best practices in wetlands mapping and gis by local … · 2015-01-10 · marine habitat...

Best Practices in Wetlands Mapping and GIS by Best Practices in Wetlands Mapping and GIS by Local GovernmentsLocal Governments

ASWM Western State WorkshopASWM Western State WorkshopJune 5, 2007June 5, 2007

Presentation OverviewPresentation OverviewOverview of NACoOverview of NACo’’s Water Quality Technical s Water Quality Technical Assistance OfferingsAssistance OfferingsBest Practices in GIS Tools: Linking Land Use Best Practices in GIS Tools: Linking Land Use Decisions to Water Resource ProtectionDecisions to Water Resource ProtectionBest Practices in Wetland Data Collection and Best Practices in Wetland Data Collection and MappingMapping

What is NACo?The only national organization that represents counties in the US

A full service organization serving America’s 3,066 counties:Legislative Affairs

Research

Technical Assistance

Public Affairs Assistance

Enterprise Services

www.naco.org

NACo offers water quality technical assistance, NACo offers water quality technical assistance, including grant funding to help counties restore coastal including grant funding to help counties restore coastal habitats, inland wetlands and streambanks.habitats, inland wetlands and streambanks.Check out these two funding opportunitiesCheck out these two funding opportunities

Five Star Restoration Program Five Star Restoration Program Coastal Counties Restoration InitiativeCoastal Counties Restoration Initiative

Five Star Restoration Grant ProgramFive Star Restoration Grant ProgramProvides $5kProvides $5k--$20k seed grants to support $20k seed grants to support communitycommunity--based efforts to:based efforts to:

-- restore riparian areas, wetlands and coastal restore riparian areas, wetlands and coastal habitat habitat

-- build diverse partnerships build diverse partnerships -- foster local stewardship foster local stewardship of resourcesof resources

In Partnership with In Partnership with NOAA provides: NOAA provides:

$50k$50k--$100k grants to $100k grants to support communitysupport community--based efforts to support based efforts to support marine habitat marine habitat restoration projects by restoration projects by

NACo Publications help counties protect the NACo Publications help counties protect the benefits of wetlands and water resources such benefits of wetlands and water resources such asas::Flood Control/Shoreline ProtectionFlood Control/Shoreline ProtectionEconomic Growth Economic Growth RecreationRecreationImproved Water QualityImproved Water QualityEducationEducationHabitat protection Habitat protection

Recent PublicationsRecent Publications

Project GoalProject GoalMeasure the effectiveness and usability of Measure the effectiveness and usability of existing GIS decision support tools as they existing GIS decision support tools as they apply to counties and their partners.apply to counties and their partners.

Project ApproachProject Approach

Conduct an Industry ScanConduct an Industry ScanDevelop a Develop a ““Tools MatrixTools Matrix””Produce Case StudiesProduce Case StudiesConduct an Interactive Tools Conduct an Interactive Tools Assessment Symposium Assessment Symposium Publish Issue Brief with Project Publish Issue Brief with Project Highlights and FindingsHighlights and Findings

National PartnersNational Partners

EPA HQ and Regions EPA HQ and Regions USGSUSGSUSDAUSDAMidwest Spatial Decision Support System Midwest Spatial Decision Support System PartnershipPartnershipPlaceMattersPlaceMattersNonpoint Source Education for Municipal Officials Nonpoint Source Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO)(NEMO)Institute for the Application of Geospatial Institute for the Application of Geospatial Technology (IAGT)Technology (IAGT)

Local Land Use Local Land Use Decision Making ProcessDecision Making Process

Economic Development

Environment including Wetlands

EducationTransportation Public Safety

Defensible OptionsDefensible Options

Land Use Decisions Land Use Decisions Impact Wetlands/Water QualityImpact Wetlands/Water Quality

Where does GIS fit in?Where does GIS fit in?

Proactive Decision SupportProactive Decision Support

Going beyond mapping Going beyond mapping land use decisionsland use decisions

Modeling Scenarios and Modeling Scenarios and Impacts in the Decision Impacts in the Decision Making ProcessMaking Process

Case Studies Case Studies –– IssuesIssuesSource Water Protection Source Water Protection Wetlands ProtectionWetlands ProtectionStormwater ManagementStormwater ManagementProtection of Environmentally Sensitive Areas Protection of Environmentally Sensitive Areas Growth PressuresGrowth PressuresHazard MitigationHazard MitigationOnsite Wastewater SystemsOnsite Wastewater SystemsTMDLsTMDLsComprehensive Planning and Water QualityComprehensive Planning and Water Quality

Albany County, WY:Albany County, WY:Source Water ProtectionSource Water Protection

Anne Arundel County, MD:Anne Arundel County, MD:Stormwater Management and TMDLsStormwater Management and TMDLs

Baldwin County, AL:Baldwin County, AL:Wetlands ProtectionWetlands Protection

Success FactorsSuccess FactorsLeveraging the strengths of partnersLeveraging the strengths of partners

The county functions as a system of systems that all influence each other

Champion within the county that recognizes the benefits of utilizing scientific data and tools to better understand decision options.

Tools implemented either require very little data “massaging” or are custom built to adhere to the county’s existing data standards

BarriersBarriers

““Counties want the analysis, but don't have Counties want the analysis, but don't have staff resources to actually implement the staff resources to actually implement the technology.technology.””

““We have built a GIS and have accumulated We have built a GIS and have accumulated excellent data but have just lost a key person excellent data but have just lost a key person who was the only staffer really proficient in who was the only staffer really proficient in using the GIS as an analytical tool." using the GIS as an analytical tool."

Barriers cont.Barriers cont.

