Municipal Wetland Mapping by Mike Gracz

Wetlands and Watershed PlanningMike Gracz

Ecologist Kenai Watershed Forum

Ph.D. CandidateUniversity of Minnesota

235-2218mike@kenaiwatershed.org

cookinletwetlands.info

Overview

• General Background

• History– Wetland Mapping to Predict Function

• Applications– Public Awareness: Avoidance of Fill Activity– Habitat Analyses– Wetland Assessment in Homer

• Lessons Learned

Watershed PlanningStrategy

• Wetlands:• Important Water Resource• Valuable Ecosystem Services • Permitting Process

Alaska Watershed PlanningDifferences

• Wetlands:• High Cover• Relatively Pristine• Peatlands

Overview

• General Background

• History– Wetland Mapping to Predict Function

• Applications– Public Awareness: Avoidance of Fill Activity– Habitat Analyses– Homer Wetland Assessment

• Lessons Learned

Map-Based Watershed-Level Management Tool

NWI: Registration errors

NWI: Incomplete

NWI: Not predictive of wetland function

A New Classification A New Classification Predictive of FunctionPredictive of Function

Locally RelevantLocally Relevant

A New Classification A New Classification Predictive of FunctionPredictive of Function

Locally RelevantLocally RelevantWetland Management ToolWetland Management Tool

A New Classification A New Classification Predictive of FunctionPredictive of Function

Locally RelevantLocally Relevant

Wetland Management ToolWetland Management Tool

Watershed-level AssessmentsWatershed-level Assessments

A New Classification A New Classification Predictive of FunctionPredictive of Function

“First Principles” of wetland function(Brinson 1993, 1995)

Hydrology + Geomorphology = Wetland Function

H + G ∝ W

Cook Inlet Classification >NWI >

(National Wetland Inventory)

LLWW(Tiner 2003, 2011 version of HGM)

Results

Overview

• General Background• History

– Wetland Mapping to Predict Function

• Applications– Public Awareness: Avoidance of Fill Activity– Habitat Analyses– Homer Wetland Assessment

• Lessons Learned

Wetland Management Strategies

• Avoid

• Minimize

• Mitigate

Overview

• General Background

• History– Wetland Mapping to Predict Function

• Applications– Public Awareness: Avoidance of Fill Activity– Habitat Analyses– Homer Wetland Assessment

• Lessons Learned

Coho Salmon Analysis

Kasilof R.

Kenai R.

Anadromous Waters Catalog (AWC)

Coho Salmon Analysis

New streams connected to AWC

Coho Salmon Analysis

Connected Open-Water Wetlands

Coho Salmon Analysis

All Adjacent Wetlands

Coal Creek

Slikok Creek

Coho Salmon Analysis

All Wetlands

Sandhill Crane Nesting

Caribou Summer & Calving

Overview

• General Background

• History– Wetland Mapping to Predict Function

• Applications– Public Awareness: Avoidance of Fill Activity– Habitat Analyses– Homer Wetland Assessment

• Lessons Learned

Homer Wetland Management Project

• Mapping• Assessment• General Permit?• Local Ordinance?

Homer Wetland Management Strategies

Homer Wetland Management Strategies

Overview

• General Background

• History– Wetland Mapping to Predict Function

• Applications– Public Awareness: Avoidance of Fill Activity– Habitat Analyses– Homer Wetland Assessment

• Lessons Learned

Alaska is Different

• High wetland cover• Peatlands• Functioning in “reference standard condition”

Alaska is Different

• High wetland cover• Peatlands• Functioning in “reference standard condition”• Maintenance rather than

restoration of lost function

Alaska is Different

• High wetland cover• Peatlands• Functioning in “reference standard condition”• Maintenance rather than

restoration of lost function • Assessment not on disturbance gradient

Alaska is Different

• High wetland cover• Peatlands• Functioning in “reference standard condition”• Maintenance rather than

restoration of lost function • Assessment not on disturbance gradient

• Assessment for mitigation = biggest challenge

Alaska is Different

• Maintenance rather than restoration• Assessment not on disturbance gradient

•Assessment for mitigation = biggest challenge

Maybe not so different: • Local control requires commitment• Unexpected outcomes most effective

Cook Inlet Wetland Management Tool

Mike Graczmike@kenaiwatershed.org

cookinletwetlands.info907-235-2218

Special Thanks:Matt LaCroixPaul GlaserPhil North

Robert RuffnerBill Rice

Mary PriceClaudette MacDonaldDavid Wigglesworth

Karyn NoyesJerry Tande

Doug Van PattenJohn DeLappLisa Rabbe

Valerie RingoldRichard RegerAndy Reeve

Frankie BarkerMary Moffett

Field Crew:Karyn Noyes

Mike MacMillianMatt LaCroix

Doug Van PattenLogan Sander

Katy RiceTessa HovlandGayle Martin

Technical Support:Chris CloughBill Holloway

Dan ReganLaura Shelton

Doug Van PattenMike Mungoven

Stephanie KobylarzKaryn NoyesMary MoffettGeoff CobleDon Siegel

Birgit HagedornSusan Klein

Julie EngebretsenMonica McTeague

Funding:US Environmental Protection Agency

US Army Corps of EngineersUS Fish and Wildlife Service

Kenai River CenterUniversity of Minnesota