Uganik Island, Alaska Peninsula and Southwest Islands

PALUSTRINE OPEN WATER

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Alaska Region

Anchorage, Alaska

USFWS

THE AUTHORS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Jonathan V. Hall coordinates the National This report is the result of extensive effort . Special

Wetlands Inventory in the Alaska Region of the appreciation is extended to U. S. Fish and Wildlife

U . S. Fish and Wildlife Service . Service personnel including Don Woodard, Becky

Stanley, Tom Dahl, Norm Mangrum, and Rene

W. E . Frayer is Dean of the School of Forestry Whitehead of the National Wetlands Inventory

and Wood Products at Michigan Technological Group, St. Petersburg, Florida; Charles Storrs of

University. He specializes in natural resources the Division of Habitat Conservation, Atlanta,

survey design and analysis . Georgia; and David Dall of the National Wetlands

Inventory, Washington, D C.

Bill O. Wilen is Project Leader ofthe National

Wetlands Inventory for the U. S . Fish and Many individuals from Geonex Inc. were respon

Wildlife Service . sible for photo interpretation and map production Principal among these are Keith Patterson,

DESIGN Sheila Ricardi, Marsha Martin, Todd

Neurminger, Barbara Schuster, Jim Dick, and

Gale Communications; St. Paul, MN Dave Fink. Their work is greatly appreciated .

Funding support from the U . S Army Corps of Cover photo: Caribou, Arctic Coastal Plain Engineers and the National Oceanic and

PALUSTRINE EMERGENT - FLOODED Atmospheric Administration's National Marine

BP EXPLORATION (ALASKA) INC Pollution Program Office is gratefully acknowlBack cover photo: Yellow pond lily, edged . Glen Yankus ofthe U. S . Department of

Cook Inlet - Susitna Lowland Interior's Minerals Management Service also

S GALE assisted in the study.
Status of

Arctic Coastal Plain

PALUSTRINE OPEN WATER AND EMERGENT - FLOODED

Alaska

Wetlands

by Jonathan V. Hall, W. E. Frayer and Bill O. Wilen

1994

BP EXPLORATION (ALASKA) INC
Pintails, Yukon Flats

PALUSTRINE EMERGENT- FLOODED

USFWS
Highlights

Alaska encompasses an area of 403,247,700

acres, including offshore areas involved in this

study. Total acreage of wetlands is 174,683,900

acres. This is 43.3 percent ofAlaska's surface

area. In the lower 48 states, wetlands only occupy

5 .2 percent of the surface area.

Deepwater habitats cover an additional

29,870,400 acres, or 7 .4 percent of Alaska's

surface area.

Over 88 percent (154,917,300 acres) ofAlaska

wetlands are under public management.

J HAL

Palustrine scrub/shrub wetlands are extensive .

They cover 114,510,100 acres, which is almost

t"vo-thirds ofAlaska's wetlands.

Areas other than wetlands and deepwater habitats

account for 198,693,400 acres, less than half of

Alaska's area.

Brooks Range

PALUSTRINE SCRUB/SHRUB - SATURATED

Contents

Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Classification System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Survey Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

In Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Literature Cited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

left. Safety Harbor; Western Coastal Zone Mountain cranberry, Kuskoklvim Higblancls

ESTUARINE INTERTIDAL VEGETATED PALUSTRINE SCRUB/SHRUB - SATURATED

J HALL D .DALL

7Y
0
CHAPTER

O

Introduction

The

Uted States sad de Sece as

major

esposbty ote potectoad a

agement

ogatoy ad edageed sad

wildlife

ad teabtats

.

Opatcuacoce

are

etads ad assocated deepateabtats

.

Since

4 te sad de Sece, toug

its

atoaetads etoy oject, as

inventoried

te atos etads

.

e pupose s

to

deeop ad dsseate copeese data

concerning

te caactestcs ad etet oet

lands .

Results

oa atoaetads etoy study

of

etad gas ad osses te oe48 states

between

te 50s ad 0s ee pubsed

by

ayeet a

.

(83) ad e(84)

.

Ote

wetlands

at te te osetteet te aea

now

copsg te 48 cotguous states, oy

46

pecet eaed te d0s

.

etee

the

d50s ad d0s, tee as a oss

of

about oaces oetads

.

ug te

same

peod, appoatey to oaces o

wetlands

ee ceated

.

s 0\,eaet oss o

nine

oaces equates to a

a

average

aua

net

oss o458,000 aces oetads

.

update

of

ts epot ote eyeapeod betee

1974

ad 83 soed te edad oss ate as

down

to aaeage auaet oss o0,00

acres

(aet a

.

;

aye)

.

left:

Oppee, ctc Coastaa

PALUSTRINE EMERGENT - FLOODED

J HALL

right:

Saa

,

Ceeats,

Tanana-Kuskoklvim

oad

PALUSTRINE

SCU/SU

AND

GOO

The

statstcadesgused te ted study o

the

oe48 states cabe used ttesed

sampling

to obtaeabe estates odd

ual

states ooteseected geogapcaaeas

.

For

eape, ts appoacas used to eauate

wetland

teds te Cetaaey oCaoa

(Frayer

ad etes 0) ad oda (ayead

Hefner

)

.

This

epot pesets esuts oa study ote sta

tus

oetads ad deepateabtats asa

.

This

s te st epot oasa

.

e t po

vides

estates ocuet status oasa et

lands

ad deepateabtats, t does ot pode

information

oteteds ad quaty

.

t does,

however,

pode oatoote aouts o

these

aeas aaged by seeaedeaageces,

the

State oasa, ates ad otes

.

F

GO

CHAPTER TWO

Ovcrvicw

Wetlands in Alaska include types commonly

referred to as bogs, muskegs, wet and moist tundra, fens, marshes, swamps, mud flats, and salt

marshes The U.S . Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that during the 200-year period between

1780 and 1980, approximately 'ho of a percent of

the original wetland acreage in Alaska was lost

(Dahl 1990).

Common terms used for Alaska's deepwater

habitats include lakes, bays, sounds, fjords,

lagoons, and inlets . The two largest lakes in

Alaska are Lake Iliamna (1,000 square miles) and

Becharof Lake (458 square miles) . Large coastal

deepwater habitats include Kotzebue Sound,

Norton Sound, Bristol Bay, Cook Inlet, and the

labyrinth of fjords, inlets, and straits in the

Alexander Archipelago (southeast Alaska) .

Lagoons formed behind barrier islands are common in northwest Alaska along the Chukchi Sea

and Bering Strait coasts.

