Toolbox: FWS Showcases Completed National Wetlands Inventory

You might have noticed that Republicans, real estate developers, farmers, and others have gotten steamed lately about U.S. EPA's effort to define its jurisdiction over U.S. waters. Whatever your views on this controversy, it will mean a lot of good local stories. Now there's an improved data tool for gathering information about those waters that may not be big enough to row a boat on, but still are critical to the environment.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rolled out on May 1, 2014, the completed version of its National Wetlands Inventory, which includes an interactive mapping tool. FWS called it "the most comprehensive and detailed U.S. wetland data set ever produced," the product of 35 years of effort.

The best overview of all the features of the system is available here.

• Press Release of May 1, 2014, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.