Wisconsin Wetlands: Assessment Reports and Maps

The following is a list of reports of projects completed in the past few years. All projects have been funded by EPA-Region V Wetland Grants.

• Improving Wisconsin’s Wetland Compensatory Mitigation Program: Factors Influencing Floristic Quality and Methods for Monitoring Wildlife [August 2009, PDF 2.5MB] Appendix A [PDF 4MB], Appendix B [PDF 2.3MB], Appendix C-E [PDF 1.5MB]

  This report contains three parts. The first part provides the results from evaluating vegetation data from twenty wetland restoration projects. The second part evaluates wildlife monitoring methods for possible use in wetland compensatory mitigation monitoring plans. The final part proposes ways to use a watershed approach to define restoration goals for a site.

• Mapping Potentially Restorable Wetlands in the Rock River Basin [PDF 2.9MB]

  This report details the process used to develop a map of potentially restorable wetlands (PRWs) in the 2.3 million acre Rock River Basin, so that it can be duplicated to produce maps for other areas and projects. PRW maps can be used to identify restoration opportunities and target high priority areas where wetland restoration can provide the "biggest bang for the buck" in ecosystem benefits. The PRW data will be used to aid the implementation of the Rock River Basin TMDL plan.

• Mead Lake Watershed Wetlands Assessment Project [April 2007, PDF 6MB]

  This report used digital wetland, soils and land use layers to identify potentially restorable wetland (PRW) sites. Relationships between the amount of lost, remaining and original wetlands were used to identify priority subwatershed areas for wetland restoration. The report also considers factors that affect restoration opportunity, such as incompatible land uses, hydrologic changes, and the need for appropriate incentives to motivate Mennonite and Amish landowners.

• Reed Canary Grass Dominated Wetlands Data Layer

  The data layer was created from a mosaic of satellite images covering the entire state of Wisconsin. The map documents 498,250 acres of reed canary grass dominated wetlands at a minimum mapping unit of 1/2 acre. You can zoom in on a portion of the map to see areas of interest.

  The data layer is available for viewing through the Wisconsin DNR Surface Water Data Viewer.

  1. Open the viewer by clicking on the link.
  2. Click on Layers in the blue header line.
  3. Click on the folder icon next to Invasive Species in the left column.
  4. Zoom in to the area of interest and check the box next to Reed Canary Grass Infestations, or click the plus sign after Reed Canary Grass Infestations to have it zoom in for you.
  5. If you click on the layer name, more information is given in a pop-up window.
  6. To see the legend, click on Legend in the blue header line.

  For more information on viewing this map, please contact:

  Christopher Smith
  (608) 221-6339

• Mapping Wisconsin Wetlands Dominated by Reed Canary Grass, Phalaris arundinacea L.: A landscape level assessment [October 2008, PDF 3.78MB]

  This report outlines the procedure for mapping reed canary grass across the state. The final output is discussed with some conclusions drawn about the areas where reed canary grass concentrations are highest.

• Using Landsat Imagery to Map Invasive Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea): A Landscape Level Wetland Monitoring Methodology [March 2004, PDF 3.06MB]

  This report describes the rationale for mapping invasive reed canary grass in a pilot area and documents the classification protocol used to create the map. Results are reported by watershed.

More Information

For more information on these reports and maps, please contact:

Tom Bernthal
(608) 266-3033