Most regions of Alaska have a land surface that

includes extensive areas of wetlands . Treeless

expanses of moist and wet tundra underlain by

permafrost occur in the northern and western

portions . Interior Alaska contains millions of

acres of black spruce muskeg and floodplain

wetlands dominated by deciduous shrubs and

emergents . Shrub and licrbaceous bogs are a conspicuous feature of the landscape in south central

and southeast Alaska. Even in mountainous areas

such as the Brooks Range, wetlands have developed in drainages and on vegetated slopes . Some

of the nation's most extensive complexes of salt

marshes and mud flats occur along the coasts of

the Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, Bering Sea and

the Gulf of Alaska .

left : Blying Sound, South Central Coastal Zone

MARINE INTERTIDAL

J HALL

Wetlands are abundant in the valleys and basins

associated with large river systems including the

Yukon, Kuskokwim, Porcupine, Tanana, and

Koyukuk Rivers . Significant wetland areas also

occur on the major river deltas in Alaska. The

Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, one of the world's

largest coastal deltaic formations, supports a variety of wetland types including wet tundra, grassy

sloughs, shrub swamps, ponds and brackish

marsh . Other major deltas in Alaska that are predominantly wetland are the Colville River Delta

on the Beaufort Sea coast, the Copper River

Delta in south central Alaska, and the Stikine

River Delta in the southeast region .

Many wetlands in northern portions of Alaska are

underlain and maintained by permafrost, or

perennially frozen ground. Wetland conditions

often occur because the frozen layer traps water

at or near the soil surface . Other wetlands are

maintained by heavy rainfall, glacial melt water,

river flooding, beaver activity, snow melt, springs,

and the ebb and flow of tides .

Wetlands in Alaska range in elevation from tidal

systems at sea level to moist tundra areas in high

alpine zones. Wetlands are as common on slopes

as they are in lowland sites and depressions .

While north-facing slopes are frequently wetland

due to the presence ofpermafrost, south-facing

slopes in the same area often support non-wetland plant communities on `yell-drained soils .

Hillside wetlands are common in southern portions of Alaska due to abundant precipitation and

shallow depths to bedrock.

Alaska's wetlands provide many benefits including : food and habitat for wildlife, fish and shellfish species, natural products for human use and

subsistence, shoreline erosion and sediment control, flood protection, and opportunities for

recreation and aesthetic appreciation. Not all

wetlands perform all these functions, but most

wetlands contribute to one or more in varying

degrees .
Tundra wetlands in northern and western Alaska

are prime breeding grounds for many shorebirds

(sandpipers, plovers, and their relatives) .

Waterfowl species dependent on Alaska wetlands

include more than 70 thousand swans, one million geese, and 12 million ducks (King and

Lensink 1971). These include more than half the

continental populations of tundra and trumpeter

swans and all or most of the continental populations of eight species or subspecies of geese. In

recent years, Alaska wetlands have on average

supported 30 percent of the continental populations of northern pintails, 24 percent of American

wigeons, 19 percent of scaup, 18 percent of canvasback, and 13 percent of green-winged teal

(Lensink and Derksen 1986). The importance of

Alaska wetlands to these and other species

increases significantly during years when drought

occurs in prairie states and provinces .

During migration, huge flocks ofwaterfowl and

shorebirds stop at specific wetland areas for resting and feeding . These critical wetlands provide

concentrated food resources necessary to fuel the

journey to nesting areas in the spring or southern

destinations in the fall . Nearly all of the Pacific

Flyway black brant feed on rich eelgrass beds at

Izembek Lagoon on the Alaska Peninsula during

fall migration (Fish and Wildlife Service 1985) .

Many mammals in Alaska use specific wetland

types and areas. Some species, such as beaver and

muskrat, spend most of their lives in wetlands .

Other mammals use wetlands primarily as feeding

areas or resting areas. Moose commonly feed on

submerged vegetation in deep marshes and shallow ponds The two largest herds of caribou,

both in northern Alaska, gather into huge aggregations and migrate from upland areas to coastal

wetland areas in the summer. Uninterrupted

Snowgeese over Arctic Coastal Plain

PALUSTRINE EMERGENT - SATURATED

A BRACKNEY

moist tundra wetlands in the North Slope coastal

plain are used by these animals for calving and

feeding . Nonvegetated wetland types such as

gravel bars and coastal beaches are used to escape

insect harassment.

The value ofwetlands for fish is well established

for Alaska's coastal wetlands along rivers and

streams . Many fish species feed in wetlands or on

food produced by wetlands . Coastal wetlands and

stream side marshes are used as nursery grounds .

Other wetland types adjacent to rivers maintain

and regulate stream flow in channels used by fish .

Species (e . g ., salmon) that move between fresh

water and saltwater are dependent on both

coastal and riparian wetlands . Annually, the

salmon industry in Alaska employs approximately

22,000 people (Alaska Dept of Fish and Game

1992) . The annual value of this fishery to commercial harvesters is $600 million (Alaska Dept.

of Education 1991) .

Many wetlands serve to temporarily store flood

waters, thereby protecting downstream properties

from flood damage. The flood storage function

also helps to slow the velocity ofwater, which

reduces the water's erosive potential . This function ofwetlands becomes increasingly important

in Alaska's towns and cities, where development

has increased the rate and volume of surfacewater runoff and the potential for flood damage.

Where permafrost is common, the ability ofwetlands to store flood waters is reduced.

Subsistence use of wetland resources in Alaska is

extensive . In most areas, wetland habitats provide

resources upon which Native village economies

are based. A major portion of hunting, fishing,

trapping, and gathering activities occurs in wetlands areas (Ellanna and Wheeler 1986). Fish and

wildlife resources harvested for subsistence use

and dependent on wetlands include five species of

salmon, shellfish, ducks, geese, beaver, and otter.

Plant materials frequently collected from wetlands include blueberries, cranberries, labrador

tea, and willow.

The diversity of plant and animal life in wetlands

makes them a valuable resource for nonconsumptive recreation such as wildlife viewing and photography. Wetlands, particularly in urban areas,

are valuable in providing other passive recreation

opportunities including education, open space,

and aesthetic enjoyment. In addition, waterfowl

hunting in the United States depends on continued productivity of Alaska's wetlands .
CHAPTER THREE

Classification System

The definitions, classifications and categories of

wetlands and deepwater habitats used are those

described by Cowardin et al . (1979) . In general

terms, wetland is land where saturation with

water is the dominant factor determining the

nature of soil development and the types ofplant

and animal communities living in the soil and on

its surface . Technically, wetlands are lands transitional bemveen terrestrial and aquatic systems

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

Wetlands must also have one or more of the following three attributes : 1) at least periodically,

the land supports predominantly hydrophytes ;

2) the substrate is predominantly undrained

hydric soil ; and 3) the substrate is nonsoil and is

saturated with water or covered by shallow water

at some time during the growing season of each

year.

