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Top 1%
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100%
10
1 Miles
20
Figure 39. Southern Parks and Rocky Mountain Ranges composite map. A separate figure
(Figure 5) shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent
higher ecological importance, those identified in white as 51-100% represent lower ecological
importance.
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Top1%
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100%
12.5
25
Figure 40. Stockton Plateau composite map. A separate figure (Figure 5) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent higher ecological importance, those
identified in white as 51-100% represent lower ecological importance.
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1 Miles
i30
Figure 41. Texas High Plains composite map. A separate figure (Figure 5) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent higher ecological importance, those
identified in white as 51-100% represent lower ecological importance.
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•• Top 1%
^H 2-1 0%
^H 11-25%
| | 26-50%
I 151-100%
10
Miles
20
Figure 42. Upper Rio Grande Basin composite map. A separate figure (Figure 5) shows the five-
state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent higher ecological importance,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent lower ecological importance.
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2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
| [51-100%
0 12.5 25
I Miles
50
Figure 43. White Mountains-San Francisco Peaks composite map. A separate figure (Figure 5)
shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent higher
ecological importance, those identified in white as 51-100% represent lower ecological
importance.
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4.0 DISCUSSION
The individual sub-layers and main layers selected for REAP reflect important attributes
relating to ecosystem condition, and by extension, ecosystem function. REAP characterizes
ecological conditions in terms of three different aspects of ecosystems using existing data
coupled with ecological theory, while recognizing that there are judgements involved in such an
enterprise. Given the complexity of ecosystems, these judgements include determining which
measures to concentrate on and which to exclude, and communicating the uncertainties and
limitations of the data and REAP analysis.
The REAP is a relatively simple model that uses stratified data that are combined to give
a total or composite picture of EPA Region 6 at the ecoregion level. Since complicated
modeling and analysis tools are less likely to be used in regulatory processes, beneficial
properties of GIS assessment tools such as REAP include 1) simplicity (expert modeling abilities
are not needed), 2) use of available data (rather than experimentation), 3) analytical (numerical
simulation is not needed), 4) approximation (need matches level of effort), 5) measurable
change, and 6) expandability (use in more sophisticated models) (Leibowitz et al. 2000).
REAP can aid in assessing and prioritizing locations when detailed information is
limited. Due to the scale at which the REAP was performed it has limitations in utility with
regard to regulatory decisions or processes requiring more detail. REAP is a screening tool that
can assist in overall conservation efforts (including project planning, mitigation, preservation, or
restoration activities) and to identify areas where more site-specific data are needed. REAP
results should be used in conjunction with agency-specific information to support decisions.
(Schweiger et al. 2002).
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4.1 Data Limitations
The limitations of the underlying data are the same as those described in Osowski et al.
(2005). In addition, rarity layer rare species information was calculated for quadrangles, a
coarser resolution compared to the elemental occurrences that were used for the TEAP. The data
used for rarity in the TEAP was more precise than that obtained and used for the REAP. In
addition to the data limitations outlined in Osowski et al. (2005), using quadrangle level
information (vs actual elemental occurrences) is the reason that data from state heritage
programs were not used to exclusively represent rarity, but were combined with vegetation rarity
(using NLCD), and included as a separate sub-layer of equal weight in the rarity main layer.
4.2 Conservation
The ecologically important areas identified through REAP do not represent areas that, if
left undisturbed, would capture all of the remaining biodiversity in the state, nor does it give
license to impact areas that have lower REAP scores of ecological importance. The use of
REAP would be the first step in avoidance of impacts, not the last. REAP identifies the top 1%
ecologically important areas in each ecoregion and provides information to aid streamlining
agency decisions. When communicating the results of REAP, it can showcase places that may
make a significant contribution to the biodiversity of EPA Region 6.
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5.0 REFERENCES
Bailey, R. G. 1985. The factor of scale in ecosystem mapping. Environmental Management
9:271-276.
Bailey, R. G. 1987. Suggested hierarchy of criteria for multi-scale ecosystem mapping.
Landscape and Urban Planning 14:313-319.
Bailey, R. 1994. Bailey Ecoregion Map. Global View CD-ROM; Global Ecosystems Database,
Ecosystem and Global Change Program, National Geophysical Data Center, Boulder, Colorado.
Bailey, R. G. 1996. Multi-scale ecosystem analysis. Environmental Monitoring and
Assessment 39:21-24.
Begon, M., J. L. Harper, and C. R. Townsend. 1986. Ecology: Individuals, Populations, and
Communities. Sinaur Associates. Sunderland, MA.
Bryce, S. A. and S. E. Clarke. 1996. Landscape-level ecological regions linking state-level
ecoregion frameworks with stream habitat classifications. Environmental Management 20:297-
311.
EPA 1994. Evaluation of Ecological Impacts from Highway Development. EPA-300-B-94-
006/April 1994. Washington, D.C.
Griffith, G. E., J. M. Omernik, and A. J. Woods. 1999. Ecoregions, watersheds, basins, and
HUCs: How state and federal agencies frame water quality. Journal of Soil and Water
Conservation 54:666-677.
Harrison, J. E., Ebert, D., Wade, T. and Yankee, D. 2000. Using (ATtlLA) Analytical Tools
Interface for Landscape Assessments to Estimate Landscape Indicators and Target Restoration
Needs, [unpublished]
Kuchler, A. W. 1964. Manual to Accompany the Map of Potential Vegetation of the
Coterminous United States. Special Publication No. 36. American Geographical Society. New
York.
Leibowitz, S. G., C. Loehle, B-L. Li, and E. M. Preston. 2000. Modeling landscape functions
and effects: a network approach. Ecological Modelling 132:77-94.
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Osowski, S. L., J. Danielson, S. Schwelling, D. German, M. Swan, D. Lueckenhoff, D. Parrish,
A. K. Ludeke, and J. Bergan. 2005. Texas Environmental Resource Stewards (TERS) Texas
Ecological Assessment Protocol (TEAP) Results, Pilot Project Report. Report Number EPA-
906-C-05-001. US Environmental Protection Agency Region 6, Dallas, TX.
