National Wetlands Inventory
NWI
National Wetlands Inventory
surface waters and wetlands
Disclaimer
Data displayed in the Wetlands Mapper were developed using a biological definition of wetlands and may not be consistent with wetland
boundaries established according to the federal regulatory definition of wetlands under the Clean Water Act. The data do not account for
changes in the landscape that may have occurred after mapping (see metadata). The Wetlands Mapper data should not be interpreted as
representing the presence, absence, or extent of wetlands that may be covered under one or more federal, state, Tribal, or local laws.
If you are planning to conduct activities that could affect waters or wetlands, we recommend that you contact your local USACE regulatory
office to ensure compliance with applicable federal wetland regulations:
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By Watershed
By State
Web Services
Before You Begin
NWI data can be accessed in several ways depending on your needs. To display and query wetlands data in your software application please use our
Web Map Services
. This will ensure you have the latest data and reduce data management overhead. If you need to conduct GIS analysis please reference the information below and download the data by watershed or by state. For downloads larger than a state, please contact the
Wetlands Team
to request a custom download.
Please note that NWI data is continuously being improved and new data is added on a biannual basis. Those updates are reflected on the
Wetlands Mapper
and in the data downloads in October and May of each year. To ensure that you have the most up to date information, please refer to the published date in the metadata, the location of new data on the
Projects Mapper
and download new data regularly.
Each State and watershed data download is available as either a compressed file
Geodatabase
Geopackage
, or a
Shapefile
(watersheds only). Files are compressed by using the
.zip
format and contain the following layers:
Wetlands polygon data
Wetlands Project Metadata (includes image dates and project information)
Wetlands Historic Map Information*
Riparian polygon data*
Riparian Project Metadata (includes image dates and project information)*
Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) HUC8 modified**
* If available at the requested location.
** Not included in State downloads.
Information about each of these layers can be found on our
Metadata
page.
Not all of Alaska has been digitally mapped by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Please refer to the Wetlands Mapper Wetlands Mapping Status layer to view where wetlands have been mapped in Alaska. The state downloads include a Wetlands Project Metadata layer that identifies where and when wetlands were mapped within the state.
Downloading Tips
If an error occurs during your download, or if your downloaded file(s) is corrupted, we strongly recommend the use of a download manager. Please visit the
Frequently Asked Questions
page for more information on this topic. For security reasons, we are not allowed to served data via FTP.
Due to the amount of data being downloaded, the resulting time to download each file may take up to 60 minutes or more, and each file can range in sizes from 1MB to approximately 1GB.
Download data by watershed
Click on the button below and select the (HUC 8) watershed data you wish to download.
Download data by state
State data can be obtained here:
or, use the pull down menu below to select the state data you wish to download.
Select a state:
NOTE:
Due to the variation in use and analysis of this data by the end user, each of states wetlands data extends beyond the state boundary. Each state includes wetlands data that intersect the 1:24,000 quadrangles that contain part of that state (1:2,000,000 source data). This allows the user to clip the data to their specific analysis datasets. Beware that two adjacent states will contain some of the same data along their borders.
Many of the data layers on the Wetlands Mapper can be displayed and queried in your software applications by using the following web mapping services:
REST service address (
more info
):
Web Mapping Service (WMS) address (
more info
):
Keyhole Markup Language (KML) file (
more info
):
Wetlands-Data.kml
Download Data
Please review the Data Download (
www.fws.gov/wetlands/Data/Data-Download.html
) page for information on how to download data, what is included in the download and data use limitations and disclaimer.
Click the map to select a watershed from which to extract wetland data.
National Wetlands Inventory
About the Application
Disclaimer
Data Limitations
Wetlands Geodatabase User Caution
The National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) was established by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to conduct a nationwide inventory of U.S. wetlands to provide biologists and others with information on the distribution and type of wetlands to aid in conservation efforts.
This web mapping application provides users with access to over 34 million features that represent the extent, approximate location and type of wetlands and surface water habitats in the United States and U.S. trust territories.
Users can navigate around the map using pan and zoom functions or use the find location button to enter a place name or address. Mobile devices can leverage the GPS functionality to zoom to your current coordinates using the Find My Location button. The application also provides the ability to download wetland maps (PDF) and geospatial wetlands data to your computer.
Refer to the following links for documentation and answers to frequently asked questions:
Wetlands Mapper Documentation and Instructions Manual
(PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions: Wetlands Mapper
VIDEO:
How to find and use the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service's Wetlands Mapper
For general questions about wetland maps and the Wetlands Mapper:
Wetlands_Team@fws.gov
v1.6.4
Disclaimer
The use of trade, product, industry or firm names or products is for informative purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Government or the Fish and Wildlife Service. Links to non-Service Web sites do not imply any official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service endorsement of the opinions or ideas expressed therein or guarantee the validity of the information provided. Base cartographic information used as part of the Wetlands Mapper has been provided through a license agreement with ESRI and the Department of the Interior.