Deepwater habitats consist of certain permanently flooded lands. In saltwater areas, the separation

between wetland and deepwater habitat coincides

with the elevation of the extreme low water of

spring tide. In other areas, the separation is at a

depth of two meters (6.6 feet) below low water.

This is the maximum depth in which emergent

plants normally grow.

Within the hierarchical structure of classification,

wetlands and deepwater habitats are grouped

according to systems . A system consists of environments of similar hydrological, geomorphological, chemical, and biological influences . Each

Color-infrared aerial photograph showing

Kantishna River, Tanana-Kuskokwim Lowland

system is further divided by the driving ecological

force, such as ebb and flow of tide, and by substrate material and flooding regimes, or on vegetation life form. Groupings of categories were

made to accommodate special interests of the

study, and to facilitate comparison of results with

those of similar studies conducted in other

regions of the United States .
12

The marine system extends from the outer edge

of the continental shelf shoreward to the extreme

high water of spring tides or to the boundary of

other systems as defined later. Marine subticlal

includes that portion that is continuously submerged . This habitat is beyond the scope of the

study and was therefore not included . Marine

intertidal includes areas in which the substrate is

exposed and flooded by tides, including the associated splash zone.

The estuarine system consists of deepwater tidal

habitats and adjacent tidal wetlands which are

usually semi-enclosed by land, but have open,

partially obstructed, or sporadic access to the

open ocean and in which ocean water is at least

occasionally diluted by fresh water runoff from

the land . Estuarine subtidal is that portion that is

continuously submerged (considered deepwater

habitat), while estuarine intertidal is the portion

exposed and flooded by tides, including the

splash zone. For the purposes of this study, estuarine intertidal wetlands were separated into the

following groups : Nonvegetated, which includes

unconsolidated shore (e .g . mud flats) and aquatic

beds (e .g . seagrasses or algal beds); and vegetated,

which is primarily emergent. Emergent vegetation

consists of erect, rooted herbaceous plants typically found in wet environments .

The lacustrine system includes wetlands (littoral)

and deepwater habitats (limnetic) situated in

topographic depressions or dammed river channels . Each area must exceed 20 acres or be deeper than two meters (6 .6 feet) or have an active

wave-formed or bedrock shoreline feature .

Lacustrine areas are treated as deepwater

habitats in this study.

The palustrine system includes all nontidal wetlands not included within any of the other four

systems and does not include any deepwater

habitats For this study, palustrine wetlands are

divided into the following groups : unconsolidated

shore, open water (primarily ponds), aquatic beds

(e .g . pondlilies and pondweeds), emergent,

scrub/shrub, andforested. Emergent is defined the

same as for estuarine wetlands. Forested is characterized by the presence of trees, and scrub/shrub

includes areas dominated by shrubs and small or

stunted trees.

Yukon-I,Cuskokwim Delta

PALUSTRINE EMERGENT - FLOODED AND OPEN WATER

F. GOLET
Palustrine vegetated wetlands were further separated into categories of saturated and flooded.

Saturated wetlands seldom have surface water,

but the substrate is saturated for extended periods during the growing season Wetlands with

organic soils, such as bogs, typically are saturated .

Other examples of saturated wetlands include

moist tundra and black spruce muskegs with

permafrost occurring at a shallow depth.

Flooded wetlands range from temporarily flooded

to permanently flooded In temporarily flooded

wetlands, surface water is present for brief periods

during the growing season. Flooded wetlands in

Alaska include marshes, wet tundra, riparian wetlands, and shrub swamps.

Near Naknek, Bristol Bay Coastal Plain

PALUSTRINE EMERGENT - FLOODED

J HALL

49

In summary, the 14 wetland and deepwater

habitat categories used in this study are :

Category

Marine intertidal

Estuarine subtidal

Estuarine intertidal nonvegetatEd

Estuarine intertidal vegetated

Palustrine unconsolidated shore

Palustrine open water

Palustrine aquatic beds

Palustrine emergent - saturates

Palustrine emergent - flooded

Palustrine scrub/shrub - saturated

Palustrine scrub/shrub - floodEd

Palustrine forested - saturated

Palustrine forested - flooded

Lacustrine

Common Examples

Ocean shoreline

Open water of bays/inlets

Mud and sand flats/beaches

Salt marsh

Pond flats/beaches

Open water ponds

Floating and submerged aquatic vegetation

Moist tussock tundra and sedge bogs

Wet sedge/grass tundra and marshes

Moist shrub tundra and shrub bogs/muskegs

Shrub swamps

Forested bogs/muskegs

Forested swamps

Lakes

It A

1 3
14

All remaining surface area (area not classed as

wetland or deepwater habitat) corresponds to

classes of agriculture, urban, and other used by

Anderson et al . (1976) at their Classification

Level I. Other includes Anderson's Level I classes

of forest land, rangeland, and barren land, as well

as lands that had been cleared of vegetation but

had not been put to identifiable use.

The type of ownership of wetlands was also

determined in the study. For federal ownership,

five categories were selected based on the management agency involved . These include the

Bureau ofLand Management, Fish and Wildlife

Service, National Park Service, Forest Service, and

otherfederal agencies . Additional ownership categories are Native, State and other. The results for

individual categories are accurate for only one

point in time. After transfers of federal land to

Native and State ownership are completed, the

samples involved in this study could be reclassified by ownership for timely results.

This briefly describes the classification used in

this study. It is difficult to differentiate the categories further without introducing highly technical terms . More detailed discussions, exact definitions, and fuller descriptions are provided by

Cowardin et al . (1979) .

Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta

PALUSTRINE UNCONSOLIDATED SHORE

F GOLET
CHAPTER FOUR

Survey Procedure

The objective of the study was to develop statistical estimates of the areal extent ofwetland and

deepwater habitat categories and ownership classes for Alaska .

A stratified random sampling design was used

with 21 inland strata formed by modification of

the land resource areas described by Rieger et al .

(1979) . The study also used four coastal strata

encompassing areas in the marine and estuarine

systems . The 25 strata and Alaska's four major

regions are shown in the map on page 16.

