Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service 

Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on 

Mt. Desert Island, Maine, Including Hydrologic Susceptibility 

Factors for Wetlands in Acadia National Park 

Scientific Investigations Report 2006−5162 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey 
Cover.  Photograph shows Bass Harbor Marsh, Tremont, Maine. (Photograph by Charles W. Culbertson, U.S. Geological Survey)
Hydrogeomorphic Classification of 

Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine, 

Including Hydrologic Susceptibility Factors 

for Wetlands in Acadia National Park

By Martha G. Nielsen

Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service

Scientific Investigations Report 2006–5162

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Mark D. Myers, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2006

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U.S. Government.

Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to 

reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report.

Suggested citation:

Nielsen, M.G., 2006, Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine, including hydrologic 

susceptibility factors for wetlands in Acadia National Park: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 

2006–5162, 72 p.
iii

Contents

Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2

Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................4

Previous Studies ...................................................................................................................................4

Description of Study Area ...................................................................................................................4

Hydrogeomorphic Classification System for Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island.....................................5

Riverine Wetlands.................................................................................................................................5

Riverine–Upper Perennial ..........................................................................................................7

Riverine–Nonperennial...............................................................................................................7

Riverine–Tidal...............................................................................................................................7

Depressional Wetlands........................................................................................................................7

Depressional–Closed ..................................................................................................................7

Depressional–Semiclosed .........................................................................................................7

Depressional–Open.....................................................................................................................7

Depressional–No Ground-Water Input....................................................................................7

Mineral Soil Flat ...........................................................................................................................8

Organic Soil Flat...........................................................................................................................8

Tidal Fringe....................................................................................................................................8

Lacustrine Fringe .........................................................................................................................8

Slope ...........................................................................................................................................9

Hilltop/Upper Hillslope ................................................................................................................9

Dichotomous Key for the Identification of Wetland Subclasses ..................................................9

Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island............................................9

Hydrologic Susceptibility Factors for Wetlands in Acadia National Park, Mt. Desert Island.........12

Methods Used to Determine Variables for Susceptibility Factors .............................................12

Scaling of Variables...................................................................................................................13

Methods Used to Determine Susceptibility Factor Scores .........................................................13

Selection of Wetlands for Susceptibility Factor Scoring....................................................14

Determining Catchment Areas for Wetlands ........................................................................14

Hydrologic Pathways for Contaminants Entering Wetlands .......................................................14

Measures Indicating Dominant Pathways for Potential Contamination in 

Acadia National Park Wetlands.................................................................................14

Potential Changes in Wetland Hydrologic Regime Considering Projected Future 

Climate Change......................................................................................................................17

Projections for Climate Changes in Northeastern North America....................................17

Wetland Hydrology Implications of Projected Climate Changes.......................................18

Variables Used for Analysis of Vulnerability to Wetland Water-Supply Disruptions .....18

Results of Analysis for Hydrologic Pathways for Contaminants and Susceptibility to 

Disruptions in Water Supply from Future Changes in Climate................................................19

Wetland Scores for Hydrologic-Contamination Pathways..........................................................19

Precipitation................................................................................................................................19

Surface Water............................................................................................................................19

Ground Water.............................................................................................................................21
iv

Plate

1. Hydrogeomorphic classification of palustrine and estuarine wetlands greater than 

0.4 hectares on Mt. Desert Island, Maine

Figures

1–7. Maps showing—

1. Extent of shallow-water, nonmarine wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine............3

2. Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands greater than 1 hectare in size 

in Acadia National Park, Mt. Desert Island, Maine .....................................................15

3. Example of wetlands in relation to their catchment areas in Acadia National 

Park, Mt. Desert Island, Maine........................................................................................16

4. Wetland scores for precipitation as a potential pathway for contaminant 

delivery ................................................................................................................................20

5. Wetland scores for surface water as a potential pathway for contaminant 

delivery..... ...........................................................................................................................22

6. Wetland scores for ground water as a potential pathway for contaminant 

delivery..... ...........................................................................................................................24

7. Wetland scores for susceptibility to disruptions in water supply from 

projected future climate change.....................................................................................26

Wetland Scores for Vulnerability to Water-Supply Disruptions Under Possible 

Future Climate Change .........................................................................................................25

Summary and Conclusions.........................................................................................................................29

Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................................30

References....................................................................................................................................................30

Appendixes 1–3............................................................................................................................................33

1. Steps in Assigning Hydrogeomorphic Classifications to Wetland Polygons ...................34

2. Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine ....................36

3. Susceptibility Scoring for Wetlands Greater Than 1 Hectare in Acadia 

National Park...............................................................................................................................52
v

Tables

1. Hydrogeomorphic classification for wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine, 

with landscape setting and source of water ...........................................................................6

2. Hydrogeomorphic classification key for Mt. Desert Island, Maine ...................................10

3. Distribution of hydrogeomorphic classes of wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine .....11

4. Landscape-scale variables used in assigning wetland susceptibility scores for 

wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine....................................................................................13

5. Variables used to determine the potential of a particular source of water being 

a transport mechanism for contaminant delivery to wetlands at Acadia National 

Park, Maine..................................................................................................................................17

6. Variable grouping and scoring for wetland susceptibility to water-supply 

disruptions under future climate conditions, Mt. Desert Island, Maine............................19

7. Wetlands with highest scores for precipitation as a potential pathway for 

contamination, Mt. Desert Island, Maine ...............................................................................21

8. Wetlands with highest scores for surface water as a potential pathway for 

contamination, Mt. Desert Island, Maine ...............................................................................23

9. Wetlands with highest scores for ground water as a potential pathway for 

contamination, Mt. Desert Island, Maine ...............................................................................23

10. Twenty lowest-scoring wetlands for sustained water supply under projected 

future climate change................................................................................................................27

11. Twenty highest-scoring wetlands for sustained water supply under projected 

future climate change................................................................................................................28

Multiply By To obtain

Length

centimeter (cm) 0.3937 inch (in.)

millimeter (mm) 0.0394 inch (in.)

meter (m) 3.281 foot (ft) 

kilometer (km) 0.6214 mile (mi)

Area

hectare (ha) 2.471 acre

square kilometer (km2) 0.3861 square mile (mi2)

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows:

 °F=(1.8×°C)+32

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 

(NAVD 88).

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).

Conversion Factors and Datums
Abstract

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with

the National Park Service, developed a hydrogeomorphic 

(HGM) classification system for wetlands greater than 

0.4 hectares (ha) on Mt. Desert Island, Maine, and applied this 

classification using map-scale data to more than 1,200 mapped 

wetland units on the island. In addition, two hydrologic 

susceptibility factors were defined for a subset of these 

wetlands, using 11 variables derived from landscape-scale 

characteristics of the catchment areas of these wetlands. The 

hydrologic susceptibility factors, one related to the potential 

hydrologic pathways for contaminants and the other to the 

susceptibility of wetlands to disruptions in water supply from 

projected future changes in climate, were used to indicate 

which wetlands (greater than 1 ha) in Acadia National Park 

(ANP) may warrant further investigation or monitoring.

The HGM classification system consists of 13 categories: 

Riverine-Upper Perennial, Riverine-Nonperennial, Riverine-Tidal, Depressional-Closed, Depressional-Semiclosed, 

Depressional-Open, Depressional-No Ground-Water Input, 

Mineral Soil Flat, Organic Soil Flat, Tidal Fringe, Lacustrine 

Fringe, Slope, and Hilltop/Upper Hillslope. A dichotomous 

key was developed to aid in the classification of wetlands. The 

National Wetland Inventory maps produced by the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service provided the wetland mapping units used 

for this classification. On the basis of topographic map information and geographic information system (GIS) layers at a 

scale of 1:24,000 or larger, 1,202 wetland units were assigned 

a preliminary HGM classification. Two of the 13 HGM classes 

(Riverine-Tidal and Depressional-No Ground-Water Input) 

were not assigned to any wetlands because criteria for determining those classes are not available at that map scale, and 

must be determined by more site-specific information. Of the 

1,202 wetland polygons classified, which cover 1,830 ha in 

ANP, 327 were classified as Slope, 258 were Depressional 

(Open, Semiclosed, and Closed), 231 were Riverine (Upper 

Perennial and Nonperennial), 210 were Soil Flat (Mineral and 

Organic), 68 were Lacustrine Fringe, 51 were Tidal Fringe, 22 

were Hilltop/Upper Hillslope, and another 35 were small open 

water bodies. Most small, isolated wetlands classified on the 

island are Slope wetlands. The least common, Hilltop/Upper 

Hillslope wetlands, only occur on a few hilltops and shoulders 

of hills and mountains. Large wetland complexes generally 

consist of groups of Depressional wetlands and Mineral Soil 

Flat or Organic Soil Flat wetlands, often with fringing Slope 

wetlands at their edges and Riverine wetlands near streams 

flowing through them.

The two analyses of wetland hydrologic susceptibility 

on Mt. Desert Island were applied to 186 wetlands located 

partially or entirely within ANP. These analyses were 

conducted using individually mapped catchments for each 

wetland. The 186 wetlands were aggregated from the original 

1,202 mapped wetland polygons on the basis of their HGM 

classes. Landscape-level hydrologic, geomorphic, and soil 

variables were defined for the catchments of the wetlands, 

and transformed into scaled scores from 0 to 10 for each 

variable. The variables included area of the wetland, area of 

the catchment, area of the wetland divided by the area of the 

catchment, the average topographic slope of the catchment, the 

amount of the catchment where bedrock crops out with no soil 

cover or excessively thin soil cover, the amount of storage (in 

lakes and wetlands) in the catchment, the topographic relief of 

the catchment, the amount of clay-rich soil in the catchment, 

the amount of manmade impervious surface, whether the 

wetland had a stream inflow, and whether the wetland had 

a hydraulic connection to a lake or estuary. These data were 

determined using a GIS and data layers mapped at a scale of 

1:24,000 or larger.

These landscape variables were combined in different 

ways for the two hydrologic susceptibility factors, according 

to the purposes of each. For the contaminant delivery analysis, 

the variables related to the relative importance of direct 

precipitation, surface water, and ground water as a water 

source for each wetland were grouped, and the scaled scores 

summed for each wetland. Relatively few wetlands scored 

high on the relative importance of precipitation as a pathway 

Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on 

Mt. Desert Island, Maine, Including Hydrologic 

Susceptibility Factors for Wetlands in 

Acadia National Park

By Martha G. Nielsen
for contamination. Many of the highest-scoring wetlands for 

surface water as a potential source of contamination are in 

the eastern part of the island. The distribution of wetlands 

scoring highest for ground water as a potential source of 

contamination are more evenly distributed across the island.

For the analysis of susceptibility to water-supply disruptions under potential future climate change (greater annual 

precipitation and warmer temperatures, particularly in the 

summer, which may result in increased evapotranspiration), 

variables related to greater susceptibility (more anticipated 

water-supply disruptions) were grouped and given a negative 

value. Variables related to less susceptibility (fewer anticipated 

water-supply disruptions) were grouped and given positive scores. The scaled negative and positive scores for each 

wetland were summed to determine the final score. The 20 

lowest-scoring wetlands are those that are likely to be the most 

vulnerable and would experience the most water-supply shortages should predictions of future climate conditions hold true. 

Many of these wetlands have relatively small catchment areas 

compared to the size of the wetland itself, most have little or 

no opportunity for surface-water storage in the catchment, and 

some have a large amount of rock cropping out (areas with 

little to no soil cover) in their catchments. Wetlands with the 

highest scores (those likely to be least vulnerable) have soils 

relatively favorable to ground-water recharge, relatively large 

catchment sizes, and many have a hydraulic connection to a 

lacustrine or estuarine water body.

Introduction

Wetlands in Acadia National Park (ANP), Mt. Desert 

Island, Maine (fig. 1), are a significant ecological resource 

that have not yet been fully categorized and understood. 

Wetland vegetation has been mapped (Lubinski and others, 

2003) and wetlands have been delineated and described 

(Calhoun and others, 1994), but the hydrology of wetlands on 

Mt. Desert Island, where the bulk of ANP is located, has not 

been categorized and described. Wetland hydrology, including 

water source and hydrodynamics, is typically considered the 

single most important factor controlling wetland ecosystem 

processes (Mitsch and Gosselink, 2000). A categorization 

based on hydrology and hydrologic function could be used to 

analyze the distribution of vegetation types, invasive species, 

invertebrates, and to assist in the development of a wetland 

monitoring plan. The development of such a plan for the 

shallow-water (less than 2 m), nonmarine wetlands, is a high 

priority in the Water Resources Management Plan for the park 

(Kahl and others, 2000). For the effective implementation of 

a wetland monitoring plan, the wetlands in the park would 

need to be categorized and classified in a way that helps park 

managers evaluate risks and current conditions and prioritize 

wetlands for monitoring. Besides the hydrologic organization 

needed, additional information is needed to further interpret 

differences in the biological structure and geochemical 

signatures found in wetlands, and to identify possible agents 

of observed changes in these structures and their signatures 

over time. Some possible agents of change associated with 

wetland hydrology at ANP include the delivery of chemical 

contaminants and climate change. The susceptibility of 

wetlands to these two hydrologically related agents are some 

of the additional factors that park managers may consider in 

the development of a wetland monitoring plan.

 In 2003, in cooperation with the Water Resources 

Division of the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological 

Survey (USGS) designed a study to classify the hydrology of 

wetlands on Mt. Desert Island according to hydrogeomorphic 

(HGM) principles (Brinson, 1993), and to analyze hydrologic 

susceptibility factors for wetlands. This report is the second of 

two reports from that study. The first report from the study was 

a preliminary HGM classification for wetlands on Mt. Desert 

Island, including ANP, which presented an approach that uses 

the HGM concept in a way that can be applied to all wetlands 

in a region within a relatively short amount of time (Nielsen 

and others, 2006). The preliminary HGM classification 

included 13 HGM classes and subclasses, which are defined 

and described in that report. After the method was developed, 

the HGM classification system was applied to all the wetlands 

on the island, and that is described in the current report. 

This study also was designed to provide information 

on potential hydrologic stressors to wetlands in ANP 

by classifying wetlands according to two hydrologic 

susceptibility characterizations: the delivery pathway 

(precipitation, surface water, and ground water) for potential 

contaminants to enter individual wetlands, and the potential 

for water-supply disruptions to affect wetlands as a result of 

projected future climate changes. Two climate models have 

projected an increase in temperature for New England of 2.5 

to 5oC over the next 100 years, with a possible increase in 

precipitation (primarily during the fall, winter, and spring) as 

well (Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment, 2006; Barron, 

2001; Houghton and others, 2001; National Assessment 

Synthesis Team, 2001). This may bring about a water deficit 

during the summer growing season for wetlands (Brooks, 

2004), but may have other effects on wetland hydrology 

during the rest of the year.

The HGM classification of wetlands can help determine 

which wetlands are hydrologically similar, and which might 

be representative of others in a group. The characterizations 

of hydrologic susceptibility can be used to address two 

issues. The first is helping determine the most likely path that 

contaminants would take to reach a wetland, should chemical 

contaminants or excessive nutrients be found in the catchment. 

This is important for understanding how long it could take 

for a problem to show up in the wetland, what might be done 

to monitor the arrival of contaminants, or how to design 

an early-warning system for detection of problems. (As of 

February 2006, ongoing research [G.R. Guntenspergen, U.S. 

Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, written 

commun., 2004] is addressing the likelihood of finding various 

contaminants in the catchments of park wetlands.) The second 

 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Figure 1. Extent of shallow-water, nonmarine wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine.

Maine

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital line graphs, 1:24,000

Bar Harbor, 1982, Bass Harbor, provisional, 1983, Bartlett Island, 1981, 

Salsbury Cove, 1981, Seal Harbor and Southwest Harbor, 1983 

Shaded relief from 10-meter U.S. Geological Survey digital elevation model

Study area

EXPLANATION

Acadia National Park

Nonmarine wetland

 Lake or pond 

 Town boundary

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

0

5 MILES

5 KILOMETERS

0

68°10'

44°25'

68°25'

44°15'

Penobscot Bay

Atlantic Ocean

Bar Harbor

Mount Desert

Southwest Harbor

Tremont

MT. DESERT ISLAND

Frenchman’s Bay

Somes

Sound

Introduction 
issue addressed in this study is, given what is known about 

the landscape and hydrology of the island, which wetlands are 

likely to be more susceptible to disruptions in water supply 

if the climate were to change, and which are likely to be less 

susceptible. This is important for understanding the fate of 

various ecosystems in the future.

Traditional water-budget studies of wetlands could be 

used to provide a highly accurate assessment of these issues, 

but that approach would be impossible to apply at the scale 

needed for this study. Therefore, landscape-level data are used 

to conduct the analysis, providing an initial evaluation of these 

wetlands that can be used to assist water-resource managers 

with decisions on future monitoring and data collection.

Purpose and Scope

This report describes the results of a study to use a 

hydrogeomorphic approach to classify wetlands on Mt. Desert 

Island, Maine. A preliminary HGM classification system was 

described in Nielsen and others (2006); a final HGM classification system is presented here and includes a list of the 

initial HGM classification for 1,202 mapped wetland polygons 

(individually, or in groups, larger than 0.4 ha in size) on Mt. 

Desert Island. The initial classification for these wetlands is 

shown on a plate (field verification of the classification would 

be required for a confirmed HGM classification for each 

wetland). The report also describes an approach and results of 

an analysis of the susceptibility of wetlands larger than 1 ha in 

Acadia National Park, Mt. Desert Island, Maine, to two hydrologic stresses. GIS-derived scores based on catchment characteristics for 186 individual wetlands are presented (1) for the 

relative importance of three hydrologic pathways for potential 

contaminants (precipitation, surface water, and ground water), 

and (2) for susceptibility to changes in wetland hydrologic 

regime under likely scenarios for future climate change in 

northern New England. Wetland and catchment characteristics 

are discussed for the highest-scoring wetlands for each water 

source and for the most susceptible and least susceptible wetlands to potential future climate-related changes in hydrology.

Previous Studies

Hydrogeomorphic characterization is not new, although 

prior to 2006, no HGM classification system had been published for northern New England. Nielsen and others (2006) 

presented a summary of the HGM concept as it relates to the 

development of an HGM classification of Mt. Desert Island 

wetlands. In short, the HGM approach is based on classification (hydrological segregation) that results in an organization 

of wetlands according to different potential functions and 

benefits. It is based on three fundamental factors that influence 

wetland function: position in the landscape, dominant source 

of water, and hydrodynamics, which refers to the flow and 

fluctuations of water levels in a wetland over time (Brinson, 

1993; Cole and others, 1997; Schaffer and others, 1999).

The concept of classifying wetlands according to 

hydrologic risk factors also is not new (Detenbeck and others, 

2000; Gilvear and McInnes, 1994; Lemly, 1996); however, 

no published studies were found that specifically address 

chemical transport pathways for wetlands. Projected future 

changes in climate (increases in temperature and possibly 

precipitation in the fall, winter, and spring) are widely 

recognized as being likely to have an impact on various 

types of wetlands (Winter, 2000, Burkett and Kusler, 2000). 

However, no specific studies have been published that address 

the variations in hydrologic response that may be found in the 

types of wetlands in New England under the climate change 

scenarios proposed for New England and northeastern North 

America (Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment, 2006; 

Houghton and others, 2001; Barron, 2001; Huntington, 2003). 

One example of categorizing wetlands according to hydrologic 

vulnerability is discussed in Gilvear and McInnes (1994). In 

that study, 399 Scottish wetlands grouped into 12 hydrologic 

classes were assigned to low, moderate, or high levels of 

vulnerability for 6 hydrologic risk factors, on the basis of the 

sources of water for the 12 hydrologic classes.

The concept of “ecological risk assessment” for wetlands 

(Lemly, 1996) is another example of hydrologic vulnerability 

analysis. It provides a more structured way to evaluate many 

types of data for wetlands to create a holistic and complete 

evaluation of the factors that relate to wetland function and 

health with respect to potential risks posed by human activity and other factors. The ecosystem response to stresses is 

determined by physical properties, climate, and biotic factors 

(Lemly, 1996). The physical properties that are important in 

the risk characterization of wetlands include hydrology, geomorphic setting, and soils. Lemly points out that the important 

hydrologic parameters for assessing exposure to chemical 

stressors include the type of water input and flow (direct precipitation, surface flow, subsurface flow, etc.) to wetlands.

The implementation of ecological risk assessment 

for wetlands is still in its early stages, and approaches 

and methods are still being tested. Detenbeck and others 

(2000) used GIS coverages in an ecological risk assessment 

framework for evaluating resistance and resilience of wetlands 

and other aquatic ecosystems to hydrology-related stressors in 

the western Lake Superior Basin. The study presented in this 

report builds on that approach; hydrologic, geomorphic, and 

soils variables are evaluated across a large geographic area 

and across a wide variety of wetland types in a cost-efficient 

manner using GIS coverages as a way of screening wetlands 

for two specific hydrology-related stresses (possible delivery 

of contaminants and climate changes).

Description of Study Area

Mt. Desert Island encompasses 285 km2 (110 mi2) 

and is the largest island on the Atlantic Coast of the United 

States north of Cape Cod, Massachusetts (fig. 1). Rainfall 

is about 145 cm/yr (National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Administration, 2002). ANP covers more than 50 percent 

of the island. Wetlands cover 6 to 10 percent of the island 

(depending on how the wetlands are mapped), and 11 percent 

of ANP (including areas not on Mt. Desert Island) (Calhoun 

and others, 1994; Lubinski and others, 2003). Of these, 

32 percent are palustrine freshwater and estuarine wetlands 

(nonlacustrine and nonmarine). More than 75 percent of the 

island is forested.

The bedrock of Mt. Desert Island consists primarily of 

granitic and other igneous intrusive rocks, and metamorphic 

rocks of various types (Gilman and others, 1988). The 

fractured nature of these rocks allows limited amounts of 

ground water to accumulate and flow in the bedrock, providing 

ground-water-flow paths that may provide water to wetlands in 

low-lying areas of the island.

A discontinuous layer of glacial and post-glacial 

sediments overlies the bedrock in most places. Most of the 

upper-elevation mountains (areas above 300 ft in elevation), 

as well as many areas at lower elevations, are mapped as bare 

bedrock and very thin drift (Gilman and others, 1988). The 

glacial sediments covering the rest of the island are mostly 

till or fine-grained glaciomarine sediments. The only named 

surficial geological unit is the Presumpscot Formation, which 

is a silt and clay deposit of variable thickness and extent that 

was deposited in seawater during and after glacial retreat 

(prior to isostatic rebound) when sea level was between 100–

120 m higher than it is today (Smith, 1985; Lowell, 1989). 

Wetlands across the island are developed anywhere that water 

can accumulate and drain slowly, which may be directly over 

poorly fractured bedrock, till, or the glaciomarine Presumpscot 

Formation silts and clays.

Additional details of the geology and geography of 

the study area are given in Nielsen and others (2006), and 

Nielsen (2002).

Hydrogeomorphic Classification 

System for Wetlands on Mt. Desert 

Island

After the preliminary HGM classification system for 

Mt. Desert Island was developed (Nielsen and others, 2006), 

it was applied to all wetland units on the island mapped in the 

National Wetland Inventory (NWI) (U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, 1998) except for isolated wetlands less than 0.4 ha 

(1 acre) in size. The size for isolated wetlands was limited 

to those greater than 0.4 ha because the target mapping size 

limit of the NWI maps is 0.4 ha (Tiner, 1997). Many wetland 

polygons smaller than 0.4 ha were included in the analysis, but 

these were all part of larger contiguous wetland areas. Overall, 

1,202 wetland units were classified, including an additional 

wetland type (Hilltop/Upper Hillslope), that had not been 

identified in the preliminary HGM classification (Nielsen and 

others, 2006). That type is described in the following section, 

as part of the final HGM classification system for Mt. Desert 

Island wetlands.

The final HGM classification system and a short description of the 13 types for Mt. Desert Island is shown in table 1. 

The derivation of the classification system and maps showing 

examples of each type are found in Nielsen and others (2006), 

with the exception of the Hilltop/Upper Hillslope type, which 

was added for this report.

Riverine Wetlands

Riverine wetlands on Mt. Desert Island are found in 

riparian corridors associated with small first- and second-order 

streams (higher-order streams do not exist on the island). The 

streams may be perennial, intermittent, or tidal. Water sources 

for these wetlands include overbank flow from the channel 

during precipitation and snowmelt events, shallow subsurface 

connections between the wetland and stream channel, direct 

precipitation, overland flow from adjacent uplands during 

precipitation and snowmelt events, and from ground water. 

At the headwaters of streams, these wetlands may merge 

with slope or depressional wetlands as the stream channel 

disappears (Smith and others, 1995). Water flow is bi-directional—the stream provides the wetland with water when 

streamflows are high, and the wetlands slowly drain back to 

the stream during low flows. A high water table in the soils 

and sediments near the stream may also provide a secondary 

source of water to these wetlands. In a large wetland with 

a stream running through it, only the part affected by the 

stream would be classified as riverine. On Mt. Desert Island, 

all streams are small, and flooding usually cannot reach a 

great distance into an adjacent wetland. For this classification, 

wetland areas adjacent to a stream, but further than 50 m from 

it, are not considered to be affected by the stream and are not 

classified as riverine. This is an arbitrary distance, as data on 

how far a stream’s effect extends into adjacent wetlands are 

not available.

One variable that does affect the formation of riverine 

wetlands is the presence of beavers and their dams. Beaverrelated flow restriction often causes wetland formation 

in areas where a wetland may not otherwise form or may 

otherwise be much smaller. Human activities also may cause 

flow restrictions in streams, resulting in changes in the size 

or presence of wetlands. Although beaver dams and other 

flow restrictions do not necessarily affect the sources of water 

to wetlands, they can be important in the character of the 

hydrology of a wetland. This HGM classification does not 

specifically incorporate sources of flow restriction, because 

they are not apparent at the 1:24,000 scale of maps used in 

the classification. This HGM classification does allow for 

the presence of beaver dams and other flow restrictions to 

be noted for wetlands where they are known to exist. This 

additional information would assist in the interpretation of 

future site-specific hydrodynamic data.

Hydrogeomorphic Classification System for Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island 
Table 1. Hydrogeomorphic classification for wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine, with landscape setting and source of water. 

Hydrogeomorphic class 

Landscape setting Source of water

Number Name

1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Within 50 meters of a perennial stream, roughly 

same altitude as the stream

Primarily lateral exchange with perennial 1st/2nd order stream; may also have 

ground-water inflow.

2 Riverine-Nonperennial Within 50 meters of an intermittent stream, 

roughly same altitude as the stream

Primarily lateral exchange with inter­mittent/

nonperennial stream; may also have 

ground-water inflow.

3 Riverine-Tidal Within 50 meters of a tidal stream, roughly same 

altitude as the stream

Primarily lateral exchange with tidal freshwater stream; flooding from tidal freshwater 

stream; may also have ground-water inflow.

4 Depressional-Closed In a topographic depression (hills on two or more 

sides), no surface inflow or outflow

Inflow from ground water, overland flow, 

and(or) precipitation.

5 Depressional-Semiclosed In a topographic depression (hills on two or more 

sides), some surface-water outflow

Inflow from ground water, overland flow, 

and(or) precipitation.

6 Depressional-Open In a topographic depression (hills on two or more 

sides), surface-water inflow and out­flow

Inflow from stream inflow upstream and 

ground water, overland flow, and(or) 

precipitation.

7 Depressional-No GroundWater InputIn a topographic depression (hills on two or more 

sides), but underlain by Presump­scot Formation, 

may have sur­face-water inflows or outflows

Precipitation and overland flow and(or) 

stream inflow from upstream.

8 Mineral Soil Flat Wide, flat area, low topo­graphic relief in 

surrounding area, mineral soils

Precipitation.

9 Organic Soil Flat Wide, flat area, low topo­graphic relief in 

surrounding area, organic soils

Precipitation.

10 Tidal Fringe Adjacent to tidal saltwater body/estuary, within 

50 meters or limit of saltwater influence

Overbank flow (lateral exchange) from 

estuary or other saltwater body.

11 Lacustrine Fringe Adjacent to large open-water lake/pond (within 

100 meters, same altitude, lake/pond must be 

large enough to con­trol water level in wetland)

Overbank flow (lateral exchange) from lake, 

may also have ground-water inflow.

12 Slope On a sloping surface or hill­side Return flow (discharge) from ground water.

13 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope At or near the top of a mountain or hill, or shoulder of a mountain or hill, having a very small 

catchment area

Precipitation and overland flow.

 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Riverine–Upper Perennial

These wetlands are associated with perennial streams 

in areas of high ground-water levels. Upper Perennial Riverine wetlands lose surface water to the adjacent channel after 

flooding, to evapotranspira­tion, or as seepage to ground water 

if the stream is a losing stream at the wetland location. These 

wetlands may be wooded or have shrub-scrub or emergent 

vegetation. Wetlands that are adjacent to streams, but do not 

receive flow from the stream (flow is uni-directional towards 

the stream), are not considered riverine wetlands.

Riverine–Nonperennial

Nonperennial riverine wetlands on Mt. Desert Island are 

differentiated from upper perennial riverine wetlands in that 

the dominant source of water is from intermittent or ephemeral 

streams (as mapped on a 7.5-minute USGS topographic map). 

Addi­tional water sources to the wetland can be from overland 

flow, precipitation, tributary inflow, interflow from surrounding uplands, and ground water.

Riverine–Tidal

Tidal riverine wetlands on are found along the coast and 

in estuaries. These wetlands are under the hydrologic influence 

of the tides in the Atlantic Ocean and its estuaries, but are not 

saline. They interface with tidal fringe wetlands (including salt 

marshes), but are distinguished when tidal flow (bidirectional 

flow) is diminished rela­tive to river or streamflow as the 

dominant water source. Salinities of 5 parts per thousand (ppt) 

or less are required in these wetlands (Smith and others, 1995). 

