A second region of updated National Wetland Inventory (NWI) data, covering 36 counties in southern Minnesota, is now available through the Minnesota Geospatial Commons. NWI data are used at all levels of government and by private industry and non-profit organizations for wetland regulation and management, land use and conservation planning, environmental impact assessment, and natural resource inventories.

The project to update Minnesota’s 1980s NWI data is being conducted in geographic phases, with data for each region released as it is finalized. This newest release is based primarily on 2011 spring aerial imagery and LiDAR elevation data, as well as other modern ancillary data. The updated NWI classify wetlands according to the Cowardin system, and the data also contains a simplified plant community classification and a simplified hydrogeomorphic classification. This is a multi-agency, collaborative effort under the leadership of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Major funding was provided by the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

Data are also available for the first region of updated NWI data, which includes 13 counties in east-central Minnesota. To find NWI data for both regions, go to the NWI page on the Geospatial Commons.