September 2007

As part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) continuous effort to use digital mapping technology to increase efficiency, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have recently revised the symbols used to identify wetland determination locations on FSA maps. The NRCS makes wetland determinations based on landowners' requests. FSA marks these sites with symbols on the maps for producers' ease of use.

In the past, FSA maps contained labels and delineations of NRCS wetland determinations. When FSA started using digital geographic data for maps, blue dots were used to represent wetland determinations. Since May 2007, FSA and NRCS have updated map symbology to give producers a more detailed representation of the wetland determinations present on their land.

Now, USDA's wetland point symbols, called wetland determination identifiers, indicate on digital maps the approximate location of NRCS wetland determinations.

Red, yellow and green symbols (no longer blue dots) represent different categories of wetland determinations and a legend provides an explanation of the various levels of use that are allowed on these wetlands:

Red octagons represent 'Restricted Use' determinations; upside-down yellow triangles represent 'Limited Restrictions' determinations; and green circles represent 'Exempt from Conservation Compliance Provisions' determinations.

As noted on the producer maps, the change to the current wetland determination identifiers does not change the wetland determinations made by NRCS, nor does it change FSA or NRCS wetland policy or regulations. The wetland determination identifiers do not represent the size, shape, exact location or exact category of wetland determination. The maps are used primarily for producer information when producers make crop acreage reports, change field boundaries or request a map of their land from FSA. The maps are not used for wetland conservation compliance. USDA participants remain responsible for self-certifying compliance with USDA wetland conservation provisions.

The maps with the new identifiers are not the official USDA wetland determination maps. Producers who have questions about the size, shape, exact location or exact category of the determination should refer to the determination information previously provided to them by NRCS on a form (CPA-026), or contact their local NRCS office. Both FSA and NRCS have the USDA wetland determination maps available for landowners and operators. Copies of these original maps have previously been provided to all producers. Producers may request a replacement copy through their local FSA or NRCS office if they no longer have the original.

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