Additional water sources may be ground-water discharge and 

precipitation. Tidal riverine wetlands do not tend to dry out 

for long periods because water-table elevations are controlled 

primarily by sea surface elevation. These wetlands lose water 

by tidal exchange, overland flow to tidal creek channels, and 

by evapotranspiration. Organic matter often accumulates 

in higher elevation marsh areas (Smith and others, 1995). 

Because salinities and the extent of tidal influence on coastal 

streams are not shown on 1:24,000-scale maps, these wetlands 

can be differentiated from other coastal riverine wetlands only 

after collecting information in the field.

Depressional Wetlands

Depressional wetlands on Mt. Desert Island are a major 

class of wetlands that form in topographic depressions or 

basins (which may be closed, semiclosed, or open) where 

inflowing surface water accumulates. Water sources for these 

wetlands include direct pre­cipitation, ground-water discharge, 

overland flow, and shallow subsurface seepage from adjacent 

uplands (“interflow”). The local hydrologic gradient is primarily from the uplands surrounding the wetland toward the center 

of the depression. Gaps in the surrounding uplands may allow 

for stream inlets and(or) outlets. Water flows out of depressional wetlands through evapotranspiration, ground-water 

recharge, or, if stream channels exist, through perennial or 

intermittent surface-water flow (Smith and others, 1995). Peat 

deposits may develop in some depressional wet­lands. Depressional wetlands may have open water in the center, but the 

depth of water generally does not exceed 2 m and is usually 

much less (open water bodies with depths greater than 2 m 

are defined as lacustrine wetlands or water bodies in the NWI, 

rather than palustrine wetlands (Cowardin and others, 1979)).

Depressional–Closed

Closed depressional wetlands lack any discernable 

surface-water inlets or outlets. Flow is from ground-water 

discharge, overland flow, and shallow seepage from adjacent uplands (“interflow”); outflow is through ground-water 

seepage and evapotranspiration. Vernal pools and kettle-hole 

wetlands are examples of closed depressional wetlands.

Depressional–Semiclosed

Semiclosed depressional wetlands are similar to 

closed depressional wetlands, although they have one or 

more surface-water outlets (Smith and others, 1995), and are 

much more common than closed depressional wetlands. 

They have no discernable surface-water inlet, and sources 

of water are from precipitation, overland flow, groundwater discharge, and shallow seepage from adjacent uplands 

(“interflow”). Water drains these wetlands through intermittent 

or perennial streams, ground-water recharge, and(or) evapotranspiration. Peat deposits may develop in some semiclosed 

depressional wetlands.

Depressional–Open

Open depressional wetlands are distinguished from other 

depressional wetlands by discernable surface-water inlets and 

outlets (Smith and others, 1995). These wetlands may be further differentiated into open, ground-water depressional wetlands—where the primary source of water is ground water—

and open, surface-water depressional wetlands—where the 

primary source of water is surface-water runoff, precipitation, 

overland flow, or interflow. These wetlands are supported by a 

locally high water table and are common on Mt. Desert Island 

(Calhoun and others, 1994). These wetlands exist in till, glaciomarine, and bedrock settings. Open depressional wetlands 

may have a corridor of riverine wetland along a stream within 

the wetland.

Depressional–No Ground-Water Input

In depressional settings where the glaciomarine 

Presumpscot Formation forms a thick blanket of lowpermeability sediments below the wetland, a depressional 

Hydrogeomorphic Classification System for Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island 
wetland may be cut off from ground-water inflow. If a wetland 

in a depression is in an area where the hydraulic head in the 

underlying aquifer is higher than in the wetland, and ground 

water would normally discharge to the wetland were it not 

for the low-permeability sediments, that wetland would be 

classified as depressional with no ground-water input. The 

presence of the Presumpscot Formation itself, however, does 

not automatically mean that water cannot flow from the 

ground water to the wetland. The Presumpscot Formation is 

fractured in many places, and the thickness may vary from 

less than a meter to more than 20 m (unpublished well logs 

from the Maine Geological Survey). Most wetlands that are 

developed on glaciomarine deposits in depressional settings 

on Mt. Desert Island probably receive some ground-water 

inflow because of the variation in thickness and fracturing of 

the deposits, and would be considered semiclosed depressional 

or open ground-water depressional wetlands. This particular 

subclass should be used only when sufficient field data have 

been collected to rule out ground-water discharge to the 

wetland, and cannot be assigned using map data alone.

Mineral Soil Flat

Mineral soil flats are wetlands developed on relatively 

flat ground, which includes interfluves (flat areas between 

streams draining in the same general direction), other 

relatively flat upland areas, and large flood-plain terraces 

(Smith and others, 1995). The dominant source of water 

is precipitation. Mineral soil flats are distinguished from 

depressional and slope wetlands in that they receive virtually 

no ground-water inputs, although the water level is maintained 

by a locally high water table, which prevents drainage of 

runoff and precipitation. Water drains these wetlands through 

overland flow, evapotranspiration, and seepage to ground 

water. Vertical drainage tends to be poor, because of clayey 

soils, hard­pans, slow rates of lateral drainage, and low 

hydraulic gradients (Smith and others, 1995). On Mt. Desert 

Island, the clay-rich Presumpscot Formation commonly is 

present at depth beneath these wetlands. Mineral soil flats 

can eventually become organic soil flats if peat accumulates. 

Common examples of mineral soil flat wetlands are vari­ous 

types of forested wetlands with hydric (seasonally watersaturated) soils. Riverine wetlands may be found near streams 

within larger areas of soil flat wetlands.

Organic Soil Flat

Organic soil flat wetlands, also referred to as extensive 

peatlands, are differentiated from mineral soil flats primarily 

by the vertical accretion of organic matter (Smith and 

others, 1995). Organic soil flat wetlands are common on flat 

interfluves; they also may have been former large depressional 

wetlands that have become filled with peat to form relatively 

large, flat surface areas (Smith and others, 1995). The 

dominant source of water is precipitation. Water loss is by 

evapotranspiration, streamflow, overland flow, and seepage 

to ground water. Organic soil flats share many characteristics 

with raised bogs but do not have the convex upward form 

of bogs and the low-nutrient conditions for plants that 

bogs provide.

Tidal Fringe

Tidal fringe wetlands are found bordering estuaries and 

along the coast; water levels are under the influence of local 

tidal fluctuations (Smith and others, 1995). These wetlands 

may merge landward with other types of wetlands, including 

riverine wetlands, mineral soil flats, or organic soil flats. 

Pore-water salinities of 5 to 30 parts per thousand distinguish 

tidal fringe wetlands from riverine-tidal wet­lands (Smith and 

others, 1995). Because salt marshes are within this salinity 

range, they are considered tidal fringe wetlands. Water sources 

also include direct precipitation and may include groundwater discharge. Tidal fringe wetlands lose water through tidal 

exchange, evapotranspiration, and overland or subsurface flow 

to tidal creek channels (Smith and others, 1995). Tidal fringe 

wetlands seldom dry out because they are frequently flooded 

by high tides, especially bi-monthly spring tides, and watertable elevations are controlled primarily by sea-level eleva­tion. 

Organic matter tends to accumulate at higher elevation marsh 

areas where flooding is less frequent and shoreline wave 

erosion is not a factor.

Lacustrine Fringe

Lacustrine fringe wetlands on Mt. Desert Island are 

located adjacent to lakes and ponds where the water level of 

the lake maintains the water level in the wetland (Smith and 

others, 1995). Water also enters these wetlands through direct 

precipita­tion and ground-water discharge. Ground-water 

discharge may dominate where lacustrine fringe wet­lands 

come into contact with adjacent uplands or slope wetlands. 

Lacustrine fringe wetlands lose water through overland or subsurface flow to the lake or pond (following flooding), and by 

evapotranspiration. Organic matter may accumulate in areas 

protected from shoreline wave erosion. Water can be up to 2 m 

deep in some areas. Wetlands that are adjacent to small ponds 

(often considered a part of the wetland itself), and that do not 

have another independent source of water (such as stream 

inflows), are not included in the lacustrine fringe subclass, but 

are generally classified as depressional wetlands of some sort. 

For this HGM classification system, portions of wetlands adjacent to a lake or pond, but further than 100 m from it, are not 

considered to be affected by the water body and, therefore, are 

not classified as lacustrine fringe. The 100 m is an arbitrary 

distance, because data are not readily available that could help 

determine how far the a water body’s influence may extend 

into an adjacent wetland. This distance may vary with lake 

level, elevation of the wetland, vegetation, and other factors.

 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Slope

Slope wetlands normally exist on sloped land where 

ground water discharges to the land surface (Smith and others, 

1995). Many geologic settings can produce this effect; on 

Mt. Desert Island this may occur because a lower-permeability 

layer (fractured bedrock, for example) forces ground water to 

the surface saturating the surficial soils. Elevation gradients 

range from slight slopes to steep hillsides. Slope wetlands 

are distinguished from depressional wetlands because there 

is no basin shape, and the wetlands are on sloping surfaces. 

The dominant water source is ground water, but precipitation 

and interflow from surrounding uplands also may contribute 

water. Slope wetlands lose water by evapotranspiration, by 

saturated flow back into ground water on their downslope side, 

and overland surface flow. Some slope wetlands appear on a 

topographic map to be similar to riverine wetlands, but these 

slope wetlands are always slightly higher in elevation than the 

stream and supply the stream with water rather than receive 

water from the stream.

Hilltop/Upper Hillslope

Wetlands developed in small depressions on the tops 

of hills or ridges are classified as hilltop/upper hillslope 

wetlands. These wetlands are generally elevated above the 

regional ground-water system, and are located in ground-water 

recharge areas. The only source of water is precipitation and 

runoff from immediately adjacent uplands. These wetlands 

are distinguished from depressional wetlands in that they are 

located where ground-water discharge cannot occur—they are 

on higher ground, they have very small catchment areas, and 

are found at or near the top of a hill. Water drains these wetlands through evapotranspiration and in some cases, by slow 

seepage to ground water. These wetlands are formed where 

drainage is slowed by the bottom sediments in the wetland 

and(or) by the lack of fractures in bedrock underlying them. 

Hilltop/upper hillslope wetlands may form on bedrock or on 

unconsolidated sediments.

Dichotomous Key for the Identification of 

Wetland Subclasses

To assist in the classification of wetlands using the HGM 

subclasses, a dichotomous key was developed for Mt. Desert 

Island (table 2). The key consists of a series of paired choices 

called couplets. Each couplet presents the user with two 

alternative choices that distinguish one group of wetlands 

from another. The user chooses one alternative, and the 

answer determines which couplet is referred to next, until 

a wetland type is determined. The key was developed to be 

used with GIS data as much as possible.

Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on 

Mt. Desert Island

An initial classification of 1,202 wetland polygons on 

Mt. Desert Island was accomplished using available map 

data at a scale of 1:24,000. The base data used were the NWI 

polygons from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service, 1998). All the wetland polygons in the 

Estuarine and Palustrine systems (Cowardin and others, 1979) 

on the island were classified, except for isolated wetland 

polygons less than 0.4 ha (1 acre) in size. Many polygons less 

than 0.4 ha were classified but all are part of larger contiguous 

wetland areas, which were divided into smaller polygons on 

the basis of vegetation type and other factors. The additional 

data layers used in the classification included the USGS digital 

topographic maps (Bar Harbor, Bartlett Island, Bass Harbor, 

Salsbury Cove, Seal Cove, Southwest Harbor, Swans Island, 

and Tremont 7.5-minute quadrangles), and soils data from the 

National Resources Conservation Service (Jordan, 1998) in 

digital format (scale 1:20,000). This HGM classification was 

applied to each of these wetlands, producing a GIS coverage 

of classified wetlands for the island. Appendix 1 describes the 

specific steps used in applying the dichotomous key and the 

HGM classification system to the wetland polygons on the 

island.

Each of the 1,202 wetland polygons was given a number. 

First, all the wetlands (larger than 0.4 ha) were numbered 

from west to east, and north to south on the island. Wetland 

areas consisting of several contiguous wetland polygons were 

treated as one wetland in the numbering system. Then, within 

each of these wetland areas with more than one polygon, 

the individual polygons were given a sequential letter. For 

example, one wetland area was given the number 14 (near 

Hulls Cove, in the town of Bar Harbor, see plate 1). This wetland area consisted of five contiguous wetland polygons. The 

wetland polygons were numbered 14-a, 14-b, 14-c, 14-d, and 

14-e. The next wetland area (15, adjacent to Hamilton Pond, 

near Salsbury Cove, in the town of Bar Harbor, see plate 1) 

consisted of only one polygon, so its number was simply 15. 

A list of all 1,202 wetlands and their resulting classifications is 

given in appendix 2. Plate 1 shows the locations and distribution of the wetlands.

The number of wetlands in each HGM subclass is 

shown in table 3. The 1,202 mapped wetland polygons 

range in size from less than 0.1 to 41.8 ha. Two of the HGM 

subclasses were not assigned to any wetlands (RiverineTidal, and Depressional-No Ground Water Input), because 

the information needed to determine that a wetland falls into 

those classes is not available at this map scale and must be 

determined on the basis of site-specific field data. Most small, 

isolated wetlands classified on the island are Slope wetlands. 

The least common are the Hilltop/Upper Hillslope wetlands, 

which only occur on a few hilltops and shoulders of hills and 

mountains. Large wetland complexes generally comprise 

groups of Depressional wetlands and Mineral Soil Flat or 

Organic Soil Flat wetlands, often with fringing Slope wetlands 

Hydrogeomorphic Classification System for Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island 
Table 2. Hydrogeomorphic classification key for Mt. Desert Island, Maine.

1. Is the wetland adjacent to saltwater or an estuary?

Yes.....................................................................................................................Tidal Fringe

No....................................................................................................................................2

2. Is the wetland immediately adjacent to an open-water lake/pond?

Yes....................................................................................................................................3

No....................................................................................................................................5

3. Is the wetland area within 100 meters of the lake/pond and at the same elevation?

Yes...................................................................................................................................4

No....................................................................................................................................5

4. Is the pond large enough to supply water to the wetland, or does the pond have an independent source of water 

 such as a stream flowing into it?

Yes...............................................................................................................Lacustrine Fringe

No....................................................................................................................................5

5. Is there a river or stream running through the wetland?

Yes...................................................................................................................................6

No....................................................................................................................................9

6. Does the stream appear to be the dominant source of water for the wetland (that is, is the stream at the same 

 altitude as most of the wetland, and is the wetland area within 50 meters of the stream)?

Yes...................................................................................................................................7

No....................................................................................................................................9

7. Is the stream tidal or nontidal?

Tidal...................................................................................................................Riverine-Tidal

Nontidal.............................................................................................................................8

8. Is the stream perennial or nonperennial?

Perennial.............................................................................................Riverine-Upper Perennial

Nonperennial............................................................................................Riverine-Nonperennial

9. Is the wetland situated at the top or near the top of a hill, having very little opportunity for ground water 

 inflow, and does it have a very small catchment area?

Yes........................................................................................................Hilltop/Upper Hillslope

No...................................................................................................................................10 

10. Is the wetland on a sloping surface (does it cross contour lines or otherwise appear to be on a slope)?

Yes..............................................................................................................................Slope

No...................................................................................................................................11

11. Does the wetland appear to be in a topographic basin or depression (nearby hills on two or more sides)?

Yes..................................................................................................................................12

No...................................................................................................................................16

12. Is the wetland set in a large, low-slope area, where the only obvious source of water is precipitation?

Yes..................................................................................................................................16

No...................................................................................................................................13

13. Is the wetland underlain by Presumpscot Formation clays, and has field data shown that there is no 

 ground-water input to the wetland?

Yes................................................................................Depressional with No Ground-Water Input

No...................................................................................................................................14

14. Does the wetland have surface-water outflows?

Yes..................................................................................................................................15

No............................................................................................................Depressional-Closed

15. Does the wetland have surface-water inflows?

Yes..............................................................................................................Depressional-Open

No......................................................................................................Depressional-Semiclosed 

16. Is the wetland underlain by soils that are...

Peat-type, organic rich..........................................................................................Organic Soil Flat

Non-peat soils....................................................................................................Mineral Soil Flat

10 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
at their edges and Riverine wetlands near streams flowing 

through them.

Some of the wetland polygons mapped in the NWI as 

Palustrine wetlands coincided with open water bodies and 

small ponds on the topographic maps. After checking aerial 

photos (digital black and white orthophotos from 1995) to 

determine how much of the mapped wetland polygon was 

actually open water, these polygons were divided into two 

groups: those that had 50 percent or less open water were 

treated as any other polygon unit in the classification; and 

polygons that showed more than 50 percent open water on the 

aerial photos were further divided into two more groups based 

on size. These groups were (1) polygons that were 0.2 ha or 

larger in size were not put in the HGM classification system, 

but were tagged as “open water,” and (2) polygons smaller 

than 0.2 ha were classified with their largest adjacent 

polygon neighbor.

The mapped wetland polygons in the dataset used in this 

analysis cover 1,830 ha (4,520 acres) on Mt. Desert Island, 

ranging in size from less than 0.1 ha (which are very small 

polygons in contiguous wetland groups larger than 0.4 ha in 

size) to 41.8 ha. The most common wetlands on Mt. Desert 

Island are Slope wetlands (327 polygons, covering 358 ha), 

and Riverine-Upper Perennial (185 polygons, covering 

253 ha). There are 258 Depressional wetlands overall, 

covering 413 ha. The least common type are the Hilltop/Upper 

Hillslope wetlands (22 polygons, covering only 14 ha). The 

largest individually mapped wetland polygons on the island 

were some of the Organic Soil Flat wetlands, at 41.8 ha; this 

group also had the largest median size (1.1 ha) on the island, 

and the largest total area (415 ha). Mineral Soil Flat and 

Hilltop/Upper Hillslope wetlands had the smallest median size 

(0.5 ha). This distribution shows a large variety of wetlands in 

size and in type on the island.

Because of the size restriction, the overall distribution of 

wetland types on the island may be somewhat different than 

presented above. Many of the small wetlands not included are 

either vernal pools, which are Depressional wetlands, Slope 

wetlands, or small wetlands found at high elevations, which 

could be Hilltop/Upper Hillslope wetlands or Slope wetlands. 

It is also possible that some of these smallest wetlands do not 

fit well into any of these HGM classes and should be grouped 

into a new class. This would have to be determined after 

attempting to classify the small isolated wetlands that were not 

included in this project.

Any wetland classification application that relies on 

remotely obtained data has some error associated with it. 

The NWI maps have been evaluated for the accuracy of the 

designation of areas as wetlands, and the results indicate that 

the accuracy rate varies considerably from region to region 

(Kudray and Gale, 2000). In some Maine areas, the accuracy 

was high, greater than 95 percent (Nichols, 1994). This HGM 

classification of wetlands on Mt. Desert Island also has an 

associated error in the interpretation of HGM class from the 

Table 3. Distribution of hydrogeomorphic classes of wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine.

[ha, hectares; --, no information]

Hydrogeomorphic class Number of 

wetlands

Size range 

(ha)

Median size 

(ha)

Total wetland 

area in study 

(ha)

Riverine-Upper Perennial 185 0.1–12.9 0.8 253

Riverine-Nonperennial 46 .1–6.0 .7 42

Riverine-Tidal 0 -- -- --

Depressional-Closed 64 .1–5.4 .6 63

Depressional-Semiclosed 111 .1–17.2 .8 204

Depressional-Open 83 .1–11.5 1.0 146

Depressional-No Ground-Water Input 0 -- -- --

Mineral Soil Flat 89 .1–5.6 .5 73

Organic Soil Flat 121 .1–41.8 1.1 415

Slope 327 .1–9.6 .7 358

Small Pond/Open Water 35 .4–5.0 .9 57

Tidal Fringe 51 .1–11.4 .9 120

Lacustrine Fringe 68 <.1–11.8 .6 86

Hilltop/Upper Hillslope 22 .1–1.6 .5 14

Total 1,202 <.1–41.8 Median size of all 

wetlands: 0.7

1,830

Hydrogeomorphic Classification System for Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island 11
map-scale data. An earlier test of the method on 20 wetlands 

(Nielsen and others, 2006) indicated an error rate from 12 to 

18 percent, with the 12-percent error for undisturbed wetlands 

and the 18-percent error for disturbed wetlands. Another 

review of 100 of the wetlands classified for this study calculated an error rate of 15 percent (G.R. Guntenspergen, U.S. 

Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, oral 

commun., 2006). Thus, this initial (not field verified) HGM 

classification has an accuracy of about 85 percent.

Hydrologic Susceptibility Factors for 

Wetlands in Acadia National Park, 

Mt. Desert Island

The development of a wetland monitoring plan is an 

important long-term goal in ANP’s Water Resources Management Plan (Kahl and others, 2000). Because of the large number of wetlands in the park, and the limited resources available 

for future monitoring, the monitoring plan must be designed 

for efficient implementation. An efficient plan includes criteria 

to selectively monitor a representative subset of the several 

hundred wetlands in the park, as well as specific wetlands of 

special concern. In the selection of representative wetlands for 

monitoring, many variables must be analyzed, including (but 

not limited to) location, presence of endangered species or 

critical habitat, wetland size, proximity to known disturbance 

factors, and several hydrological factors. Hydrologic factors 

include (1) the HGM classification, (2) an initial analysis of 

hydrologic mechanisms by which any contaminants generated 

in a wetland catchment might reach the wetland, and (3) an 

analysis of possible susceptibility to water-supply disruptions 

under projected future climate-change scenarios.

Understanding the hydrologic mechanisms for contaminant flow in a wetland is important because if potential 

sources of contamination are identified in the catchment, the 

proper pathway (ground water or stream inflow, for example) 

can be evaluated further to create an early-detection program. This information could also be used in providing a first 

estimate into the travel time for contaminants to reach a given 

wetland (surface-water delivery is faster than ground-waterdelivery). Several landscape-scale variables relating to these 

pathways (see “Methods Used to Determine Variables for 

Susceptibility Factors,” below) are evaluated for a subset of 

the island’s wetlands (see “Selection of Wetlands for Susceptibility Factor Scoring,” below), and the variables are grouped in 

a scoring system for the preliminary identification of dominant 

pathways for each wetland. This scoring system is only useful 

as a tool to organize wetlands on the island and help evaluate 

which wetlands might be further investigated. (Any inference 

about sources of water and contaminant delivery pathways 

for the wetland should be verified by collecting field data for 

wetlands selected for further investigation.)

Another hydrologic factor used to organize and stratify 

wetlands is to understand the possible fate of wetlands if the 

climate in New England changes in the future. This factor will 

assist in understanding whether certain wetlands are (1) more 

at risk than others of receiving less water during the growing 

season, drying out, and shifting in ecological function, and 

(2) less susceptible than others to potential disruptions in 

water supply under projected climate-change scenarios for the 

future. Winter (2000) indicated that certain landscape settings 

make some wetlands more susceptible to hydrologic alteration 

under projected future climate change than others. As a result, 

those changes can result in shifts in wetland ecological and 

hydrologic function (Burkett and Kusler, 2000). Landscapescale variables related to potential changes in hydrologic 

regime for projected climate change are evaluated for the 

candidate wetlands in the section “Methods Used to Determine 

Variables for Susceptibility Factors.” These variables are then 

grouped in a separate scoring system to indicate vulnerability 

to water-supply disruptions. As with the hydrologic pathways 

scores, the vulnerability scores determined using GIS are 

intended only to help organize wetlands on Mt. Desert Island 

and help evaluate which might be further investigated for 

final inclusion in a monitoring program. The scores do not 

substitute for the collection of field data, which are the best 

method of determining exact sources of water to wetlands.

A subset of wetlands in Acadia National Park and larger 

than 1 ha were analyzed for the two factors described above. 

The factor scores for each wetland are based on the landscape 

characteristics of the individual watershed (“catchment”) that 

drains into each wetland, and the size of the wetland.

Methods Used to Determine Variables for 

Susceptibility Factors

The availability of GIS data makes the determination of 

landscape-level statistics for any given area readily available 

for Mt. Desert Island. Any GIS-derived landscape-level 

statistic can be used as a variable in a geographic analysis such 

as in this study, but data should be used that are similar to the 

scale of the wetland polygon data (1:24,000) and the scale at 

which the wetland catchments were determined (1:24,000). 

Landscape-level GIS data including topography, hydrography, 

vegetation, surficial and bedrock geology, transportation, and 

soils are all available at scales between 1:20,000 and 1:50,000. 

These data were used to calculate statistics (variables) for 

the catchment areas of these wetlands. Out of all the possible 

variables that can be determined for this area, the following 

10 were selected for their relevance to water supply and water 

availability: wetland area, wetland catchment area, catchment 

slope, total relief of catchment, percent of catchment with little 

to no soil, percent of catchment covered by clay soils, percent 

storage in catchment, percent impervious area in catchment, 

surface-water inflows to wetland, and lacustrine/tidal influence 

on wetland. How each variable was determined using the GIS 

layers is described in table 4.

12  Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Scaling of Variables

Because some of the variables represent percentages 

of a catchment area, and others represent other types of 

measurements, the raw values were first normalized so each 

variable was reported in reference to a common scale (0 to 

1) by dividing each value by the maximum value for that 

variable. Next, the normalized range (from 0 to 1.00) was 

divided into 10 equal-size intervals. The normalized value was 

then converted to a scaled integer based on its position within 

the range for that variable. Variables that were continuous 

(not having zero values, such as catchment area) were assigned 

scaled integer values from 1 to 10. Variables that are either 

zero or a positive value (such as percentage of clay soils in the 

catchment) were assigned scaled integer values from 0 to 10. 

Variables that were binary (presence or absence of surfacewater inflow) were scored as either 0 or 5, where 5 represents 

an average positive value.

Methods Used to Determine Susceptibility 

Factor Scores

The specific measures used to determine susceptibility 

factor scores for potential hydrologic pathways for 

contaminant delivery to wetlands and potential changes in 

wetland hydrologic regime considering projected climate 

change for eastern North America are similar. First, wetland 

polygons were aggregated into contiguous units based on their 

HGM classification. Second, using a GIS, catchment areas 

for each of these aggregated wetlands were delineated. Next, 

landscape-scale geographic variables were determined for 

each of the wetland catchments. The landscape-scale variables 

were converted to scores for each of the two susceptibility 

factors, using a different combination of variables and scoring 

metrics for each.

Hydrologic Susceptibility Factors for Wetlands in Acadia National Park, Mt. Desert Island 13

Table 4. Landscape-scale variables used in assigning wetland susceptibility scores for wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine.

[GIS, geographic information system; SSURGO, Soil Survey Geographic Database; NWI, National Wetland Inventory; NRCS, Natural Resources Conservation Service (U.S. Department of Agriculture); USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; HGM, hydrogeomorphic]

Variable GIS layer used How the variable was determined

Wetland area NWI wetlands Simple area calculation.

Catchment area Catchments determined for this study 

(see “Determining Catchment 

Areas for Wetlands” in text)

Simple area calculation.

Wetland area divided 

by catchment area

Wetland Areas (NWI) and 

Catchments

Simple division.

Catchment slope Digital Elevation Model (10 meters) Slope calculated as a percent; average for the catchment.

Catchment total relief Digital Elevation Model (10 meters) Maximum elevation minus minimum elevation.

Percent bare (no soil) 

in catchment

SSURGO soils data from NRCS, and 

surficial geology data

Soil map shows areas with very little to no soil cover, as does the surficial 

geology map. These two were merged to create an extent of “bare soil” 

on the island. This was used to calculate the percent of each catchment 

with little or no soil.

Percent clay soil in 

catchment

SSURGO soils data from NRCS, and 

surficial geology data

Soil unit descriptions were used to make a map of the extent of the clay 

soils in the area, which are interpreted to be Presumpscot Formation, on 

basis of the surficial geology map of the island. This was used to calculate the percent of each catchment underlain by clay soils.

Percent storage in 

catchment

NWI wetlands and hydrography 

from USGS digital line graphs 

(1:24,000)

Wetlands and ponds provide storage for runoff generated in the catchment. 

The total wetland area and pond/lake area in each catchment were added 

together to get the percent storage in each catchment.

Percent impervious 

area in catchment

Roads (USGS digital line graphs) 

and urban land-use areas (National 

Park Service vegetation map)

Urban land use was multiplied by 0.25. Roads were assigned a width on the 

basis of their class, which was used with the total length of roads in each 

catchment to calculate total impervious area.

Surface-water 

(stream) inflows

HGM classification Wetlands classified as Riverine, Lacustrine Fringe, Tidal Fringe, and 

Depressional-Open were given a “yes” score. Others were “no.”

Lacustrine/Tidal 

influence

HGM classification, hydrography 

from USGS digital line graphs 

(1:24,000)

Wetlands classified as Lacustrine Fringe and Tidal Fringe were given a 

score for this variable. The degree of lacustrine influence was determined 

by dividing the wetland area by the area of the adjacent water body.
14  Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine

Selection of Wetlands for Susceptibility Factor 

Scoring

Once the NWI polygons were classified using the 

HGM classification system for Mt. Desert Island, they were 

aggregated based on their HGM classes. Thus, contiguous 

wetland polygons with the same HGM classification were 

merged together into one polygon for this part of the study 

(fig. 2). Wetlands located partially or totally within the 

legislative boundary of ANP, on Mt. Desert Island, were 

included in this analysis.

Because the catchment area for each wetland was 

determined using topographic maps, a size limit also was 

imposed. Wetlands smaller than 1 ha were not included, 

because in many cases a more-detailed topographic survey 

would be needed to confidently map the catchment area, 

and many of the GIS data layers used in determining the 

hydrologic factors are not suitable for use at scales greater 

than 1:24,000. If an analysis similar to the one described in 

this study was needed for wetlands less than 1 ha, a more 

qualitative analysis could be completed using either the 

general area upgradient from these wetlands or a buffer area 

around the wetlands, which does not consider hydrologic 

gradients. Because of the size limit and restriction to wetlands 

within ANP, the total number of wetland polygons used for the 

susceptibility scoring was 186, out of the original 1,202.

