An increasing number of wetland assessment procedures have become available in the last several years. While wetland scientists welcome these tools, the abundance of procedures is now making the process of selecting an appropriate procedure confusing and time consuming. It might be simplified if there were rules stating which one should or should not be used. Federal or state agencies are unable to establish policy in this regard because existing procedures can have a variety of uses and/or could be modified for use in other applications. Also, it is difficult to keep abreast of new developments. The freedom to choose among numerous procedures presents a challenge to the wetland scientists. This problem should be alleviated with written guidance that explains where to obtain information about and how to select a wetland assessment procedure.
To answer this need, this section of EMRIS provides a series of steps to facilitate the selection of a wetland function assessment procedure. The 39 procedures included are highly varied, providing options for users that were not available years ago. These guidelines are intended for individuals who need to make a relatively rapid, but carefully considered and informed decision (e.g., regulators, project managers, consultants). For this reason, the steps are designed to provide a thorough, concise, and easy to follow approach to selecting an assessment procedure.
The selection process is in two formats. One is a prepared paper "The Process of Selecting a Wetland Assessment Procedure Steps and Considerations." The second format is a computer-based decision support system that allows the selection of a wetlands assessment procedure by querying the user with a series of questions. Textual information on the use of the system is included here. Please go to the Information Manager. Both formats begin with background information and two introductory tables.
Not all the procedures are completely developed or still recommended for use by their authors. But because many procedures can be modified for application in new situations or under new conditions, all are presented to maximize information for the reader. Some of the procedures also include non-wetland systems, and some of the new situations and conditions that can be modified to be covered include uplands and riparian areas.
Candy Bartoldus is the author of this section. She is with Environmental Concern, Inc., St. Michaels, MD, and has worked in the area of wetland function assessment for nearly 20 years.
Part of this section is based on other writings, notably:
Bartoldus, C.C. 1999a. A Comprehensive Review of Wetland Assessment Procedures: A Guide for Wetland Practitioners. Environmental Concern Inc., St. Michaels, MD. 196 pp.
Available from http://www.wetland.org for $24 plus shipping.
Bartoldus, C.C. 1999b. Standard Guide for the Assessment of Wetland Functions (E1983-98). American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), W. Conshohocken, PA. 27 pp.
Available from ASTM for $40; web site http://demo.astm.org/webdoxx.htm, then
"ASTM Store," and "Search for Individual Standards."