Sample units were allocated to strata in proportion to expected amounts ofwetlands and deepwater habitats as estimated by Fish and Wildlife

Service personnel. A pilot study with 500 sample

units was conducted to estimate the total number

of sample units required for the statewide study.

Kisarahk Lake, Kuskokwiyu Highlands

LACUSTRINE

D.DALL

The total number of sample units used statewide

was 2,566.

Each sample unit is a four-square mile area, two

miles on each side . The units were plotted on

U. S. Geological Survey topographic maps and

on aerial photographs . The 1 : 60,000 scale colorinfrared aerial photography was obtained for the

most recent date available. The average date of

this photography was 1980, with 90 percent of

the photos within three years of the average .

The photography was interpreted and annotated

in accordance with the classification system

described earlier and with procedures developed

by the Fish and Wildlife Service's National

Wetlands Inventory Project A minimum mapping size of one-half acre was used. Land ownership/management determinations were made

from land information records maintained by the

Bureau of Land Management.

15
Southeast Coast

South Central Co

Western Coastal 

Northern Coasta

SoutheastAlaska 

SoutheastAlaska 

South Central Al

Cook Inlet -Susi

Alaska Peninsul

Kuskokwim Hig

Koyukuk-Innok

Alaska Range

Copper River Pla

Tanana-Kuskok

Interior Alaska H

Yukon Flats

Kanuti Flats

Bristol BayCoast

Bering Sea Islan

Yukon Kuskok

Norton Sound H

Selawik Kobuk 

Brooks Range

Arctic Foothills

Arctic Coastal Pl
CHAPTER FIVE

Results

The intent of this study was to quantify areal

coverage ofwetlands and deepwater habitats for

Alaska. Results for all categories discussed in the

classification system section are given in the

Appendix. Several of the individual categories

were grouped based on physical, chemical, and

biological similarities and are shown as subtotals .

These groupings include the following :

Wetlands and deepwater habitats includes all

marine, estuarine, palustrine, and paustrine classifications .

Wetlands includes marine, estuarine, and palustrine wetlands .

Estuarine wetlands includes all estuarine categories except estuarine subtidal (a deepwater

habitat)

Palustrine wetlands includes all palustrine categories .

Palustrinc nonvegetated wetlands includes the

unconsolidated shore, open water, and aquatic

bed categories.

Palustrine vegetated wetlands includes all emergent, scrub/shrub, and forested categories.

Palustrine emergent wetlands, palustrine

scrub/shrub wetlands, and palustrineforested wetlands include the saturated and flooded categories .

Deepwater habitats includes estuarine subtidal

and lacustrine habitats

Results presented in the remainder of this section

are based on information found in the Appendix

and other supplementary data.

Alaska Range

PALUSTRINE SCRUB/SHRUB - SATURATED

USFWS 17
WETLANDS AND

DEEPWATERHABITATS

The estimate of wetlands and deepwater habitats

is 204,554,300 acres (See figure 1) . This represents 50 .7 percent of Alaska's surface area . In the

lower 48 states, wetlands and deepwater habitats

only occupy 9.3 percent of the surface area .

Suckling Hills, South Central Alaska Mountains

PALUSTRINE EMERGENT - SATURATED AND OPEN WATER

WETLANDS

The estimate ofwetlands is 174,683,900 acres.

The lower 48 states contain an estimated

103,343,600 acres of wetlands (See figures 2, 3) .

Figure 4 shows the distribution of Alaska wetlands by region .

1 8

z

J. HALL
ALL SURFACE AREA WETLANDS

NON-WETLANDS

2,108,718,600 acres

88 .4°/o

Figure 1

Alaska Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats

OTHER WETLANDS

198,693,400 acres' 174,683,900 acres

49.3% 43 .3°,0

Figures 2, 3

Surface Area of Alaska and Lower 48 States

WETLANDS

278,027,500 acres

11 .6%

DEEPWATER

HABITATS

29,870,400 acres

7 .4%

Figure 4

Distribution of Alaska Wetlands by Region

INTERIOR

70,665,700 acres SOUTHERN

40 .4% 9,051,200 acres

5 .2%

ARCTIC AND WESTERN

92,776,400 acres

531%

ALASKA WETLANDS LOWER 48

174,683,900 acres WETLANDS

62 .8% 103,343,600 acres

37 .2%

-COASTAL ZONE

2,190,600 acres

1 .3%
Arctic Foothills

PALUSTRINE EMERGENT - SATURATED

The 25 physical subdivisions and four regions

appearing in the map on page 16 are shown

ALASKA PHYSICAL SUBDIVISIONS

below with their respective total acreages and

wetland areas .

Coastal Zone acreage is primarily estuarine subtidal, a deepwater habitat

USFWS

PHYSICAL SUBDIVISION

TOTAL

ACRES

WETLAND

ACRES

WETLAND

PERCENT PHYSICAL SUBDIVISION

TOTAL

ACRES

WETLAND

ACRES

WETLAND

PERCENT

(IN THOUSANDS OF ACRES) (IN THOUSANDS OF ACRES)

Southeast Alaska Mountains 7,023.9 84 .4 1 .2 Norton Sound Highlands 34,652 .3 18,320 .1 52 .9

Southeast Alaska Lowlands 11,128.4 3,835.5 34 .5 Selawik-Kobuk Delta 3,149.6 2,384.0 75 .7

South Central Alaska Mountains 26,375.7 739.4 2.8 Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta 15,860 .3 12,477 .0 78 .7

Cook Inlet - Susitna Lowland 9,442.0 2,644.5 28 .0 Bristol Bay Coastal Plain 6,067.5 3,331 .8 54 .9

Alaska Peninsula & Southwest Islands 15,748.6 1,747.4 11 .1 Bering Sea Islands 2,898.1 2,194.5 75 .7

Total - Southern Alaska 69,718 .6 9,051 .2 13 .0 Brooks Range 32 ;406 .5 7,182.3 22 .2

Arctic Foothills 36,390 .6 30,271 .1 83 .2

Copper River Plateau 8,367.4 3,056.9 36 .5

Arctic Coastal Plain 20,031 .5 16,615 .6 82 .9

Alaska Range 18,197 .4 1,339.5 7.4 Total - Arctic & Western Alaska 151,456.4 92,776 .4 61 .3

Koyukuk-Innoko Lowland 10,161 .0 7,223.0 71 .1

Kanuti Flats 1,339.0 1,023.7 76 .5 Southeast Coastal Zone 7,456.8 236.0 3.2

Tanana-Kuskokwim Lowland 13,550 .9 8,256.1 60 .9 South Central Coastal Zone 6,567.7 694.1 10 .6

Yukon Flats 9,679.2 3,681 .6 38 .0 Western Coastal Zone 3,754.8 1,106.3 29 .5

Kuskokwim Highlands 44,182 .5 24,462 .4 55 .4 Northern Coastal Zone 3,592.3 154.2 4.3

Interior Alaska Highlands 55,223 .7 21,622 .5 39 .2 Total - Coastal Zone' 21,371 .6 2,190.6 10 .3

Total - Interior Alaska 160,701 .1 70,665 .7 44 .0

Total - Alaska 403,247.7 174,683.9 43 .3
Marine Intertidal Wetlands

The estimate of marine intertidal wetlands is

48,600 acres .