Determining Catchment Areas for Wetlands

The catchment area for each of the 186 wetland polygons 

was determined using existing topographic data and a base 

watershed boundary map of Mt. Desert Island. The watershed boundary map was jointly developed by the USGS and 

University of Minnesota1,) using Arc Hydro tools (Maidment, 

2003) and an iterative approach to verify that the catchment 

boundaries followed the mapped topography. Catchments for 

individual wetlands were then delineated by identifying the 

catchment divides at the edges of the wetland polygon, and 

tracing those divides uphill to the nearest mapped divides on 

the base watershed boundary map.

Because many wetlands are upgradient or downgradient 

from one another, catchment areas for many wetlands overlap. 

A series of wetlands with nested catchment areas is shown 

in figure 3. It is recognized that in some cases where ground 

water discharges to a wetland, the subsurface catchment area 

for that ground-water discharge zone may not match the 

topographic catchment (Tiedeman and others, 1997). Because 

subsurface catchment areas (and the ground-water discharge 

zones) cannot be defined using existing information, it was 

assumed that the topographic catchments represent surface 

runoff and ground-water discharge to the wetlands.

1

 Collaborators on the watershed delineation were Glenn Guntenspergen 

(U.S. Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center), Martha Nielsen 

(U.S. Geological Survey, Maine Water Science Center), and Tom Hollenhorst 

(University of Minnesota—Duluth, Natural Resources Research Institute).

Hydrologic Pathways for Contaminants Entering 

Wetlands

Chemical contamination from human activities, including nutrient enrichment, is an important factor in the habitat 

degradation of many wetlands. Chemical contaminants may 

enter wetlands from direct precipitation, runoff (overland flow 

and channelized stream inflow), and ground-water inflow. 

This analysis suggests the relative importance of each of these 

pathways in the delivery of chemical contaminants potentially 

found in a wetland catchment (or generated in the atmosphere, 

in the case of direct precipitation). Specific threats posed by 

various contamination sources in a wetland catchment are not 

addressed in this study.

Measures Indicating Dominant Pathways for 

Potential Contamination in Acadia National Park 

Wetlands

Direct Precipitation: All wetlands receive direct precipitation; therefore, the wetlands for which direct precipitation is 

a primary pathway are those that get most of their water from 

precipitation, rather than runoff or ground water. Wetlands 

with small catchment areas relative to the size of the wetland 

usually receive a larger percentage of their water inputs from 

direct precipitation than wetlands with larger catchments. The 

measure of the relative risk posed by direct precipitation is 

calculated as the area of the wetland divided by the area of the 

catchment.

Runoff: Most wetlands also receive runoff as part of 

their water budget. The threat of chemical contamination being 

delivered from runoff is related not only to the catchment area, 

but also to the speed at which the runoff reaches the wetland. Speed of runoff delivery is important because time for 

chemical attenuation and transformation before contaminated 

water reaches the wetland is reduced, and the opportunity for 

runoff to enter the ground-water system decreases with faster 

runoff speed. The measure used in this study of the relative 

risk posed by runoff includes factors related to speed of runoff 

(slope of the catchment, percent of the catchment covered by 

very thin soils or no soil cover at all, and amount of manmade 

impervious surface in the catchment), stream channel inflows 

to the wetland, and catchment size.

Ground water: Many wetlands also receive groundwater inflow. Ground-water inflow to wetlands occurs where 

the hydraulic head in the aquifer (below the wetland) is higher 

than the hydraulic head (water surface) in the wetland and 

there is a hydraulic connection between the underlying aquifer 

and the wetland. The greater the head in the aquifer relative to 

the head in the wetland, the greater the potential for groundwater inflow. Head is a measure of the potential energy of 

the water; in a wetland, the head is the water surface. In an 

aquifer, the head is the level to which water will rise in a well. 

The larger and steeper the catchment area, the greater the 

potential energy (head) that can be generated in an aquifer. 
Figure 2. Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands greater than 1 hectare in size in Acadia National Park, 

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.

EXPLANATION

Hydrogeomorphic classification of 

 wetland greater than 1 hectare 

 Riverine

 Depressional

 Soil Flat

 Tidal Fringe

 Lacustrine Fringe

 Slope

 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope

 Open water, small pond

 Acadia National Park

 Lake 

 Town boundary

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital line graphs, 1:24,000

Bar Harbor, 1982, Bass Harbor, provisional, 1983, Bartlett Island, 1981, 

Salsbury Cove, 1981, Seal Harbor and Southwest Harbor, 1983 

Shaded relief from U.S. Geological Survey 10-meter digital elevation model

Wetlands from U.S. Fish and Wildlife National Wetland Inventory maps, 1998, 1:24,000 

Atlantic Ocean

Bar Harbor

Southwest Harbor

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

0

5 MILES

5 KILOMETERS

0

Mount Desert

Tremont

68°10'

44°25'

68°25'

44°15'

Hydrologic Susceptibility Factors for Wetlands in Acadia National Park, Mt. Desert Island 15
16  Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine

Figure 3. Example of wetlands in relation to their catchment areas in Acadia National Park, Mt. Desert Island, 

Maine.

384

396

364-b

366

360

381-b

381-a

Long

Pond

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital line graph 

Bartlett Island, 1981, 1:24,000

EXPLANATION

Wetland catchment Wetland and identifier

First order

Second order

Third order

Largest

Water body

Stream

Atlantic

Ocean

Hodgdon

Pond

Seal

Cove

Pond

1 KILOMETER

1 MILE

0

0

44°19'00''

44°19'30''

44°20'00''

68°24'30'' 68°24'00'' 68°23'30'' 68°23'00''

366

Mt. Desert 

Island

Location

map

Topographic contour—

 Contour interval 6 meters

120

90

60

60

60

60

30

30

30

30

30
The potential amount of ground-water recharge to the aquifer 

within the wetland catchment and the ability of the soils 

under the wetland to actually transmit ground water also are 

important for ground-water delivery to wetlands. Specifically, 

the composition and texture of soils and sediments in 

wetland catchment areas are important factors for groundwater delivery (O’Brien and Motts, 1980). Clay soils in the 

catchment area inhibit recharge to the aquifer, and clay soils 

underlying the wetland can decrease ground-water inflow 

from the aquifer. Finally, a lack of stream channels entering 

a wetland probably indicates a greater likelihood that water 

enters the wetland from ground water rather than surface 

runoff. The measure used in this study for the relative risk 

posed by contamination entering a wetland through ground 

water includes factors related to the size and total relief of the 

wetland catchment area, the amount of clay soils present in the 

catchment, and lack of stream inflows.

The water-source variables that were combined to 

determine the scores for a particular water source as a 

potential transport mechanism for contamination for each 

of the wetlands are shown in table 5. The individual scaled 

variables for each component were summed to get the final 

scores for each water source. The minimum possible scores 

for precipitation, runoff, and ground water are 1, 2, and 

3, respectively. The maximum possible scores are 10, 45, 

and 35. Because data on the relative importance of each 

of the components in representing the final factor score 

are not available, each component is given equal weight in 

determining the final score. Further data collection would 

be necessary to include weighting of the various variables in 

determining the scores.

Potential Changes in Wetland Hydrologic 

Regime Considering Projected Future Climate 

Change

There is growing consensus about the possibility that 

our climate is changing. Changes in the amount and timing of 

precipitation and runoff have been reported, some focusing on 

the northeastern United States (Houghton and others, 2001), 

and particularly in Maine. Hodgkins and others (2005b) 

described changes in hydrology that are related to climate 

variables such as summertime low flows in streams and rivers 

in New England over the last 100 years. Other observed 

changes include changes in the proportion of precipitation 

occurring as snow in New England over the last 50 years 

(Huntington and others, 2004), changes in the timing of lake 

ice-out and river ice-out (Hodgkins and others, 2002, Dudley 

and Hodgkins, 2002), and changes in the number and timing 

of ice-affected flow days in northern New England rivers 

(Hodgkins and others, 2005a).

Projections for Climate Changes in Northeastern 

North America

Several climate change models have been used to predict 

changes in climate in the next century for northeastern North 

America, including the Hadley climate model, the Canadian 

model, and the Geophysical Fluid dynamics Laboratory 

(GDFL) model (National Assessment Synthesis Team, 

2001; Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment, 2006). These 

Table 5. Variables used to determine the potential of a particular source of water being a transport 

mechanism for contaminant delivery to wetlands at Acadia National Park, Maine.

[ha, hectares, m, meters]

Source of 

water Variables used Range in raw scores

Range in 

scaled scores

Precipitation Area of the wetland divided by area of catchment 0.0005 to 0.72 1 to 10

Runoff Average catchment slope (percent rise) 0.84 to 50 1 to 10

Percent of catchment having little or no soil 0 to 100 0 to 10

Percent impervious surface in catchment 0 to 29 0 to 10

Stream inflow channel 0 or 1 0 and 5

Size of catchment 2.1 to 2,500 ha 1 to 10

Ground water Catchment relief 1.4 to 430 m 1 to 10

Size of catchment 2.1 to 2,500 ha 1 to 10

Percent of catchment with clay soils 0 to 100 1 to 10

Lack of stream inflow 0 or 1 0 and 5

Hydrologic Susceptibility Factors for Wetlands in Acadia National Park, Mt. Desert Island 17
predictions, plus inferences based on observed changes in 

climate over the last century, indicate that temperatures in New 

England are expected to increase by 3.5 to over 6.5oC over the 

next 100 years, continuing an increase of 2oC in coastal New 

England over the last century (Barron, 2001). The models 

differ slightly in their predictions of future precipitation, but 

an annual increase of 10 percent seems likely (Northeast 

Climate Impacts Assessment, 2006), and winter precipitation 

could increase as much as 16 percent. This potential increase 

in precipitation, however, does not necessarily translate into 

more water for wetlands, as projected temperature increases 

would result in increased evapotranspiration and reduced 

runoff (Huntington, 2003; Houghton and others, 2001). 

These projected increases in precipitation would be largest 

during the fall, winter, and spring in New England (Barron, 

2001; Houghton and others, 2001), and are not expected to 

coincide with seasonal increases in evapotranspiration during 

the summer; the net result may possibly be a water deficit for 

many wetlands during the growing season (Brooks, 2004).

Wetland Hydrology Implications of Projected 

Climate Changes

Changes in wetland hydrology are expected under these 

future climate-change predictions (Brooks, 2004; Burkett 

and Kusler, 2000; Winter, 2000; Meyer and others, 1999). 

The projected increases in precipitation are modeled to occur 

largely as increases in extreme precipitation events in the 

spring and fall (Houghton and others, 2001, p. 573). Groundwater recharge in northeastern North America occurs primarily 

during spring and fall, when evaporation potential is low and 

precipitation is plentiful (Randall and others, 1988). Therefore, 

ground-water recharge could increase with the projected 

climate scenario, while growing-season runoff could decrease 

(Huntington, 2003). Wetlands receiving a large amount of 

ground water are expected to be more resilient to long-term 

climate change than other wetlands (Winter, 2000), as nongrowing-season precipitation is stored in aquifers as recharge 

and slowly released to wetlands during the growing season. 

Wetlands receiving a large amount of water from static water 

bodies, such as lakes and estuaries, which can store water over 

longer periods of time than just a few weeks, could also be 

less likely to have disruptions in water supply under projected 

future climate change. Wetlands receiving most of their 

water from precipitation, however, are expected to be highly 

vulnerable to climate change effects (Winter, 2000).

The HGM classification described earlier in this report 

can provide a first step in evaluating water-supply risks, as 

probable water sources are defined for each wetland type. The 

probable water sources for each type, however, describe just a 

generic likelihood, rather than a wetland-specific breakdown 

of amounts of water from direct precipitation, overland flow, 

streamflow inputs, lake storage, and ground water.

Variables Used for Analysis of Vulnerability to 

Wetland Water-Supply Disruptions

To assess the vulnerability of wetlands at ANP to 

possible disruptions or changes in water supply, many of the 

same variables listed in the previous section are evaluated, but 

are combined in different ways. As in the previous section, 

information about the geometry, soils, and morphology in 

each wetland’s catchment are evaluated with respect to the 

amount, speed, and timing of runoff and ground-water inflow. 

The individual variables considered in the previous section 

were re-grouped according to whether they (a) favored 

sustained water supply under a climate change prediction 

of warmer summers with less surface-water runoff and 

more evapotranspiration, and warmer but possibly wetter 

springs and falls, or (b) indicated more disruptions in water 

supply under those conditions. The groupings and ranges in 

scores are listed in table 6. The variables related to possible 

disruptions in water supply for wetlands under future climate 

scenarios were multiplied by -1, because these variables 

measure conditions relating to a lack of sustained water supply 

(runoff- and precipitation-dominated systems); they are listed 

as “negative water-supply variables” in table 6. The variables 

related to sustained water supply under future climate 

conditions are kept as positive numbers (lacustrine-, tidal-, and 

ground-water-dominated systems), and are listed as “positive 

water-supply variables” in table 6. The scaled integer values 

(table 5) for each variable were used for as the scores for each 

variable, as follows: for each wetland, the average of the 5 

negative and 4 positive variables was calculated. The average 

negative scores for all wetlands were again normalized (to the 

overall lowest score) to get an average scaled negative score 

(ranging from -1.0 to -0.15) for each wetland. Similarly, the 

average positive scores for all wetlands were normalized to 

the largest average, resulting in an average scaled positive 

score (ranging from +0.13 to +1.0) for each wetland. These 

two values, one negative and one positive, were then added 

together to get a final net score for each wetland.

If the scores of the positive variables outweighed the 

negative, the final net score was positive. If the negative scores 

outweighed the positive, the final net score was negative. 

Thus, a wetland with about equal dominance of stream inflow 

and ground-water inflow would have a relatively neutral score; 

a wetland dominated by ground water and lacustrine inflow 

would have a highly positive score, and a wetland dominated 

by direct precipitation and overland flow would get a highly 

negative score. Overall, wetlands with a final net score less 

than 1 have considered to be more at risk of potential watersupply disruptions than wetlands with a positive net score. The 

magnitude of the final net score is also a general indication 

of how well protected or vulnerable a wetland could be from 

water-supply disruptions.

This scoring system is intended only to give a rough 

estimate of the status of any given wetland in the overall 

population of ANP wetlands with respect to their future watersupply robustness, and is not meant as an absolute measure of 

18  Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
susceptibility. Furthermore, these variables do not represent 

an exhaustive list of factors that relate to future water supply; 

local weather patterns, prevailing winds, and vegetation type 

also may play a role, but their quantification was beyond the 

scope of this study.

Results of Analysis for Hydrologic 

Pathways for Contaminants and 

Susceptibility to Disruptions in Water 

Supply from Future Changes in Climate

There are 186 mapped wetlands in ANP larger than 1 ha 

(fig. 3). The 1,202 wetlands classified using the HGM classification were aggregated on the basis of HGM class. Of 

these, 186 wetlands were located totally or partially within 

the boundaries of ANP. The catchment area for each of these 

wetlands was determined using topographic contours and 

digitized into a GIS.

Wetland Scores for Hydrologic-Contamination 

Pathways

All the final scores for each factor related to contamination pathways for wetlands are listed for each wetland catchment in appendix 3. Highlights and important results of the 

precipitation, surface water, and ground water analyses are 

discussed in the following sections.

Precipitation

Most of the wetlands scored relatively low on the 

scale of precipitation as a potential major pathway (fig. 4) 

(less than 5 on a scale of 1 to 10). One wetland (470-qq) 

scored higher for the area divided by the catchment area than 

all other wetlands. The 13 highest-scoring wetlands, which are 

shown in figure 4, are listed in table 7. Many of these wetlands 

are in the southern part of the island, including many of the 

extensive peatlands in that area, or are in the north-central part 

of the island. These wetlands receive minimal surface-water 

runoff and may receive little to no groundwater discharge.

Surface Water

Many of the highest-scoring wetlands for surface water 

as a potential source of contamination are in the eastern 

part of the island (fig. 5). The 16 highest-scoring wetlands 

for surface water as a potential pathway for contaminant 

delivery are listed in table 8. Most of these are Riverine and 

Depressional-Open wetlands. All of the 16 scored relatively 

high on at least one of the five individual scaled variables to 

rank high in the combined surface-water score. Most have high 

catchment slopes and high amounts of bare soil; one wetland 

(125) scored the highest on the impervious-surface-in-theTable 6. Variable grouping and scoring for wetland susceptibility to water-supply disruptions under future climate conditions, Mt. 

Desert Island, Maine.

Variables Range in raw scores Range in scaled scores Range in average 

scaled scores

Negative water-supply variables

Precipitation dominance (wetland area divided by 

catchment area)

0.72 to .0005 - 10 to -1

Slope of catchment 50 to 0.84 -10 to -1

Bare soil, in percent of catchment 100 to 0 -10 to 0

Catchment size, in hectares (reversed for this analysis, 

larger catchment is higher score)

2.1 to 2,500 -10 to -1

Storage in catchment, in percent 0 to 25 -10 to -1

Range in average scores: -7.8 to -1.2 -1.0 to -0.15

Positive water-supply variables

Lacustrine/tidal influence 0 or 5 0 to 10

Topographic relief in catchment, in meters 1.4 to 430 1 to 10

Percent clay soils in catchment (reversed for this analysis, higher percentage is lower score)100 to 0 0 to 10

Size of catchment, in meters 2.1 to 2,500 1 to 10

Range in average scores: 1 to 8 0.13 to 1.0

Results of Analysis for Hydrologic Pathways for Contaminants and Susceptibility to Disruptions in Water Supply 19
Figure 4. Wetland scores for precipitation as a potential pathway for contaminant delivery.

20 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine

68 10

TION

W

470-bj

148-a

470-qq

470-tt

176

452

442-b

39

234-a

525-b

157

470-hh

470-k

EXPLANATION

Wetland score for precipitation as a potential 

 contamination pathway

 1: Lowest

 2 to 3: Moderately low

 4: Moderate

 5 to 10: Moderately high and highest

 with wetland identifier

 Lake or pond

452

68°10'

44°25'

68°25'

44°15'

Shaded relief from U.S. Geological Survey 10-meter digital elevation model

Wetlands from U.S. Fish and Wildlife National Wetland Inventory maps, 1998, 1:24,000 

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

0

5 MILES

5 KILOMETERS

0

Atlantic Ocean
Table 7. Wetlands with highest scores for precipitation as a 

potential pathway for contamination, Mt. Desert Island, Maine.

[Locations of wetlands shown on fig. 4; HGM, hydrogeomorphic. Score is on 

a scale of 1 to 10, scores for 186 wetlands are given in appendix 3.]

Wetland 

identifier HGM Class Precipitation scaled score

470-qq Soil Flat-Organic 10

157 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope 7

470-k Soil Flat-Organic 7

525-b Soil Flat-Organic 7

148-a Depressional-Semiclosed 6

470-tt Soil Flat-Organic 6

176 Slope 5

234-a Depressional-Semiclosed 5

39 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope 5

442-b Slope 5

452 Slope 5

470-bj Soil Flat-Organic 5

470-hh Tidal Fringe 5

catchment-area variable. All but three of these wetlands (125, 

274-b, and 296, which are all slope wetlands) have stream 

inflows. Surface-water runoff can deliver contaminants by 

overland flow and streams, therefore, having a stream inflow 

is not a requirement for a high surface-water score, and these 

wetlands could receive contaminants from overland flow. Four 

of the wetlands (271, 123-d, 123-f, and 123-i) also scored high 

on the ground-water combined score (see table 9).

Ground Water

The distribution of wetlands scoring highest on the 

combined ground-water score is more evenly distributed 

across the island (fig. 6). The scaled scores for each of the 

individual variables and composite scores for the 13 highestscoring wetlands are listed in table 9 (because of ties in the 

composite scores, tables 7–9 do not have the same number of 

wetlands shown). These wetlands represent a wider variety of 

types than the highest-scoring wetlands in the other groups. 

Almost all of the wetlands in table 9 had high scores for lack 

of clay soils, indicating a greater possibility for ground-water 

recharge in the catchment. Most of the high-scoring wetlands 

had relatively large catchments, and four were in areas with a 

high amount of topographic relief (see fig. 1). Three wetlands 

(271, 123-d, and 123-i) also appeared on the list of high scores 

for surface water (table 8), and are thus vulnerable from more 

than one pathway.

The results of these three analyses indicate that there is 

considerable variation in the degree to which precipitation, 

surface water, or ground water may serve as a pathway for 

potential contaminants entering wetlands on the island, at least 

when investigated at the landscape scale. This analysis is not 

a substitute for field-level data collection, and the accuracy of 

the comparisons between wetlands can only be determined by 

collecting a large amount of hydrologic data. Before wetlands 

are actually selected for monitoring, other variables to evaluate 

for these wetlands include whether possible point or non-point 

sources of pollution are present in the vicinity of the wetland, 

whether the wetland is part of a critical habitat for a species 

of concern to the park, and any other possible risks to the 

wetlands integrity. If the actual water budget for a particular 

wetland is needed, that data will need to be collected in the 

field using accepted methods for wetland water-budget studies.

Two variables that were not included in the analysis for 

ground water (the presence of clay soils beneath a wetland, 

and the amount of bare bedrock in a catchment) could have 

produced different final scores if they had been used. Clay 

soils underlying a wetland might indicate a reason for ground 

water to be prevented from discharging to the wetland. 

However, Nielsen, and others (2006) suggested that clay 

soil was not always a reliable predictor of no ground-water 

inflow, because gaps or fractures in the clay create pathways 

for deep ground water to enter wetlands. The amount of bare 

bedrock in the catchment could have been subtracted from 

the catchment area without clay soils to improve the score of 

ground-water recharge potential, because bare bedrock has a 

reduced recharge rate compared to unconsolidated, non-clay 

soils (Gerber and Hebson, 1996).

Nevertheless, the results of this study can help natural 

resource managers in ANP analyze the overall population 

of wetlands for consideration in a wetland monitoring plan. 

Wetlands with scores on the higher end of any of these three 

potential contaminant-delivery pathways would be candidates 

for further investigation. Other variables that may be considered when determining which of the park wetlands to monitor 

include actual sources of contaminants that are considered a 

threat to the wetland; uniqueness of the wetland habitat; the 

presence of species of special concern to the park; if the Park 

Service owns all the land in the wetland catchment, or if it is 

otherwise protected; if road building or other human activities 

are potential future threats to the wetland; and how well the 

wetland represents others in its HGM class.

If it becomes necessary to further investigate water 

sources to any of these wetlands, the specific contributions of 

precipitation, surface runoff, and ground water can be determined by collecting additional data. These additional data 

could include more detailed catchment mapping, collection 

of precipitation data, hydroperiod data collection, streamflow 

measurements into and out of the wetland over a range of 

runoff conditions, and ground-water-level data using shallow 

piezometers in and around the wetland.

Results of Analysis for Hydrologic Pathways for Contaminants and Susceptibility to Disruptions in Water Supply  21
Figure 5. Wetland scores for surface water as a potential pathway for contaminant delivery.

22  Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine

309

284-d

403

274-b

207-f

125

261 271

23-dd

123-f

123-i

151-c

426

367

296

309

123-d

68°10'

44°25'

68°25'

44°15'

Shaded relief from U.S. Geological Survey 10-meter digital elevation model

Wetlands from U.S. Fish and Wildlife National Wetland Inventory maps, 1998, 1:24,000

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

0

5 MILES

5 KILOMETERS

0

EXPLANATION

Wetland score for surface water as a potential 

 contamination pathway

 1 to 8: Lowest

 9 to 15: Moderately low

 16 to 24: Moderately high

 25 to 30: Highest with wetland 

 identifier

 

 Lake or pond

 Stream

Atlantic Ocean

309
Table 8. Wetlands with highest scores for surface water as a potential pathway for contamination, Mt. Desert Island, Maine.

[Locations of wetlands shown on figure 5; HGM, hydrogeomorphic. Scaled scores are from 1 to 10, scores for 186 wetlands are given in appendix 3.]

Wetland

identifier HGM Class

Scaled variable scores for wetland catchments

Sum of surfacewater scores Catchment 

size

Bare soil in 

catchment

Slope of 

catchment

Stream 

inflow

Impervious 

surface in 

catchment

271 Depressional-Open 8 8 8 5 1 30

284-d Riverine-Upper Perennial 7 7 8 5 1 28

403 Riverine-Upper Perennial 8 8 6 5 1 28

123-f Depressional-Open 10 5 5 5 2 27

207-f Riverine-Upper Perennial 8 5 6 5 3 27

123-d Lacustrine Fringe 10 5 4 5 2 26

123-i Riverine-Upper Perennial 9 5 5 5 2 26

125 Slope 5 7 4 0 10 26

274-b Slope 5 8 10 0 3 26

296 Slope 5 9 10 0 2 26

303 Depressional-Open 7 5 6 5 3 26

309 Riverine-Upper Perennial 7 6 6 5 2 26

367 Lacustrine Fringe 6 7 6 5 2 26

23-dd Riverine-Upper Perennial 9 6 3 5 2 25

261 Riverine-Upper Perennial 6 10 4 5 0 25

426 Riverine-Upper Perennial 8 3 5 5 4 25

Table 9. Wetlands with highest scores for ground water as a potential pathway for contamination, Mt. Desert Island, Maine.

[Locations of wetlands shown on figure 6; HGM, hydrogeomorphic. Scaled scores are from 1 to 10, scores for 186 wetlands are given in appendix 3.]

Wetland 

identifier HGM Class

Scaled variable scores for wetland catchments

Sum of groundwater scores Topographic 

relief

Catchment 

size

Lack of clay 

soils

Lack of stream 

inflow

331 Depressional-Open 10 8 10 5 33

273-a Lacustrine Fringe 7 10 9 5 31

123-d Lacustrine Fringe 10 10 9 0 29

123-f Depressional-Open 10 10 9 0 29

295 Slope 8 6 10 5 29

368 Slope 8 7 9 5 29

123-i Riverine-Upper Perennial 10 9 9 0 28

345 Slope 6 8 9 5 28

447-d Soil Flat-Organic 8 8 7 5 28

237-d Open Water 7 6 9 5 27

23-i Soil Flat-Organic 6 9 7 5 27

271 Depressional-Open 9 8 10 0 27

284-a Depressional-Semiclosed 8 5 9 5 27

Results of Analysis for Hydrologic Pathways for Contaminants and Susceptibility to Disruptions in Water Supply  23
Figure 6. Wetland scores for ground water as a potential pathway for contaminant delivery.

24  Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine

331

23-i

345

273-a

123-f

123-i

237-d

295

368

271

447-d

284-a

123-d

68°10'

44°25'

68°25'

44°15'

Shaded relief from U.S. Geological Survey 10-meter digital elevation model

Wetlands from U.S. Fish and Wildlife National Wetland Inventory maps, 1998, 1:24,000 

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

0

5 MILES

5 KILOMETERS

0

EXPLANATION

Wetland score for ground water as a potential 

 contamination pathway

 1 to 15: Lowest

 15 to 20: Moderately low

 21 to 26: Moderately high

 27 to 34: Highest with wetland

 identifier

 Lake or pond

345

Atlantic Ocean
Results of Analysis for Hydrologic Pathways for Contaminants and Susceptibility to Disruptions in Water Supply  25

Wetland Scores for Vulnerability to WaterSupply Disruptions Under Possible Future 

Climate Change

The final scores, considering positive and negative 

variables for vulnerability to water-supply disruptions, ranged 

from -0.63 to +0.74 (All the raw and scaled scores for each of 

the 186 wetlands are given in appendix 3). The lowest-scoring 

wetlands are considered most susceptible to water-supply 

disruptions under possible future climate change, and the 

highest-scoring ones are considered least susceptible. Many 

wetlands fell in the middle, with positive and negative factors 

essentially canceling each other out. The locations and scoring 

distributions of the ANP wetlands on Mt. Desert Island are 

shown on figure 7.

Table 10 lists the 20 lowest-scoring wetlands in this 

classification (also see fig. 7). Most of these have small 

catchments; some have a great amount of bare bedrock in the 

catchment (50 to 100 percent of the catchment); and most of 

them have little or no opportunity for surface-water storage 

in the catchment, which could hold water during precipitation 

events and slowly release that water to the wetlands during 

drier periods. None have a lacustrine or estuarine influence.

The highest scoring wetlands for sustained water supply 

are given in table 11 (also see fig. 7). Many of these have 

soils relatively favorable to ground-water recharge (high score 

on lack of clay in the catchment), and large catchment sizes. 

Many of these wetlands have a hydraulic connection to a 

lacustrine or estuarine water body.

This analysis of vulnerability is intended to be more 

qualitative than quantitative as to where wetlands fall with 

respect to each other along a gradient of susceptibility to 

future water-supply disruptions. Future climate conditions 

and the exact variables that could be used to predict future 

hydrologic conditions are unknown; the relative importance 

of the variables chosen in predicting future water supply has 

not been studied, and other factors could be included in the 

future that were not considered in this study. Nevertheless, 

this analysis can be used for its intended purpose as a 

screening tool and to help segregate wetlands by landscape 

characteristics that indicate either the possibility of a sustained 

future water supply, or the possibility of a disruption to the 

wetland water supply.

Wetlands scoring on the low end of this scale, particularly 

those listed in table 10, are ones in which the characteristics 

of the catchment and wetland together indicate that in the 

future if climate change trends towards warmer conditions 

in the summer, enhanced evapotranspiration, and little to no 

increase in normal summertime precipitation, these wetlands 

will probably experience water-supply disruptions more than 

they have in the past. Further investigation of these wetlands 

may be warranted, especially if they harbor species of special 

concern to ANP managers or contain unique or rare habitats. 