"Not only do the 3rd party tools often require "Not only do the 3rd party tools often require very specific data, they tend to hold you to a very specific data, they tend to hold you to a specific sent of assumptions." specific sent of assumptions."

"Organizationally, barriers to free"Organizationally, barriers to free--flowing flowing communication hamper efforts to do more communication hamper efforts to do more comprehensive analysis as well."comprehensive analysis as well."

Next Step: Wetlands Data AssessmentNext Step: Wetlands Data Assessment

Assess County Wetlands Data Needs and Assess County Wetlands Data Needs and Collect Best PracticesCollect Best PracticesNational Wetlands Data and Planning National Wetlands Data and Planning RoundtableRoundtablePeerPeer--toto--Peer Learning and Knowledge Peer Learning and Knowledge TransferTransferProduce County Wetlands Data GuidebookProduce County Wetlands Data Guidebook

Assessing County OfficialsAssessing County Officials’’ Wetlands Data Wetlands Data Needs: Questionnaire ResultsNeeds: Questionnaire Results

What are the sources of your wetlands maps and What are the sources of your wetlands maps and data?data?

Federal Government Federal Government --70%70%State Government State Government -- 47%47%Created or Enhanced inCreated or Enhanced in--house by county staff house by county staff -- 39%39%Created or Enhanced by a consultant to the county Created or Enhanced by a consultant to the county --

15%15%Regional Entity (Council of Governments) Regional Entity (Council of Governments) --12%12%Other Other --12%12%


Do available maps and data meet county Do available maps and data meet county wetlands protection needs?wetlands protection needs?

Yes Yes –– 54%54%

No No –– 46%46%


When asked why they answered When asked why they answered ““nono”” to that to that question, respondents gave a few question, respondents gave a few reasons.reasons. You can see the breakdown on this You can see the breakdown on this slide for the following reasons:slide for the following reasons:

Wetland areas are missing from the map Wetland areas are missing from the map -- 35%35%

Wetlands are not mapped to the same accuracy level as Wetlands are not mapped to the same accuracy level as our other maps and data our other maps and data -- 33%33%

Descriptive information about each wetland area is Descriptive information about each wetland area is insufficient insufficient -- 25%25%


Some Suggestions to Improve Data to Better Meet Some Suggestions to Improve Data to Better Meet County Needs:County Needs:

Produce federal data that is accurate at the local Produce federal data that is accurate at the local level, especially NWI data. (Ex. level, especially NWI data. (Ex. ““Remap the Remap the NWINWI””))““Funding for countyFunding for county--level wetlands mappinglevel wetlands mapping””““Central data clearinghouse that would provide the Central data clearinghouse that would provide the most up to date data available and list potential data most up to date data available and list potential data sources, e.g., NWI, soil survey, etc.sources, e.g., NWI, soil survey, etc.””““More groundMore ground--truthing of current federal and state truthing of current federal and state datadata””

Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview

-- 50,000 people spread over 16,000 square 50,000 people spread over 16,000 square milesmiles

-- Prevent hidden construction delays from Prevent hidden construction delays from unmapped wetlandsunmapped wetlands

-- Largely pristine wetlandsLargely pristine wetlands……wanted to avoid wanted to avoid future restoration costsfuture restoration costs

-- Kenai Watershed Forum, USEPA, CookKenai Watershed Forum, USEPA, CookInlet Keeper, Kenai River Center and NRCSInlet Keeper, Kenai River Center and NRCS

-- Using NWI, soil survey data and field visitsUsing NWI, soil survey data and field visitsproduced wetlands maps of lowland areasproduced wetlands maps of lowland areas

-- Uploaded maps onto borough websiteUploaded maps onto borough website

-- Can view wetlands and their parcel linesCan view wetlands and their parcel lines

-- Constructing on wetlands is expensive, given Constructing on wetlands is expensive, given accurate information development naturallyaccurate information development naturallymoved away from wetland areas thus moved away from wetland areas thus protecting wetlands and avoiding costly protecting wetlands and avoiding costly construction delaysconstruction delays

-- Decreased staff time dealing with developers Decreased staff time dealing with developers and land owners. Developers and and land owners. Developers and environmentalists were both pleased with environmentalists were both pleased with resultsresults

-- Efforts began in 1995 with USEPAEfforts began in 1995 with USEPA’’s ADID programs ADID program

-- Expanded in 1999 with USEPA Wetland Program Development Expanded in 1999 with USEPA Wetland Program Development Grant Grant –– Developed Wetlands Conservation Plan which included Developed Wetlands Conservation Plan which included RFWAM (GIS tool)RFWAM (GIS tool)

-- Data used: (NWI enhanced to create local accuracy, water Data used: (NWI enhanced to create local accuracy, water resource data from USGS, floodplain maps, endangered species resource data from USGS, floodplain maps, endangered species maps, soil data and land cover data)maps, soil data and land cover data)

-- Prioritized all wetlands as suitable for either conservation, Prioritized all wetlands as suitable for either conservation, enhancement, or restorationenhancement, or restoration

-- Results: Increased funding for wetland restoration projects fromResults: Increased funding for wetland restoration projects fromgrantors, wetlands protection language into Subdivision grantors, wetlands protection language into Subdivision Regulations, access for developers and county staff to wetland Regulations, access for developers and county staff to wetland mapsmaps

More examplesMore examples

PROTECTING AND RESTORING WETLANDS: STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

Example of a wetland map from Thurston County,

Washington.

City of Bloomington, Minnesota Wetland Map

For more information/feedback contact:Erik Johnston

NACo Community Services Associate

(202) 942-4246

[email protected] visit www.naco.org/techassistance under Water Quality

best practices in wetlands mapping and gis by local … · 2015-01-10 · marine habitat...

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