Schweiger, E. W., S. G. Leibowitz, J. B. Hyman, W. E. Foster, and M. C. Downing. 2002.
Synoptic assessment of wetland function: a planning tool for protection of wetland species.
Biodiversity and Conservation 11:3 79-406.
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APPENDIX A
Descriptions of Bailey's Ecoregions
(McNab and Avers 1994)
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Eastern Broadleaf Forest (Continental)
Ozark Highlands (Section 222A)
Geomorphology. This Section is part of the Ozark Plateaus geomorphic province. It is a maturely
dissected high plateau with dendritic and radial drainage patterns. Most of the Section is equally
divided between steep hills with local relief up to 1,000 ft (300 m) and rolling hills with local
relief between 200 and 500 ft (60 to 150 m). There are also gently rolling plains with local relief
of less than 200 ft; also present is the flat, 6-mile (10-km) wide Mississippi River flood plain,
composed of broad bottomlands with associated terraces, ox-bows, and meander scars. Current
geomorphic processes are fluvial erosion, transport and deposition, and mass wasting.
Widespread karst features include caves, sinkholes, and springs. Elevation ranges from 300 to
1,800 ft (100 to 600m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Quaternary loess deposits (unconsolidated aeolian silt) are
widespread on the uplands; areas without loess cover have moderately thick residuum. Lower
slopes are covered with Quaternary colluvium; valley bottoms are characterized by alluvial
material. The Mississippi's flood plain has up to 150 ft (45 m) of unconsolidated Tertiary and
Quaternary alluvium (gravel, sand, silt, and clay) overlying bedrock. Bedrock consists of lower
Ordovician dolomite and sandstone, with lesser amounts of Silurian, Devonian, Mississippian,
and Pennsylvanian rocks (limestone, chert, sandstone, and shale) around the Section's margins.
The oldest bedrock units, near the center of the Section and forming the highest hills, are
Proterozoic igneous rocks, volcanics ranging from rhyolite to andesite, some gabbro, and a large
granitic pluton.
Soil Taxa. There are Udalfs and Udults, with mesic temperature regime and udic moisture
regime. The soils are mostly cherty, developed in loess mantle. Minerology is siliceous or mixed.
Soils are generally old, shallow, stony, and acidic, except on broad ridges and bottomlands.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler vegetation types are mapped as oak-hickory forest, oak-
hickory-pine forest, mosaic of bluestem prairie and oak-hickory forest, and cedar glades. Dry
upland sites include post oak-blackjack oak-black hickory with lichen-moss ground cover, and
shortleaf pine-oak in areas of sandstone bedrock. Mesic slopes sites have white oak-northern red
oak-bitternut hickory-flowering dogwood. Riparian sites have river birch-silver maple. Glades
have little bluestem-baldgrass; eastern redcedar has invaded these prairie sites as a result of fire
suppression. The current trend is to characterize Ozark's landscapes as "woodland" or "savanna"
rather than "forest," in recognition of the role of frequent, low-intensity fire.
Fauna. Major ungulates are white-tailed deer and cattle (elk and bison were extirpated). The
major predator is the coyote (the red wolf, timber wolf, and cougar were extirpated). The mink,
otter, beaver, black bear, fox, and bobcat had declined but are recovering. The Section supports
opossum and some threatened and endangered bats; armadillo recently began invading. Bird
species total 143, including bald eagle and other raptors, turkey, various owls, wood duck,
roadrunner, kingfisher, various woodpeckers, and various songbirds (many warblers). Habitat
diversity (glades, sinkholes, and caves) contributes to rich herpetofauna, including rattlesnakes,
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copperheads, turtles, and many salamanders. The richness offish species is great, including 18
endemics and some relics. Introduced trout and carp are thriving. Crustaceans (19 endemic
crayfish) and molluscs (seven endemics) include some threatened and endangered species.
Insects, spiders, and ticks are very abundant; the gypsy moth had not been established as of
August 1995.
Climate. Mean annual precipitation is 40 to 48 in (1,020 to 1,220 mm) from northwest to
southeast. Snow averages about 10 in (240 mm). Mean annual temperature is 55 to 60 °F (13 to
16 °C). The growing season lasts 180 to 200 days. Frost pockets are common.
Surface Water Characteristics. Clear, cold spring-fed streams characterize the Ozarks. Karst
topography influences surface water, producing losing streams, springs (some large) and spring-
fed streams, seeps, and fens. Small sinkhole ponds exist but few natural lakes; however, several
large rivers have been dammed to create reservoirs. There is a moderate density of small
intermittent drainages, and small to medium-sized perennial streams, most with low to moderate
rates of flow.
Disturbance Regimes. Frequent, low intensity, widespread fire occurred prior to European
settlement. Fire suppression led to changes in community type and species composition. Closed-
canopy forests replaced many woodlands; pastures replaced prairies, glades, and bottomland
forests. Climatic influences include occasional summer droughts, winter ice storms, and
tornadoes.
Land Use. Forestry, tourism, hunting and fishing, grazing, and lead mining dominate.
Ozark Broadleaf Forest - Meadow
Boston Mountains (Section M222A)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Ozark Plateau geomorphic province. Geomorphic
characteristics include broad uplift of generally flat-lying marine sediments to a plateau,
followed by fluvial erosion, resulting in a strongly dissected region with dendritic drainages.
About 80% of the Section has landforms of low mountains; 20% consists of open hills and plains
with hills. Elevation ranges from 650 to 2,600 ft (20 to 80 m). Local relief ranges from 100 to
800 ft (30 to 240 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rocks in this Section formed during the Paleozoic Era. Geologic
strata consist of 20% Mississippian marine deposits (cherts and limestone) and 80%
Pennsylvanian marine deposits (sandstone, shale, coal, and limestone).
