STATUS AND TRENDS TRACKING FORM 

Status and Trends Tracking Form 

State ______ Date_________________ 

Project Area___________________(from plot delivery CD) 

Analyst Name___________________________________________________ 

Organization____________________________________________________ 

Address/Contact Information ______________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________ 

Plot #s Included (list by plot number) 

No Change Plot #s (list by plot number) 

 
62