United States Department 

of Agriculture

Natural Resources 

Conservation Service

NRCS-CPA-026e

 8/2013 

HIGHLY ERODIBLE LAND AND WETLAND CONSERVATION DETERMINATION

Name

Address:

Request 

Date: County:

Agency or Person

Requesting Determination: 

Tract No: FSA Farm

No.: 

Section I - Highly Erodible Land

Is a soil survey now available for making a highly erodible land determination?

Are there highly erodible soil map units on this farm?

Fields in this section have undergone a determination of whether they are highly erodible land (HEL) or not; fields 

for which an HEL Determination has not been completed are not listed. In order to be eligible for USDA benefits, 

a person must be using an approved conservation system on all HEL. 

Field(s) HEL(Y/N) Sodbust (Y/N) Acres Determination Date

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

The Highly Erodible Land determination was completed in the 

Section II - Wetlands

Fields in this section have had wetland determinations completed. See the Definition of Wetland Label Codes for 

additional information regarding allowable activities under the wetland conservation provisions of the Food 

Security Act and/or when wetland determinations are necessary to determine USDA program eligibility. 

Field(s Wetland 

Label*

Occurrence 

Year (CW) Acres Determination Date

Certification 

Date

-

-

-

-

-

The wetland determination was completed in the - . It was - . to to the person on 

Remarks: 

I certify that the above determinations are correct and were conducted in accordance with policies and procedures 

contained in the National Food Security Act Manual.

Signature Designated Conservationist Date

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, 

gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should 

contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Assistant Secretary for 

Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-

8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and 

employer. 
CPA-026e Supplemental Worksheet 

Section I – Highly Erodible Land

Field(s) HEL (Y/N) Sodbust (Y/N) Acres Determination Date

Remarks:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national 

origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all 

programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, 

etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Assistant 

Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 

(English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal 

opportunity provider and employer 
CPA-026e Supplemental Worksheet

Section II - Wetlands

Field(s) Wetland

Label

Occurrence

Year (CW) Acres Determination

Date

Certification

Date

Remarks:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national 

origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all 

programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, 

etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Assistant 

Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 

(English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal 

opportunity provider and employer 
*DEFINITIONS OF WETLAND LABELS

AW Artificial Wetland: An area that was formerly a non-wetland area under natural conditions but now exhibits 

wetland characteristics because of the influence of human activities. These areas are exempt from the Food 

Security Act of 1985, as amended. This label includes irrigation induced wetlands.

CC Commenced Conversion: A wetland, farmed wetland, farmed wetland pasture, or converted wetland on which the 

conversion began but was not completed before December 23, 1985, was approved by FSA to continue, and the 

conversion was completed by January 1, 1995.

CPD COE Permit with Mitigation: A converted wetland authorized by a permit issued under Section 404 of the Clean 

Water Act. Production of agricultural commodities is allowed subject to conditions of the permit.

CMW Categorical Minimal Effect: A wetland that meets specific categories of conversion activities that have been 

determined by NRCS to have minimal effect, individually and cumulatively, on the functions and values of the 

wetland and the wetlands in the watershed.

CW Converted Wetland: A wetland converted between December 23, 1985, and November 28, 1990. Production of an 

agricultural commodity or additional manipulation of these areas will yield UDSA benefit ineligibility. Also, these 

areas are wetlands converted after December 23, 1985, by a county, drainage district, or similar entity. For these 

instances, production of an agricultural commodity or forage for mechanical harvest or additional manipulation 

will cause ineligibility for USDA program benefits.

CW+year Converted Wetland + (year the conversion occurred): A wetland converted after November 28, 1990, where the 

USDA program participant is ineligible for benefits until the wetland is restored or mitigated unless an exemption 

applies.

CWNA Converted Wetland Non-Agricultural Use: A wetland converted after November 28, 1990, to a use other than 

agricultural commodity production. Label not used for certified wetland determinations completed after 2/2008. 

CWTE Converted Wetland Technical Error: A wetland converted or commenced after December 23, 1985, based on an 

incorrect NRCS determination. This label does not apply to obvious wetlands as defined in the National Food 

Security Act Manual.

FW Farmed Wetland: A wetland that was manipulated and planted before December 23, 1985, but still meets inundation 

or saturation criteria. These areas may be farmed and maintained as documented before December 23, 1985, as 

long as they are not abandoned (i.e., management or maintenance for commodity production ceased for 5 

consecutive years). 

FWP Farmed Wetland Pasture or Hayland: A wetland that is used for pasture or haying, was manipulated and planted 

before December 23, 1985, but still meets the inundation or saturation criteria. These areas may be farmed and 

maintained as documented before December 23, 1985, as long as they are not abandoned (i.e., management or 

maintenance for commodity production ceased for 5 consecutive years). 

MIW Mitigation Exemption: A converted wetland, farmed wetland or farmed wetland pasture of which the acreage, 

functions and values lost have been compensated for through an NRCS-approved mitigation plan. 

MW Minimal Effect Exemption: A converted wetland that is exempt from the wetland conservation provisions of the

Food Security Act of 1985, as amended, based on an NRCS determination that the conversion has or will have a 

minimal effect, individually and cumulatively, on the functions and values of the wetland and the wetlands in the 

watershed.

MWM Mitigation Site: The site of wetland restoration, enhancement, or creation serving as mitigation for the mitigation 

exemption (MIW) site. 

NI Not Inventoried: An area where no wetland determination has been conducted. Label not used for certified wetland 

determinations completed after 2/2008.

NW Non-Wetland: An area that does not contain a wetland. Also includes wetlands converted before December 23,

1985, but a commodity crop was not produced and the area does not meet wetland criteria (not been abandoned). 

PC Prior- Converted Cropland: A wetland converted to cropland before December 23, 1985, and as of December 23,

1985, was capable of being cropped and did not meet farmed wetland hydrology criteria. These areas are not 

subject to the wetland conservation provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended, unless further 

drainage manipulation affects adjacent wetlands.

PC/NW Prior Converted Cropland/Non-Wetland: An a r e a t ha t c ont a i n s bot h P C a nd N W. 

TP Third-Party Exemption: A wetland converted after December 23, 1985, by a third party who is not associated with 

the participant, and th e c on ve r s i on i s n o t a r e s u l t o f a scheme or device. A third party does not include 

predecessors in interest on the tract, drainage districts, or other local government entities.

W Wetland: An area meeting wetland criteria that was not converted after December 23, 1985. These areas include 

farmed wetlands and farmed wetland pasture that have been abandoned. 

WX Manipulated Wetlands: A wetland manipulated after December 23, 1985, but the manipulation was not for the 

purpose of making production possible and production was not made possible. These areas include wetlands 

manipulated by drainage maintenance agreements.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, 

gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should 

contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Assistant Secretary for 

Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 

877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider 

and employer.