Soil Taxa. Soils are mostly Udults. Hapludults are on ridgetops, benches, and upper slopes.
Paleudults and Hapludults occur on middle and lower slopes. Udifluvents and Hapludults are on
flood plains, while Fragiudults and Hapludults are on valley terraces. These soils have a thermic
temperature regime, a udic moisture regime, and siliceous or mixed mineralogy. Soils are
generally medium textured, stony to nonstony, and shallow to moderately deep.
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Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler mapped this area as oak-hickory forest and oak-hickory-
pine forest. Predominant vegetation form is temperate low land and submontane broad-leaved,
cold-deciduous forest, with smaller areas of cold-deciduous, broad-leaved forest with evergreen
needle-leaved trees. Common oak species in the oak-hickory forest type include white oak, black
oak, and northern red oak. Hickories include pignut and mockernut. The shortleaf pine-oak cover
type occurs on drier sites where post, scarlet, and blackjack oaks dominate with shortleaf pine.
Fauna. Among the fauna in this Section are white-tailed deer, black bear, bobcat, gray fox,
raccoon, cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel, fox squirrel, eastern chipmunk, white-footed mouse,
pine vole, short-tailed shrew, and cotton mouse. The turkey, bobwhite, and mourning dove are
game birds in various parts of this Section. Songbirds include the red-eyed vireo, cardinal, tufted
titmouse, wood thrush, summer tanager, blue-gray gnatcatcher, hooded warbler, and Carolina
wren. The herpetofauna include the box turtle, common garter snake, and timber rattlesnake.
Climate. Annual precipitation averages 45 to 52 in (1,150 to 1,320 mm). Temperature averages
58 to 64 °F (14 to 17 °C). The growing season lasts about 180 to 205 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. There is a high density of small to medium size perennial streams
and associated rivers; those in intermountain basins have moderate rates of flow, and some on
mountain sides are characterized by high rates of flow and velocity. A dendritic drainage pattern
has developed on strongly dissected surfaces, largely with influence from the underlying
bedrock. The Buffalo River drains much of this Section.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been cleared for agriculture on about 25% of this area.
Southeastern Mixed Forest
Coastal Plains, Middle (Section 231B)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Coastal plains geomorphic province. The predominant
landform on about 80% of the area consists of moderately dissected, irregular plains of marine
origin formed by deposition of continental sediments onto submerged, shallow continental shelf,
which was later exposed by sea level subsidence. Elevation ranges from 80 to 650 ft (25 to 200
m). Local relief ranges from 100 to 300 ft (30 to 90 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rock units formed during the Mesozoic (40%) and Cenozoic (60%)
Eras. Mesozoic strata consist of Cretaceous marine sediments (sands and clays). Cenozoic strata
consists of Tertiary marine deposits (siliceous strata with lignitic, sandy, and argillaceous
deposits).
Soil Taxa. Soils are mostly Udults. Paleudults and Hapludults are on level to strongly sloping
uplands. Loamy Fragiudults and Paleudults are present on less sloping, moderately well drained
areas. Small but significant areas of Quartzipsamments, Paleudalfs, and Glossaqualfs are present
in localized areas. Albaquults and Paleaquults are found on low wetlands. Bottom land soils may
be dominated by Fluvaquents and Dystrochrepts. The soils have a thermic temperature regime,
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an udic moisture regime, a loamy or sandy surface layer, and a loamy or clayey subsoil. Soils
generally are deep, well to poorly drained, and have adequate moisture for use by vegetation
during the growing season.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler mapped vegetation as oak-hickory-pine forest, blackbelt,
and oak-hickory forest. The predominate vegetation form is evergreen, needle-leaved forest with
cold-deciduous, broad-leaved trees. The principal forest cover type consists of loblolly and
shortleaf pine with hardwoods, including sweetgum, flowering dogwood, elm, red cedar,
southern red oak, and hickories. In central Mississippi and Alabama the hardwood component
may be dominant, depending on soil moisture regime and past disturbance. A narrow band of
oak-hickory forest type occurs along the extreme western edge of the Section, adjacent to flood
plains of the Mississippi River and along major river bottoms.
Fauna. Among the fauna in this Section are white-tailed deer, black bear, bobcat, gray fox,
raccoon, gray squirrel, fox squirrel, eastern chipmunk, white-footed mouse, pine vole, short-
tailed shrew, and cotton mouse. The turkey, ruffed grouse, bobwhite, and mourning dove are
game birds in various parts of this Section. Songbirds include the red-eyed vireo, cardinal, tufted
titmouse, wood thrush, summer tanager, blue-gray gnatcatcher, hooded warbler, and Carolina
wren. The herpetofauna include the box turtle, common garter snake and timber rattlesnake.
Climate. Precipitation averages 40 to 60 in (1,020 to 1,520 mm). Temperature averages 60 to 68
°F (16 to 20 °C). The growing season lasts about 200 to 280 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. There is a moderate density of small to medium perennial streams
and associated rivers, most with moderate volume of water at low velocity. Dendritic drainage
pattern has developed on this moderately dissected plain, largely without bedrock structural
control.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire has probably been the principal historical disturbance. Climatic
influences include occasional summer droughts and winter ice storms, and infrequent tornadoes.
Insect disturbances are often caused by southern pine beetles.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been cleared for agriculture on about 30% of the area.
Mid Coastal Plains, Western (Section 231E)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Coastal Plains geomorphic province. The predominant
landform occupying about 80% of the Section consists of moderately dissected irregular plains
of marine origin. The plains were formed by deposition of continental sediments onto
submerged, shallow continental shelf, which was later exposed by sea level subsidence. Other
landforms consist of plains with hills and smooth plains. Elevations range from 80 to 650 ft (25
to 200 m). Local relief ranges from 100 to 300 ft (30 to 90 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rock units formed during the Cenozoic Era. Strata consist of
Tertiary marine deposits (glauconitic sands and clays with lenses of coquinid limestone; clay and
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silty clay).