Estuarine Wetlands

The estimate of estuarine -,vetlands is 2,131,900

acres. This is smaller than the estimated

5,472,700 acres of estuarine wetlands in the

lower 48 states (See figure 5) As shown in

figures 6 and 7, the majority of estuarine wetlands

in Alaska are nonvegetated; the vast majority of

estuarine wetlands in the lower 48 states are

vegetated . Figure 8 shows the distribution of

Alaska estuarine wetlands by coastal subdivisions.

Figure 6

Estuarine Wetlands in Alaska

NONVEGETATED

1,771,700 acres

83 .1

VEGETATED

360,200 acres

16 .9%

SOUTHEAST

230,800 acres

10 .8%

NORTHERN

144,300 acres

6 .8%

NONVEGETATED

689,800 acres

12 .6%

Figure 8

Distribution of Alaska Estuarine Wetlands

by Coastal Subdivisions

SOUTH CENTRAL

675 .900 acres

31 .7%

WESTERN

1 .080 .900 acres

50 .7%

Figure 5

Estuarine Wetlands in Alaska

and the Lower 48 States

ALASKA LOWER 48

ESTUARINE ESTUARINE

WETLANDS WETLANDS

2,131,900 acres 5,472,700 acres

28 .0% 72 .0°'0

Figure 7

Estuarine Wetlands in the Lower 48 States

VEGETATED

4,782,900 acres

87 .4%
22

Palustrine Wetlands

The estimate of palustrine wetlands is

172,503,400 acres. This represents 98 .8 percent

of the wetlands in Alaska.

Palustrine Nonvegetated Wetlands

The estimate of palustrine nonvegetated wetlands

in Alaska is 2,670,200 acres. The lower 48 states

have 6,141,300 acres ofpalustrine nonvegetated

wetlands . In both cases, most ofthe area is open

water ponds However, in the mid-1950's, there

was only an estimated 2,704,400 acres ofpalustrine nonvegetated wetlands in the lower 48

states . Most of the increase is due to pond

construction .

Caribou herd, Arctic Coastal Plain

PALUSTRINE EMERGENT - FLOODED

Palustrine Vegetated Wetlands

The estimate of palustrine vegetated wetlands is

169,833,200 acres. This is much larger than the

91,625,300 acres in the lower 48 states (See

figure 9) . The distribution is quite different for

the two areas. In Alaska, the vast majority of

palustrine vegetated wetlands are scrub/shrub

wetlands, and the smallest amount is forested

wetlands (See figure 10); in the lower 48 states,

the majority of palustrine vegetated wetlands are

forested wetlands, and the smallest amount is

scrub/shrub wetlands (See figure 11). The distribution of palustrine vegetated wetlands in

Alaska's Southern, Interior, and Arctic and

Western regions is shown in figures 12, 13, and

14, respectively.

BP EXPLORATION (ALASKA) INC
Figure 9

Palustrine Vegetated Wetlands in Alaska

and the Lower 48 States

ALASKA LOWER 48

169,833,200 acres 91,625,300 acres

65 .0% 35 .0%

Figure 10 Figure 11

Palustrine Vegetated Wetlands in Alaska Palustrine Vegetated Wetlands in the Lower 48 States

EMERGENT

1,842,700 acres

20 .8%

SCRUB/SHRUB

114,510,100 acres

67 .4%

SCRUB/SHRUB

3,709,600 acres

42 .0%

FORESTED

3,290,600 acres

37 .2%

FORESTED

13,322,300 acres

7.9%

OPP"

EMERGENT

42,000,800 acres

24 .7%

Figures 12, 13, 14

Palustrine Vegetated Wetlands by Region

EMERGENT

8,973,400 acres

12 .8%

SCRUB/SHRUB

52,047,600 acres

74 .3%

FORESTED

8,989,300 acres

12 .9%

SCRUB/SHRUB

15,344,500 acres

16 .7%

EMERGENT

24,533,000 acres

26 .8%

FORESTED

51,747,800 acres

56 .5%

SOUTHERN INTERIOR ARCTIC & WESTERN

SCRUB/SHRUB

58,752,900 acres

64 .6%

EMERGENT

31,184,700 acres

34 .3%

FORESTED

1,042,400 acres

1 .1%
24

Palustrine Emergent Wetlands

(Figures 15, 16)

The estimate ofpalustrine emergent wetlands is

42,000,800 acres. The amounts of saturated and

flooded wetlands are approximately equal.

Palustrine emergent wetlands are most common

in Arctic and Western Alaska, where threefourths of this type of wetland is found. Over 14

million acres of palustrine emergent wetlands are

found in the Arctic Coastal Plain, the only physical subdivision in Alaska with the majority of its

surface area in this single type . Over five million

acres of palustrine emergent wetlands are found

in the Yukon-ICuskokwim Delta and also in the

Arctic Foothills.

Palustrine Scrub/Shrub Wetlands

(Figures 17, 18)

The estimate of palustrine scrub/shrub wetlands

is 114,510,100 acres. Only 5 .8 percent of these

wetlands are classified as flooded Flooded palustrine scrub/shrub wetlands are most common in

the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, where about onefourth of the palustrine scrub/shrub wetlands are

flooded . Almost 97 percent of the palustrine

scrub/shrub wetlands are found in Interior

Alaska and Arctic and Western Alaska.

Subdivisions having the most palustrine

scrub/shrub wetlands are the Arctic Foothills in

Arctic and Western Alaska, with 24,548,300

acres; and, the Kuskokwim Highlands and the

Interior Alaska Highlands in Interior Alaska

with 18,858,900 acres and 16,348,900 acres,

respectively.

