Wetland Plants, Climate, and Hydric Soils

Wetland Plants

The swampbuster provision of the Food Security Act of 1985 requires the Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service) to make wetland/converted wetland determinations based on the presence of hydric soils and hydrophytic vegetation. This is necessary to assist the United States Department of Agriculture program agencies in determining producer eligibility for USDA program benefits.

The following USDA wetland flora publications are available online from the  (NPWRC).  These illustrated guides will assist persons in the identification of wetland plants. 

• Midwest Wetland Flora
• Northeast Wetland Flora
• Southern Wetland Flora
• Western Wetland Flora
• NPWRC - Additional biological resources.

Wetland Climate Data

• USDA-NRCS National Water and Climate Center
  Climate Analysis for Wetlands by County
  http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/climate/wetlands.html
  Climate Data: WETS Table Documentation
  http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/climate/wets_doc.html

Hydric Soils

• USDA-NRCS Soil Survey Division
  Hydric Soils of the United States : 
  http://soils.usda.gov/use/hydric/

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