Soil Taxa. Soils are predominantly Udults. Paleudults, Hapludults, Hapludalfs, Paleudalfs, and
Albaqualfs are on uplands. Fluvaquents, Udifluvents, Eutrochrepts, and Glossaqualfs are on
bottom lands along major streams. Soils have a thermic temperature regime, a udic moisture
regime, and siliceous or mixed mineralogy. Most soils have formed from sandstone and shale
parent materials. Soils are generally coarse textured, deep, and have adequate moisture for plant
growth during the growing season.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler mapped this area as oak-hickory-pine forest, southern
mixed forest, and southern floodplain forest. The predominant vegetation form consists of
needle-leaved evergreen trees. Belts of cold deciduous, broad-leaved hardwoods are prevalent
along rivers. The principal forest cover type is loblolly and longleaf pines. Where hardwoods
are prevalent, species consist of post, white, blackjack, and southern red oaks. Species of bottom
lands are red maple, green ash, Nuttall oak, sweetgum, and swamp hickory.
Fauna. The elk, mountain lion, wolf, Carolina parakeet, and ivory-billed woodpecker once
inhabited this Section. Presently, the fauna include white-tailed deer, black bear, bobcat, gray
fox, raccoon, cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel, fox squirrel, striped skunk, swamp rabbit, and many
small rodents and shrews. The turkey, bobwhite, and mourning dove are game birds in various
parts of this Section. In flooded areas, ibises, cormorants, herons, egrets, and kingfishers are
common. Songbirds include the red-eyed vireo, cardinal, tufted titmouse, wood thrush, summer
tanager, blue-gray gnatcatcher, hooded warbler, and Carolina wren. The herpetofauna include
the box turtle, common garter snake, and timber rattlesnake.
Climate. Annual precipitation averages 40 to 54 inches (1,000 to 1,300 mm). Temperature
averages 61 to 68 °F (16 to 20 °C). The growing season lasts about 200 to 270 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. There is a moderate density of small to medium size perennial
streams and associated rivers, most with moderate volume of water flowing at low velocity.
Dendritic drainage pattern has developed. Major rivers draining this Section include the Red and
Ouachita.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire has probably been the principal historical disturbance. Climatic
influences include occasional summer droughts and winter ice storms, and infrequent hurricanes.
Insect disturbances are often caused by southern pine beetles.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been cleared for agriculture on about 25% of the area. Much
of the non-cleared land is managed for forestry.
Eastern Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Section 231F)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Coastal Plains geomorphic province. The predominant
landform is a flat, weakly dissected alluvial plain formed by deposition of continental sediments
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onto submerged, shallow continental shelf, which was later exposed by sea level subsidence.
Along the coast, fluvial deposition and shore zone processes are active in developing and
maintaining beaches, swamps, and mud flats. Elevation ranges from 10 to 330 ft (3 to 100 m).
Local relief ranges from 0 to 100 ft (0 to 30 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rock units formed during the Cenozoic Era. Strata consist of
Quaternary marine deposits (non-glacial sand, silt, and clay deposits of upland origin).
Soil Taxa. Aquolls, Saprists, Aquents, and Hemists are the principal soils along the coast. Also
along the coast are Aquolls, Haplaquolls, Medisaprists, Hydraquents, and Medihemists, all of
which are poorly drained and subject to flooding and high water tables. These soils have a
thermic temperature regime and an aquic moisture regime. Farther inland, Uderts and Aqualfs
are the main soils, especially where saline prairie vegetation is present. Soils farther inland on
low lands are Pelluderts, Pellusterts, Albaqualfs, Ochraqualfs, and Glossaqualfs. Situated on
flood plains are Argiaquolls, Haplaquolls, and Haplaquepts. Soils have a thermic to
hyperthermic moisture regime, and an aquic moisture regime. These soils are deep, clayey,
poorly drained, and have subsoils that are slowly permeable.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler classified vegetation as bluestem-sacahuista prairie and
southern cordgrass prairie. Predominant vegetation is mid to tall grass grasslands. Species
consist of little bluestem, indiangrass, switchgrass, and big bluestem. Occasional areas of live
oak are present. Poorly drained areas along the coast support freshwater and saltwater marsh
vegetation of sedges, rushes, saltgrass, and cordgrass.
Fauna. Typical large herbivores and carnivores include manatee, coyote, red wolf, ringtail,
ocelots, and river otter. Smaller herbivores include swamp rabbit, fulvous harvest mouse,
eastern wood rat, and nutria. Common birds of freshwater marshes, lakes, ponds, and rivers
include reddish egret, white-faced ibis, white-fronted goose, and olivaceous cormorant.
Attwater's prairie chicken was once common in the grasslands. Reptiles and amphibians include
American alligator, Gulf coast salt marsh snake, Gulf coast toad and pig frog, diamondback
terrapin, Mediterranean gecko, and the Texas horned lizard.
Climate. Average annual precipitation is from 30 to 55 inches (750 to 1,400 mm). Temperature
averages 66 to 74 °F (19 to 23 °C). The growing season lasts 250 to 330 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. There is a moderate density of small to medium size perennial
streams and very low density of associated rivers; most have a moderate volume of water at very
low velocity. Water table is high in many areas, resulting in poor natural drainage and
abundance of wetlands. Poorly defined drainage pattern has developed on this very young,
weakly dissected plain. Abundance of palustrine systems having seasonally high water level.
This Section adjoins the Louisianian Marine and Estuarine Province delineated by the USDI
FWS.
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Disturbance Regimes. Fire and ocean tides have likely been the principal historical disturbance.
Climatic influences include occasional hurricanes.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been cleared for agricultural crops on about 40% of the area.