Palustrine Forested Wetlands

(Figures 19, 20)

The estimate ofpalustrine forested wetlands is

13,322,300 acres. Only 204,300 acres are classified as flooded . As shown earlier, palustrine

forested wetlands cover relatively little area in

Alaska compared to the lower 48 states, where it

is the most abundant type ofwetland.

Tanana-Kuskokwim Lowland

I'ALUSTRINE SCRUB/SHRUB - FLOODED

F 30LET
SATURATED VS FLOODED DISTRIBUTION BY REGION

SATURATED FLOODED

21,170,500 acres 20,830,300 acres

50 .4% 49 .6%

SATURATED

107,917,900 acres

94 .2%

SATURATED

13,118,000 acres

98 .5%

Figures 15, 16

Palustrine Emergent Wetlands

Figures 17, 18

Palustrine Scrub/Shrub Wetlands

FLOODED

6 .592 .200 acres

5 .8%

Figures 19, 20

Palustrine Forested Wetlands

FLOODED

204,300 acres

1 .5%

ARCTIC AND WESTERN

31,184,700 acres

74 .2%

SATURATED VS . FLOODED DISTRIBUTION BY REGION

INTERIOR

52 .047 .600 acres

45 .5%

SATURATED VS FLOODED DISTRIBUTION BY REGION

INTERIOR

8,989,300 acres

67 .5%

INTERIOR

8 .973 .400 acres

21 .4°0

ARCTIC AND WESTERN

58,752,900 acres

51 .3%

SOUTHERN

3,290,600 acres

24 .7%

SOUTHERN

1,842,700 acres

4 .4%

SOUTHERN

3,709,600 acres

3 .2%

ARCTIC AND WESTERN

1,042 ;400 acres

7 .8%
DEEPWATERHABITATS

The estimate ofdeepwater habitats is 29,870,400

acres. Estuarine subtidal habitats cover approximately the same surface area in Alaska as in the

lower 48 states (See figure 21). Alaska has much

less acreage in lacustrine deepwater habitats than

the lower 48 states ; however, about t\vo-thirds of

the lacustrine area in the lower 48 states is in the

Great Lakes.

OWNERSHIP

The detailed ownership information collected

during the study is presented in the summary

table in the Appendix. The information should

be used with caution, because the State of Alaska

and Natives are continuing to receive lands

selected from the block of lands managed by the

Bureau of Land Management . This results in

major shifts in wetland acreages managed by the

Northwestern Lagoon, South Central Coastal Zone

ESTUARINE SUBTIDAL

affected groups . Other shifts have occurred

between groups due to land trades and acquisitions, and conversion of State lands to private

ownership through homesteading and agricultural programs .

Figure 22 shows the distribution ofwetlands

among ownership/management categories . The

remaining figures show acreages for wetland categories managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service,

the National Park Service, and the Forest Service .

Acreages in these groups have been relatively stable over the past several years. As might be

expected, 1) the Fish and Wildlife Service is managing a greater proportion of emergent wetlands

than the other two agencies, and 2) the most

prevalent wetland category under Forest Service

management is palustrine forested.

26

J HALL
Figure 21 Figure 22

Estuarine and Lacustrine Deepwater Habitats Distribution of Wetlands by Ownership/Management

in Alaska and the Lower 48 States

LOWER 48

ESTUARINE SUBTIDAL

18,882,400 acres

17 .7%

LOWER 48

LACUSTRINE

57,842,800 acres

54 .3%

Wetlands under Management by Fish and Wildlife Service

PALUSTRINE

SCRUB/SHRUB

24,151 ;900 acres

62 .9%

PALUSTRINE

EMERGENT

11,531,800 acres

30 .1%

ALASKA

ESTUARINE SUBTIDAL

19,152,400 acres

18 .0%

PALUSTRINE

PALUSTRINE I EMERGENT

SCRUB/SHRUB 1,034,400 acres

11,332,900 acres 7.8%

85 .5%

OTHERS

564,700 acres

0.3%

I

STATE

ALASKA 40,270,200 acres BUREAU OF

LACUSTRINE 23 .01° LAND MANAGEMENT

10,718,000 acres 58,824,900 acres

10 .0% NATIVE - 33 .7%

19,575,000 acres

11 .2%

NATIONAL

PARK SERVICE

13,259,700 acres

Figure 23 7.6%

PALUSTRINE

FORESTED

1,492,900 acres

3.9%

\OTHER

WETLANDS

1,185,700 acres

3.1

PALUSTRINE

FORESTED

780,500 acres

5.9%

\OTHER

WETLANDS

111,900 acres

0.8%

FOREST SERVICE -

3,827,100 acres

2.2%

PALUSTRINE

EMERGENT

370,000 acres

9.7%

FISH AND

WILDLIFE SERVICE

38,362,300 acres

22 .0%

Figure 24 Figure 25

Wetlands under Management by National Park Service Wetlands under Management by Forest Service

PALUSTIRINE

PALUSTRINE FORESTED

SCRUB/SHRUB 2,649,700 acres

745,600 acres 69 .2 11%

19 .5%

i

OTHER

WETLANDS

61,800 acres

1 .6%

CHAPTER SIX

In Conclusion

This survey provides an estimate of 174,683,900

acres of wetlands in Alaska, dominated by palustrine vegetated wetlands . Alaska contains 63 percent of the total wetland acreage in the United

States (excluding Hawaii) . While widespread wetland losses have been relatively low in Alaska,

specific localities have sustained significant losses

(Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources 1993) .

Results of this study provide the basis for future

studies ofwetland trends . One of the first trends

that could be studied is the change in the ownership/management of wetlands resulting from

continuing land transfers involving federal agencies, Natives, and the State of Alaska. The sample

units used in this study could be reclassified by

ownership at some future date to provide more

current information .

left: Black spruce, Tauana-Kuskokwim Lolvland

PALUSTRINE FORESTED - SATURATED

J HALL

right: Moose, Cook Inlet - Susitna LoiPland

PALUSTRINE EMERGENT - FLOODED

Continual monitoring of surface area use and

changes in use is needed to provide the basis for

wise decisions This report is the result of one

such method of monitoring initiated by the

U . S . Fish and Wildlife Service The results in

this report provide wetland information similar

to 1) the forest and range information required

by the Forest and Rangeland Renewable

Resources Planning Act, and 2) information on

soil, water, and related resources required by the

Soil and Water Resource Conservation Act The

results can be updated in the future on the schedule required by those Acts.

usLws

29

Literature Cited

Alaska Department of Commerce and Economic

Development . 1992 . Seafood Industry Sector

Report . State ofAlaska, Dept . of Commerce and

Econ. Dev., Div. of Business Dev. 181 pp.