In addition, the threat of human disturbances, either physical 

or chemical may indicate a need for future monitoring.

This analysis did not evaluate whether any of these 

wetlands are currently (2006) considered disturbed, and if any 

human disturbances, such as road building or ditching, affect 

the validity of the results. These disturbances could affect the 

water balance in a wetland and its ability to retain water in a 

warmer climate. The results of the analyses described in this 

report are considered to be less applicable to any wetlands 

that are currently (2006) hydrologically altered from their 

natural condition.
26  Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine

Figure 7. Wetland scores for susceptibility to disruptions in water supply from projected future climate change.

176

377

155

470-l

63

187

461-e

366

353

157

68°10'

44°25'

68°25'

44°15'

Shaded relief from U.S. Geological Survey 10-meter digital elevation model

Wetlands from U.S. Fish and Wildlife National Wetland Inventory maps, 1998, 1:24,000

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

0

5 MILES

5 KILOMETERS

0

EXPLANATION

Wetland score for susceptibility to water-supply 

 disruptions from projected future climate change 

 -0.76 to -0.36: Most susceptible with

 wetland identifier

 -0.35 to -0.20

 -0.19 to 0.20: Neutral

 0.21 to 0.36 

 0.37 to 0.74: Least susceptible

 Lake or pond

157

Atlantic Ocean

396

442-b

23-d

470-k

357

326

525-b

23-mm

470-qq

470-rr
Table 10. Twenty lowest-scoring wetlands for sustained water supply under projected future climate change.

[Locations of wetlands are shown on fig. 7. Raw scores are listed in appendix 3, table 3-1.]

Wetland 

identifier Rank Hydrogeomorphic class

Scaled 

integer 

for wetland 

area

Negative factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled catchment scores

Positive factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled scores

Final 

score Precipitation Slope Bare bed- rock Catch- ment size Stor- age Aver- age of negative 

scores

Scaled 

average 

negative 

score

Lacustrine 

influence

Catchment 

size

Topographic 

relief

Percent 

clay 

soils

Average of 

positive 

scores

Scaled 

average 

positive 

score

157 1 Hilltop/Upper 

Hillslope

7 -7 -2 -10 -10 -10 -7.8 -1.00 0 1 1 10 3 0.38 -0.63

176 2 Slope 5 -5 -3 -10 -7 -10 -7 -0.95 0 4 1 5 2.5 0.31 -0.63470-k 3 Soil Flat-Organic 7 -7 -1 0 -8 -10 -5.2 -0.70 0 3 1 0 1 0.13 -0.58525-b 4 Soil Flat-Organic 7 -7 -1 0 -9 -9 -5.2 -0.70 0 2 1 2 1.25 0.16 -0.5563 5 Slope 3 -3 -1 0 -8 -10 -4.4 -0.56 0 3 1 0 1 0.13 -0.44187 6 Slope 4 -4 -2 -10 -8 -10 -6.8 -0.87 0 3 1 10 3.5 0.44 -0.43470-qq 7 Soil Flat-Organic 10 -10 -1 0 -6 -8 -5 -0.64 0 5 1 1 1.75 0.22 -0.42442-b 8 Slope 5 -5 -2 -4 -7 -9 -5.4 -0.69 0 4 2 3 2.25 0.28 -0.41461-e 9 Soil Flat-Organic 4 -4 -1 0 -8 -7 -4 -0.51 0 3 1 0 1 0.13 -0.39377 10 Slope 4 -4 -9 -7 -7 -10 -7.4 -0.95 0 4 4 10 4.5 0.56 -0.39366 11 Slope 3 -3 -1 -10 -8 -10 -6.4 -0.82 0 3 1 10 3.5 0.44 -0.38470-l 12 Soil Flat-Organic 3 -3 -1 0 -7 -10 -4.2 -0.54 0 4 1 0 1.25 0.16 -0.38353 13 DepressionalSemiclosed

2 -2 -5 -10 -7 -10 -6.8 -0.87 0 4 2 10 4 0.50 -0.37

155 14 Depressional-Closed 4 -4 -2 -10 -7 -6 -5.8 -0.74 0 4 1 7 3 0.38 -0.37396 15 Depressional-Open 3 -3 -2 -7 -7 -10 -5.8 -0.74 0 4 1 7 3 0.38 -0.37357 16 Slope 4 -4 -2 -6 -8 -10 -6 -0.77 0 3 1 9 3.25 0.41 -0.36326 17 Depressional-Closed 4 -4 -2 -2 -8 -9 -5 -0.64 0 3 1 5 2.25 0.28 -0.36470-rr 18 Slope 4 -4 -2 0 -9 -10 -5 -0.64 0 2 1 6 2.25 0.28 -0.3623-mm 19 Slope 2 -2 -2 0 -7 -9 -4 -0.51 0 4 1 0 1.25 0.16 -0.3623-d 20 Soil Flat-Organic 3 -3 -1 0 -7 -9 -4 -0.51 0 4 1 0 1.25 0.16 -0.36

Results of Analysis for Hydrologic Pathways for Contaminants and Susceptibility to Disruptions in Water Supply  27
Table 11. Twenty highest-scoring wetlands for sustained water supply under projected future climate change.

[Locations of wetlands are shown on fig. 7. Raw scores are listed in appendix 3, table 3-1.]

Wetland 

identifier Rank Hydrogeomorphic class

Scaled 

integer 

for wetland 

area

Negative factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled catchment scores

Positive factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled scores

Final 

score Precipitation Slope Bare bed- rock Catch- ment size Stor- age

Average of 

negative 

scores

Scaled 

average 

negative 

score

Lacustrine 

influence

Catchment 

size

Topographic 

relief

Percent 

clay 

soils

Average of 

positive 

scores

Scaled 

average 

positive 

score

23-bb 1 Tidal Fringe 1 -1 -2 -3 -1 -3 -2 -0.26 10 10 6 6 8 1.00 0.7423-ee Tidal Fringe 1 -1 -2 -3 -1 -3 -2 -0.26 10 10 6 6 8 1.00 0.7423-m Tidal Fringe 1 -1 -2 -3 -1 -3 -2 -0.26 10 10 6 6 8 1.00 0.74470-ll 2 Tidal Fringe 1 -1 -1 -1 -2 -1 -1.2 -0.15 10 9 2 7 7 0.90 0.75273-a 3 Lacustrine Fringe 1 -1 -3 -2 -1 -1 -1.6 -0.21 3 10 7 9 7.25 0.94 0.73123-d 4 Lacustrine Fringe 1 -1 -4 -5 -1 -1 -2.4 -0.31 2 10 10 9 7.75 1.00 0.69273-b 5 Open Water 1 -1 -3 -2 -1 -1 -1.6 -0.21 0 10 7 9 6.5 0.81 0.61123-f 6 Depressional-Open 1 -1 -5 -5 -1 -1 -2.6 -0.33 0 10 10 9 7.25 0.91 0.57123-i 7 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 -1 -5 -5 -2 -1 -2.8 -0.36 0 9 10 9 7 0.88 0.52206-f 8 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 -1 -3 -4 -2 -5 -3 -0.38 0 9 9 8 6.5 0.81 0.43470-a 9 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 -1 -3 -2 -1 -6 -2.6 -0.33 0 10 8 6 6 0.75 0.42228 10 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 -1 -3 -4 -2 -6 -3.2 -0.41 0 9 9 8 6.5 0.81 0.40461-f 11 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 -1 -3 -3 -1 -6 -2.8 -0.36 0 10 8 6 6 0.75 0.39470-aa 12 Tidal Fringe 1 -1 -2 0 -3 -7 -2.6 -0.33 10 8 2 3 5.75 0.72 0.39470-vv 13 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 -1 -1 -1 -3 -1 -1.4 -0.18 0 8 2 8 4.5 0.56 0.38384 14 Lacustrine Fringe 1 -1 -2 -4 -3 -5 -3 -0.38 6 8 3 7 6 0.75 0.3774-a/b 15 Lacustrine Fringe 1 -1 -3 -6 -3 -6 -3.8 -0.49 5 8 5 9 6.75 0.84 0.36206-k 16 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 -1 -3 -5 -3 -7 -3.8 -0.49 0 8 9 9 6.5 0.81 0.3323-b 17 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 -1 -2 -3 -2 -2 -2 -0.26 0 9 5 4 4.5 0.56 0.31227-b 18 Depressional-Open 1 -1 -3 -5 -3 -8 -4 -0.51 0 8 9 9 6.5 0.81 0.30191-a 19 Lacustrine Fringe 1 -1 -4 -5 -6 -9 -5 -0.64 10 5 5 10 7.5 0.94 0.30207-f 20 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 -1 -6 -5 -3 -3 -3.6 -0.46 0 8 9 6 5.75 0.72 0.26

28  Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Summary and Conclusions

As an aid to developing a wetland monitoring program 

for Acadia National Park (ANP) on Mt. Desert Island, 

Maine, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the 

National Park Service, developed a hydrogeomorphic 

(HGM) classification system for wetlands greater than 

0.4 hectare (ha) (1 acre) on the island. The 13 HGM classes 

used are: Riverine-Upper Perennial, Riverine-Nonperennial, 

Riverine-Tidal, Depressional-Closed, DepressionalSemiclosed, Depressional-Open, Depressional-No GroundWater Input, Mineral Soil Flat, Organic Soil Flat, Tidal Fringe, 

Lacustrine Fringe, Slope, and Hilltop/Upper Hillslope.

On the basis of topographic map information and geographic information system (GIS) layers at a scale of 1:24,000 

or larger, 1,202 wetland polygons on Mt. Desert Island were 

classified into 11 of these HGM classes. A dichotomous 

key was developed to aid in the classification. The wetland polygons used in the classification were palustrine and 

estuarine wetlands shown in the National Wetland Inventory 

(NWI) maps produced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

(1998), available as GIS coverages. Two of the 13 HGM 

classes (Depressional-No Ground-Water Input, and RiverineTidal) were not assigned to any wetlands because criteria for 

determining those classes are not available at that map scale, 

and must be determined with more site-specific information. 

Isolated wetlands less than 0.4 ha were not considered because 

the published accuracy of the NWI maps is 1 acre, and the 

number of wetlands analyzed was kept to a manageable size 

within the scope of the study.

Of the 1,202 wetland polygons classified, which cover 

1,830 ha (4,520 acres) in ANP, 327 were classified as Slope, 

258 were Depressional, 231 were Riverine, 210 were Soil Flat, 

68 were Lacustrine Fringe, 51 were Tidal Fringe, 22 were 

Hilltop/Upper Hillslope, and the final 35 were small open 

water bodies. The wetland polygons classified ranged in size 

from 0.1 ha (these were small polygons that were part of a 

contiguous group of polygons that as a whole was larger than 

0.4 ha) to 42 ha. Any wetland classification application that 

relies on remotely obtained data has some inherent error associated with it. On the basis of a previous test of the method 

used in this analysis (Nielsen and others, 2006), this classification is assumed to have an error rate of about 15 percent.

Because of the size restriction, the overall distribution of 

wetland types on the island may be somewhat different than 

presented above. Many of the small wetlands not included are 

either vernal pools, which are Depressional wetlands, Slope 

wetlands, or small wetlands found at high elevations, which 

could be Hilltop/Upper Hillslope wetlands or Slope wetlands. 

It is also possible that some of these smallest wetlands do not 

fit well into any of these HGM classes and should be grouped 

into a new class. This would have to be determined after 

attempting to classify the small isolated wetlands that were not 

included in this project.

This HGM classification of wetlands will be a useful 

resource for ANP managers, as it characterizes wetland water 

flow for the park’s wetlands, and provides an organizing variable that can be used to analyze the distribution of vegetation 

types, invasive species, invertebrates, and other wildlife. It 

will also be used to help stratify wetlands for inclusion in a 

wetland monitoring plan for the park.

For planning purposes within ANP, further information 

on wetlands has been needed for future wetland monitoring 

purposes, including possible contamination pathways for 

park wetlands and possible effects of climate changes on park 

wetlands. To provide this information, two scoring systems 

were developed for wetlands larger than 1 ha in ANP. The 

first scoring system was developed to help understand the 

potential hydrologic pathways of contamination that are 

present for wetlands in the park, and which wetlands have 

the highest susceptibility to contamination from which 

pathways (precipitation, surface water, or ground water). 

This information can be used to determine the types of 

wetland monitoring needed to detect early signs of problems 

in wetlands that have had specific potential sources of 

contaminants identified in their catchments. 

Another consideration for future wetland monitoring 

is wetland susceptibility to disruptions in water supply from 

potential future climate changes. Climate studies indicate 

possible increases in precipitation and summer temperatures. 

This climate change may favor ground-water recharge, but will 

likely cause runoff shortages during the summer. A second 

scoring system was developed and used to evaluate conditions within wetland catchments that could indicate changes in 

wetland hydrologic regime under projected climate change for 

eastern North America.

Similar individual variables were evaluated for each of 

these two scoring systems. These variables include the area 

of the wetland catchment, the area of the wetland compared 

to the catchment area, the slope of the catchment, the 

amount of the catchment that was mapped as “bare rock” or 

“excessively thin soil,” the amount of surface-water storage 

in the catchment, the vertical relief of the catchment, the 

amount of relatively impermeable clay soils in the catchment, 

the amount of impervious surface in the catchment, whether a 

stream ran through the wetland, and whether the wetland was 

hydrologically connected to a surface-water body or estuary. 

These variables were used in various combinations to produce 

(1) scaled scores for the relative importance of precipitation, 

surface water, and ground water as potential pathways for 

contamination and (2) the susceptibility of each wetland to 

disruptions in future water supply (climate change effects).

Relatively few wetlands scored high on the importance 

of precipitation as a pathway for contamination. Most of the 

wetlands that scored above 4 (on a scale of 1 to 10) are in the 

southern part of the island, including many of the extensive 

peatlands in that area, or are in the north-central part of the 

island. Many of the highest-scoring wetlands for surface water 

as a potential pathway of contamination are in the eastern part 

of the island. The distribution of wetlands scoring highest 

Summary and Conclusions  29
for ground water as a potential pathway are more evenly 

distributed across the island. Most of these had relatively large 

catchments, and four were in areas with a high amount of 

topographic relief. Four wetlands scored high for both ground 

water and surface water as potential pathways, indicating 

possible dual vulnerability if sources of contaminants are 

found within their catchments.

The effect of direct precipitation and surface-water runoff 

(negative variables for sustained water supply) were balanced 

against the effect of lacustrine/estuarine and possible groundwater sources (positive variables for sustained water supply) to 

produce an overall scaled score for disruptions in future water 

supply. For these water-supply scores, the wetlands with the 

lowest scores are the most vulnerable to changes in hydrology 

brought about by potential future changes in climate. Many 

of these wetlands have relatively small catchment areas 

(compared to the size of the wetland itself), most have little 

or no opportunity for surface-water storage in the catchment, 

and some of them have a large amount of bare rock and very 

thin soil cover in their catchments. Wetlands with the highest 

scores have soils relatively favorable to ground-water recharge, 

relatively large catchment sizes, and many have a hydraulic 

connection to a lacustrine or estuarine water body.

Small wetlands (less than 1 ha) were not scored for either 

analysis, but many small wetlands in the park have similar 

characteristics to wetlands that were scored for water-supply 

and contaminant-pathway susceptibility.

The landscape analyses presented in this report are not 

intended to replace the collection of field data for definitive 

information on the sources of water for individual wetlands, 

or as a definitive prediction of future water-supply conditions. 

Although field data will always provide the most accurate 

information, this analysis can provide a broad-brush screening 

tool and help segregate wetlands by landscape characteristics 

that indicate either the possibility of a sustained or disrupted 

future water supply, to the wetland.

Acknowledgments

Many people helped with the successful completion of 

this study, and the author is very grateful for their input and 

assistance. Glenn Guntenspergen and Hilary Neckles, U.S. 

Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, have 

both provided long-term conceptual guidance and technical 

consultation. Karen Anderson, National Park Service, Acadia 

National Park, provided a large amount of base GIS data. 

Tom Hollenhorst, University of Minnesota-Duluth, Natural 

Resources Research Institute, provided technical consultation 

and the GIS resources for the Mt. Desert Island watershed 

boundary map. Peter Curtis, The Ohio State University, also 

provided technical consultation. The staff at Acadia National 

Park (David Manski, Robert Breen, and Bill Gawley) have 

been very helpful throughout the duration of this and several 

previous studies. Larry Martin, of the National Park Service, 

Water Resources Branch, Fort Collins, Colo., also has been 

very helpful.

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eastern portion of Mount Desert Island, in Tucker, R.D., 

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volume 6—Quaternary geology: Augusta, Maine, Maine 

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O’Brien, A.L., and Motts, W.S., 1980, Hydrogeologic 

evaluation of wetland basins for land use planning: Water 

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J.M., 1988, Region 19, Northeastern Appalachians, in

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Hydrogeology: Boulder, Colo., Geological Society of 

America, The Geology of North America, v. O–2, p. 

177–188.

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32  Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine

hydrogeomorphic classification, reference wetlands, and 

functional indices: Washington, D.C., U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers Wetlands Research Program Technical Report 

WRP-DE-9, 71 p., 5 appendixes.

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and crystalline bedrock in the Mirror Lake area, Grafton 

County, New Hampshire: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1572, 50 p.

Tiner, R.W., 1997, NWI maps—Basic information on the 

nation’s wetlands: BioScience, v. 47, p. 269.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1998, National Wetlands 

Inventory maps, vector digital data from Maine Office 

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p. 305–311.
Appendixes 1–3
Resources used:

National Wetland Inventory polygons of wetlands for the 

Bar Harbor, Bass Harbor, Bartlett Island, Newbury Neck, 

Salsbury Cove, Seal Harbor, Southwest Harbor, and Swans 

Island U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) topographic quadrangles (scale 1:24,000). Isolated polygons less than 

(<) 0.4 hectares (ha) in size were screened from the analysis, but polygons < 0.4 ha were included if they were part 

of a set of contiguous polygons. Accessed online at 

http://apollo.ogis.state.me.us/catalog/catalog.asp?state=

2&extent=huc#nwi

Digital Line Graphs (DLGs) for the USGS topographic quadrangles listed above, for ponds, streams, rivers, roads, coastline, and contour lines (scale 1:24,000). Accessed online 

January 10, 2006 at http://apollo.ogis.state.me.us/catalog/

catalog.asp?state=2&extent=huc#hyd24 and http://apollo.

ogis.state.me.us/catalog/catalog.asp?state=2&extent=town

#contours

Digital Raster Graphs (DRGs) for the USGS topographic 

quadrangles listed above (scale 1:24,000). Accessed online 

January 10, 2006 at http://apollo.ogis.state.me.us/catalog/

catalog.asp?state=2&extent=24k#drgclip

National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) SSURGO 

soils polygons for Hancock County, Maine (scale 1:20,000). 

Accessed online January 10, 2006 at http://apollo.ogis.state.

me.us/catalog/catalog.asp?state=2&extent=county Soil unit 

descriptions are found in Jordan, 1998. 

Digital Orthophoto quadrangles for the USGS topographic 

quadrangles listed above, scale 1:12,000. Accessed online 

January 10, 2006 at http://apollo.ogis.state.me.us/catalog/

catalog.asp?state=2&extent=24k#medoq

Steps in assigning hydrogeomorphic (HGM) 

classes (following the key, table 2):

Wetland polygons sharing an edge with saltwater or estuaries were tagged as Tidal Fringe and removed from the 

remaining set (using the 1:24:000 coastline coverage as a 

spatial reference for the coastline).

Wetland polygons sharing an edge or overlapping with 

any lake or pond polygons were tagged. The 1:24,000 

scale “ponds” coverage was used as the reference. A 

100-meter (m) buffer distance was set around these water 

bodies, and those wetlands within the 100-m buffer were 

1.

2.

assigned the lacustrine fringe category if there were no 

topographic contours crossing the wetland. If a wetland 

polygon had a large area outside this buffer zone, the 

wetland polygon was divided along the 100-m buffer line, 

and the portion inside the buffer zone was assigned to the 

lacustrine fringe category, and the portion outside the buffer zone was left untagged. Small portions of lacustrine 

fringe wetlands lying outside the 100-m buffer were kept 

with the parent polygon. If topographic contours crossed 

the wetland, it was not considered to be at the same 

elevation as the lake or pond and was not assigned to the 

lacustrine fringe category.

Some of the NWI wetland polygons consisted largely 

or entirely of open water, and appeared as ponds on the 

topographic maps. The NWI polygons that coincided with 

ponds on the topographic maps were compared to the digital orthophoto of that area. If the polygon was more than 

50 percent open water on the orthophoto, the polygon was 

not given an HGM classification, but was tagged as “open 

water.” Polygons less than 50 percent open water on the 

orthophoto were assigned an HGM classification. 

The 1:24,000-scale streams and 1:24,000 rivers data 

layers were overlaid on the remaining untagged wetland 

polygons. A 50-m buffer zone was set around the streams 

and rivers. Wetland polygons touching the stream and 

within the 50-m buffer distance were set as candidate 

riverine wetlands. If a contour line crossed the wetland 

polygon, the polygon was then removed from the candidate set, and the remaining candidates were classified 

as Riverine wetlands. Riverine wetlands associated with 

a perennial stream (as defined on the topographic maps) 

were classified as Riverine-Perennial. Riverine wetlands 

associated with nonperennial streams were classified as 

Riverine-Nonperennial. Because tidal effects cannot be 

differentiated on a topographic map, no wetlands were 

classified as Riverine-Tidal.

Where a stream flowed through a large wetland polygon, 

and the 50-m buffer zone took up only a portion of the 

wetland polygon, the polygon was split along the 50-m 

buffer boundary. The wetland area within 50 m of the 

stream were classified as Riverine and the rest of the 

original polygon was not.

The contour line DLGs were then overlaid on the remaining wetlands. Any wetland with at least one contour crossing the area was a candidate Slope wetland. These candidates were each examined individually. If the contour line 

crossed the wetland only at the edge, it was assumed that 

3.

4.

Appendix 1. Steps in Assigning Hydrogeomorphic Classifications to Wetland 

Polygons

34 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
mapping errors in either the position of the contour line or 

the edge of the wetland made the confidence in the Slope 

classification tenuous, so these wetlands were dropped 

from being candidate Slope wetlands. The remaining candidate wetlands were classified as Slope wetlands.

Wetlands that were not classified as Slope, Riverine, 

Lacustrine Fringe, or Tidal Fringe were examined next, 

using the DRGs of the topographic maps. Any that were 

at the top of a hill or near the top of a hill, and could only 

have a very small catchment area were tagged as Hilltop/

Upper Hillslope.

The remaining wetlands were examined individually, 

again using the DRGs of the topographic maps, to determine if they were surrounded on at least two sides by hills 

or mountains. These were the candidates for the Depressional wetlands. Any of the remaining wetlands that were 

not surrounded on at least two sides by hills or mountains 

became candidate Soil Flat wetlands. 

The candidate Soil Flat wetlands were compared to the 

NRCS soils classification maps (SSURGO polygons). 

Any soil units with descriptions that included the word 

“peat” were grouped and compared to these wetlands. 

Wetland polygons that were covered by more than 

5.

6.

7.

50 percent soils classified as peaty were classified as Soil 

Flat-Organic wetlands. Those wetland polygons that were 

in areas where soils were not described as peaty (or less 

than 50 percent peaty) were the Soil Flat-Mineral wetlands. 

The Depressional wetlands were subdivided on the basis 

of whether or not there were mapped streams flowing into 

or out of them, as mapped on the 1:24,000 topographic 

maps. For this classification step, adjacent NWI polygons that fell in the Depressional class were combined 

as one wetland. Depressional wetlands with no mapped 

streams entering the wetland or draining out were classified as Depressional-Closed. Depressional wetlands with 

stream outlets but no inflowing streams were classified 

as Depressional-Semiclosed. Depressional wetlands 

with both stream inflows and outflows were classified as 

Depressional-Open. 

Reference Cited

Jordan, G.B., 1998, Soil survey of Hancock County area, 

Maine: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources 

Conservation Service, 278 p., 103 map sheets.

8.

