## 1 Introduction  
The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) in the northern Great Plains of North America is a unique wetland region characterized by small depressional wetlands, called potholes, which have distinct seasonal cycles; they experience flooding in the spring due to snow melt and drying in the fall. These wetlands are particularly important for migratory waterforwolf [1], temporary storm ponds for flood remediation, and water resources during droughts [2]. These wetland habitats are typically hydrologically closed [3; 4], which makes them sensitive to short- and long-term climate changes. Despite their ecological importance and their valuable services, it has been estimated that 40-90% of pothole wetlands have been destroyed/drained [5; 6]. This habitat loss value significantly varies because there has not been a decent baseline inventory of these wetland habitats across the whole PPR. This highlights the need for an up-to-date inventory of pothole wetlands to allow for data-driven conservation of these areas. In Canada, a substantial amount of research has been conducted to allow for operational mapping and monitoring of wetlands. Typically, wetland inventories are produced at the wetland class or form level according to the Canadian/Alberta Wetland Classification System (CWCS/AWCS) [7] (Table 1). Wetland type is generally not considered for large-scale classifications as water permanence is difficult to capture with modern mapping techniques. Additionally, shallow open water is usually left out of these inventories as water depth is difficult to detect through photo-interpretation or satellite data. The PPR region of Canada is unique as the vast majority (>99%) of the wetlands are the swamp or marsh class, whereas peatlands (i.e., tens and bogs) are often only found in the Boreal transition areas. Overall, the generation of wetland inventories in the PPR should focus on the classification of marshes/swamps and separating these from permanent open water. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline \hline
**Class** & **Forms** & **Water Permanence Types 1** \\ \hline \multirow{3}{*}{Marsh} & \multirow{3}{*}{Graminoid} & Temporary [II] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [III] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Semi-permanent [IV] \\ \hline \multirow{3}{*}{Swamp} & Wooded, coniferous & \\  & Wooded, mixedwood & \\ \cline{3-3}  & Wooded, deciduous & \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Shrubby & Temporary [II] 2 \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [III] 2 \\ \hline \multirow{3}{*}{Shallow Open Water} & \multirow{3}{*}{Subersed and/or floating aquatic vegetation} & Seasonal [III] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [IV] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [III] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [III] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [III] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [III] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [III] \\ \hline \multirow{3}{*}{Bare} & \multirow{3}{*}{Semi-permanent [V]} \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [V] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [III] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [III] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [III] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [III] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [III] \\ \hline \multirow{3}{*}{Bare} & \multirow{3}{*}{Semi-permanent [IV]} \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [IV] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [IV] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [IV] \\ \cline{3-3}  & & Seasonal [IV] \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 1: Wetland classes, forms, and water permanence types relevant to the Prairie Pothole Region, according to the Alberta Wetland Classification System. The Canadian Wetland Classification System (CWCS) is based on the classes shown in the first column below. Adapted from: [8]. For proper conservation of PPR wetlands, a baseline inventory of their spatial boundaries and extents are needed. However, accomplishing this task over large areas can be challenging. From a mapping perspective, these wetlands are very dynamic both seasonally and annually, typically very small (below 0.1 ha), and often altered by human land-use activities.