Alaska Department of Education . 1991 . Alaska

Blue Book 1991-1992, Ninth Ed State of

Alaska, Dept. of Educ., Div. of State Libraries,

Archives, and Museums. 369 pp.

Alaska Department of Natural Resources. 1993 .

Alaska's outdoor legacy : statewide comprehensive

outdoor recreation plan, 1992-1996. State of

Alaska, Dept. of Natural Resources. 80 pp.

Anderson, James R., Ernest E . Hardy, John T.

Roach, and Richard E . Witmer 1976. A land use

and cover classification svstem for use with

remote sensor data . U . S. Geol Suiv. Prof. Paper

964. 22 pp .

Cowardin, L M., V. Carter, F. C. Golet, and E.

T. LaRoc. 1979 . Classificatio n ofwetlands and

deepwater habitats of the United States . U . S .

Fish Wildl. Setv. 103 pp.

Dahl, T. E. 1990 . Wetland losses in the United

States, 1780's to 1980's. U. S. Fish Wildl . Scrv.

21 pp

Dahl, T. E., and C. E. Johnson . 1991 . Status and

trends ofwetlands in the conterminous United

States, mid-1970's to mid-1980's. U . S . Fish

Wildl Scrv. 28 pp

Ellanna, L. J ., and P. C. Wheeler 1986.

Subsistence use of wetlands in Alaska.

In: Alaska Regional Wetland Functions -

Proceedings of a Workshop . The Environmental

Institute, Univ. of Mass. pp 85-103 .

left: Stikine River Delta, Southeast Alaska Lowlands

PALUSTRINE EMERGENT - FLOODED

J HALL

Frayer, W. E., T J . Monahan, D. C. Bowden,

and F . A. Graybill . 1983 Status and trends of

wetlands and deepwater habitats in the conterminous United States, 1950's to 1970's. Colo.

State Univ. 32 pp .

Frayer, W. E., and Dennis Peters . 1989 .

Wetlands of the California Central Valley : Status

and trends, 1939 to mid-1980's. U. S . Fish

Wildl Scrv. 28 pp

Frayer, W. E. 1991 Status and trends of

wetlands and deepwater habitats in the

conterminous United States, 1970's to 1980's .

Mich. Technological Univ. 32 pp.

Frayer, W. E ., and John Hefizer . 1991 . Florida

wetlands : Status and trends, 1970's to 1980's .

U. S Fish Wildl. Scrv . 32 pp.

King, J. G ., and C. J. Lensink. 1971 . An

evaluation of Alaska habitat for migratory birds.

Unpublished report . Bureau of Sport Fisheries

and Wildlife, Wash., D. C. 72 pp .

Lensink, C. J ., and D . V Derksen. 1986.

Evaluatio n of Alaska wetlands for waterfowl.

In: Alaska Regional Wetland Functions -

Proceedings of a Workshop . The Environmental

Institute, Univ. of Mass. pp 45-84.

Rieger, Samuel, Dale B . Schoephorster and

Clarence E . Furbush. 1979 . Exploratory soil

survey of Alaska. U . S Dept. Agr. Soil Cons .

Scrv. 213 pp.

U . S. Fish and Wildlife Service . 1985 .

Izembek National Wildlife Refuge - comprehensive conservation plan . U . S . Fish Wildl. Serv.,

Anchorage, Alaska . 270 pp .
Appendix

Estimates produced include acreages with associated standard errors . Many estimates are not

considered reliable enough to recommend their

use for making decisions . An indication is given

of the reliability of each estimated acreage in the

summary tables included in this appendix. The

standard error of each entry expressed as a percentage of the entry (SE%) is given in parentheses . Reliability can be stated generally as "we are

68 percent confident that the true value is within

the interval constructed by adding to and subtracting from the entry the SE%/100 times the

entry." For example, if an entry is one million

acres and the SE% is 20, then we are 68 percent

confident that the true value is between 800,000

and 1,200,000 acres. An equivalent statement for

95 percent confidence can be made by adding

and subtracting twice the amount to and from

the entry

Therefore, a large SE% indicates low reliability, if

any, in the estimate . In fact, if the SE% is 100 or

greater, we cannot even say that we are 68 percent confident that the true value is not zero.

This discussion on reliability is meant to aid in

interpretation of the study results . It was expected that only certain estimates would be precise

enough to be meaningful. However, all entries

are included in the summary table for additivity

and ease ofcomparison.

Seaside plantain,

Anchorage, South Central Coastal Zone

ESTUARINE INTERTIDAL VEGETATED

Estimates were produced for categories described

in Chapter Three . These estimates are summarized on the next page . Totals for columns are

estimates of total acreage by ownership/management classification categor)T. Row totals (the

extreme right column) are estimates of total

acreage by surface area category . Entries are

interpreted as in the following examples (all from

the second and tenth columns of the table)

" " 11,531,800 acres classified as palustrine

emergent are managed by the U. S. Fish

and Wildlife Service .

" " 42,000,800 acres are classified as palustrine

emergent.

00

00

F GOLET

24,151,900 acres classified as palustrine

scrub/shrub are managed by U . S . Fish

and Wildlife Service .

The estimate of palustrine forested area is

13,322,300 acres .

The estimated area ofwetlands and

deepwater habitats is 204,554,300 acres.
TABLE 1 . Area, in thousands of acres, by surface area classification .

Sampling error, in percent, is given in parentheses below estimate.