Arkansas Valley (Section 231G)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Ouachita geomorphic province. The area consists of a
folded, faulted, and uplifted belt of parallel valleys and ridges, moderately dissected by
differential erosion, mass wasting, fluvial erosion and transport and deposition. About 80% of
this land consists of plains with hills and 20% includes open low mountains. Elevation ranges
from 330 to 3,000 ft (100 to 900 m). Local relief ranges from 300 to 500 ft (90 to 150 m) in areas
with hills. Relief is 500 to 1,000 ft (150 to 300 m) in areas with low mountains.
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rocks units formed during the Paleozoic Era. Strata consist of
Pennsylvanian marine deposits (sandstone, shale, coal, and limestone).
Soil Taxa. Soils are predominately Udults. Hapludults and Paleudults are on ridgetops and upper
slopes, and are also on mid to lower slopes in concave positions. Fragiudults are in valleys. Soils
along the Arkansas River include Udifluvents, Udipsamments, Haplaquolls, and Hapludalfs.
Soils have a thermic temperature regime, a udic moisture regime, and siliceous or mixed
mineralogy. Soils are variable in characteristics, ranging from shallow to deep, but most are well
drained. Soil moisture is adequate for plant growth during most of the growing season.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler mapped vegetation as oak-hickory forest, oak-hickory-
pine forest, cross timbers, and southern floodplains forest. The predominant vegetation form is
about equal areas of cold-deciduous, broad-leaved forest and needle-leaved evergreen trees.
Principal forest cover types are oak-hickory and loblolly-shortleaf pine. Species include white,
black, bur, post, and blackjack oaks; pignut and mockernut hickories; and loblolly and shortleaf
pines. Oak-gum-cypress forest type is dominant along major river bottoms and includes
cottonwood, sugarberry, river birch, and green ash.
Fauna. Historically, the elk, Florida panther, bison, passenger pigeon, ivory -billed woodpecker,
Carolina parakeet, and Bachman's warbler inhabited this Section. Presently the fauna include
white-tailed deer, black bear, bobcat, gray fox, raccoon, cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel, fox
squirrel, striped skunk, swamp rabbit, and many small rodents and shrews. In flooded areas,
beavers, ibises, cormorants, herons, egrets, and kingfishers are common. Endemics include the
Magazine Mountain shagreen, longnose darter, and Arkansas darter. Songbirds include the red-
eyed vireo, cardinal, tufted titmouse, wood thrush, summer tanager, blue-gray gnatcatcher,
hooded warbler and Carolina wren. The herpetofauna include the box turtle, common garter
snake and timber rattlesnake.
Climate. Annual average precipitation is 44 to 50 in (1,120 to 1,270 mm). Average temperature
is 61 to 63 °F (16 to 17 °C). The growing season lasts 200 to 240 days.
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Surface Water Characteristics. This Section has a high density of small to medium size perennial
streams and associated rivers; those in intermountain basins have moderate rates of flow and
some on mountain sides are characterized by high rates of flow and velocity. A trellis drainage
pattern has developed. One of the large rivers draining this Section is the Arkansas.
Outer Coastal Plain Mixed Forest
Coastal Plains and Flatwoods, Lower (Section 232B)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Coastal Plain geomorphic Province. The predominant
landform is a flat, weakly dissected alluvial plain was formed by deposition of continental
sediments onto a submerged, shallow continental shelf, which was later exposed by sea level
subsidence. About 90% of this Section consists of irregular or smooth plains. Other landforms
include open hills. Elevation ranges from 80 to 660 ft (25 to 200 m). Local relief ranges from 10
to 30 ft (3 to 9 m) on smooth plains, and from 30 to 50 ft (9 to 15 m) in areas of hills.
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rock units formed during the Mesozoic (30%) and Cenozoic (70%)
Eras. Mesozoic strata consist of about equal amounts of Cretaceous marine deposits (sands and
clays). Much of the Cenozoic strata consist of Tertiary marine deposits (thin fossiliferous layers
of sand and shells) and continental deposits (sands and clays). Quaternary marine deposits
(coarse sands) are present in large bays.
Soil Taxa. Soils are mostly Udults. Paleudults and Hapludults are on uplands. Fragiudults and
Fragiudalfs are associated soils on sites that range from well drained to poorly drained.
Localized areas of Quartzipsamments occur in the southern part of the Section, along with
Paleudalfs and Glossaqualfs. Ochraquults, Albaquults, and Paleaquults are locally common on
low wetlands. Udifluvents, Fluvaquents, and Dystrochrepts are present in bottom lands. These
soils have a thermic temperature regime, a udic moisture regime, and are deep with loamy or
clayey subsoil. Soils range from well drained to poorly drained and are fine to moderately fine
textured.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler mapped this area as southern mixed forest and oak-
hickory-pine forest, with smaller areas of southern flood plain forest and pocosin. The
predominant vegetation form is evergreen needle-leaved trees with scattered areas of cold-
deciduous and evergreen broad-leaved forest. Slash and longleaf pines are prevalent throughout
the Section, but loblolly pine is common in the northern areas. Sand pine is prevalent in xeric,
deep-sand areas of Florida. The oak-gum-cypress forest cover type is common along flood plains
of major rivers and includes Nuttall oak, laurel oak, water tupelo, sweetbay, bald cypress, and
pond cypress. Localized areas of mostly hardwoods occur, especially in central Florida; types
include laurel oak, water oak, sweetbay, sweetgum, live oak, red maple, and spruce pine. An
extensive area of grassland vegetation is present in central Florida, north of Lake Okeechobee.
Fauna. The elk, mountain lion, wolf, Carolina parakeet, and ivory-billed woodpecker once
inhabited this Section. The endangered Florida panther may be encountered rarely. Presently, the
fauna include white-tailed deer, black bear, bobcat, gray fox, raccoon, cottontail rabbit, gray
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squirrel, fox squirrel, striped skunk, swamp rabbit, and many small rodents and shrews. The
turkey, bobwhite, and mourning dove are widespread. Resident and migratory nongame bird
species are numerous, as are species of migratory waterfowl. In flooded areas, ibises,
cormorants, herons, egrets, and kingfishers are common. Songbirds include the red-eyed vireo,
cardinal, tufted titmouse, ruby-throated hummingbird, eastern towhee, wood thrush, summer
tanager, blue-gray gnatcatcher, hooded warbler, and Carolina wren. The endangered red-
cockaded woodpecker and bald eagle inhabit this Section. The herpetofauna include the box
turtle, common garter snake, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake, and American
alligator.