Appendix 1 35
Appendix 2. Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, 

Maine

36 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

2-a 0.3 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

2-b 0.5 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

3 0.5 Soil Flat-Mineral Hulls Cove

4-a 0.3 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Northeast Creek

4-b 1.1 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Northeast Creek

4-c 0.2 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Northeast Creek

4-d 0.1 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Northeast Creek

4-e 0.1 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Northeast Creek

5 0.5 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

6 0.7 Slope Northeast Creek

7-a 0.2 Depressional-Semiclosed Northeast Creek

7-b 0.1 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

7-c 1.0 Slope Northeast Creek

8-a 0.5 Slope Hulls Cove

8-b 0.2 Slope Hulls Cove

9-a 0.5 Slope Northeast Creek

9-b 3.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Creek

10 0.5 Slope Northeast Creek

11 0.5 Slope Jones Marsh

12 0.6 Depressional-Closed Northeast Creek

13 0.9 Slope Hulls Cove

14-a 0.6 Slope Hulls Cove

14-b 0.5 Slope Hulls Cove

14-c 4.9 Slope Hulls Cove

14-d 0.6 Slope Hulls Cove

14-e 0.3 Slope Hulls Cove

15 0.7 Depressional-Semiclosed Hulls Cove

16 0.2 Lacustrine Fringe Northeast Creek

17-a 0.9 Slope Northeast Creek

17-b 2.1 Depressional-Open Northeast Creek

17-c 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Creek

18 0.5 Lacustrine Fringe Northeast Creek

19-a 0.3 Tidal Fringe Jones Marsh

19-b 1.3 Tidal Fringe Jones Marsh

19-c 3.7 Tidal Fringe Jones Marsh

20-a 0.2 Soil Flat-Organic Hulls Cove

20-b 0.4 Slope Hulls Cove

20-c 6.1 Soil Flat-Organic Hulls Cove

20-d 0.3 Soil Flat-Organic Hulls Cove

20-e 7.0 Soil Flat-Organic Hulls Cove

20-f 1.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Hulls Cove

20-g 12.9 Riverine-Upper Perennial Hulls Cove

20-h 0.7 Soil Flat-Organic Hulls Cove

20-i 4.9 Soil Flat-Organic Hulls Cove

20-j 0.8 Slope Hulls Cove

Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

20-k 1.4 Soil Flat-Organic Hulls Cove

20-l 14.4 Soil Flat-Organic Hulls Cove

20-m 1.1 Slope Hulls Cove

20-n 1.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Hulls Cove

20-o 7.5 Soil Flat-Organic Hulls Cove

20-p 1.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Hulls Cove

20-q 2.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Hulls Cove

20-r 0.5 Soil Flat-Organic Hulls Cove

20-s 2.3 Soil Flat-Organic Hulls Cove

20-t 0.4 Soil Flat-Organic Hulls Cove

20-u 1.0 Depressional-Semiclosed Hulls Cove

20-v 4.4 Slope Hulls Cove

20-w 1.5 Depressional-Semiclosed Hulls Cove

20-x 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Hulls Cove

20-y 0.6 Slope Hulls Cove

21 0.8 Tidal Fringe Jones Marsh

22-a 0.4 Slope Hulls Cove

22-b 1.9 Slope Hulls Cove

22-c 0.1 Soil Flat-Organic Hulls Cove

23-a 31.1 Soil Flat-Organic Northeast Creek

23-aa 0.1 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

23-b 9.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Creek

23-bb 5.8 Tidal Fringe Northeast Creek

23-c 1.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Creek

23-cc 41.8 Soil Flat-Organic Northeast Creek

23-d 2.5 Soil Flat-Organic Northeast Creek

23-dd 0.9 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Creek

23-e 0.4 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

23-ee 1.3 Tidal Fringe Northeast Creek

23-f 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Creek

23-ff 0.6 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

23-g 0.6 Soil Flat-Organic Northeast Creek

23-gg 0.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Creek

23-h 0.1 Tidal Fringe Northeast Creek

23-hh 9.1 Soil Flat-Organic Northeast Creek

23-i 9.1 Soil Flat-Organic Northeast Creek

23-ii 3.2 Soil Flat-Organic Northeast Creek

23-j 0.2 Tidal Fringe Northeast Creek

23-jj 0.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Creek

23-k 0.2 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

23-kk 1.3 Soil Flat-Organic Northeast Creek

23-l 0.6 Tidal Fringe Northeast Creek

23-ll 16.6 Soil Flat-Organic Northeast Creek

23-m 11.1 Tidal Fringe Northeast Creek

23-mm 1.3 Slope Northeast Creek

Appendix 2 37
Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

23-n 0.1 Tidal Fringe Northeast Creek

23-nn 1.1 Soil Flat-Organic Northeast Creek

23-o 3.7 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

23-oo 0.6 Soil Flat-Organic Northeast Creek

23-p 0.1 Tidal Fringe Northeast Creek

23-pp 1.4 Soil Flat-Organic Northeast Creek

23-q 0.1 Tidal Fringe Northeast Creek

23-qq 0.7 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Creek

23-r 0.7 Tidal Fringe Northeast Creek

23-rr 0.3 Tidal Fringe Northeast Creek

23-s 1.1 Soil Flat-Organic Northeast Creek

23-ss 0.1 Tidal Fringe Northeast Creek

23-t 2.1 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

23-tt 1.3 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

23-u 0.3 Tidal Fringe Northeast Creek

23-uu 7.9 Soil Flat-Organic Northeast Creek

23-v 1.9 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

23-vv 0.5 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

23-w 0.1 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

23-x 15.1 Soil Flat-Organic Northeast Creek

23-y 0.3 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

23-z 0.2 Soil Flat-Mineral Northeast Creek

24-a 1.4 Soil Flat-Mineral Hulls Cove

24-b 0.7 Soil Flat-Mineral Hulls Cove

25 0.4 Soil Flat-Mineral Hulls Cove

26-a 1.6 Tidal Fringe Jones Marsh

26-b 0.5 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

26-c 2.1 Slope Jones Marsh

27-a 0.2 Tidal Fringe Jones Marsh

27-b 0.1 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

27-c 0.2 Tidal Fringe Jones Marsh

28-a 10.0 Tidal Fringe Jones Marsh

28-b 0.1 Soil Flat-Organic Jones Marsh

28-c 7.8 Slope Jones Marsh

28-d 16.0 Soil Flat-Organic Jones Marsh

28-e 1.7 Soil Flat-Organic Jones Marsh

28-f 2.7 Soil Flat-Organic Jones Marsh

28-g 1.2 Slope Jones Marsh

28-h 2.9 Soil Flat-Organic Jones Marsh

29 4.4 Tidal Fringe Jones Marsh

30 0.7 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

31 0.9 Slope Jones Marsh

32 0.8 Slope Hulls Cove

33 0.7 Slope Jones Marsh

34 0.4 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

35 0.9 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

36 0.5 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

37 0.8 Soil Flat-Mineral Hulls Cove

38-a 1.5 Slope Jones Marsh

38-b 0.7 Slope Jones Marsh

39 1.6 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Northeast Creek

40-a 0.1 Soil Flat-Organic Jones Marsh

40-b 2.6 Tidal Fringe Jones Marsh

41 1.4 Riverine-Nonperennial Northeast Creek

42-a 0.6 Depressional-Semiclosed Hulls Cove

42-b 0.9 Depressional-Semiclosed Hulls Cove

42-c 0.6 Depressional-Semiclosed Hulls Cove

42-d 0.9 Riverine-Nonperennial Hulls Cove

43 0.6 Slope Hulls Cove

44 0.4 Soil Flat-Organic Jones Marsh

45-a 0.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Creek

45-b 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Creek

46 1.7 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

47 0.7 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

48 0.4 Slope Northeast Creek

49-a 0.3 Soil Flat-Organic Jones Marsh

49-b 0.4 Soil Flat-Organic Jones Marsh

50-a 0.4 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

50-b 0.1 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

50-c 0.6 Soil Flat-Organic Jones Marsh

50-d 4.7 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

50-e 0.3 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

50-f 0.1 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

51-a 0.1 Slope Northeast Creek

51-b 0.5 Slope Northeast Creek

52 0.5 Depressional-closed Hulls Cove

53 1.4 Slope Hulls Cove

54 0.6 Slope Hulls Cove

55 0.5 Slope Northeast Creek

55 0.9 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Creek

56 0.4 Slope Hulls Cove

57-a 3.0 Depressional-Semiclosed Northeast Creek

57-b 1.3 Slope Northeast Creek

57-c 0.6 Slope Northeast Creek

58-a 0.7 Riverine-Upper Perennial Hulls Cove

58-b 0.3 Lacustrine Fringe Hulls Cove

59 0.8 Slope Hulls Cove

60 1.0 Slope Northeast Creek

61-a 8.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Creek

61-b 2.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Creek

38 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

61-c 0.8 Slope Northeast Creek

61-d 0.7 Slope Northeast Creek

62 5.2 Soil Flat-Organic Jones Marsh

63-a 1.1 Slope Jones Marsh

63-b 0.4 Slope Jones Marsh

64-a 0.7 Slope Jones Marsh

64-b 0.1 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

65 2.9 Slope Jones Marsh

66-a 0.4 Depressional-Semiclosed Hulls Cove

66-b 1.7 Depressional-Semiclosed Hulls Cove

66-c 0.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Hulls Cove

66-d 0.8 Depressional-Open Hulls Cove

67 0.4 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

68-a 0.2 Slope Northeast Creek

68-b 0.6 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Creek

69-a 5.8 Depressional-Semiclosed Jones Marsh

69-b 0.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Jones Marsh

70 0.6 Soil Flat-Organic Jones Marsh

71-a 1.3 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

71-b 2.5 Soil Flat-Organic Jones Marsh

71-c 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Jones Marsh

71-d 2.1 Soil Flat-Organic Jones Marsh

71-e 0.5 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

72 0.8 Slope Jones Marsh

74-a 0.6 Lacustrine Fringe Hulls Cove

74-b 0.7 Lacustrine Fringe Hulls Cove

74-c 0.8 Riverine-Nonperennial Hulls Cove

74-d 0.7 Depressional-Semiclosed Hulls Cove

75 0.7 Soil Flat-Mineral Jones Marsh

76 0.5 Slope Hulls Cove

77 1.0 Slope Northeast Creek

78-a 1.2 Slope Northeast Creek

78-b 0.6 Slope Northeast Creek

79 0.6 Slope Hulls Cove

80 3.3 Tidal Fringe Jones Marsh

81-a 0.7 Slope Hulls Cove

81-b 0.6 Slope Hulls Cove

82 0.5 Slope Hulls Cove

83 0.8 Slope Hulls Cove

84 0.8 Slope Hulls Cove

85-a 0.6 Depressional-Closed Sunken Heath

85-b 0.8 Depressional-Closed Sunken Heath

85-c 2.7 Slope Sunken Heath

85-d 2.3 Slope Sunken Heath

86 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Jones Marsh

Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

87 0.5 Depressional-Semiclosed Hulls Cove

88 1.5 Depressional-Closed Northeast Creek

89-a 0.4 Depressional-Open Brewer Mtn

89-b 0.5 Depressional-Open Brewer Mtn

89-c 0.7 Depressional-Open Brewer Mtn

90 0.7 Slope Brewer Mtn

91 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Jones Marsh

92 0.6 Soil Flat-Mineral Town Hill

93-a 0.5 Lacustrine Fringe Town Hill

93-b 0.2 Lacustrine Fringe Town Hill

94-a 1.1 Riverine-Nonperennial Sunken Heath

94-b 1.4 Riverine-Nonperennial Sunken Heath

95 1.4 Lacustrine Fringe Brewer Mtn

96 1.2 Slope Town Hill

97 0.5 Slope Sunken Heath

98 0.9 Slope Sunken Heath

100-a 11.8 Lacustrine Fringe Brewer Mtn

100-b 0.3 Lacustrine Fringe Brewer Mtn

100-c 0.1 Lacustrine Fringe Brewer Mtn

101 1.0 Slope Sunken Heath

102-a 0.6 Slope Brewer Mtn

102-b 0.6 Slope Brewer Mtn

103-a 0.7 Riverine-Upper Perennial Brewer Mtn

103-b 1.2 Slope Brewer Mtn

104-a 1.7 Slope Town Hill

104-b 0.1 Depressional-Closed Town Hill

105 0.5 Slope Sunken Heath

106-a 17.2 Depressional-Semiclosed Town Hill

106-b 7.2 Depressional-Semiclosed Town Hill

106-c 4.0 Depressional-Semiclosed Town Hill

107 0.7 Riverine-Upper Perennial Town Hill

108-a 1.3 Slope Sunken Heath

108-b 0.1 Slope Sunken Heath

109-a 2.6 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sunken Heath

109-b 0.5 Slope Sunken Heath

109-c 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sunken Heath

109-d 3.3 Slope Sunken Heath

109-e 2.6 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sunken Heath

109-f 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sunken Heath

110-a 0.7 Soil Flat-Mineral Sunken Heath

110-b 0.2 Soil Flat-Mineral Sunken Heath

111-a 0.1 Depressional-Closed Sunken Heath

111-b 0.8 Depressional-Closed Sunken Heath

112-a 0.5 Soil Flat-Mineral Town Hill

112-b 0.4 Slope Town Hill

Appendix 2 39
Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

112-c 0.2 Soil Flat-Mineral Town Hill

113-a 1.5 Slope Sunken Heath

113-b 0.1 Slope Sunken Heath

113-c 0.1 Slope Sunken Heath

113-d 0.1 Slope Sunken Heath

114 9.6 Slope Sunken Heath

115 0.4 Slope Brewer Mtn

116 0.9 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Town Hill

117-a 0.3 Lacustrine Fringe Brewer Mtn

117-b 0.2 Lacustrine Fringe Brewer Mtn

118-a 3.2 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

118-b 2.5 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

118-c 0.3 Slope Sunken Heath

118-d 1.4 Depressional-Closed Sunken Heath

118-e 0.3 Slope Sunken Heath

119 0.6 Slope Sunken Heath

120 0.4 Depressional-Closed Brewer Mtn

121 0.4 Slope Brewer Mtn

122-a 0.7 Lacustrine Fringe Brewer Mtn

122-b 2.1 Lacustrine Fringe Brewer Mtn

122-c 2.2 Depressional-Open Brewer Mtn

122-d 0.6 Slope Brewer Mtn

123-a 8.0 Depressional-Open Brewer Mtn

123-b 1.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Brewer Mtn

123-c 0.7 Depressional-Semiclosed Brewer Mtn

123-d 4.8 Lacustrine Fringe Brewer Mtn

123-e 0.0 Lacustrine Fringe Brewer Mtn

123-f 4.7 Depressional-Open Brewer Mtn

123-g 3.4 Depressional-Open Brewer Mtn

123-h 0.9 Riverine-Upper Perennial Brewer Mtn

123-i 1.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Brewer Mtn

124 0.5 Slope Town Hill

125 3.9 Slope Brewer Mtn

126 0.4 Soil Flat-Mineral Brewer Mtn

127-a 0.6 Depressional-Semiclosed Brewer Mtn

127-b 1.4 Depressional-Semiclosed Brewer Mtn

128-a 0.9 Riverine-Upper Perennial Town Hill

128-b 2.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Town Hill

128-c 0.6 Soil Flat-Mineral Town Hill

128-d 0.3 Soil Flat-Mineral Town Hill

129 1.3 Slope Brewer Mtn

130 0.8 Slope Sunken Heath

131-a 0.5 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Sunken Heath

131-b 0.4 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Sunken Heath

132 0.7 Slope Indian Point

Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

133-a 3.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Town Hill

133-b 2.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Town Hill

133-c 2.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Town Hill

133-d 0.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Town Hill

134 1.4 Slope Sunken Heath

135-a 0.4 Slope Brewer Mtn

135-b 1.5 Slope Brewer Mtn

136-a 0.6 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sunken Heath

136-b 1.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sunken Heath

136-c 1.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sunken Heath

137 1.3 Slope Town Hill

138 5.4 Slope Indian Point

140 2.6 Slope Town Hill

141-a 5.9 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sunken Heath

141-b 0.2 Soil Flat-Organic Sunken Heath

141-c 0.4 Soil Flat-Organic Sunken Heath

141-d 0.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sunken Heath

141-e 0.2 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

141-f 0.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

141-g 4.9 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

141-h 4.4 Slope Sunken Heath

142 1.5 Slope Bar Harbor

143 1.1 Slope Brewer Mtn

144-a 1.5 Open Water Indian Point

144-b 0.1 Lacustrine Fringe Indian Point

145 2.8 Slope Town Hill

146-a 1.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sunken Heath

146-b 1.6 Soil Flat-Organic Sunken Heath

146-c 1.2 Slope Sunken Heath

147 0.6 Soil Flat-Mineral Town Hill

148-a 3.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

148-b 6.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

148-c 6.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

148-d 2.9 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

148-e 0.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

148-f 0.4 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

148-g 0.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

148-h 0.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sunken Heath

149 0.6 Slope Brewer Mtn

150 1.4 Depressional-Closed Town Hill

151-a 0.7 Depressional-Open Brewer Mtn

151-b 1.5 Depressional-Open Brewer Mtn

151-c 1.9 Depressional-Open Brewer Mtn

151-d 8.3 Depressional-Open Brewer Mtn

151-e 0.7 Slope Brewer Mtn

40 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

151-f 2.5 Depressional-Open Brewer Mtn

151-g 0.3 Slope Brewer Mtn

151-h 0.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Brewer Mtn

151-i 0.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Brewer Mtn

151-j 0.7 Open Water Brewer Mtn

152 0.5 Soil Flat-Organic Town Hill

153-a 1.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Indian Point

153-b 0.0 Riverine-Upper Perennial Indian Point

153-c 5.9 Depressional-Open Indian Point

153-d 0.9 Riverine-Upper Perennial Indian Point

153-e 2.8 Slope Indian Point

153-f 5.6 Soil Flat-Mineral Indian Point

154 0.6 Slope Indian Point

155-a 1.3 Depressional-Closed Sunken Heath

155-b 0.5 Slope Sunken Heath

155-c 0.5 Depressional-Closed Sunken Heath

155-d 0.9 Depressional-Closed Sunken Heath

156 1.2 Depressional-Open Town Hill

157 1.0 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Sunken Heath

158 0.9 Slope Brewer Mtn

159 0.9 Depressional-Open Brewer Mtn

160 3.8 Slope Town Hill

161 0.5 Slope Sunken Heath

162 1.3 Slope Town Hill

163 0.8 Soil Flat-Mineral Town Hill

164 0.5 Slope Town Hill

165 0.8 Depressional-Open Town Hill

166 0.6 Soil Flat-Organic Indian Point

167 0.5 Slope Indian Point

168 0.5 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Indian Point

169 1.8 Depressional-Semiclosed Brewer Mtn

170 0.7 Slope Sunken Heath

171-a 0.3 Depressional-Closed Brewer Mtn

171-b 0.1 Depressional-Closed Brewer Mtn

171-c 0.3 Depressional-Closed Brewer Mtn

172 0.8 Soil Flat-Mineral Town Hill

173 0.9 Slope Brewer Mtn

174-a 3.1 Slope Sunken Heath

174-b 1.0 Slope Sunken Heath

175 0.7 Slope Sunken Heath

176 3.3 Slope Town Hill

177-a 1.1 Soil Flat-Organic Indian Point

177-b 0.6 Soil Flat-Organic Indian Point

178 0.6 Lacustrine Fringe Brewer Mtn

179 2.1 Depressional-Open Brewer Mtn

Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

180-a 1.1 Tidal Fringe Town Hill

180-b 0.1 Tidal Fringe Town Hill

180-c 6.7 Tidal Fringe Town Hill

180-d 0.9 Tidal Fringe Town Hill

180-e 0.4 Tidal Fringe Town Hill

181-a 0.4 Slope Sunken Heath

181-b 0.1 Slope Sunken Heath

182 0.5 Slope Brewer Mtn

183-a 0.7 Slope Bar Harbor

183-b 0.3 Slope Bar Harbor

183-c 0.2 Depressional-Closed Bar Harbor

183-d 0.2 Depressional-Closed Bar Harbor

184 1.8 Slope Town Hill

185 0.4 Slope Sunken Heath

186-a 0.2 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

186-b 0.7 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

186-c 2.6 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

186-d 0.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

186-e 0.4 Slope Sunken Heath

186-f 0.9 Lacustrine Fringe Sunken Heath

186 0.4 Lacustrine Fringe Sunken Heath

187-a 1.8 Slope Sunken Heath

187-b 0.1 Slope Sunken Heath

188-a 2.0 Soil Flat-Mineral Indian Point

188-b 0.5 Slope Indian Point

189-a 8.4 Soil Flat-Organic Sargent Mtn

189-b 0.6 Slope Sargent Mtn

189-c 0.3 Soil Flat-Organic Sargent Mtn

189-d 11.0 Depressional-Semiclosed Sargent Mtn

189-e 1.0 Soil Flat-Organic Sargent Mtn

190-a 2.9 Slope Indian Point

190-b 2.7 Soil Flat-Mineral Indian Point

190-c 4.6 Slope Long Pond North

190-d 3.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond North

190-e 0.8 Depressional-Open Long Pond North

190-f 3.8 Depressional-Semiclosed Long Pond North

190-g 0.8 Depressional-Semiclosed Long Pond North

190-h 3.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond North

191-a 1.0 Lacustrine Fringe Brewer Mtn

191-b 0.3 Lacustrine Fringe Brewer Mtn

191-c 0.7 Riverine-Nonperennial Brewer Mtn

192 0.4 Slope Sunken Heath

193 2.3 Slope Town Hill

194 0.5 Slope Town Hill

195 0.8 Slope Indian Point

Appendix 2 41
Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

196 0.4 Open Water Sunken Heath

197 0.5 Slope Sunken Heath

198 2.6 Open Water Pretty Marsh

199-a 0.4 Depressional-Closed Bar Harbor

199-b 0.3 Depressional-Closed Bar Harbor

200 0.6 Slope Indian Point

201 0.5 Depressional-Semiclosed Sunken Heath

202 0.4 Open Water Sunken Heath

203-a 2.0 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sunken Heath

203-b 0.2 Slope Sunken Heath

203-c 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sunken Heath

204-a 2.0 Depressional-Closed Somesville

204-b 1.5 Depressional-Closed Somesville

205-a 0.1 Slope Bar Harbor

205-b 0.2 Slope Bar Harbor

205-c 0.2 Slope Bar Harbor

205-d 0.1 Slope Bar Harbor

206-a 0.3 Lacustrine Fringe Sargent Mtn

206-b 2.3 Open Water Sargent Mtn

206-c 2.1 Lacustrine Fringe Sargent Mtn

206-d 0.1 Lacustrine Fringe Sargent Mtn

206-e 0.1 Depressional-Open Sargent Mtn

206-f 3.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

206-g 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

206-h 0.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

206-i 0.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

206-j 1.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

206-k 0.7 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

206-l 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

206-m 0.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

206-n 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

206-o 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

206-p 0.4 Lacustrine Fringe Sunken Heath

206-q 0.4 Lacustrine Fringe Sunken Heath

207-a 0.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

207-b 1.7 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

207-c 0.1 Slope Dorr Mtn

207-d 0.1 Slope Dorr Mtn

207-e 1.4 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

207-f 4.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Dorr Mtn

207-g 2.9 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

207-h 2.1 Slope Dorr Mtn

207-i 4.7 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

207-j 0.4 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

207-k 11.5 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

207-l 2.0 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

207-m 0.7 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

207-n 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Dorr Mtn

207-o 1.1 Slope Dorr Mtn

207-p 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Dorr Mtn

207-q 2.2 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

207-r 1.7 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

207-s 0.8 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

207-t 3.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Dorr Mtn

207-u 0.1 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

207-v 0.6 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

207-w 0.6 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

208 0.9 Slope Sunken Heath

209 0.5 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Sunken Heath

210-a 1.9 Depressional-Open Long Pond North

210-b 0.7 Depressional-Open Long Pond North

210-c 0.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond North

210-d 1.7 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond North

210-e 0.7 Slope Long Pond North

210-f 5.0 Open Water Long Pond North

210-g 0.0 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond North

210-h 1.0 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond North

210-i 1.6 Depressional-Semiclosed Long Pond North

211-a 3.6 Depressional-Closed Somesville

211-b 0.6 Depressional-Closed Somesville

211-c 1.3 Slope Somesville

212-a 0.4 Slope Sargent Mtn

212-b 3.5 Depressional-Open Sargent Mtn

212-c 0.7 Riverine-Nonperennial Sargent Mtn

212-d 1.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Sargent Mtn

212-e 8.3 Depressional-Open Sargent Mtn

212-f 0.3 Slope Sargent Mtn

213 1.6 Slope Somesville

214-a 0.7 Depressional-Closed Somesville

214-b 0.9 Slope Somesville

216-a 1.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

216-b 0.4 Depressional-Open Sargent Mtn

216-c 0.5 Depressional-Open Sargent Mtn

217 1.2 Slope Somesville

218 1.6 Slope Pretty Marsh

219 0.9 Depressional-Semiclosed Pretty Marsh

220-a 1.0 Slope Long Pond North

220-b 0.3 Soil Flat-Mineral Long Pond North

221 1.3 Open Water Sargent Mtn

222 0.6 Slope Somesville

42 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

223 2.1 Depressional-Closed Somesville

224 1.0 Slope Long Pond North

225-a 2.7 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond North

225-b 2.1 Slope Long Pond North

225-c 1.7 Depressional-Open Long Pond North

226 0.6 Riverine-Upper Perennial Dorr Mtn

227-a 0.7 Depressional-Open Sargent Mtn

227-b 3.4 Depressional-Open Sargent Mtn

227-c 3.7 Depressional-Open Sargent Mtn

227-d 0.4 Depressional-Open Sargent Mtn

227-e 0.3 Slope Sargent Mtn

228-a 1.9 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

228-b 0.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

228-c 0.9 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

228-d 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

229-a 0.0 Soil Flat-Mineral Somesville

229-b 0.4 Soil Flat-Mineral Somesville

229-c 0.1 Soil Flat-Mineral Somesville

230 0.5 Slope Long Pond North

231 1.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond North

232-a 1.7 Soil Flat-Organic Somesville

232-b 0.2 Soil Flat-Organic Somesville

233-a 5.4 Slope Somesville

233-b 1.0 Soil Flat-Organic Somesville

233-c 0.2 Soil Flat-Organic Somesville

234-a 2.0 Depressional-Semiclosed Eagle Lake

234-b 1.0 Slope Eagle Lake

234-c 0.2 Depressional-Open Eagle Lake

234-d 0.3 Riverine-Nonperennial Eagle Lake

236 3.3 Depressional-Open Long Pond North

237-a 0.7 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

237-b 0.6 Slope Dorr Mtn

237-c 0.7 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

237-d 1.9 Open Water Dorr Mtn

237-e 2.7 Open Water Dorr Mtn

238-a 0.1 Riverine-Nonperennial Sargent Mtn

238-b 0.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

239-a 0.4 Depressional-Open Sargent Mtn

239-b 0.4 Open Water Sargent Mtn

241 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond North

242-a 0.2 Slope Somesville

242-b 0.4 Slope Somesville

243 1.2 Slope Sargent Mtn

244 1.5 Depressional-Closed Long Pond North

245 1.7 Slope Long Pond North

Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

246 0.5 Soil Flat-Mineral Eagle Lake

248 4.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Sargent Mtn

249-a 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

249-b 1.0 Depressional-Open Sargent Mtn

250 0.6 Slope Long Pond North

252-a 0.7 Depressional-Open Sargent Mtn

252-b 0.1 Depressional-Open Sargent Mtn

252-c 0.2 Depressional-Open Sargent Mtn

253-a 0.9 Slope Somesville

253-b 1.0 Lacustrine Fringe Somesville

254 1.3 Slope Dorr Mtn

256-a 0.9 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

256-b 0.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

257 0.7 Lacustrine Fringe Eagle Lake

258-a 4.8 Open Water Dorr Mtn

258-b 3.8 Open Water Dorr Mtn

258-c 1.0 Lacustrine Fringe Dorr Mtn

259 1.0 Soil Flat-Mineral Pretty Marsh

261-a 0.5 Slope Sargent Mtn

261-b 0.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

261-c 1.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

261-d 0.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

261-e 0.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

261-f 0.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

262-a 1.6 Slope Somesville

262-b 0.2 Slope Somesville

263 0.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond North

264-a 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond North

264-b 0.7 Open Water Long Pond North

264-c 0.3 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond North

264-d 0.2 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond North

265-a 0.9 Tidal Fringe Pretty Marsh

265-b 1.3 Tidal Fringe Pretty Marsh

266-a 2.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

266-b 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Sargent Mtn

268 1.9 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond North

269 0.7 Lacustrine Fringe Eagle Lake

270-a 0.3 Slope Eagle Lake

270-b 0.8 Slope Eagle Lake

270-c 0.1 Slope Eagle Lake

270-d 0.3 Slope Eagle Lake

271-a 1.2 Depressional-Open Eagle Lake

271-b 0.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Eagle Lake

272 0.6 Depressional-Closed Long Pond North

273-a 5.3 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond North

Appendix 2 43
Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

273-b 2.1 Open Water Long Pond North

274-a 2.2 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

274-b 2.5 Slope Dorr Mtn

274-c 4.2 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

274-d 0.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

274-e 0.2 Slope Dorr Mtn

274-f 0.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

274-g 0.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

274-h 0.3 Slope Dorr Mtn

275-a 0.6 Riverine-Nonperennial Long Pond North

275-b 0.7 Slope Long Pond North

275-c 0.3 Riverine-Nonperennial Long Pond North

275-d 0.1 Riverine-Nonperennial Long Pond North

276 4.1 Slope Somesville

277 0.6 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond North

278 0.4 Slope Somesville

279 0.8 Slope Dorr Mtn

280 0.6 Depressional-Closed Pretty Marsh

281 0.5 Open Water Somesville

282 0.9 Slope Pretty Marsh

283 0.6 Slope Eagle Lake

284-a 0.6 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

284-b 0.7 Slope Dorr Mtn

284-c 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Dorr Mtn

284-d 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Dorr Mtn

284-e 1.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Dorr Mtn

284-f 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Dorr Mtn

284-g 1.0 Riverine-Nonperennial Dorr Mtn

285 3.1 Slope Pretty Marsh

286 1.8 Slope Pretty Marsh

287-a 0.7 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond North

287-b 0.2 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond North

288 0.5 Soil Flat-Mineral Long Pond North

289 1.8 Open Water Pretty Marsh

290 1.4 Slope Pretty Marsh

291-a 0.7 Depressional-Semiclosed Pretty Marsh

291-b 4.4 Tidal Fringe Pretty Marsh

291-c 0.6 Depressional-Semiclosed Pretty Marsh

291-d 0.5 Tidal Fringe Pretty Marsh

292-a 1.1 Slope Dorr Mtn

292-b 0.8 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

292-c 0.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

292-d 0.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