OWNERSHIP CLASSIFICATION

FEDERAL

BUREAU FISH AND NATIONAL ALL

OF LAND WILDLIFE PARK FOREST OTHER ALL NATIVE STATE OTHER OWNERMGMT. SERVICE SERVICE SERVICE FEDERAL FEDERAL SHIPS

MARINE INTERTIDAL WETLANDS 0 2 .9 0 0 0 2 .9 0 45 .7 0 48 .6

(42.9) (42.9) (31.1) (29.7)

NON-VEGETATED 0 .6 58 .0 5 .2 0 .1 1 .3 65 .2 7 .5 1698 .0 1 .0 1771 .7

ESTUARINE (75.2) (44.0) (72.2) (55.0) (93.2) (39.6) (53.2) (7 .9) (94.9) (7 .6)

INTERTIDAL VEGETATED 5 .6 52 .6 0 .9 23 .6 4 .5 87 .2 17 .0 255 .9 0 .1 360 .2

(45.6) (36.3) (54.6) (46.6) (87.0) (25.8) (37.4) (18.2) (95.0) (14.3)

ESTUARINE WETLANDS 6 .2 110 .6 6 .1 23 .7 5 .8 152 .4 24 .5 1953 .9 1 .1 2131 .9

(41.9) (30.3) (69.4) (46.4) (71.8) (23.5) (33.2) (7.4) (94.9) (7.1)

UNCONSOLIDATED 5 .4 15 .3 0 .1 <0 .1 0 20 .8 1 .0 11 .2 0 33 .0

SHORE (54.6) (83.1) (81.0) (100.0) (62.8) (58.1) (46.3) (42.5)

OPEN WATER 489 .8 992 .6 103 .3 37 .6 0 .4 1623 .7 549 .4 336 .4 1 .5 2511 .0

-

(9 .4) (7 .4) (20.3) (31 .0) (99.5) (5 .4) (13.7) (10.2) (60.7) (4 .1)

AQUATIC BEDS 13 .1 64 .3 2 .4 0 .5 0 80 .3 24 .4 20 .7 0 .8 126 .2

(30.5) (22.8) (59.8) (55.2) (18.9) (24.2) (24.8) (99.3) (13.4)

L NON-VEGETATED 508 .3 1072 .2 105 .8 38 .1 0 .4 1724 .8 574 .8 368 .3 2 .3 2670 .2

(9 .2) (7 .3) (20.0) (30.1) (99.5) (5 .4) (13.3) (10.0) (70.3) (4 .0)

EMERGENT- 8252 .2 5956 .6 357 .1 205 .9 0 .1 14771 .9 1909 .2 4483 .0 6 .4 21170 .5

U SATURATED (10.4) (11 .5) (57.7) (19.6) (75.7) (7 .4) (16.4) (15.5) (66.4) (5 .9)

EMERGENT- 6582 .4 5575 .2 677 .3 164 .1 2 .5 13001 .5 3229 .4 4586 .0 13 .4 20830 .3

FLOODED (8 .1) (9 .2) (24.5) (78.1) (88.7) (5 .6) (12.2) (9 .8) (78.1) (3 .9)

S

EMERGENT 14834 .6 11531 .8 1034 .4 370 .0 2 .6 27773 .4 5138 .6 9069 .0 19 .8 42000 .8

(7 .4) (8 .0) (26.1) (36.8) (84.1) (5 .0) (10.8) (10.3) (57.9) (3 .5)

SCRUB/SHRUB - , 38243 .3 22132 .0 10774 .9 683 .7 222 .2 72056 .1 12064 .3 23708 .9 88 .6 107917 .9

SATURATED (5 .4) (6 .6) (14.3) (17.8) (52.7) (3 .7) (10.4) (7 .0) (49.2) (2 .4)

SCRUB/SHRUB - 1372 .3 2019 .9 558 .0 61 .9 36 .1 4048 .2 955 .7 1566 .3 22 .0 6592 .2

FLOODED (10.9) (12.5) (18.4) (55.9) (83.6) (7 .6) (20.8) (10.9) (55.8) (5 .9)

SCRUB/SHRUB 39615 .6 24151 .9 11332 .9 745 .6 258 .3 76104 .3 13020 .0 25275 .2 110 .6 114510 .1

(5 .3) (6 .3) (14.0) (19.5) (48.2) (3 .6) (10.0) (6 .8) (49.1) (2 .3)

I FORESTED- 3827 .9 1462 .8 767 .1 2631 .2 103 .7 8792 .7 792 .3 3483 .9 49 .1 13118 .0

SATURATED (16.2) (16.8) (43.5) (11.0) (65.8) (8.9) (22.1) (12.7) (44.4) (6.7)

FORESTED- 32 .3 30 .1 13 .4 18 .5 2 .3 96 .6 24 .8 74 .2 8 .7 204 .3

FLOODED (38.2) (62.6) (62.6) (42.4) (99.4) (26.1) (58.5) (58.3) (76.6) (25.7)

FORESTED 3860 .2 1492 .9 780 .5 2649 .7 106 .0 8889 .3 817 .1 3558 .1 57 .8 13322 .3

(16.1) (16.8) (42.8) (10.9) (64.5) (8 .9) (22.1) (12.5) (42.1) (6 .6)

VEGETATED 58310 .4 37176 .6 13147 .8 3765 .3 366 .9 112767 .0 18975 .7 37902 .3 188 .2 169833 .2

(4 .3) (5 .2) (13.1) (11 .3) (44.9) (2 .8) (8 .5) (5 .7) (43.3) (1 .6)

PALUSTRINE WETLANDS 58818 .7 38248 .8 13253 .6 3803 .4 367 .3 114491 .8 19550 .5 38270 .6 190 .5 '172503 .4

(4 .3) (5 .1) (13.0 1) (11 .2) (44.9) (2 .7) (8 .5 :1 (5 .6) (43.5) (1 .6)

ALL WETLANDS 58824 .9 38362 .3 13259 .7 3827 .1 373 .1 114647 .1 19575 .0 40270 .2 191 .6 174683 .9

(4 .3) (5 .1) (13.0) (11 .2) (44.2) (2 .7) (8 .5) (5 .4) (43.2) (1 .6)

ESTUARINE SUBTIDAL 0 .7 40 .7 <0 .1 <0 .1 865 .2 906 .6 3 .9 18224 .6 17 .3 19152 .4

(64.3) (65.1) (95.0) (95.7) (14.4) ` (14.0) (44.1) (1 .0) (95.0) (0 .8)

LACUSTRINE 2496 .5 2733 .4 179 .6 350 .4 0 5759 .9 1435 .3 3519 .7 3 .1 10718 .0

(12.8) (12.5) (28.1) (38.5) (8 .5) (15.7) (17.9) (99.2) (7 .5)

DEEPWATER HABITATS 2497 .2 2774 .1 179 .6 350 .4 865 .2 6666 .5 1439 .2 21744 .3 20 .4 29870 .4

(12.8) (12.3) (28.1) (38.5) (14A) (7 .6) (15.6) (3 .0) (82.0) (2 .7)

WETLANDS AND 61322 .1 41136 .4 13439 .3 4177 .5 1238 .3 121313 .6 21014 .2 62014 .5 212 .0 204554 .3

DEEPWATER HABITATS (4 .2) 1 (5 .0) (12.8) (10.2 (16.7) (2 .7) (7 .9) (3 .5) (39.9) (1 .3)