Climate. Precipitation averages 40 to 60 in (1,020 to 1,520 mm). Temperature averages 60 to 68
°F (16 to 20 °C). The growing season lasts 200 to 280 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. There is a moderate density of small to medium size perennial
streams and associated rivers, most with moderate volume of water flowing at low velocity. Few
natural lakes occur, except in central Florida where they are abundant. Large, freshwater springs
are common in central Florida, especially in areas of limestone rock formations. Major rivers
include the Mobile, Chattahoochee, Kissimmee, Flint, and Sewannee. Riverine systems flow into
the Carolinian and Louisianian Marine and Estuarine Provinces.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire has been the principal historical disturbance, previously burning over
medium to large size areas between natural barriers, generally with moderate frequency and low
intensity. Fire occurrence is common in areas dominated by sand pine and is frequent in areas of
longleaf pine. Fire intensity can range from moderate to high. Climatic influences include
frequent hurricanes. Insect disturbances are often caused by southern pine beetles.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been cleared for agriculture on about 40% of the area in much
of the Section. In much of central Florida, almost all forests have been cleared for citrus
production.
Louisiana Coast Prairies and Marshes (Section 232E)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Coastal Plains geomorphic Province. The predominant
landform is a flat, weakly dissected alluvial plain formed by deposition of continental sediments
onto submerged, shallow continental shelf, which was later exposed by sea level subsidence.
Along the coast, fluvial deposition and shore zone processes are active in developing and
maintaining beaches, swamps, and mud flats. Elevation ranges from 0 to 160 ft (0 to 50 m).
Local relief ranges from 0 to 50 ft (0 to 15 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rock units formed during the Cenozoic Era. Strata consist of
Quaternary marine deposits of terrestrial origin, non glacial sand, silt, and clay.
Soil Taxa. Aquolls, Saprists, Aquents, and Hemists are the principal soils along the coast. Also
along the coast are Aquolls, Haplaquolls, Medisaprists, Hydraquents, and Medihemists, all of
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which are poorly drained and subject to flooding and high water tables. These soils have a
thermic temperature regime and an aquic moisture regime.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler classified vegetation as bluestem-sacahuista prairie and
southern cordgrass prairie. Much of the existing vegetation is nonforested grasslands. Prairie
grasslands dominate areas inland from the coast and consist of little bluestem, indiangrass,
switchgrass, and big bluestem. Occasional areas of live oak are present. Poorly drained areas
along the coast support freshwater and saltwater marsh vegetation of sedges, rushes, saltgrass,
and cordgrass.
Fauna. Large herbivores and carnivores include manatee, coyote, red wolf, ringtail, and river
otter. Ocelots were once common, but are now rare. Smaller herbivores include swamp rabbit,
fulvous harvest mouse, eastern wood rat, and nutria. Birds of fresh water marshes, lakes, ponds,
and rivers include reddish egret, white-faced ibis, white-fronted goose, and olivaceous
cormorant. Birds of grasslands include Attwater's prairie chicken. Reptiles and amphibians
include the Gulf coast salt marsh snake, Gulf coast toad, pig frog, American Alligator,
diamondback terrapin, Mediterranean gecko, and Texas horned lizard.
Climate. Annual precipitation averages 25 to 55 inches (620 to 1,400 mm). Temperature
averages 68 to 70 °F (20 to 21 °C). The growing season lasts 280 to 320 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. There is a moderate density of small to medium size perennial
streams and very low density of associated rivers, most with moderate volume of water at very
low velocity. Water table is high in many areas, resulting in poor natural drainage and an
abundance of wetlands. The Mississippi River flows through this Section into the Gulf of
Mexico. Palustrine systems are abundant and have seasonally high water levels. This Section
adjoins the Louisianian Marine and Estuarine Province delineated by the USDIFWS.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire and ocean tides have probably been the principal historical
disturbance. Climatic influences include occasional hurricanes.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been converted to agricultural crops on about 40% of the area.
Coastal Plains and Flatwoods, Western Gulf (Section 232F)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Coastal Plains geomorphic province. The predominant
landform consists of weakly to moderately dissected irregular plains of alluvial origin formed by
deposition of continental sediments onto a submerged, shallow continental shelf, which was later
exposed by sea level subsidence. Along the coast, fluvial deposition and shore zone processes
are active in developing and maintaining beaches, swamps, and mud flats. About 80% of this
Section consists of irregular plains. Other landforms include flat plains and plains with hills.
Elevation ranges from 80 to 660 ft (25 to 200 m). Local relief mostly ranges from 100 to 300 ft
(30 to 90 m) on irregular plains; however, relief ranges from 0 to 100 ft (0 to 30 m) on flat plains
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and 300 to 500 ft (90 to 150 m) where plains with hills are present.
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rocks in this Section formed during the Cenozoic Era. About 80%
of the geologic strata consist of Tertiary marine deposits, including glauconitic, calcareous, and
fossiliferous strata with lignitic sandy and argillaceous contents. Quaternary marine deposits are
present along the Red River.
