The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), as part of an interagency effort with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, is announcing the availability of the final 2020 National Wetland Plant List (NWPL). The Federal Register Notice for the 2020 NWPL update can be found here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/11/02/2021-23891/national-wetland-plant-list
The NWPL provides plant species wetland indicator status ratings, which are used in determining whether the hydrophytic vegetation factor is met when conducting wetland delineations under the Clean Water Act. The list is effective as of November 2, 2021 and will be used in any wetland delineations/determinations performed after this date. Delineations completed prior to this date may still use the 2018 NWPL. Completed wetland delineation/determination forms should reference the version of the NWPL used to complete the form. Please note the change in wetland indicator status ratings for the four species found in the table below.
Scientific Name
|
Region
|
2018 Rating
|
2020 Rating
|
Atriplex lentiformis
|
Arid West
|
FAC
|
FACU
|
Celastrus orbiculatus
|
Northcentral and Northeast
|
UPL
|
FACU
|
Pinus palustris
|
Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain
|
FACU
|
FAC
|
Quercus pagoda
|
Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain
|
FACW
|
FAC
|
More info regarding changes to the 2020 Final NWPL can be found at the NWPL website- https://wetland-plants.sec.usace.army.mil/ (preferred browsers are Chrome and Firefox). Please note the new web address for the NWPL website. Current bookmarks and links to this website may need to be updated.
Updated versions of the Automated Wetland Determination Data Sheets (ADS) can be found at the Regulatory SharePoint site (see link below). Please replace any local copies of the ADS with the updated versions.
https://cops.usace.army.mil/sites/RD/RegulatoryDocuments/Forms/All.aspx?RootFolder=%2Fsites%2FRD%2FRegulatoryDocuments%2FDelineation%2FAutomated%20Datasheets&FolderCTID=0x012000A54E0CB8468FBB489164FE1E0CA53147
Note: Some users have reported errors or have been unable to open the Excel-based ADS due the use of macros within the ADS. If you encounter any errors or are unable to open the ADS, please install the “Enable Excel Macro” app from the CIO/G-6 Software App Portal. For any other questions related to the ADS, please email autodatasheet@usace.army.mil. Additional information regarding the integration of the ADS into Survey123 and the National Regulatory Viewer will soon follow.
Questions regarding the NWPL and the 2020 updates should be directed to Paul Minkin, NWPL Director at jeremy.p.minkin@usace.army.mil and Bri McGuffie, HQ USACE Regulatory Program Manager at brianne.e.mcguffie@usace.army.mil.