January 2002

• WetlandsWetlands• Wetland FunctionsWetland Functions• Wetland TypesWetland Types• wetland datawetland data

Topics

January 2002

Wetlands Wetlands

Wetlands are areas that are Wetlands are areas that are periodically or permanently inundated periodically or permanently inundated by surface or ground water and by surface or ground water and support vegetation adapted for life in support vegetation adapted for life in saturated soil. Wetlands include saturated soil. Wetlands include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas.areas.

What do wetlands do?What do wetlands do?

Wetland FunctionsWetland Functions

HabitatHabitat nesting, spawning, rearing and resting nesting, spawning, rearing and resting sites for sites for aquatic and land species, food aquatic and land species, food chain productionchain production

HydrologyHydrology protection of other areas from wave protection of other areas from wave action and action and erosion, storage areas for storm erosion, storage areas for storm water and water and flood water, ground and flood water, ground and surface water aquifer surface water aquifer recharge recharge

Water Water water water quality protection, water quality protection, water filtration and filtration and QualityQuality purification, treatment of purification, treatment of nonpoint nonpoint source runoff source runoff

• maintain biodiversitymaintain biodiversity

• provide habitat for animals provide habitat for animals

• maintain water qualitymaintain water quality

• support commercial support commercial fishing, fishing, forestryforestry

• reduce flood damage reduce flood damage

• hiking, fishing, hunting, hiking, fishing, hunting, bird watching, boatingbird watching, boating

• aesthetic valueaesthetic value

Why are wetlands Why are wetlands important?important?

Wetland ValuesWetland Values

Did you know?Did you know?

Nationwide, an estimated 50 million people spend Nationwide, an estimated 50 million people spend approximately $10 billion annually observing and approximately $10 billion annually observing and photographing wetland-dependent birds.photographing wetland-dependent birds.

There are many different There are many different kinds of wetlands.kinds of wetlands.

People place different People place different values on them based on values on them based on

the functions they the functions they perform.perform.

Where are wetlands located?Where are wetlands located?

• Wetlands are located throughout NC Wetlands are located throughout NC

• There are two kinds of maps in NC There are two kinds of maps in NC that show the locations and types of that show the locations and types of wetlands:wetlands:

1.1. National Wetland Inventory (NWI) MapsNational Wetland Inventory (NWI) Maps

2.2. DCM Wetland Type MapsDCM Wetland Type Maps

January 2002

Example of National Wetland Inventory (NWI) Map

NWI maps show many different wetland types

DCM’s wetland maps are easy to understand

because wetlands are grouped into well-known

categories.

January 2002Example: DCM Wetland Type Map

DCM’s maps show 13 wetland types

DCM’s GIS Wetland Type Data

Show the location, type, and amount of wetlands in the North Carolina Coastal Plain

January 2002

Wetland Classification Wetland Types:

•Swamp Forest•Bottomland Hardwood•Pocosin•Pine Flat•Hardwood Flat•Managed Pine•Freshwater Marsh•Salt/Brackish Marsh•Estuarine Scrub Shrub•Estuarine Forest•Maritime Forest•Headwater Swamp•Human Impacted

Modifiers:Partially Drained/ Ditched

Cut-over

Cleared

Wetland Classification

Hydrogeomorphic Classification (HGM):

This classification describes the hydrology and the geomorphic setting of a wetland

•Riverine•Flat or non-riverine•Tidal

The following slides show photos of wetland types typically found in Coastal

North Carolina.

January 2002

Riverine Swamp Forest

January 2002

Headwater Swamp

January 2002

Swamp Forest

January 2002

Pocosin Wetland

January 2002

Hard Wood Flat

Wet Pine Flat

January 2002

Tidal Salt Marsh

Wetland Maps Accurate?

Accuracy Assessment

• Accuracy was calculated to be 89% for wetlands and 71% for uplands.

• Over 600 field sites visited

That means most of the sites we map as wetlands are indeed wetlands. Most of the sites we map as uplands are non-wetlands.

January 2002

Maps are the starting point

DCM’s wetland maps show the location and types of wetlands

What is the ecological significance of these wetlands?

How important are they?

North Carolina Coastal Region Evaluation of Wetland

Significance

A model that rates the A model that rates the functional significance of functional significance of

wetlandswetlands

January 2002

Example: Water Quality Function

P roxim ity to Sources

P roxim ity to W ater Body

W atershed P osition

W etland Resto rationS ite T yp e

So il Characteristics

S ite Cond itio ns

N on-P o int Source Function

W ater Source & P roxim ity

D uratio n of F lo od ing

W etland Resto rationS ite T yp e

So il Characteristics

S ite Cond itio ns

W idth P erpend icu larto Stream

F lo odw ater C leansing

W ater Q uality Function

January 2002

Example: Wetland Type Map

wetland maps show wetland location and type.

January 2002

Example: NC-CREWS Map

NC-CREWS rates a wetland’s ecological functional significance

January 2002

THE END