Soil Taxa. Soils are mostly Udults. Paleudults, Hapludults, Hapludalfs, Paleudalfs, and
Albaqualfs are on uplands. Fluvaquents, Udifluvents, Eutrochrepts, and Glossaqualfs are along
major streams. Soils are mostly derived from weathered sandstone and shale. Soils have a
thermic temperature regime, a udic moisture regime, and siliceous or mixed mineralogy. Soils
are deep, coarsely textured, mostly well drained, and have an adequate supply of moisture for
use by vegetation during the growing season.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler mapped vegetation as southern mixed forest, oak-
hickory-pine forest, and southern flood plain forest. The predominant vegetation form is
evergreen needle-leaved forest with a small area of cold-deciduous alluvial forest. The slash pine
and longleaf pine cover type dominates most of the Section. The loblolly pine-shortleaf pine
cover type is common in the northern parts of the Section. A bottomland type is prevalent along
most major rivers and consists of cottonwood, sycamore, sugarberry, hackberry, silver maple,
and red maple.
Fauna. The elk, mountain lion, wolf, Carolina parakeet, and ivory-billed woodpecker once
inhabited this Section. The endangered Florida panther may be encountered rarely. Presently, the
fauna include white-tailed deer, black bear, bobcat, gray fox, raccoon, cottontail rabbit, gray
squirrel, fox squirrel, striped skunk, swamp rabbit, and many small rodents and shrews. The
presence of turkey, bobwhite, and mourning dove is widespread. Resident and migratory
nongame bird species are numerous, as are species of migratory waterfowl. In flooded areas,
ibises, cormorants, herons, egrets, and kingfishers are common. Songbirds include the red-eyed
vireo, cardinal, tufted titmouse, wood thrush, summer tanager, blue-gray gnatcatcher, hooded
warbler, and Carolina wren. The endangered red-cockaded woodpecker and bald eagle inhabit
this Section. The herpetofauna include the box turtle, common garter snake, eastern
diamondback rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake, and American alligator.
Climate. Precipitation averages 40 to 54 inches (1,020 to 1,350 mm) annually. Annual
temperature averages 61 to 68 °F (16 to 20 °C). The growing season lasts 200 to 270 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. This Section has a moderate density of small to medium size
perennial streams and associated rivers. Dendritic drainage pattern has developed without
bedrock structural control. Major rivers include the Sabine, Red, and Mississippi.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire has probably been the principal historical disturbance. Climatic
influences include occasional summer droughts and winter ice storms and infrequent hurricanes.
Insect disturbances are often caused by southern pine beetles.
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Land Use. Natural vegetation has been cleared for agriculture on about 60% of the area.
Lower Mississippi Riverine Forest
Mississippi Alluvial Basin (Section 234A)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Coastal Plains geomorphic province. The predominant
landform consists of flat, weakly to moderately dissected alluvial plains. The plains were formed
by deposition of continental sediments into a submerged, synclinal trough, which was later
exposed by sea level subsidence. Elevation ranges from 0 to 660 ft (0 to 200 m). Local relief in
most of the Section ranges from 0 to 100 ft (0 to 30 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rock units formed during the Cenozoic Era. About 20% consists of
Tertiary marine deposits (lignitic sandy and argillaceous deposits). The remainder consists of
about equal amounts of Quaternary marine deposits and glacial outwash. Recent alluvium
consists of silt deposited during floods.
Soil Taxa. Soils are Aquepts, Aqualfs, Aquents, Udolls, and Udalfs. Haplaquepts, Ochraqualfs,
Fluvaquents, Natraqualfs, Ochraqualfs, and Hapludalfs are found in back-swamp areas and older
natural levees. Dystrochrepts, Udifluvents, and Fluvaquents occur in smaller areas. Hydraquents
and Medisaprists are in southern Louisiana. These soils have a udic or aquic moisture regime, a
thermic temperature regime, and montmorillonitic or mixed mineralogy. Soils, which formed in
alluvium, are deep, medium textured, and have adequate or excessive moisture available for
vegetation during the growing season.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler classified vegetation as southern floodplain forest and
oak-hickory forest. The predominant vegetation form is cold-deciduous, alluvial broadleaf forest,
with small areas of cold-deciduous, broad-leaved forest on upland sites. The main cover type is
oak-gum-cypress, where main species are Nuttall oak, water oak, laurel oak, cherrybark oak,
cottonwood, sycamore, hackberry, red and silver maple, and baldcypress. The oak-hickory cover
type consists of post oak, bur oak, northern red oak, black oak, and white oak.
Fauna. The elk, mountain lion, wolf, Carolina parakeet, and ivory-billed woodpecker once
inhabited this Section. Presently, the fauna include white-tailed deer, black bear, bobcat, gray
fox, raccoon, cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel, fox squirrel, striped skunk, swamp rabbit, and many
small rodents and shrews. The turkey, bobwhite, and mourning dove are game birds in various
parts of this Section. In wetlands, ibises, cormorants, herons, egrets, and kingfishers are
common. Songbirds include the red-eyed vireo, cardinal, tufted titmouse, wood thrush, summer
tanager, blue-gray gnatcatcher, hooded warbler, and Carolina wren. The herpetofauna include
the box turtle, common garter snake, and timber rattlesnake.
Climate. Precipitation averages 45 to 65 in (1,150 to 1,650 mm) annually. Temperature averages
56 to 70 °F. (14 to 21 °C). The growing season lasts 200 to 340 days.
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Surface Water Characteristics. This Section includes the lower part of the Mississippi River
below its confluence with the Ohio River. The drainage pattern is varied, ranging from dendritic
to trellis, and has developed without bedrock structural control. The principal river draining this
and adjoining Sections is the Mississippi. The Red River enters the Mississippi near the southern
edge of this Section. Many oxbow-type natural lakes have formed along the Mississippi River.
Extensive wetlands and backswamps characterize this Section.
Disturbance Regimes. Periodic flooding has been the principal historical disturbance, but has
been reduced by a series of levees and dams built for flood control.
Land Use. About 90% of the area is agricultural, cleared of natural vegetation and drained by a
system of ditches.