Data Limitations
The Service's objective of mapping wetlands and deepwater habitats is to produce reconnaissance level information on the location, type and size of these resources. The maps are prepared from the analysis of high altitude imagery. Wetlands are identified based on vegetation, visible hydrology and geography. A margin of error is inherent in the use of imagery; thus, detailed on-the-ground inspection of any particular site may result in revision of the wetland boundaries or classification established through image analysis.
The accuracy of image interpretation depends on the quality of the imagery, the experience of the image analysts, the amount and quality of the collateral data and the amount of ground truth verification work conducted. Metadata should be consulted to determine the date of the source imagery used and any mapping problems.
Wetlands or other mapped features may have changed since the date of the imagery and/or field work. There may be occasional differences in polygon boundaries or classifications between the information depicted on the map and the actual conditions on site.
Exclusions
- Certain wetland habitats are excluded from the National mapping program because of the limitations of aerial imagery as the primary data source used to detect wetlands. These habitats include seagrasses or submerged aquatic vegetation that are found in the intertidal and subtidal zones of estuaries and nearshore coastal waters. Some deepwater reef communities (coral or tuberficid worm reefs) have also been excluded from the inventory. These habitats, because of their depth, go undetected by aerial imagery.
By policy, the Service also excludes certain types of "farmed wetlands" as may be defined by the Food Security Act or that do not coincide with the Cowardin et al. definition. Contact the Service's Regional Wetland Coordinator for additional information on what types of farmed wetlands are included on wetland maps.
Precautions
- Federal, state, and local regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over wetlands may define and describe wetlands in a different manner than that used in this inventory. There is no attempt, in either the design or products of this inventory, to define the limits of proprietary jurisdiction of any Federal, state, or local government or to establish the geographical scope of the regulatory programs of government agencies. Persons intending to engage in activities involving modifications within or adjacent to wetland areas should seek the advice of appropriate federal, state, or local agencies concerning specified agency regulatory programs and proprietary jurisdictions that may affect such activities.
The Wetlands Geodatabase is an ongoing effort consisting of data additions, updates, and other data modifications. All datasets utilized outside of the Wetlands Geodatabase or the Wetlands Mapper and supporting web services are only effective as of the date of extraction or delivery by the Wetlands Geodatabase Administrator. The Wetlands Mapper displays the current status of wetlands data availability.
This data set represents the extent, approximate location and type of wetlands and deepwater habitats in the United States and select U.S. trust territories.
These data were developed in conjunction with the publication Cowardin, L.M., V. Carter, F.C. Golet, and E.T. LaRoe. 1979. Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, DC. FWS/OBS-79/31. Alpha-numeric map codes have been developed to correspond to the wetland and deepwater classifications described.
These spatial data are not designed to stand alone. They were originally developed as topical overlays to the U.S. Geological Survey 1:24,000 or 1:25,000 scale topographic quadrangles or digital imagery. Note that coastline delineations were drawn to follow the extent of wetland or deepwater features as described by this project and may not match the coastline shown in other base maps. The map products were neither designed nor intended to represent legal or regulatory products.
Comments regarding the interpretation or classification of wetlands or deepwater habitats can be directed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Ecological Services or by contacting
Wetlands_Team@fws.gov
Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. For additional information visit the
product summary
and
metadata
web pages.
Basemaps
Map Layers
Legend
General
Description
Reports
About
This
acre
habitat is classified as a
. For a complete code description, click
here
Zoom to wetland
Zoom to project area
Classification code:
System
Subsystem
Class
Subclass
Split Class
Split Subclass
Water Regime
For more information on wetland classification codes click
here
Below are links to wetland related documents for this area.
Historic Map Information
Local
County
State
Regional
National
Data Limitations
The Service's objective of mapping wetlands and deepwater habitats is to produce reconnaissance level information on the location, type and size of these resources. The maps are prepared from the analysis of high altitude imagery. Wetlands are identified based on vegetation, visible hydrology and geography. A margin of error is inherent in the use of imagery; thus, detailed on-the-ground inspection of any particular site may result in revision of the wetland boundaries or classification established through image analysis. Wetlands or other mapped features may have changed since the date of the imagery and/or field work. There may be occasional differences in polygon boundaries or classifications between the information depicted on the map and the actual conditions on site.
Wetland Regulations
The wetlands displayed on the Wetlands Mapper show wetland type and extent using a biological definition of wetlands. There is no attempt to define the limits of proprietary jurisdiction of any Federal, State, or local government, or to establish the geographical scope of the regulatory programs of government agencies. Persons intending to engage in activities involving modifications within or adjacent to wetland areas should seek the advice of appropriate federal, state, or local agencies concerning specified agency regulatory programs and proprietary jurisdictions that may affect such activities.
For information about regulations that may affect wetlands or development on your property, contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office nearest you:
Application
Disclaimer
Data Limitations
Wetlands Geodatabase User Caution
Wetland FAQ
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