293-a 0.7 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Somesville

293-b 0.8 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Somesville

Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

293-c 0.2 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Somesville

295-a 0.2 Depressional-Open Eagle Lake

295-b 0.5 Slope Eagle Lake

295-c 1.7 Slope Eagle Lake

296-a 0.7 Slope Dorr Mtn

296-b 0.4 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

296-c 0.2 Slope Dorr Mtn

297 1.9 Riverine-Upper perennial Somesville

298 1.0 Depressional-Closed Pretty Marsh

299 0.9 Depressional-Closed Pretty Marsh

300 0.5 Depressional-Closed Pretty Marsh

301 0.4 Slope Somesville

302-a 0.2 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

302-b 0.6 Slope Dorr Mtn

303-a 6.7 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

303-b 0.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

305-a 0.8 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond North

305-b 0.2 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond North

306 0.5 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond North

307 0.8 Depressional-Closed Pretty Marsh

308 2.6 Depressional-Open Somesville

309-a 0.3 Slope Dorr Mtn

309-b 0.3 Riverine-Nonperennial Dorr Mtn

309-c 0.6 Riverine-Nonperennial Dorr Mtn

309-d 0.2 Slope Dorr Mtn

309-e 0.9 Riverine-Nonperennial Dorr Mtn

309-f 0.1 Slope Dorr Mtn

309-g 0.6 Riverine-Nonperennial Dorr Mtn

309-h 0.3 Slope Dorr Mtn

309-i 0.7 Riverine-Upper Perennial Dorr Mtn

309-j 0.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Dorr Mtn

309-k 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Dorr Mtn

309-l 2.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Dorr Mtn

310-a 0.6 Depressional-Closed Pretty Marsh

310-b 0.5 Depressional-Closed Pretty Marsh

311 0.4 Slope Somesville

312-a 0.2 Slope Dorr Mtn

312-b 0.8 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

312-c 1.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

312-d 0.2 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

312-e 0.5 Slope Dorr Mtn

313 1.4 Slope Pretty Marsh

315-a 2.6 Depressional-Semiclosed Pretty Marsh

315-b 5.4 Depressional-Semiclosed Pretty Marsh

315-c 7.2 Depressional-Semiclosed Pretty Marsh

44 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

316-a 0.4 Slope Eagle Lake

316-b 0.2 Slope Eagle Lake

317 1.7 Slope Long Pond North

318-a 4.2 Open Water Somesville

318-b 1.0 Open Water Somesville

318-c 0.2 Slope Somesville

318-d 0.1 Slope Somesville

318-e 0.2 Lacustrine Fringe Somesville

319 0.7 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond North

320-a 0.9 Open Water Dorr Mtn

320-b 0.3 Slope Dorr Mtn

321-a 1.0 Slope Somesville

321-b 0.4 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Somesville

322 0.5 Depressional-Semiclosed Pretty Marsh

324 3.2 Depressional-Closed Long Pond North

325-a 0.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Eagle Lake

325-b 0.1 Riverine-Nonperennial Eagle Lake

325-c 0.3 Slope Eagle Lake

326 1.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

327 1.1 Lacustrine Fringe Somesville

329-a 2.3 Open Water Dorr Mtn

329-b 2.4 Open Water Dorr Mtn

330-a 0.4 Depressional-Closed Somesville

330-b 0.3 Depressional-Closed Somesville

331-a 5.1 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

331-b 0.7 Slope Dorr Mtn

331-c 1.2 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

331-d 0.2 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

331-e 0.5 Depressional-Open Dorr Mtn

331-f 1.4 Slope Dorr Mtn

332-a 0.3 Depressional-Open Pretty Marsh

332-b 0.2 Depressional-Open Pretty Marsh

333-a 0.3 Depressional-Closed Somesville

333-b 0.4 Depressional-Closed Somesville

334-a 1.3 Slope Dorr Mtn

334-b 0.8 Depressional-Closed Dorr Mtn

335 0.9 Depressional-Closed Long Pond North

336-a 4.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Dorr Mtn

336-b 2.5 Soil Flat-Organic Dorr Mtn

336-c 1.7 Soil Flat-Organic Dorr Mtn

337 0.9 Slope Pretty Marsh

338 0.5 Slope Somesville

339-a 0.6 Depressional-Open Long Pond North

339-b 0.3 Slope Long Pond North

339-c 0.2 Depressional-Open Long Pond North

Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

340 0.5 Slope Somesville

341 0.5 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Eagle Lake

342 0.6 Slope Eagle Lake

343 1.8 Slope Pretty Marsh

345-a 4.1 Slope Seal Cove Pond

345-b 2.0 Slope Seal Cove Pond

346-a 0.3 Lacustrine Fringe Sargent Mtn

346-b 0.5 Open Water Sargent Mtn

347 0.4 Slope Somesville

349-a 0.6 Depressional-Semiclosed Pretty Marsh

349-b 0.2 Riverine-Nonperennial Pretty Marsh

350 2.0 Depressional-Closed Echo Lake

351-a 0.5 Tidal Fringe Otter Creek

351-b 0.2 Tidal Fringe Otter Creek

351-c 0.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Otter Creek

352-a 0.7 Depressional-Semiclosed Otter Creek

352-b 0.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Otter Creek

353-a 0.1 Slope Otter Creek

353-b 0.2 Slope Otter Creek

353-c 0.2 Slope Otter Creek

353-d 0.6 Depressional-Semiclosed Otter Creek

354-a 0.8 Depressional-Closed Echo Lake

354-b 0.1 Depressional-Closed Echo Lake

356-a 0.3 Slope Northeast Harbor

356-b 0.1 Slope Northeast Harbor

357 1.8 Slope Seal Cove Pond

358 1.2 Slope Echo Lake

359 0.4 Slope Seal Cove Pond

360 1.6 Slope Seal Cove Pond

361 2.6 Depressional-Semiclosed Otter Creek

362 0.5 Lacustrine Fringe Seal Cove Pond

363 0.5 Slope Northeast Harbor

364-a 0.4 Slope Seal Cove Pond

364-b 1.6 Depressional-Semiclosed Seal Cove Pond

364-c 1.8 Depressional-Semiclosed Seal Cove Pond

364-d 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Seal Cove Pond

365-a 0.4 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond South

365-b 0.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

366-c 1.8 Slope Seal Cove Pond

367-a 2.2 Lacustrine Fringe Northeast Harbor

367-b 1.2 Lacustrine Fringe Northeast Harbor

367-c 2.4 Open Water Northeast Harbor

368-a 1.0 Slope Otter Creek

368-b 1.1 Slope Otter Creek

369-a 1.6 Slope Otter Creek

Appendix 2 45
Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

369-b 1.1 Slope Otter Creek

369-c 1.2 Depressional-Open Otter Creek

370 0.5 Slope Seal Cove Pond

371-a 2.0 Lacustrine Fringe Northeast Harbor

371-b 0.4 Slope Northeast Harbor

373-a 0.3 Lacustrine Fringe Northeast Harbor

373-b 0.3 Lacustrine Fringe Northeast Harbor

374 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

375 0.4 Slope Echo Lake

376 2.1 Lacustrine Fringe Seal Cove Pond

377 3.0 Slope Echo Lake

378-a 0.4 Riverine-Nonperennial Otter Creek

378-b 0.1 Riverine-Nonperennial Otter Creek

379-a 0.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

379-b 2.4 Depressional-Semiclosed Long Pond South

379-c 0.2 Depressional-Semiclosed Long Pond South

379-d 0.2 Depressional-Semiclosed Long Pond South

380-a 3.9 Riverine-Nonperennial Northeast Harbor

380-b 0.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Northeast Harbor

380-c 0.1 Riverine-Nonperennial Northeast Harbor

380-d 0.4 Slope Northeast Harbor

381-a 2.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Seal Cove Pond

381-b 2.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Seal Cove Pond

382 1.4 Slope Echo Lake

383-a 2.2 Slope Northeast Harbor

383-b 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Harbor

384 3.6 Lacustrine Fringe Seal Cove Pond

386 0.5 Depressional-Semiclosed Seal Cove Pond

387 0.6 Depressional-Closed Northeast Harbor

388 0.8 Riverine-Nonperennial Seal Cove Pond

389 0.4 Soil Flat-Mineral Otter Creek

390 0.8 Riverine-Nonperennial Seal Cove Pond

391 1.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Seal Cove Pond

393-a 0.4 Lacustrine Fringe Echo Lake

393-b 1.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Echo Lake

393-c 1.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Echo Lake

394-a 0.9 Riverine-Nonperennial Seal Cove Pond

394-b 0.9 Riverine-Nonperennial Seal Cove Pond

395-a 0.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Northeast Harbor

395-b 0.5 Slope Northeast Harbor

395-c 0.5 Open Water Northeast Harbor

396 3.1 Depressional-Closed Seal Cove Pond

398 0.6 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Otter Creek

399 1.0 Slope Seal Cove Pond

400-a 0.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Otter Creek

Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

400-b 0.8 Depressional-Semiclosed Otter Creek

400-c 0.4 Slope Otter Creek

401 1.4 Slope Northeast Harbor

402 1.4 Depressional-Open Seal Cove Pond

403 1.6 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Harbor

404-a 0.6 Soil Flat-Organic Otter Creek

404-b 0.9 Slope Otter Creek

405-a 0.3 Riverine-Nonperennial Echo Lake

405-b 1.3 Riverine-Nonperennial Echo Lake

406 1.3 Riverine-Nonperennial Northeast Harbor

407 2.1 Slope Seal Cove Pond

408 0.4 Soil Flat-Mineral Seal Cove Pond

410 1.0 Depressional-Closed Northeast Harbor

411-a 2.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Harbor

411-b 6.7 Lacustrine Fringe Northeast Harbor

411-c 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Harbor

411-d 0.9 Open Water Northeast Harbor

411-e 0.2 Lacustrine Fringe Northeast Harbor

411-f 0.3 Lacustrine Fringe Northeast Harbor

411-g 0.1 Lacustrine Fringe Northeast Harbor

412-a 0.7 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Harbor

412-b 0.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Harbor

413 0.6 Slope Seal Cove Pond

414 0.5 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Echo Lake

415 0.9 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Seal Cove Pond

416 1.5 Depressional-Closed Seal Cove Pond

417-a 2.8

Riverine-Upper Perennial 

(Beaver influenced) Otter Creek

417-b 0.2

Riverine-Upper Perennial 

(Beaver influenced) Otter Creek

417-c 0.3

Riverine-Upper Perennial 

(Beaver influenced) Otter Creek

417-d 0.5

Riverine-Upper Perennial 

(Beaver influenced) Otter Creek

419 1.3 Riverine-Nonperennial Echo Lake

420-a 0.7 Depressional-Closed Seal Cove Pond

420-b 5.4 Depressional-Closed Seal Cove Pond

420-c 2.4 Depressional-Closed Seal Cove Pond

421 0.8 Slope Northeast Harbor

422 0.5 Slope Northeast Harbor

423 0.4 Depressional-Closed Seal Cove Pond

424-a 1.7 Depressional-Closed Echo Lake

424-b 0.2 Depressional-Closed Echo Lake

424-c 0.1 Depressional-Closed Echo Lake

46 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

425 3.3 Slope Otter Creek

426 1.0 Riverine-Upper Perennial Northeast Harbor

427 0.9 Slope Northeast Harbor

428-a 6.3 Lacustrine Fringe Seal Cove Pond

428-b 0.6 Slope Seal Cove Pond

429 0.7 Depressional-Semiclosed Seal Cove Pond

430 0.5 Depressional-Closed Seal Cove Pond

431 0.7 Riverine-Upper Perennial Seal Cove Pond

432-a 1.7 Depressional-Semiclosed Seal Cove Pond

432-b 0.3 Slope Seal Cove Pond

433-a 1.1 Slope Northeast Harbor

433-b 0.3 Slope Northeast Harbor

433-c 0.5 Slope Northeast Harbor

434 0.5 Slope Long Pond South

435-a 1.1 Lacustrine Fringe Seal Cove Pond

435-b 0.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Seal Cove Pond

435-c 7.1 Lacustrine Fringe Seal Cove Pond

435-d 2.2 Lacustrine Fringe Seal Cove Pond

435-e 1.1 Riverine-Nonperennial Seal Cove Pond

436-a 0.2 Slope Echo Lake

436-b 0.4 Slope Echo Lake

437 0.5 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Seal Cove Pond

438 0.7 Slope Seal Cove Pond

440-a 2.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

440-b 0.7 Slope Long Pond South

440-c 1.8 Slope Long Pond South

440-d 1.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

440-e 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

441 1.0 Slope Long Pond South

442-a 2.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

442-b 9.5 Slope Long Pond South

443 0.5 Open Water Seal Cove Pond

444 0.9 Depressional-Closed Long Pond South

445 1.9 Slope Long Pond South

446-a 7.2 Depressional-Semiclosed Long Pond South

446-b 3.6 Open Water Long Pond South

446-c 0.4 Depressional-Semiclosed Long Pond South

446-d 0.2 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond South

446-e 0.8 Lacustrine Fringe Long Pond South

446-f 0.9 Slope Long Pond South

446-g 3.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

447-a 4.7 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

447-b 1.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

447-c 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

447-d 1.5 Soil Flat-Organic Long Pond South

Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

447-e 1.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

448-a 0.1 Riverine-Nonperennial Echo Lake

448-b 1.5 Slope Echo Lake

449 2.0 Slope Echo Lake

450 2.3 Depressional-Closed Long Pond South

451 0.4 Depressional-Semiclosed Seal Cove Pond

452 3.0 Slope Long Pond South

453 0.5 Open Water Seal Cove Pond

454 0.6 Slope Long Pond South

455 0.6 Depressional-Semiclosed Seal Cove Pond

456-a 0.4 Riverine-Nonperennial Seal Cove Pond

456-b 0.5 Depressional-Open Seal Cove Pond

456-c 0.2 Depressional-Open Seal Cove Pond

457-a 1.0 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

457-b 1.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Long Pond South

457-c 0.2 Slope Long Pond South

457-d 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

458-a 1.9 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

458-b 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

458-c 0.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Long Pond South

459-a 1.8 Depressional-Open Seal Cove Pond

459-b 2.0 Depressional-Semiclosed Seal Cove Pond

459-c 3.6 Depressional-Semiclosed Seal Cove Pond

459-d 1.5 Depressional-Open Seal Cove Pond

460 0.4 Open Water Echo Lake

461-a 0.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

461-b 1.6 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

461-c 1.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

461-d 0.2 Soil Flat-Organic Bass Harbor

461-e 2.6 Soil Flat-Organic Bass Harbor

461-f 2.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

461-g 0.1 Slope Bass Harbor

461-h 3.6 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

461-i 0.6 Soil Flat-Organic Bass Harbor

461-j 0.6 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

461-k 1.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

461-l 0.9 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

462 0.5 Slope Big Heath

463 0.6 Slope Big Heath

464 1.4 Slope West Tremont

465 0.9 Slope West Tremont

466 0.6 Soil Flat-Organic West Tremont

467-a 0.3 Riverine-Nonperennial Big Heath

467-b 0.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Big Heath

467-c 0.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Big Heath

Appendix 2 47
Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

467-d 4.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Big Heath

467-e 0.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Big Heath

467-f 2.1 Riverine-Upper perennial Big Heath

468 1.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Bass Harbor

469 0.5 Soil Flat-Organic West Tremont

470-a 2.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

470-aa 2.4 Tidal Fringe Big Heath

470-b 0.4 Soil Flat-Mineral Bass Harbor

470-bb 0.3 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-bc 0.4 Slope Big Heath

470-bd 3.5 Soil Flat-Mineral Big Heath

470-be 0.3 Riverine-Nonperennial Big Heath

470-bf 1.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Big Heath

470-bg 0.6 Soil Flat-Mineral Big Heath

470-bh 0.7 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-bi 8.4 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-bj 16.7 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-bk 0.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Big Heath

470-bl 0.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Big Heath

470-bm 12.5 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-bn 0.3 Slope Big Heath

470-bo 0.2 Soil Flat-Mineral Big Heath

470-bp 0.9 Depressional-Semiclosed Big Heath

470-bq 3.8 Soil Flat-Mineral Big Heath

470-br 1.4 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-bs 2.0 Soil Flat-Mineral Big Heath

470-bt 1.4 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-bu 0.7 Depressional-Open Big Heath

470-bv 0.3 Slope Big Heath

470-bw 0.2 Slope Big Heath

470-bx 0.9 Riverine-Upper Perennial Seawall

470-by 1.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Seawall

470-bz 1.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Seawall

470-c 1.7 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

470-ca 1.6 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

470-cb 1.0 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

470-cc 0.8 Tidal Fringe Big Heath

470-cd 0.4 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

470-d 1.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

470-dd 10.1 Tidal Fringe Big Heath

470-e 7.3 Soil Flat-Organic Bass Harbor

470-ee 0.7 Soil Flat-Mineral Big Heath

470-f 0.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

470-ff 0.2 Soil Flat-Mineral Big Heath

470-g 0.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

470-gg 0.2 Slope Big Heath

470-h 1.0 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

470-hh 1.8 Tidal Fringe Big Heath

470-i 0.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

470-ii 0.5 Tidal Fringe Big Heath

470-j 0.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

470-jj 0.4 Tidal Fringe Big Heath

470-k 2.4 Soil Flat-Organic Bass Harbor

470-kk 0.1 Tidal Fringe Big Heath

470-l 3.0 Soil Flat-Organic Bass Harbor

470-ll 7.3 Tidal Fringe Big Heath

470-m 0.9 Tidal Fringe Bass Harbor

470-mm 0.7 Tidal Fringe Big Heath

470-n 0.2 Soil Flat-Organic Bass Harbor

470-nn 1.0 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-o 0.3 Soil Flat-Organic Bass Harbor

470-oo 2.0 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-p 0.5 Soil Flat-Mineral Bass Harbor

470-pp 1.1 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-q 0.3 Riverine-Nonperennial Bass Harbor

470-qq 13.7 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-r 0.3 Soil Flat-Organic Bass Harbor

470-rr 1.2 Slope Big Heath

470-s 0.8 Soil Flat-Organic Bass Harbor

470-ss 3.2 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-t 1.7 Soil Flat-Organic Bass Harbor

470-tt 16.3 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-u 0.3 Soil Flat-Organic Bass Harbor

470-uu 9.9 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-v 2.2 Slope Bass Harbor

470-vv 11.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Big Heath

470-w 0.1 Soil Flat-Organic Bass Harbor

470-ww 0.9 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-x 2.8 Tidal Fringe Bass Harbor

470-xx 0.9 Slope Big Heath

470-y 1.4 Slope Bass Harbor

470-yy 4.8 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

470-z 11.4 Tidal Fringe Bass Harbor

470-zz 1.0 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

471-a 1.5 Soil Flat-Organic West Tremont

471-b 2.9 Slope West Tremont

471-c 1.2 Soil Flat-Organic West Tremont

472-a 2.9 Depressional-Open Big Heath

472-b 1.4 Slope Big Heath

473-a 1.2 Soil Flat-Organic West Tremont

48 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

473-b 0.2 Soil Flat-Organic West Tremont

474-a 2.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

474-b 0.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

474-c 0.4 Depressional-Semiclosed Bass Harbor

475 1.9 Riverine-Nonperennial West Tremont

476-a 0.6 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

476-b 0.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

476-c 0.1 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

476-d 0.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

476-e 0.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

476-f 0.2 Riverine-Upper Perennial Bass Harbor

477 0.5 Soil Flat-Mineral Seawall

478 6.0 Riverine-Nonperennial Bass Harbor

479 0.6 Open Water Big Heath

480 0.7 Soil Flat-Organic West Tremont

481-a 0.2 Soil Flat-Mineral Seawall

481-b 0.6 Open Water Seawall

481-c 0.2 Slope Seawall

482 0.4 Riverine-Upper Perennial West Tremont

483 1.8 Tidal Fringe West Tremont

484-a 0.8 Open Water Seawall

484-b 0.3 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

484-c 0.3 Riverine-Upper Perennial Seawall

484-d 1.3 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

485 0.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Big Heath

486-a 0.5 Slope Seawall

486-b 0.9 Slope Seawall

487 2.9 Slope Bass Harbor

488-a 0.9 Open Water Seawall

488-b 0.5 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

488-c 0.6 Riverine-Upper Perennial Seawall

489 0.7 Slope Seawall

490 2.1 Slope Bass Harbor

491 2.4 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

492-a 0.8 Soil Flat-Mineral Seawall

492-b 0.9 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

493 1.6 Depressional-Semiclosed Bass Harbor

494-a 2.8 Riverine-Upper Perennial Seawall

494-b 0.4 Depressional-Semiclosed Seawall

495-a 8.7 Riverine-Upper Perennial Big Heath

495-b 2.0 Riverine-Upper Perennial Big Heath

495-c 2.9 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

495-d 0.6 Riverine-Nonperennial Big Heath

495-e 0.4 Riverine-Nonperennial Big Heath

495-f 0.8 Riverine-Nonperennial Big Heath

Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

496-a 3.5 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

496-b 0.2 Soil Flat-Mineral Seawall

497 0.4 Riverine-Nonperennial Bass Harbor

498 5.1 Slope Bass Harbor

499 0.7 Slope Seawall

500 1.0 Soil Flat-Mineral Bass Harbor

501-a 2.6 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

501-b 0.5 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

501-c 2.0 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

501-d 0.6 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

501-e 0.2 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

501-f 0.4 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

501-g 0.3 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

501-h 0.1 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

502-a 0.7 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

502-b 0.4 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

502-c 20.4 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

502-d 0.6 Soil Flat-Organic Seawall

502-e 0.4 Soil Flat-Mineral Seawall

502-f 1.9 Slope Seawall

502-g 0.1 Soil Flat-Mineral Seawall

502-h 0.1 Soil Flat-Mineral Seawall

502-i 1.3 Depressional-Open Seawall

502-j 1.1 Depressional-Open Seawall

502-k 0.5 Depressional-Open Seawall

503 1.8 Soil Flat-Mineral Big Heath

504-a 0.2 Soil Flat-Mineral Big Heath

504-b 0.5 Soil Flat-Mineral Big Heath

504-c 0.3 Soil Flat-Mineral Big Heath

505 0.7 Soil Flat-Mineral Bass Harbor

506 1.0 Soil Flat-Mineral Big Heath

507 0.7 Soil Flat-Mineral Bass Harbor

508 0.8 Slope Bass Harbor

509-a 1.1 Slope Bass Harbor

509-b 0.2 Slope Bass Harbor

509-c 0.7 Depressional-Semiclosed Bass Harbor

509-d 0.1 Slope Bass Harbor

510 0.4 Soil Flat-Mineral Bass Harbor

511 0.8 Riverine-Nonperennial Big Heath

512-a 0.3 Slope Bass Harbor

512-b 0.4 Riverine-Nonperennial Bass Harbor

512-c 0.1 Depressional-Semiclosed Bass Harbor

513 1.4 Depressional-Closed Seawall

514 8.9 Tidal Fringe Bass Harbor

515-a 3.1 Depressional-Open Seawall

Appendix 2 49
Table 2-1.  Hydrogeomorphic classification of wetlands on

Mt. Desert Island, Maine.—Continued

[ha, hectares; locations of wetlands, with identifiers, shown on plate 1; map 

quadrants shown on fig. 2-1]

Wetland 

identifierArea,

in ha Hydrogeomorphic class

Map quadrant 

(fig. 2-1)

515-b 0.5 Depressional-Open Seawall

515-c 1.7 Depressional-Open Seawall

515-d 0.3 Depressional-Open Seawall

515-e 0.1 Depressional-Open Seawall

515-f 1.2 Depressional-Open Seawall

516 0.7 Slope Seawall

517 0.9 Slope Big Heath

518 1.7 Slope Big Heath

519-a 4.5 Riverine-Upper Perennial Seawall

519-b 1.2 Slope Seawall

519-c 1.5 Slope Seawall

519-d 0.6 Open Water Seawall

519-e 1.4 Slope Seawall

519-f 0.9 Depressional-Semiclosed Seawall

520 1.0 Slope Seawall

521-a 0.2 Slope Bass Harbor

521-b 2.1 Tidal Fringe Bass Harbor

522 1.0 Slope Big Heath

523 0.6 Depressional-Closed Bass Harbor

524-a 0.1 Depressional-Closed Big Heath

524-b 0.6 Depressional-Closed Big Heath

525-a 3.9 Riverine-Nonperennial Big Heath

525-b 1.4 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

525-c 0.2 Soil Flat-Mineral Big Heath

525-d 0.5 Soil Flat-Organic Big Heath

526 1.4 Tidal Fringe Bass Harbor

527-a 0.3 Slope Big Heath

527-b 0.2 Slope Big Heath

527-c 0.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Big Heath

527-d 0.3 Depressional-Semiclosed Big Heath

528 1.5 Soil Flat-Mineral Big Heath

529 1.0 Depressional-Semiclosed Bass Harbor

530 3.8 Depressional-Semiclosed Big Heath

532 1.1 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope Big Heath

50 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
EXPLANATION

Index quadrant and name 

 for locating wetland

Wetland—Color varies with 

 associated index quadrant

Approximate shoreline of 

 Mt. Desert Island

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

0

5 MILES

5 KILOMETERS

0

68°10'

44°25'

68°25'

44°15'

Otter Creek

Dorr Mtn

Northeast Harbor

Seawall

Seal Cove Pond

Jones Marsh Hulls Cove

Echo Lake

Bar Harbor

Pretty Marsh

Sargent Mtn Eagle Lake

Long Pond

South

Somesville

Town Hill

Northeast

Creek

Sunken Heath Brewer Mtn Indian

Point

Long Pond

North

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:24,000

Bar Harbor, 1982, Bartlett Island, 1981, Bass Harbor, provisional, 1983

Salsbury Cove, 1981, Seal Harbor and Southwest Harbor, 1983 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife National Wetland Inventory maps, 1998, 1:24,000

West

Tremont

Bass

Harbor

Big

Heath

Figure 2-1.  Quadrants for indexing wetland locations, Mt. Desert Island, Maine.

Appendix 2 51
Appendix 3. Susceptibility Scoring for Wetlands Greater Than 1 Hectare in 

Acadia National Park

52 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 3-1.  Raw scores for wetland and catchment variables used in susceptibility scoring.—Continued

[Locations of wetlands shown on plate 1; ha, hectares; m, meters]

Wetland 

identifier

Wetland 

area, 

in ha

Wetland 

catchment 

area, 

in ha

Catchment area properties Other wetland properties

Percent 

bare 

bedrock

Mean 

slope, 

in percent 

Percent 

impervious 

surface

Range in 

elevation 

(relief, in m)

Percent 

clay 

soils

Net 

storage, 

percent

Wetland as a 

percentage 

of adjacent 

lake area

Stream, 

lake, or tidal 

inflow

100-a 11.8 138 27.6 7.9 0 59.7 14 15 123 Yes

102 1.2 13.7 29.9 8.8 0 34.9 0 1 No

103-b 1.2 7.7 0.0 8.0 0 34.7 0 0 No

108 1.4 34 93.9 9.7 0 106.2 0 4 No

122-b 2.1 32.7 54.0 18.7 0 130.8 0 4 17 Yes

122-c 2.2 67.2 41.4 16.1 0 145.9 3 3 Yes

123-a 6.3 32.3 16.8 7.0 0 43.4 16 1 485 Yes

123-d 6.6 1,231 44.3 19.8 4 404.1 2 20 315 Yes

123-f 4.7 1,196 44.7 20.0 4 402.8 2 20 Yes

123-g 3.4 37.9 37.6 9.8 0 64 0 1 Yes

123-i 1.2 980 45.5 21.6 4 398.8 1 22 Yes

125 3.9 32.2 63.8 17.8 29 120.6 0 7 No

127 2.0 25.1 67.6 8.5 0 39 9 1 No

129 1.3 6.4 67.4 22.4 24 106.8 0 4 No

135 2.0 37.4 70.9 18.2 0 133 0 0 No

143 1.1 7.0 67.9 15.8 0 91.7 0 0 No

144 1.5 287 2.0 4.0 3 63.7 12 10 No

148-a 19.6 47.8 59.8 2.8 0 21.6 36 3 No

151-c 2.6 148 44.5 13.9 10 209.2 7 12 Yes

151-d 13.2 142 45.3 14.2 10 207.1 8 2 Yes

151-j 0.7 148 44.5 13.9 10 209.2 7 13 Yes

155 2.7 12 97.0 9.0 18 29.2 23 8 No

157 1.0 2.1 100.0 6.0 0 12.2 0 0 No

174 4.1 55.2 47.6 10.2 7 85.1 8 4 No

176 3.3 10.7 94.4 11.0 0 29.6 45 0 No

179 2.1 87.3 47.0 16.9 9 200.9 4 0 Yes

17-b 2.1 65.3 0.0 6.9 1 51.3 39 10 Yes

186-a 1.2 12.1 64.8 10.3 0 48.9 18 5 No

186-c 3.0 36.3 58.5 10.4 1 153.5 12 5 No

186-f 1.3 72.8 63.6 11.3 3 156.9 12 8 10 Yes

187 1.9 8.3 93.7 8.1 0 26.6 0 0 No

189-a 9.7 47.9 0.0 3.5 13 28.3 45 6 No

189-d 11.0 41.2 45.9 7.7 0 38.2 25 3 No

191-a 1.3 38 47.9 17.1 7 196.3 0 2 1 Yes

206-c 2.1 7.4 0.0 4.7 0 11.7 44 1 16 Yes

206-f 4.5 585.0 33.6 12.0 1 356 14 10 Yes

206-k 1.1 253 41.2 14.3 0 351.3 6 7 Yes

207-b 1.7 30.7 21.3 22.9 7 111.2 43 4 Yes

207-f 8.6 307 46.7 28.4 6 372 31 16 Yes

207-h 6.2 50.3 20.3 20.7 5 114.9 44 5 No

Appendix 3 53
Table 3-1.  Raw scores for wetland and catchment variables used in susceptibility scoring.—Continued

[Locations of wetlands shown on plate 1; ha, hectares; m, meters]

Wetland 

identifier

Wetland 

area, 

in ha

Wetland 

catchment 

area, 

in ha

Catchment area properties Other wetland properties

Percent 

bare 

bedrock

Mean 

slope, 

in percent 

Percent 

impervious 

surface

Range in 

elevation 

(relief, in m)

Percent 

clay 

soils

Net 

storage, 

percent

Wetland as a 

percentage 

of adjacent 

lake area

Stream, 

lake, or tidal 

inflow

207-i 5.9 36.5 25.5 13.7 10 65.8 48 0 Yes

207-k 22.4 128 41.0 25.5 2 335.6 36 7 Yes

212-b 13.0 164 16.9 10.7 3 148.2 23 2 Yes

217 1.2 14.6 90.2 7.2 0 29.1 0 0 No

227-b 7.5 244 42.8 14.7 0 348.7 6 4 Yes

228 3.3 715 39.5 11.9 1 374.3 11 10 Yes

234-a 2.0 5.7 11.1 4.3 0 17.4 47 7 No

237-b 1.3 13.2 46.8 18.6 18 143 17 0 No

237-d 4.6 66.2 75.2 31.6 5 278.7 8 3 No

23-a 33.3 183 0.0 4.9 1 54.5 47 5 No

23-b 11.0 734 20.3 6.8 3 189 56 18 Yes

23-bb 1.3 2,489 28.8 7.3 4 217.8 38 16 Yes

23-cc 87.2 557 18.2 4.5 5 79.6 41 9 No

23-d 2.5 17.4 0.0 4.2 0 29.9 100 0 No

23-dd 1.7 914 50.9 10.0 4 217.8 19 7 Yes

23-ee 5.8 2,489 28.8 7.3 4 217.8 38 16 Yes

23-hh 17.3 61.3 2.0 5.1 4 47.6 32 3 No

23-i 9.1 933 49.9 9.9 4 217.8 20 7 No

23-m 11.1 2,489 28.8 7.3 4 217.8 38 16 Yes

23-mm 1.3 13.8 0.0 6.3 0 30.7 100 1 No

23-o 3.7 13.3 0.0 11.0 0 25.6 24 0 No

248 4.1 20.3 32.3 11.7 0 80.4 25 0 No

249 1.0 60.9 6.6 7.5 0 149.9 0 6 Yes

254 1.3 14.5 77.0 27.0 13 154.7 0 0 No

261 1.9 98.8 100.0 18.4 0 333.3 0 1 Yes

26-a 1.6 16.5 0.0 1.1 23 4.6 100 15 Yes

26-c 2.1 16.5 0.0 1.1 23 4.6 100 3 No

270 1.6 15.6 25.8 13.1 0 98.4 0 0 No

271 1.5 257 74.8 39.8 3 381 0 6 Yes

273-a 5.3 1,856 17.4 11.5 2 284.2 7 24 145 Yes

273-b 2.1 1,856 17.4 11.5 2 284.2 7 25 Yes

274-a 6.8 46 53.4 36.6 8 305.2 39 7 No

274-b 2.7 32.2 73.6 50.0 6 301.3 19 0 No

284-a 1.3 37.1 70.0 37.9 3 335 8 0 No

284-d 2.7 139 69.4 35.5 3 337.4 7 1 Yes

290 1.4 13.2 0.0 8.2 1 23.4 2 0 No

292-a 1.1 14.1 9.1 11.5 9 104.1 70 10 No

292-b 1.1 14.1 9.1 11.5 9 104.1 70 10 No

295 2.2 94.6 78.3 33.3 0 313.6 0 1 No

296 0.9 27.7 81.2 47.7 4 285.8 17 1 No

54 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 3-1.  Raw scores for wetland and catchment variables used in susceptibility scoring.—Continued

[Locations of wetlands shown on plate 1; ha, hectares; m, meters]

Wetland 

identifier

Wetland 

area, 

in ha

Wetland 

catchment 

area, 

in ha

Catchment area properties Other wetland properties

Percent 

bare 

bedrock

Mean 

slope, 

in percent 

Percent 

impervious 

surface

Range in 

elevation 

(relief, in m)

