National Wetlands Inventory

• Fact Sheets
• Wetlands Mapper
• Download Digital Data by Quad
• Download Digital Data by State
• Web Map Services (WMS)
• View Wetlands w/Google Earth
• Layers and Metadata
• Wetland Codes
• Hard-copy maps

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NSDI Wetlands Layer

National Spatial Data Infrastructure Wetlands Layer

• Fact Sheet
• Classification of Wetlands
and Deepwater Habitats
• Contributing Data
• FGDC Wetlands Mapping
Standard
• Data Collection Requirements
and Procedures
• FGDC Status Information
• OMB Circular No. A-16

NSDI icon

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Status and Trends

Wetlands Status and Trends

• National, State and Regional
Reports
• Procedures
• Peer Review Plan

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Other Current Wetland Topics

Climate Change:
• EPA National Coastal Condition
   Report
• Sea Level Rise Affecting
   Marshes Model (SLAMM)

Riparian:
• Riparian Classification

Conservation Portals:
• Geography Network

Wetland Plants:
• National Wetland Plant
  List (USACE)

USFWS:
• Service Programs

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Contacts & Other Info.

• Who we are ...
• Regional Wetlands
Coordinators
• OMB Information Quality

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is the principal Federal agency that provides information to the public on the extent and status of the Nation's wetlands. The agency has developed a series of topical maps to show wetlands and deepwater habitats. This geospatial information is used by Federal, State, and local agencies, academic institutions, and private industry for management, research, policy development, education and planning activities. Digital data can be viewed and downloaded through several methods.

Wetlands provide a multitude of ecological, economic and social benefits. They provide habitat for fish, wildlife and a variety of plants. Wetlands are nurseries for many saltwater and freshwater fishes and shellfish of commercial and recreational importance. Wetlands are also important landscape features because they hold and slowly release flood water and snow melt, recharge groundwater, act as filters to cleanse water of impurities, recycle nutrients, and provide recreation and wildlife viewing opportunities for millions of people.

A Congressional mandate also requires the Service to produce wetlands status and trends reports for the nation and to report to the Congress at periodic intervals. Learn more ...

Regional Wetlands Coordinators are located in each of the Service's regions.

What is new?
A System for Mapping Riparian Areas In The United States (November 2009) (1.3MB )
The new standard is designed to guide current and future riparian digital mapping projects. These technical procedures serve as a reference for conducting the image analysis work normally associated with mapping riparian and associated habitats. A riparian classification decoder is also available. Click here to view/download the riparian classification system chart.

What is new?
FGDC Wetlands Mapping Standard (July 2009) (.3MB )
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has announced the adoption of a Wetlands Mapping Standard that provides minimum requirements and guidelines for wetlands mapping efforts. The new standard is designed to guide current and future wetlands digital mapping projects and enhance the overall quality and consistency of wetlands data. Quality data on wetlands are considered critical for planning effective conservation strategies to benefit USFWS resources now and in the future. (News Release) (Questions and Answers)

What is new?
Data Collection Requirements and Procedures for Mapping Wetland, Deepwater and Related Habitats of the US
With the adoption of new Federal Wetlands Mapping Standards, the USFWS has developed an important companion document that describes the technical procedures and requirements for wetlands map data. The document is intended to aid to organizations or individuals mapping wetlands and applying the Cowardin et al. classification system. This document explains the appropriate application of wetland classification and mapping process, and how to achieve the data quality requirements now required in the new FGDC Standards.

What is new?
Status Trends Wetlands Coastal Watersheds icon Status and Trends of Wetlands In The Coastal Watersheds of the Eastern United States 1998 to 2004 (8.7 MB ) (News Release )
This report is the result of a cooperative effort between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The efforts to monitor coastal wetland status and trends described in this report have been enhanced by the multi-agency involvement in the study’s design, data collection, verification, and peer review of the findings.

What is new?
NSDI icon Wetlands Layer - National Spatial Data Infrastructure: A Phased Approach to Completion and Modernization. (January 2008) (.7MB )
The FWS has prepared this Nationwide Data Theme Population Plan to provide information on the development, content, and availability of the wetlands data layer.