Percent 

clay 

soils

Net 

storage, 

percent

Wetland as a 

percentage 

of adjacent 

lake area

Stream, 

lake, or tidal 

inflow

303 6.8 115 48.7 26.4 7 292.5 37 7 Yes

309-f 5.5 220 57.4 29.5 4 343.2 13 3 Yes

312 2.1 20.1 19.9 15.3 14 114.1 29 4 No

315 15.2 95.7 11.4 4.5 4 36.6 28 11 No

317 1.7 6.2 0.0 4.1 0 11.3 0 0 No

320 0.9 17.3 55.6 28.4 0 194.8 0 2 No

326 1.3 5 14.7 6.8 16 21.3 45 2 No

331 9.1 322.0 77.8 31.3 0 426.4 0 1 Yes

334-a 1.3 15.7 100.0 39.1 0 105.3 0 5 No

334-b 0.8 15.7 100.0 39.1 0 105.3 0 8 No

336-a 4.1 26 17.9 6.1 13 30.6 61 22 No

336-b 4.2 26 17.9 6.1 13 30.6 61 22 No

345 6.1 375 30.0 15.2 11 242.7 7 0 No

353 1.1 12.9 100.0 20.0 0 83.4 0 0 No

357 1.8 8.3 57.4 8.4 0 25 4 0 No

360 1.6 23.2 71.1 8.0 0 32 18 0 No

361 2.6 15 37.9 19.2 0 150.7 0 0 No

364-b 3.4 36.7 83.3 5.4 0 37.2 12 6 No

366 1.8 9.3 100.0 3.2 0 13.6 0 0 No

367 3.4 55.0 63.4 25.5 4 225.3 2 0 22 Yes

368 2.1 184 53.3 26.6 0 306.9 2 1 No

369-a 2.7 66.9 59.3 21.9 0 204.4 0 4 No

369-c 1.2 69.6 57.8 6.4 0 32.2 26 8 Yes

371 2.0 27.5 52.4 24.0 8 231.5 0 1 Yes

377 3.0 12 65.1 44.2 0 158.4 0 0 No

379 2.7 64.8 37.9 14.9 0 227.8 9 0 No

380 3.9 71.8 42.0 15.1 6 172 4 0 Yes

381-a 2.1 109 56.5 7.5 0 64.2 9 5 Yes

381-b 2.1 72.4 43.2 8.5 0 63.8 11 4 No

382 1.4 14.4 77.4 29.8 0 171.3 0 0 No

383-a 2.2 11.2 50.3 19.1 6 139.9 14 4 No

384 3.6 347 36.1 7.8 3 90.9 26 12 20 Yes

39 1.6 4.9 0.0 1.7 0 3.9 21 0 No

393 3.0 231 40.5 21.5 5 233.5 13 2 Yes

395 1.0 9.6 21.5 20.4 0 107.9 0 1 No

396 3.1 15.9 65.2 8.4 0 35.5 20 0 Yes

401 1.4 6.1 45.2 13.2 0 58.4 0 0 No

402 1.4 75.4 26.7 17.4 0 277.9 0 0 Yes

403 1.6 254 78.9 28.4 0 330.7 3 0 Yes

405 1.6 187 37.1 19.9 3 233.3 11 2 Yes

Appendix 3 55
Table 3-1.  Raw scores for wetland and catchment variables used in susceptibility scoring.—Continued

[Locations of wetlands shown on plate 1; ha, hectares; m, meters]

Wetland 

identifier

Wetland 

area, 

in ha

Wetland 

catchment 

area, 

in ha

Catchment area properties Other wetland properties

Percent 

bare 

bedrock

Mean 

slope, 

in percent 

Percent 

impervious 

surface

Range in 

elevation 

(relief, in m)

Percent 

clay 

soils

Net 

storage, 

percent

Wetland as a 

percentage 

of adjacent 

lake area

Stream, 

lake, or tidal 

inflow

417 3.3 76.9 0.0 8.1 0 60.6 21 2 Yes

419 1.3 52.6 42.3 16.2 3 167.6 12 0 Yes

426 1.0 375 30.0 21.4 11 206.5 0 2 Yes

435-a 10.4 82.5 0.0 8.4 4 72.1 53 3 10 Yes

435-e 1.1 34.4 0.0 7.3 8 52.6 40 1 Yes

442-a 2.8 188 54.1 26.7 0 304.1 5 0 Yes

442-b 4.5 15.1 33.2 9.5 0 57.7 66 1 No

442-b2 5.0 24.9 22.3 5.8 0 44.6 64 0 No

445 1.9 25.8 55.1 17.4 0 134.6 0 0 No

446-a 7.6 87.4 18.5 11.5 1 150.7 16 4 No

446-g 3.3 135 11.9 9.6 3 150.7 16 10 Yes

447-a 8.2 455 26.0 15.7 3 311.4 24 4 Yes

447-d 1.5 252 42.8 21.5 1 311.3 22 4 No

450 2.3 55 38.8 13.5 0 143.4 0 3 No

452 3.0 8.6 0.0 4.8 0 10.5 38 0 No

457-a 1.1 16.2 0.0 5.0 0 23.3 14 8 Yes

457-b 1.1 14.9 0.0 5.1 0 22.9 7 1 No

458 2.2 248 18.1 10.4 2 154.8 12 9 Yes

461-a 3.7 378 13.3 8.9 3 178.2 34 9 Yes

461-e 2.8 10.2 0.0 4.0 0 16.8 100 7 No

461-f 9.0 1,139 20.4 10.9 2 322.2 32 8 Yes

468 1.3 29 0.0 5.1 0 21 12 0 No

470-a 8.0 1,210 19.2 10.4 2 325.5 35 8 Yes

470-aa 2.4 266 0.0 5.6 4 67.9 62 6 Yes

470-bf 1.2 223 0.0 3.1 1 47.8 23 15 Yes

470-bj 54.7 178 0.2 2.9 8 34.8 10 7 No

470-by 3.4 89.2 3.2 3.3 2 21.5 43 14 Yes

470-ca 2.9 16.1 47.5 2.7 12 13.6 34 6 No

470-dd 10.1 46.4 0.0 2.4 16 13.4 91 2 Yes

470-e 7.3 39.1 0.2 2.5 0 25.7 83 0 No

470-hh 1.8 5.9 0.0 1.7 0 5.6 65 0 Yes

470-k 2.9 6 0.0 1.6 0 6.1 98 0 No

470-l 3.5 20.8 0.0 1.9 0 15.8 97 0 No

470-ll 7.3 567 0.1 3.2 3 51.7 22 25 Yes

470-qq 20.9 29.1 0.0 2.4 0 12.5 83 4 No

470-rr 1.2 4.7 0.0 5.5 0 11.9 38 1 No

470-t 3.1 17.2 0.0 1.7 0 14.6 73 12 No

470-tt 18.0 49.1 0.0 3.3 0 19.8 21 0 No

470-uu 11.4 42.1 0.0 3.4 0 20.5 44 0 No

470-v 2.2 9.2 0.0 1.6 0 10.6 61 1 No

56 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 3-1.  Raw scores for wetland and catchment variables used in susceptibility scoring.—Continued

[Locations of wetlands shown on plate 1; ha, hectares; m, meters]

Wetland 

identifier

Wetland 

area, 

in ha

Wetland 

catchment 

area, 

in ha

Catchment area properties Other wetland properties

Percent 

bare 

bedrock

Mean 

slope, 

in percent 

Percent 

impervious 

surface

Range in 

elevation 

(relief, in m)

Percent 

clay 

soils

Net 

storage, 

percent

Wetland as a 

percentage 

of adjacent 

lake area

Stream, 

lake, or tidal 

inflow

470-w 13.1 454 0.1 3.1 3 50.8 18 23 Yes

470-z 11.4 57 0.0 1.9 0 18.6 90 16 Yes

473 1.4 64.4 0.0 3.6 5 41.6 97 9 No

474 2.4 97.2 45.1 5.6 0 27 15 8 Yes

478 6.0 38.3 82.2 6.3 0 19.2 14 0 Yes

495-a 12.4 155 0.0 3.1 1 45.3 25 3 Yes

495-c 2.9 15.1 0.0 1.8 0 6.8 19 0 No

503 1.8 16.6 0.0 1.4 0 6.1 26 0 No

513 1.4 19.8 0.0 2.8 6 13.2 58 0 No

515 6.9 167 0.0 2.3 7 46.5 34 17 Yes

519-a 4.5 141 13.3 3.3 6 23.4 44 17 Yes

519-b 4.1 18.5 43.1 4.0 6 14.4 36 0 No

521 2.1 7.7 0.0 4.9 14 25.4 63 0 Yes

525-a 3.9 72.5 0.0 4.4 15 27.6 9 6 Yes

525-b 2.0 4.6 0.0 0.8 0 1.4 71 0 No

528 1.5 10.5 32.2 2.7 0 9.1 0 0 No

53 1.4 13.7 70.8 8.2 0 38.6 9 5 No

530 3.8 24.3 23.1 4.4 2 15.6 25 0 No

57-a 3.0 38.2 15.6 5.5 8 39.7 8 6 No

57-b 1.9 14.2 33.7 6.6 2 34.4 1 1 No

63 1.5 7.1 0.0 4.1 1 15.5 100 0 No

66-a 2.2 9.8 60.8 6.8 0 16.7 0 1 No

74a/b 1.3 335.0 56.8 13.5 0 200.8 2 9 45 Yes

81 1.2 22.4 100.0 7.7 0 34.2 0 4 No

94 2.5 68.2 97.5 13.8 0 131.8 0 1 Yes

95 1.4 13.7 51.9 14.3 0 31.3 0 3 15 Yes

Appendix 3 57
Table 3-2.  Scaled scores for pathways for potential contaminant delivery.—Continued

[Wetland locations shown on plate 1; derivation of scores described in text]

Wetland 

identifier Hydrogeomorphic class

Scaled integer 

score for 

precipitation as 

a potential pathway (wetland 

area divided by 

catchment area)

Scaled integer scores for surface water runoff 

as a potential pathway Sum of 

the scaled 

scores for 

surface 

water

Scaled integer scores for ground water 

as a potential pathway Sum of 

the scaled 

scores for 

ground 

water

Catchment 

area

Bare 

bedrock Slope 

Stream, 

lake, 

or tidal 

inflow

Impervious 

area

Elevation 

range

Catchment 

area

Clay soil 

in catchment

Lack of 

stream, 

lake, 

or tidal 

inflow

100-a Lacustrine Fringe 2 7 3 2 5 0 17 2 7 8 0 17102 Slope 2 4 3 2 0 0 9 1 4 10 5 20

103-b Slope 3 3 0 2 0 0 5 1 3 9 5 18

108 Slope 1 5 10 2 0 0 17 3 5 10 5 23122-b Lacustrine Fringe 1 5 6 4 5 0 20 4 5 9 0 18

122-c Depressional-Open 1 6 5 4 5 0 20 4 6 9 0 19123-a Lacustrine Fringe 3 5 2 2 5 0 14 2 5 8 0 15

123-d Lacustrine Fringe 1 10 5 4 5 2 26 10 10 9 0 29

123-f Depressional-Open 1 10 5 5 5 2 27 10 10 9 0 29123-g Depressional-Open 2 5 4 2 0 0 11 2 5 9 5 21

123-i Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 9 5 5 5 2 26 10 9 9 0 28125 Slope 2 5 7 4 0 10 26 3 5 10 5 23

127 Depressional-Semiclosed 2 5 7 2 0 1 15 1 5 9 5 20

129 Slope 3 3 7 5 0 9 24 3 3 10 5 21135 Slope 1 5 8 4 0 0 17 4 5 10 5 24

143 Slope 3 3 7 4 0 1 15 3 3 10 5 21

144 Open Water 1 8 1 1 0 2 12 2 8 8 5 23148-a Depressional-Semiclosed 6 5 6 1 0 1 13 1 5 6 5 17

151-c Depressional-Open 1 7 5 3 5 4 24 5 7 9 0 21151-d Depressional-Open 2 7 5 3 0 4 19 5 7 9 5 26

151-j Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 7 5 3 5 4 24 5 7 9 0 21

155 Depressional-Closed 4 4 10 2 0 7 23 1 4 7 5 17157 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope 7 1 10 2 0 0 13 1 1 10 5 17

174 Slope 2 6 5 3 0 3 17 2 6 9 5 22176 Slope 5 4 10 3 0 0 17 1 4 5 5 15

179 Depressional-Open 1 6 5 4 0 4 19 5 6 9 5 25

17-b Depressional-Open 1 6 0 2 5 1 14 2 6 6 0 14186-a Depressional-Semiclosed 2 4 7 3 0 0 14 2 4 8 5 19

186-c Depressional-Semiclosed 2 5 6 3 0 1 15 4 5 8 5 22186-f Lacustrine Fringe 1 6 7 3 5 2 23 4 6 8 0 18

58 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 3-2.  Scaled scores for pathways for potential contaminant delivery.—Continued

[Wetland locations shown on plate 1; derivation of scores described in text]

Wetland 

identifier Hydrogeomorphic class

Scaled integer 

score for 

precipitation as 

a potential pathway (wetland 

area divided by 

catchment area)

Scaled integer scores for surface water runoff 

as a potential pathway Sum of 

the scaled 

scores for 

surface 

water

Scaled integer scores for ground water 

as a potential pathway Sum of 

the scaled 

scores for 

ground 

water

Catchment 

area

Bare 

bedrock Slope 

Stream, 

lake, 

or tidal 

inflow

Impervious 

area

Elevation 

range

Catchment 

area

Clay soil 

in catchment

Lack of 

stream, 

lake, 

or tidal 

inflow

187 Slope 4 3 10 2 0 0 15 1 3 10 5 19189-a Soil Flat-Organic 3 5 0 1 0 5 11 1 5 5 5 16

189-d Depressional-Semiclosed 4 5 5 2 0 0 12 1 5 7 5 18

191-a Lacustrine Fringe 1 5 5 4 5 3 22 5 5 10 0 20206-c Lacustrine Fringe 4 3 0 1 5 0 9 1 3 5 0 9

206-f Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 9 4 3 5 1 22 9 9 8 0 26206-k Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 8 5 3 5 0 21 9 8 9 0 26

207-b Depressional-Open 1 5 3 5 5 3 21 3 5 5 0 13

207-f Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 8 5 6 5 3 27 9 8 6 0 23207-h Slope 2 6 3 5 0 2 16 3 6 5 5 19

207-i Depressional-Open 3 5 3 3 5 4 20 2 5 5 0 12207-k Depressional-Open 3 7 5 6 5 1 24 8 7 6 0 21

212-b Depressional-Open 2 7 2 3 5 1 18 4 7 7 0 18

217 Slope 2 4 10 2 0 1 17 1 4 10 5 20227-b Depressional-Open 1 8 5 3 5 0 21 9 8 9 0 26

228 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 9 4 3 5 1 22 9 9 8 0 26

234-a Depressional-Semiclosed 5 3 2 1 0 0 6 1 3 5 5 14237-b Slope 2 4 5 4 0 7 20 4 4 8 5 21

237-d Open Water 1 6 8 7 0 2 23 7 6 9 5 2723-a Soil Flat-Organic 3 7 0 1 0 1 9 2 7 5 5 19

23-b Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 9 3 2 5 2 21 5 9 4 0 18

23-bb Tidal Fringe 1 10 3 2 5 2 22 6 10 6 0 2223-cc Soil Flat-Organic 3 9 2 1 0 2 14 2 9 5 5 21

23-d Soil Flat-Organic 3 4 0 1 0 0 5 1 4 0 5 1023-dd Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 9 6 3 5 2 25 6 9 8 0 23

23-ee Tidal Fringe 1 10 3 2 5 2 22 6 10 6 0 22

23-hh Soil Flat-Organic 4 6 1 2 0 2 11 2 6 6 5 1923-i Soil Flat-Organic 1 9 5 2 0 2 18 6 9 7 5 27

23-m Tidal Fringe 1 10 3 2 5 2 22 6 10 6 0 2223-mm Slope 2 4 0 2 0 0 6 1 4 0 5 10

Appendix 3 59
Table 3-2.  Scaled scores for pathways for potential contaminant delivery.—Continued

[Wetland locations shown on plate 1; derivation of scores described in text]

Wetland 

identifier Hydrogeomorphic class

Scaled integer 

score for 

precipitation as 

a potential pathway (wetland 

area divided by 

catchment area)

Scaled integer scores for surface water runoff 

as a potential pathway Sum of 

the scaled 

scores for 

surface 

water

Scaled integer scores for ground water 

as a potential pathway Sum of 

the scaled 

scores for 

ground 

water

Catchment 

area

Bare 

bedrock Slope 

Stream, 

lake, 

or tidal 

inflow

Impervious 

area

Elevation 

range

Catchment 

area

Clay soil 

in catchment

Lack of 

stream, 

lake, 

or tidal 

inflow

23-o Soil Flat-Mineral 4 4 0 3 0 0 7 1 4 7 5 17

248 Depressional-Semiclosed 3 4 4 3 0 0 11 2 4 7 5 18

249 Depressional-Open 1 6 1 2 5 0 14 4 6 10 0 20254 Slope 2 4 8 6 0 5 23 4 4 10 5 23

261 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 6 10 4 5 0 25 8 6 10 0 2426-a Tidal Fringe 2 4 0 1 0 9 14 1 4 0 5 10

26-c Slope 2 4 0 1 5 9 19 1 4 0 0 5

270 Slope 2 4 3 3 0 0 10 3 4 10 5 22271 Depressional-Open 1 8 8 8 5 1 30 9 8 10 0 27

273-a Lacustrine Fringe 1 10 2 3 0 1 16 7 10 9 5 31273-b Open Water 1 10 2 3 5 1 21 7 10 9 0 26

274-a Depressional-Semiclosed 3 5 6 8 0 3 22 8 5 6 5 24

274-b Slope 2 5 8 10 0 3 26 8 5 8 5 26284-a Depressional-Semiclosed 1 5 7 8 0 2 22 8 5 9 5 27

284-d Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 7 7 8 5 1 28 8 7 9 0 24290 Depressional-Semiclosed 2 4 0 2 0 1 7 1 4 9 5 19

292-a Slope 2 4 1 3 0 4 12 3 4 2 5 14

292-b Slope 2 4 1 3 0 4 12 3 4 2 5 14295 Slope 1 6 8 7 0 0 21 8 6 10 5 29

296 Slope 1 5 9 10 0 2 26 7 5 8 5 25

303 Depressional-Open 1 7 5 6 5 3 26 7 7 6 0 20309 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 7 6 6 5 2 26 9 7 8 0 24

312 Depressional-Semiclosed 2 4 2 4 0 5 15 3 4 7 5 19315 Depressional-Semiclosed 3 6 2 1 0 2 11 1 6 7 5 19

317 Slope 4 3 0 1 0 0 4 1 3 10 5 19

320 Depressional-Semiclosed 1 4 6 6 0 0 16 5 4 10 5 24326 Depressional-Closed 4 3 2 2 0 6 13 1 3 5 5 14

331 Depressional-Open 1 8 8 7 0 1 24 10 8 10 5 33334-a Slope 2 4 10 8 0 0 22 3 4 10 5 22

334-b Depressional-Semiclosed 1 4 10 8 0 0 22 3 4 10 5 22

60 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 3-2.  Scaled scores for pathways for potential contaminant delivery.—Continued

[Wetland locations shown on plate 1; derivation of scores described in text]

Wetland 

identifier Hydrogeomorphic class

Scaled integer 

score for 

precipitation as 

a potential pathway (wetland 

area divided by 

catchment area)

Scaled integer scores for surface water runoff 

as a potential pathway Sum of 

the scaled 

scores for 

surface 

water

Scaled integer scores for ground water 

as a potential pathway Sum of 

the scaled 

scores for 

ground 

water

Catchment 

area

Bare 

bedrock Slope 

Stream, 

lake, 

or tidal 

inflow

Impervious 

area

Elevation 

range

Catchment 

area

Clay soil 

in catchment

Lack of 

stream, 

lake, 

or tidal 

inflow

336-a Depressional-Semiclosed 3 5 2 2 0 5 14 1 5 3 5 14336-b Soil Flat-Organic 3 5 2 2 0 5 14 1 5 3 5 14345 Slope 1 8 3 4 0 4 19 6 8 9 5 28353 Depressional-Semiclosed 2 4 10 5 0 0 19 2 4 10 5 21357 Slope 4 3 6 2 0 0 11 1 3 9 5 18360 Slope 1 5 8 2 0 0 15 1 5 8 5 19361 Depressional-Semiclosed 3 4 4 4 0 0 12 4 4 10 5 23

364-b Depressional-Semiclosed 2 5 9 2 0 0 16 1 5 8 5 19

366 Slope 3 3 10 1 0 0 14 1 3 10 5 19367 Lacustrine Fringe 1 6 7 6 5 2 26 6 6 9 0 21

368 Slope 1 7 6 6 0 0 19 8 7 9 5 29

369-a Slope 1 6 6 5 0 0 17 5 6 10 5 26369-c Riverine-Nonperennial 1 6 6 2 5 0 19 1 6 7 0 14

371 Lacustrine Fringe 1 5 6 5 5 3 24 6 5 10 0 21377 Slope 4 4 7 9 0 0 20 4 4 10 5 23

379 Depressional-Semiclosed 1 6 4 3 0 0 13 6 6 9 5 26

380 Riverine-Nonperennial 1 6 5 4 0 2 17 5 6 9 5 25381-a Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 7 6 2 5 0 20 2 7 9 0 18

381-b Depressional-Semiclosed 1 6 5 2 0 0 13 2 6 8 5 21382 Slope 2 4 8 6 0 0 18 5 4 10 5 24

383-a Slope 3 4 6 4 0 3 17 4 4 8 5 21

384 Lacustrine Fringe 1 8 4 2 5 1 20 3 8 7 0 1839 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope 5 3 0 1 0 0 4 1 3 7 5 16

393 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 7 5 5 5 2 24 6 7 8 0 21395 Depressional-Semiclosed 2 3 3 5 0 0 11 3 3 10 5 21

396 Depressional-Open 3 4 7 2 5 0 18 1 4 7 0 12

401 Slope 4 3 5 3 0 0 11 2 3 10 5 20402 Depressional-Open 1 6 3 4 5 0 18 7 6 10 0 23

403 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 8 8 6 5 1 28 8 8 9 0 25

405 Riverine-Nonperennial 1 7 4 4 5 2 22 6 7 8 0 21

Appendix 3 61
Table 3-2.  Scaled scores for pathways for potential contaminant delivery.—Continued

[Wetland locations shown on plate 1; derivation of scores described in text]

Wetland 

identifier Hydrogeomorphic class

Scaled integer 

score for 

precipitation as 

a potential pathway (wetland 

area divided by 

catchment area)

Scaled integer scores for surface water runoff 

as a potential pathway Sum of 

the scaled 

scores for 

surface 

water

Scaled integer scores for ground water 

as a potential pathway Sum of 

the scaled 

scores for 

ground 

water

Catchment 

area

Bare 

bedrock Slope 

Stream, 

lake, 

or tidal 

inflow

Impervious 

area

Elevation 

range

Catchment 

area

Clay soil 

in catchment

Lack of 

stream, 

lake, 

or tidal 

inflow

417 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 6 0 2 5 1 14 2 6 7 0 15419 Riverine-Nonperennial 1 6 5 4 5 2 22 4 6 8 0 18426 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 8 3 5 5 4 25 5 8 10 0 23435-a/c/d Lacustrine Fringe 2 6 0 2 5 2 15 2 6 4 0 12435-e Riverine-Nonperennial 1 5 0 2 5 3 15 2 5 6 0 13442-a Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 7 6 6 5 0 24 8 7 9 0 24442-b Slope 5 4 4 2 0 0 10 2 4 3 5 14

442-b2 Slope 3 5 3 2 0 0 10 2 5 3 5 15

445 Slope 2 5 6 4 0 0 15 4 5 10 5 24446-a Depressional-Semiclosed 2 6 2 3 0 1 12 4 6 8 5 23

446-g Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 7 2 2 5 2 18 4 7 8 0 19

447-a Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 8 3 4 5 1 21 8 8 7 0 23447-d Soil Flat-Organic 1 8 5 5 0 1 19 8 8 7 5 28

450 Slope 1 6 4 3 0 0 13 4 6 10 5 25452 Slope 5 3 0 1 0 0 4 1 3 6 5 15

457-a Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 4 0 1 5 0 10 1 4 8 0 13

457-b Depressional-Semiclosed 2 4 0 2 0 0 6 1 4 9 5 19458 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 8 2 3 5 1 19 4 8 8 0 20

461-a Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 8 2 2 5 1 18 5 8 6 0 19461-e Soil Flat-Organic 4 3 0 1 0 0 4 1 3 0 5 9

461-f Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 10 3 3 5 1 22 8 10 6 0 24

468 Slope 1 5 0 2 0 0 7 1 5 8 5 19470-a Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 10 2 3 5 1 21 8 10 6 0 24

470-aa Tidal Fringe 1 8 0 2 5 2 17 2 8 3 0 13470-bf Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 7 0 1 5 1 14 2 7 7 0 16

470-bj Soil Flat-Organic 5 7 1 1 0 3 12 1 7 9 5 22

470-by Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 6 1 1 5 1 14 1 6 5 0 12470-ca Soil Flat-Organic 3 4 5 1 0 5 15 1 4 6 5 16

470-dd Tidal Fringe 4 5 0 1 5 6 17 1 5 0 0 6

470-e Soil Flat-Organic 3 5 1 1 0 0 7 1 5 1 5 12

62 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 3-2.  Scaled scores for pathways for potential contaminant delivery.—Continued

[Wetland locations shown on plate 1; derivation of scores described in text]

Wetland 

identifier Hydrogeomorphic class

Scaled integer 

score for 

precipitation as 

a potential pathway (wetland 

area divided by 

catchment area)

Scaled integer scores for surface water runoff 

as a potential pathway Sum of 

the scaled 

scores for 

surface 

water

Scaled integer scores for ground water 

as a potential pathway Sum of 

the scaled 

scores for 

ground 

water

Catchment 

area

Bare 

bedrock Slope 

Stream, 

lake, 

or tidal 

inflow

Impervious 

area

Elevation 

range

Catchment 

area

Clay soil 

in catchment

Lack of 

stream, 

lake, 

or tidal 

inflow

470-hh Tidal Fringe 5 3 0 1 5 1 10 1 3 3 0 7470-k Soil Flat-Organic 7 3 0 1 0 0 4 1 3 0 5 9470-l Soil Flat-Organic 3 4 0 1 0 0 5 1 4 0 5 10470-ll Tidal Fringe 1 9 1 1 5 1 17 2 9 7 0 18470-qq Soil Flat-Organic 10 5 0 1 0 0 6 1 5 1 5 12470-rr Slope 4 2 0 2 0 0 4 1 2 6 5 14470-t Soil Flat-Organic 3 4 0 1 0 0 5 1 4 2 5 12

470-tt Soil Flat-Organic 6 5 0 1 0 0 6 1 5 7 5 18

470-uu Soil Flat-Organic 4 5 0 1 0 0 6 1 5 5 5 16470-v Slope 4 3 0 1 0 0 4 1 3 3 5 12

470-vv Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 8 1 1 5 2 17 2 8 8 0 18

470-z Tidal Fringe 3 6 0 1 5 0 12 1 6 1 0 8473 Soil Flat-Organic 1 6 0 1 0 2 9 1 6 0 5 12

474 Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 6 5 2 5 0 18 1 6 8 0 15478 Riverine-Upper Perennial 3 5 9 2 5 0 21 1 5 8 0 14

495-a Riverine-Upper Perennial 2 7 0 1 5 1 14 2 7 7 0 16

495-c Soil Flat-Organic 3 4 0 1 0 0 5 1 4 8 5 18503 Soil Flat-Mineral 2 4 0 1 0 0 5 1 4 7 5 17

513 Depressional-Closed 1 4 0 1 0 3 8 1 4 4 5 14515 Depressional-Open 1 7 0 1 5 3 16 2 7 6 0 15

519-a Riverine-Upper Perennial 1 7 2 1 5 3 18 1 7 5 0 13

519-b Slope 4 4 5 1 0 3 13 1 4 6 5 16521 Tidal Fringe 4 3 0 1 5 5 14 1 3 3 0 7

525-a Riverine-Nonperennial 1 6 0 1 5 6 18 1 6 9 0 16525-b Soil Flat-Organic 7 2 0 1 0 0 3 1 2 2 5 10

528 Soil Flat-Mineral 2 4 4 1 0 0 9 1 4 10 5 20

53 Slope 2 4 8 2 0 0 14 1 4 9 5 19530 Depressional-Semiclosed 3 5 3 1 0 1 10 1 5 7 5 18

57-a Depressional-Semiclosed 2 5 2 2 0 3 12 1 5 9 5 20

57-b Slope 2 4 4 2 0 1 11 1 4 9 5 19

Appendix 3 63
Table 3-2.  Scaled scores for pathways for potential contaminant delivery.—Continued

[Wetland locations shown on plate 1; derivation of scores described in text]

Wetland 

identifier Hydrogeomorphic class

Scaled integer 

score for 

precipitation as 

a potential pathway (wetland 

area divided by 

catchment area)

Scaled integer scores for surface water runoff 

as a potential pathway Sum of 

the scaled 

scores for 

surface 

water

Scaled integer scores for ground water 

as a potential pathway Sum of 

the scaled 

scores for 

ground 

water

Catchment 

area

Bare 

bedrock Slope 

Stream, 

lake, 

or tidal 

inflow

Impervious 

area

Elevation 

range

Catchment 

area

Clay soil 

in catchment

Lack of 

stream, 

lake, 

or tidal 

inflow

63 Slope 3 3 0 1 0 1 5 1 3 0 5 966-a Depressional-Semiclosed 4 3 7 2 0 0 12 1 3 10 5 1974-a/b Lacustrine Fringe 1 8 6 3 5 1 23 5 8 9 0 2281 Slope 1 4 10 2 0 0 16 1 4 10 5 2094 Riverine-Nonperennial 1 6 10 3 5 0 24 4 6 10 0 2095 Lacustrine Fringe 2 4 6 3 5 0 18 1 4 10 0 15

95 Lacustrine Fringe 2 4 6 3 5 0 18 1 4 10 0 15

64 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 3-3.  Scaled scores for susceptibility to disruptions in water supply from projected future changes in climate.—Continued

[Negative factors are associated with higher susceptibility to disruptions; positive factors are associated with lower susceptibility to disruptions in water supply; wetland locations shown on plate 1]

Wetland 

identifier Hydrogeomorphic class

Negative factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled catchment scores

Positive factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled scores

Final 

score Precipitation Slope Bare bed- rock Catch- ment size Stor- age Aver- age of negative 

scores

Scaled 

average 

negative 

score

Lacustrine 

influence

Catchment 

size

Topographic 

relief

Percent 

clay 

soils

Average of 

positive 

scores

Scaled 

average 

positive 

scores

100-a Lacustrine Fringe -2 -2 -3 -4 -4 -3 -0.38 3 7 2 8 5 0.63 0.24102 Slope -2 -2 -3 -7 -9 -4.6 -0.59 0 4 1 10 3.75 0.47 -0.12103-b Slope -3 -2 0 -8 -10 -4.6 -0.59 0 3 1 9 3.25 0.41 -0.18108 Slope -1 -2 -10 -6 -8 -5.4 -0.69 0 5 3 10 4.5 0.56 -0.13122-b Lacustrine Fringe -1 -4 -6 -6 -8 -5 -0.64 7 5 4 9 6.25 0.78 0.14122-c Depressional-Open -1 -4 -5 -5 -8 -4.6 -0.59 0 6 4 9 4.75 0.59 0.00123-a Lacustrine Fringe -3 -2 -2 -6 -9 -4.4 -0.56 1 5 2 8 4 0.50 -0.06123-d Lacustrine Fringe -1 -4 -5 -1 -1 -2.4 -0.31 2 10 10 9 7.75 0.97 0.66123-f Depressional-Open -1 -5 -5 -1 -1 -2.6 -0.33 0 10 10 9 7.25 0.91 0.57123-g Depressional-Open -2 -2 -4 -6 -9 -4.6 -0.59 0 5 2 9 4 0.50 -0.09123-i Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -5 -5 -2 -1 -2.8 -0.36 0 9 10 9 7 0.88 0.52125 Slope -2 -4 -7 -6 -7 -5.2 -0.67 0 5 3 10 4.5 0.56 -0.10127 Depressional-Semiclosed -2 -2 -7 -6 -9 -5.2 -0.67 0 5 1 9 3.75 0.47 -0.20129 Slope -3 -5 -7 -8 -8 -6.2 -0.79 0 3 3 10 4 0.50 -0.29135 Slope -1 -4 -8 -6 -10 -5.8 -0.74 0 5 4 10 4.75 0.59 -0.15143 Slope -3 -4 -7 -8 -10 -6.4 -0.82 0 3 3 10 4 0.50 -0.32144 Open Water -1 -1 -1 -3 -6 -2.4 -0.31 0 5 1 6 3 0.38 -0.32148-a Depressional-Semiclosed -6 -1 -6 -6 -8 -5.4 -0.69 0 5 1 6 3 0.38 -0.32151-c Depressional-Open -1 -3 -5 -4 -4 -3.4 -0.44 0 7 5 9 5.25 0.66 0.22151-d Depressional-Open -2 -3 -5 -4 -9 -4.6 -0.59 0 7 5 9 5.25 0.66 0.07151-j Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -3 -5 -4 -5 -3.6 -0.46 0 7 5 9 5.25 0.66 0.19155 Depressional-Closed -4 -2 -10 -7 -6 -5.8 -0.74 0 4 1 7 3 0.38 -0.37157 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope -7 -2 -10 -10 -10 -7.8 -1.00 0 1 1 10 3 0.38 -0.63174 Slope -2 -3 -5 -5 -8 -4.6 -0.59 0 6 2 9 4.25 0.53 -0.06176 Slope -5 -3 -10 -7 -10 -7 -0.90 0 4 1 5 2.5 0.31 -0.58

Appendix 3 65
Table 3-3.  Scaled scores for susceptibility to disruptions in water supply from projected future changes in climate.—Continued

[Negative factors are associated with higher susceptibility to disruptions; positive factors are associated with lower susceptibility to disruptions in water supply; wetland locations shown on plate 1]

Wetland 

identifier Hydrogeomorphic class

Negative factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled catchment scores

Positive factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled scores

Final 

score Precipitation Slope Bare bed- rock Catch- ment size Stor- age Aver- age of negative 

scores

Scaled 

average 

negative 

score

Lacustrine 

influence

Catchment 

size

Topographic 

relief

Percent 

clay 

soils

Average of 

positive 

scores

Scaled 

average 

positive 

scores

179 Depressional-Open -1 -4 -5 -5 -9 -4.8 -0.62 0 6 5 9 5 0.63 0.0117-b Depressional-Open -1 -2 0 -5 -6 -2.8 -0.36 0 6 2 6 3.5 0.44 0.08186-a Depressional-Semiclosed -2 -3 -7 -7 -7 -5.2 -0.67 0 4 2 8 3.5 0.44 -0.23186-c Depressional-Semiclosed -2 -3 -6 -6 -7 -4.8 -0.62 0 5 4 8 4.25 0.53 -0.08186-f Lacustrine Fringe -1 -3 -7 -5 -6 -4.4 -0.56 8 6 4 8 6.5 0.81 0.25187 Slope -4 -2 -10 -8 -10 -6.8 -0.87 0 3 1 10 3.5 0.44 -0.43189-a Soil Flat-Organic -3 -1 0 -6 -7 -3.4 -0.44 0 5 1 5 2.75 0.34 -0.09189-d Depressional-Semiclosed -4 -2 -5 -6 -8 -5 -0.64 0 5 1 7 3.25 0.41 -0.23191-a Lacustrine Fringe -1 -4 -5 -6 -9 -5 -0.64 10 5 5 10 7.5 0.94 0.30206-c Lacustrine Fringe -4 -1 0 -8 -9 -4.4 -0.56 7 3 1 5 4 0.50 -0.06206-f Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -3 -4 -2 -5 -3 -0.38 0 9 9 8 6.5 0.81 0.43206-k Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -3 -5 -3 -7 -3.8 -0.49 0 8 9 9 6.5 0.81 0.33207-b Depressional-Open -1 -5 -3 -6 -8 -4.6 -0.59 0 5 3 5 3.25 0.41 -0.18207-f Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -6 -5 -3 -3 -3.6 -0.46 0 8 9 6 5.75 0.72 0.26207-h Slope -2 -5 -3 -5 -8 -4.6 -0.59 0 6 3 5 3.5 0.44 -0.15207-i Depressional-Open -3 -3 -3 -6 -10 -5 -0.64 0 5 2 5 3 0.38 -0.27207-k Depressional-Open -3 -6 -5 -4 -7 -5 -0.64 0 7 8 6 5.25 0.66 0.02212-b Depressional-Open -2 -3 -2 -4 -9 -4 -0.51 0 7 4 7 4.5 0.56 0.05217 Slope -2 -2 -10 -7 -10 -6.2 -0.79 0 4 1 10 3.75 0.47 -0.33227-b Depressional-Open -1 -3 -5 -3 -8 -4 -0.51 0 8 9 9 6.5 0.81 0.30228 Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -3 -4 -2 -6 -3.2 -0.41 0 9 9 8 6.5 0.81 0.40234-a Depressional-Semiclosed -5 -1 -2 -8 -7 -4.6 -0.59 0 3 1 5 2.25 0.28 -0.31237-b Slope -2 -4 -5 -7 -10 -5.6 -0.72 0 4 4 8 4 0.50 -0.22237-d Open Water -1 -7 -8 -5 -8 -5.8 -0.74 6 7 9 7.33 0.92 0.1723-a Soil Flat-Organic -3 -1 0 -4 -7 -3 -0.38 0 7 2 5 3.5 0.44 0.05

66 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 3-3.  Scaled scores for susceptibility to disruptions in water supply from projected future changes in climate.—Continued

[Negative factors are associated with higher susceptibility to disruptions; positive factors are associated with lower susceptibility to disruptions in water supply; wetland locations shown on plate 1]

Wetland 

identifier Hydrogeomorphic class

Negative factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled catchment scores

Positive factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled scores

Final 

score Precipitation Slope Bare bed- rock Catch- ment size Stor- age Aver- age of negative 

scores

Scaled 

average 

negative 

score

Lacustrine 

influence

Catchment 

size

Topographic 

relief

Percent 

clay 

soils

Average of 

positive 

scores

Scaled 

average 

positive 

scores

23-b Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -2 -3 -2 -2 -2 -0.26 0 9 5 4 4.5 0.56 0.3123-bb Tidal Fringe -1 -2 -3 -1 -3 -2 -0.26 10 10 6 6 8 1.00 0.7423-cc Soil Flat-Organic -3 -1 -2 -2 -6 -2.8 -0.36 0 9 2 5 4 0.50 0.1423-d Soil Flat-Organic -3 -1 0 -7 -9 -4 -0.51 0 4 1 0 1.25 0.16 -0.3623-dd Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -3 -6 -2 -7 -3.8 -0.49 0 9 6 8 5.75 0.72 0.2323-ee Tidal Fringe -1 -2 -3 -1 -3 -2 -0.26 10 10 6 6 8 1.00 0.7423-hh Soil Flat-Organic -4 -2 -1 -5 -8 -4 -0.51 0 6 2 6 3.5 0.44 -0.0823-i Soil Flat-Organic -1 -2 -5 -2 -7 -3.4 -0.44 0 9 6 7 5.5 0.69 0.2523-m Tidal Fringe -1 -2 -3 -1 -3 -2 -0.26 10 10 6 6 8 1.00 0.7423-mm Slope -2 -2 0 -7 -9 -4 -0.51 0 4 1 0 1.25 0.16 -0.3623-o Soil Flat-Mineral -4 -3 0 -7 -10 -4.8 -0.62 0 4 1 7 3 0.38 -0.24248 Depressional-Semiclosed -3 -3 -4 -7 -10 -5.4 -0.69 0 4 2 7 3.25 0.41 -0.29249 Depressional-Open -1 -2 -1 -5 -7 -3.2 -0.41 0 6 4 10 5 0.63 0.21254 Slope -2 -6 -8 -7 -9 -6.4 -0.82 0 4 4 10 4.5 0.56 -0.26261 Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -4 -10 -5 -9 -5.8 -0.74 0 6 8 10 6 0.75 0.0126-a Tidal Fringe -2 -1 0 -7 -8 -3.6 -0.46 10 4 1 0 3.75 0.47 0.0126-c Slope -2 -1 0 -7 -3 -2.6 -0.33 0 4 1 0 1.25 0.16 -0.18270 Slope -2 -3 -3 -7 -10 -5 -0.64 0 4 3 10 4.25 0.53 -0.11271 Depressional-Open -1 -8 -8 -3 -7 -5.4 -0.69 0 8 9 10 6.75 0.84 0.15273-a Lacustrine Fringe -1 -3 -2 -1 -1 -1.6 -0.21 3 10 7 9 7.25 0.91 0.70273-b Open Water -1 -3 -2 -1 -1 -1.6 -0.21 0 10 7 9 6.5 0.81 0.61274-a Depressional-Semiclosed -3 -8 -6 -6 -7 -6 -0.77 0 5 8 6 4.75 0.59 -0.18274-b Slope -2 -10 -8 -6 -9 -7 -0.90 0 5 8 8 5.25 0.66 -0.24

284-a Depressional-Semiclosed -1 -8 -7 -6 -9 -6.2 -0.79 0 5 8 9 5.5 0.69 -0.11284-d Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -8 -7 -4 -9 -5.8 -0.74 0 7 8 9 6 0.75 0.01

Appendix 3 67
Table 3-3.  Scaled scores for susceptibility to disruptions in water supply from projected future changes in climate.—Continued

[Negative factors are associated with higher susceptibility to disruptions; positive factors are associated with lower susceptibility to disruptions in water supply; wetland locations shown on plate 1]

Wetland 

identifier Hydrogeomorphic class

Negative factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled catchment scores

Positive factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled scores

Final 

score Precipitation Slope Bare bed- rock Catch- ment size Stor- age Aver- age of negative 

scores

Scaled 

average 

negative 

score

Lacustrine 

influence

Catchment 

size

Topographic 

relief

Percent 

clay 

soils

Average of 

positive 

scores

Scaled 

average 

positive 

scores

290 Depressional-Semiclosed -2 -2 0 -7 -10 -4.2 -0.54 0 4 1 9 3.5 0.44 -0.10292-a Slope -2 -3 -1 -7 -6 -3.8 -0.49 0 4 3 2 2.25 0.28 -0.21292-b Slope -2 -3 -1 -7 -6 -3.8 -0.49 0 4 3 2 2.25 0.28 -0.21295 Slope -1 -7 -8 -5 -9 -6 -0.77 0 6 8 10 6 0.75 -0.02296 Slope -1 -10 -9 -6 -9 -7 -0.90 0 5 7 8 5 0.63 -0.27

303 Depressional-Open -1 -6 -5 -4 -7 -4.6 -0.59 0 7 7 6 5 0.63 0.04309 Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -6 -6 -4 -8 -5 -0.64 0 7 9 8 6 0.75 0.11312 Depressional-Semiclosed -2 -4 -2 -7 -8 -4.6 -0.59 0 4 3 7 3.5 0.44 -0.15315 Depressional-Semiclosed -3 -1 -2 -5 -5 -3.2 -0.41 0 6 1 7 3.5 0.44 0.03317 Slope -4 -1 0 -8 -10 -4.6 -0.59 0 3 1 10 3.5 0.44 -0.15320 Depressional-Semiclosed -1 -6 -6 -7 -9 -5.8 -0.74 0 4 5 10 4.75 0.59 -0.15326 Depressional-Closed -4 -2 -2 -8 -9 -5 -0.64 0 3 1 5 2.25 0.28 -0.36331 Depressional-Open -1 -7 -8 -3 -9 -5.6 -0.72 0 8 0 10 4.5 0.56 -0.16334-a Slope -2 -8 -10 -7 -6 -6.6 -0.85 0 4 3 10 4.25 0.53 -0.31334-b Depressional-Semiclosed -1 -8 -10 -7 -8 -6.8 -0.87 0 4 3 10 4.25 0.53 -0.34336-a Depressional-Semiclosed -3 -2 -2 -6 -1 -2.8 -0.36 0 5 1 3 2.25 0.28 -0.08336-b Soil Flat-Organic -3 -2 -2 -6 -1 -2.8 -0.36 0 5 1 3 2.25 0.28 -0.08345 Slope -1 -4 -3 -3 -9 -4 -0.51 0 8 6 9 5.75 0.72 0.21353 Depressional-Semiclosed -2 -5 -10 -7 -10 -6.8 -0.87 0 4 2 10 4 0.50 -0.37357 Slope -4 -2 -6 -8 -10 -6 -0.77 0 3 1 9 3.25 0.41 -0.36360 Slope -1 -2 -8 -6 -9 -5.2 -0.67 0 5 1 8 3.5 0.44 -0.23361 Depressional-Semiclosed -3 -4 -4 -7 -10 -5.6 -0.72 0 4 4 10 4.5 0.56 -0.16364-b Depressional-Semiclosed -2 -2 -9 -6 -7 -5.2 -0.67 0 5 1 8 3.5 0.44 -0.23366 Slope -3 -1 -10 -8 -10 -6.4 -0.82 0 3 1 10 3.5 0.44 -0.38367 Lacustrine Fringe -1 -6 -7 -5 -9 -5.6 -0.72 6 6 6 9 6.75 0.84 0.13

68 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 3-3.  Scaled scores for susceptibility to disruptions in water supply from projected future changes in climate.—Continued

[Negative factors are associated with higher susceptibility to disruptions; positive factors are associated with lower susceptibility to disruptions in water supply; wetland locations shown on plate 1]

Wetland 

identifier Hydrogeomorphic class

Negative factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled catchment scores

Positive factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled scores

Final 

score Precipitation Slope Bare bed- rock Catch- ment size Stor- age Aver- age of negative 

scores

Scaled 

average 

negative 

score

Lacustrine 

influence

Catchment 

size

Topographic 

relief

Percent 

clay 

soils

Average of 

positive 

scores

Scaled 

average 

positive 

scores

368 Slope -1 -6 -6 -4 -9 -5.2 -0.67 0 7 8 9 6 0.75 0.08369-a Slope -1 -5 -6 -5 -8 -5 -0.64 0 6 5 10 5.25 0.66 0.02369-c Riverine-Nonperennial -1 -2 -6 -5 -6 -4 -0.51 0 6 1 7 3.5 0.44 -0.08371 Lacustrine Fringe -1 -5 -6 -6 -9 -5.4 -0.69 0 5 6 10 5.25 0.66 -0.04377 Slope -4 -9 -7 -7 -10 -7.4 -0.95 0 4 4 10 4.5 0.56 -0.39379 Depressional-Semiclosed -1 -3 -4 -5 -9 -4.4 -0.56 0 6 6 9 5.25 0.66 0.09380 Riverine-Nonperennial -1 -4 -5 -5 -9 -4.8 -0.62 0 6 5 9 5 0.63 0.01381-a Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -2 -6 -4 -8 -4.2 -0.54 0 7 2 9 4.5 0.56 0.02381-b Depressional-Semiclosed -1 -2 -5 -5 -8 -4.2 -0.54 0 6 2 8 4 0.50 -0.04382 Slope -2 -6 -8 -7 -10 -6.6 -0.85 0 4 5 10 4.75 0.59 -0.25383-a Slope -3 -4 -6 -7 -8 -5.6 -0.72 0 4 4 8 4 0.50 -0.22384 Lacustrine Fringe -1 -2 -4 -3 -5 -3 -0.38 6 8 3 7 6 0.75 0.3739 Hilltop/Upper Hillslope -5 -1 0 -8 -10 -4.8 -0.62 0 3 1 7 2.75 0.34 -0.27393 Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -5 -5 -4 -9 -4.8 -0.62 0 7 6 8 5.25 0.66 0.04395 Depressional-Semiclosed -2 -5 -3 -8 -9 -5.4 -0.69 0 3 3 10 4 0.50 -0.19396 Depressional-Open -3 -2 -7 -7 -10 -5.8 -0.74 0 4 1 7 3 0.38 -0.37401 Slope -4 -3 -5 -8 -9 -5.8 -0.74 0 3 2 10 3.75 0.47 -0.27402 Depressional-Open -1 -4 -3 -5 -9 -4.4 -0.56 0 6 7 10 5.75 0.72 0.15403 Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -6 -8 -3 -9 -5.4 -0.69 0 8 8 9 6.25 0.78 0.09405 Riverine-Nonperennial -1 -4 -4 -4 -9 -4.4 -0.56 0 7 6 8 5.25 0.66 0.09417 Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -2 0 -5 -9 -3.4 -0.44 0 6 2 7 3.75 0.47 0.03419 Riverine-Nonperennial -1 -4 -5 -5 -10 -5 -0.64 0 6 4 8 4.5 0.56 -0.08426 Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -5 -3 -3 -9 -4.2 -0.54 0 8 5 10 5.75 0.72 0.18435-a/c/d Lacustrine Fringe -2 -2 0 -5 -8 -3.4 -0.44 8 6 2 4 5 0.63 0.19435-e Riverine-Nonperennial -1 -2 0 -6 -9 -3.6 -0.46 0 5 2 6 3.25 0.41 -0.06

Appendix 3 69
Table 3-3.  Scaled scores for susceptibility to disruptions in water supply from projected future changes in climate.—Continued

[Negative factors are associated with higher susceptibility to disruptions; positive factors are associated with lower susceptibility to disruptions in water supply; wetland locations shown on plate 1]

Wetland 

identifier Hydrogeomorphic class

Negative factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled catchment scores

Positive factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled scores

Final 

score Precipitation Slope Bare bed- rock Catch- ment size Stor- age Aver- age of negative 

scores

Scaled 

average 

negative 

score

Lacustrine 

influence

Catchment 

size

Topographic 

relief

Percent 

clay 

soils

Average of 

positive 

scores

Scaled 

average 

positive 

scores

442-a Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -6 -6 -4 -9 -5.2 -0.67 0 7 8 9 6 0.75 0.08442-b Slope -5 -2 -4 -7 -9 -5.4 -0.69 0 4 2 3 2.25 0.28 -0.41442-b2 Slope -3 -2 -3 -6 -10 -4.8 -0.62 0 5 2 3 2.5 0.31 -0.30445 Slope -2 -4 -6 -6 -10 -5.6 -0.72 0 5 4 10 4.75 0.59 -0.12446-a Depressional-Semiclosed -2 -3 -2 -5 -8 -4 -0.51 0 6 4 8 4.5 0.56 0.05446-g Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -2 -2 -4 -5 -2.8 -0.36 0 7 4 8 4.75 0.59 0.23447-a Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -4 -3 -3 -8 -3.8 -0.49 0 8 8 7 5.75 0.72 0.23447-d Soil Flat-Organic -1 -5 -5 -3 -8 -4.4 -0.56 0 8 8 7 5.75 0.72 0.15450 Slope -1 -3 -4 -5 -8 -4.2 -0.54 0 6 4 10 5 0.63 0.09452 Slope -5 -1 0 -8 -10 -4.8 -0.62 0 3 1 6 2.5 0.31 -0.30457-a Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -1 0 -7 -6 -3 -0.38 0 4 1 8 3.25 0.41 0.02457-b Depressional-Semiclosed -2 -2 0 -7 -9 -4 -0.51 0 4 1 9 3.5 0.44 -0.08458 Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -3 -2 -3 -6 -3 -0.38 0 8 4 8 5 0.63 0.24461-a Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -2 -2 -3 -6 -2.8 -0.36 0 8 5 6 4.75 0.59 0.23461-e Soil Flat-Organic -4 -1 0 -8 -7 -4 -0.51 0 3 1 0 1 0.13 -0.39461-f Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -3 -3 -1 -6 -2.8 -0.36 0 10 8 6 6 0.75 0.39468 Slope -1 -2 0 -6 -10 -3.8 -0.49 0 5 1 8 3.5 0.44 -0.05470-a Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -3 -2 -1 -6 -2.6 -0.33 0 10 8 6 6 0.75 0.42470-aa Tidal Fringe -1 -2 0 -3 -7 -2.6 -0.33 10 8 2 3 5.75 0.72 0.39470-bf Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -1 0 -4 -4 -2 -0.26 0 7 2 7 4 0.50 0.24470-bj Soil Flat-Organic -5 -1 -1 -4 -7 -3.6 -0.46 0 7 1 9 4.25 0.53 0.07470-by Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -1 -1 -5 -4 -2.4 -0.31 0 6 1 5 3 0.38 0.07470-ca Soil Flat-Organic -3 -1 -5 -7 -10 -5.2 -0.67 0 4 1 6 2.75 0.34 -0.32470-dd Tidal Fringe -4 -1 0 -6 -9 -4 -0.51 10 5 1 0 4 0.50 -0.01470-e Soil Flat-Organic -3 -1 -1 -6 -10 -4.2 -0.54 0 5 1 1 1.75 0.22 -0.32

70 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Table 3-3.  Scaled scores for susceptibility to disruptions in water supply from projected future changes in climate.—Continued

[Negative factors are associated with higher susceptibility to disruptions; positive factors are associated with lower susceptibility to disruptions in water supply; wetland locations shown on plate 1]

Wetland 

identifier Hydrogeomorphic class

Negative factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled catchment scores

Positive factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled scores

Final 

score Precipitation Slope Bare bed- rock Catch- ment size Stor- age Aver- age of negative 

scores

Scaled 

average 

negative 

score

Lacustrine 

influence

Catchment 

size

Topographic 

relief

Percent 

clay 

soils

Average of 

positive 

scores

Scaled 

average 

positive 

scores

470-hh Tidal Fringe -5 -1 0 -8 -10 -4.8 -0.62 10 3 1 3 4.25 0.53 -0.08470-k Soil Flat-Organic -7 -1 0 -8 -10 -5.2 -0.67 0 3 1 0 1 0.13 -0.54470-l Soil Flat-Organic -3 -1 0 -7 -10 -4.2 -0.54 0 4 1 0 1.25 0.16 -0.38470-ll Tidal Fringe -1 -1 -1 -2 -1 -1.2 -0.15 10 9 2 7 7 0.88 0.72470-qq Soil Flat-Organic -10 -1 0 -6 -8 -5 -0.64 0 5 1 1 1.75 0.22 -0.42470-rr Slope -4 -2 0 -9 -10 -5 -0.64 0 2 1 6 2.25 0.28 -0.36470-t Soil Flat-Organic -3 -1 0 -7 -5 -3.2 -0.41 0 4 1 2 1.75 0.22 -0.19470-tt Soil Flat-Organic -6 -1 0 -6 -10 -4.6 -0.59 0 5 1 7 3.25 0.41 -0.18470-uu Soil Flat-Organic -4 -1 0 -6 -10 -4.2 -0.54 0 5 1 5 2.75 0.34 -0.19470-v Slope -4 -1 0 -8 -9 -4.4 -0.56 0 3 1 3 1.75 0.22 -0.35470-vv Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -1 -1 -3 -1 -1.4 -0.18 0 8 2 8 4.5 0.56 0.38470-z Tidal Fringe -3 -1 0 -5 -3 -2.4 -0.31 10 6 1 1 4.5 0.56 0.25473 Soil Flat-Organic -1 -1 0 -5 -6 -2.6 -0.33 0 6 1 0 1.75 0.22 -0.11474 Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -2 -5 -5 -6 -3.8 -0.49 0 6 1 8 3.75 0.47 -0.02478 Riverine-Upper Perennial -3 -2 -9 -6 -10 -6 -0.77 0 5 1 8 3.5 0.44 -0.33495-a Riverine-Upper Perennial -2 -1 0 -4 -8 -3 -0.38 0 7 2 7 4 0.50 0.12495-c Soil Flat-Organic -3 -1 0 -7 -9 -4 -0.51 0 4 1 8 3.25 0.41 -0.11503 Soil Flat-Mineral -2 -1 0 -7 -10 -4 -0.51 0 4 1 7 3 0.38 -0.14513 Depressional-Closed -1 -1 0 -7 -10 -3.8 -0.49 0 4 1 4 2.25 0.28 -0.21515 Depressional-Open -1 -1 0 -4 -3 -1.8 -0.23 0 7 2 6 3.75 0.47 0.24519-a Riverine-Upper Perennial -1 -1 -2 -4 -3 -2.2 -0.28 0 7 1 5 3.25 0.41 0.12519-b Slope -4 -1 -5 -7 -9 -5.2 -0.67 0 4 1 6 2.75 0.34 -0.32521 Tidal Fringe -4 -1 0 -8 -10 -4.6 -0.59 10 3 1 3 4.25 0.53 -0.06525-a Riverine-Nonperennial -1 -1 0 -5 -7 -2.8 -0.36 0 6 1 9 4 0.50 0.14525-b Soil Flat-Organic -7 -1 0 -9 -9 -5.2 -0.67 0 2 1 2 1.25 0.16 -0.51

Appendix 3 71
Table 3-3.  Scaled scores for susceptibility to disruptions in water supply from projected future changes in climate.—Continued

[Negative factors are associated with higher susceptibility to disruptions; positive factors are associated with lower susceptibility to disruptions in water supply; wetland locations shown on plate 1]

Wetland 

identifier Hydrogeomorphic class

Negative factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled catchment scores

Positive factors for disruptions in water supply, 

scaled scores

Final 

score Precipitation Slope Bare bed- rock Catch- ment size Stor- age Aver- age of negative 

scores

Scaled 

average 

negative 

score

Lacustrine 

influence

Catchment 

size

Topographic 

relief

Percent 

clay 

soils

Average of 

positive 

scores

Scaled 

average 

positive 

scores

528 Soil Flat-Mineral -2 -1 -4 -7 -7 -4.2 -0.54 0 4 1 10 3.75 0.47 -0.0753 Slope -2 -2 -8 -7 -7 -5.2 -0.67 0 4 1 9 3.5 0.44 -0.23530 Depressional-Semiclosed -3 -1 -3 -6 -9 -4.4 -0.56 0 5 1 7 3.25 0.41 -0.1657-a Depressional-Semiclosed -2 -2 -2 -6 -7 -3.8 -0.49 0 5 1 9 3.75 0.47 -0.0257-b Slope -2 -2 -4 -7 -9 -4.8 -0.62 0 4 1 9 3.5 0.44 -0.1863 Slope -3 -1 0 -8 -10 -4.4 -0.56 0 3 1 0 1 0.13 -0.4466-a Depressional-Semiclosed -4 -2 -7 -8 -9 -6 -0.77 0 3 1 10 3.5 0.44 -0.3374-a/b Lacustrine Fringe -1 -3 -6 -3 -6 -3.8 -0.49 5 8 5 9 6.75 0.84 0.3681 Slope -1 -2 -10 -7 -8 -5.6 -0.72 0 4 1 10 3.75 0.47 -0.2594 Riverine-Nonperennial -1 -3 -10 -5 -9 -5.6 -0.72 0 6 4 10 5 0.63 -0.0995 Lacustrine Fringe -2 -3 -6 -7 -8 -5.2 -0.67 7 4 1 10 5.5 0.69 0.02

72 Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine
Prepared by Publications Service Center 1

For more information concerning the research in this report, contact:

Robert M. Lent, Director

U.S. Geological Survey

Maine Water Science Center

196 Whitten Rd.

Augusta, ME 04330

or visit our Web site at:

http://me.water.usgs.gov
Nielsen, Martha G.—Hydrogeomorphic Classification of Wetlands on Mt. Desert Island, Maine, Including Hydrologic Susceptibility Factors for 

Wetlands in Acadia National Park—USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2006–5162