Ouachita Mixed Forest-Meadow
Ouachita Mountains (Section M231A)
Geomorphology. This section is in the Ouachita geomorphic province. It was formed by tectonic
faulting and uplift of resistant bedrock into a narrow band of metamorphosed, parallel (east-west
trending) mountain ranges. This was followed by mass wasting and steep and gentle stream
valley erosion with fluvial transport. About 75% of the area consists of open high hills. Also
included are open low mountains. Elevation ranges from 330 to 2,600 ft (100 to 800 m). Local
relief in much of the section ranges from 500 to 800 ft, but it can range from 1,000 to 2,000 ft in
areas with low mountains.
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rocks formed during the Paleozoic (50%), Mesozoic (40%), and
Cenozoic (10%) Eras. Paleozoic strata consist of: Cambrian marine deposits (carbonates and
shales); Ordovician marine deposits (carbonates, shales, and limestones); Mississippian marine
deposits (sandstone); and Pennsylvanian marine deposits (sandstone). Mesozoic strata consist of
Lower and Upper Cretaceous marine deposits (limestone). Cenozoic stata consist of Quaternary
marine deposits.
Soil Taxa. Soils are mainly Udults. Hapludults are at higher elevations on steep slopes, gentle
slopes of ridgetops, and foot slopes. Dystrochrepts and Ochraquults are on flood plains. Some
localized areas of Hapludults are on terraces in the valleys. These soils have a thermic
temperature regime, a udic moisture regime, and siliceous or mixed mineralogy. Soils are
generally deep, often stony, and have adequate moisture for use by vegetation during the
growing season.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler classified vegetation as oak-hickory-pine forest. Existing
forest types are mainly loblolly-shortleaf pine. The predominant vegetation form is evergreen
needle-leaved forest and a small area of cold deciduous, broad-leaved forest. Loblolly pine and
shortleaf pine cover types occur widely. Lesser areas of a shortleaf-oak type (southern red,
scarlet, black, post, and blackjack oaks) and oak-hickory (black, scarlet, post, and white oaks and
pignut and mockernut hickories) occur in Oklahoma.
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Fauna. Among the fauna in this Section are white-tailed deer, black bear, bobcat, gray fox,
raccoon, gray squirrel, fox squirrel, eastern chipmunk, white-footed mouse, pine vole, short-
tailed shrew, and cotton mouse. The turkey, ruffed grouse, bobwhite, and mourning dove are
game birds in various parts of this Section. Songbirds include the red-eyed vireo, cardinal, tufted
titmouse, wood thrush, summer tanager, blue-gray gnatcatcher, hooded warbler, and Carolina
wren. The herpetofauna include the box turtle, common garter snake, and timber rattlesnake.
Endemics are Fourche Mountain salamander, Caddo Mountain salamander, Rich Mountain
salamander, Ouachita madtom, Ouachita Mountain shiner, Kiamichi shiner, Ouachita darter,
peppered shiner, and Rich Mountain slitmouth snail. Threatened and endangered species include
the red-cockaded woodpecker, bald eagle, American burying beetle, Arkansas fatmucket, and
rock pocketbook mussel. Other characteristic species include the Western diamondback
rattlesnake and eastern collared lizard.
Climate. Average precipitation is 48 to 56 in (1,220 to 1,420 mm). Mean annual temperature is
61 to 63 °F (16 to 17 °C). The growing season lasts 200 to 240 days
Surface Water Characteristics. There is a high density of small to medium size perennial streams
and associated rivers; those in intermountain basins have moderate rates of flow, and some on
mountain sides are characterized by high rates of flow and velocity. A trellis drainage pattern has
developed, largely with bedrock structural control. Major rivers include the Fourche and Dutch
Creek, which flow into the Arkansas River.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire has probably been the principal historical disturbance. Climatic
influences include occasional summer droughts, winter ice storms, and infrequent tornados.
Insect disturbances are often caused by southern pine beetles.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been cleared for agriculture on about 25 percent of the area.
Prairie Parkland (Temperate)
Osage Plains (Section 251E)
Geomorphology. This is part of the Central Lowlands geomorphic province. It is characterized
by a series of sub parallel, southwestern to northeastern trending, maturely dissected, low cuestas
or escarpments separating level to gently rolling plains. Local relief on the cuestas is generally
between 100 and 300 ft (30-90 m); on the plains it is less than 100 ft. Elevation ranges from 300
to 1,300 ft (100 to 400m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Quaternary loess and residuum blanket this Section. Bedrock is
composed almost entirely of Pennsylvanian shale, coal, limestone, and sandstone; sandstones
and cherty limestones support the cuestas. Some Permian shale and limestone occur in the
northwestern corner of the Section.
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Soil Taxa. This Section has about 70% Mollisols, with 20% Alfisols in the northeast area
bordering the Ozark Highlands Section, and 10 percent Ultisols to the south. Soils have a mesic
to thermic temperature regime, a udic or aquic moisture regime, and mixed mineralogy. Soils are
moderately fertile but shallow enough to discourage tilling throughout most of the section.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler vegetation types are mapped as dominantly mosaic of
bluestem prairie and oak-hickory forest, with corridors of oak-hickory forest along
drainageways. This section was once 70 tall-grass prairie, little bluestem and associates, with
groves of post and blackjack oaks. Upland prairie graded into wet bottomland prairie, with
sloughs, marshes, and mixed bottomland forest. This forest included silver maple, green ash,
cottonwood, pecan, pin oak, and bur oak.
Fauna. Habitat includes relatively large surviving prairie fragments, some over 1,000 acres.
Cattle replaced elk and bison (the latter are being re-introduced under domestication). White-
tailed deer are abundant. Large predators were extirpated, except for coyote. Birds include
hawks, turkey vulture, bobwhite quail, meadowlark, scissor-tailed flycatcher, dickcissel, and
sparrows.
Climate. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 35 to 41 in (900 to 1,050 mm). Snow averages
about 5 in (120 mm). Mean annual temperature ranges from 55 to 63 °F (13 to 17 °C). The
growing season lasts 190 to 235 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. This Section has a moderate density of small to medium size,
highly meandering, perennial and intermittent streams with dendritic drainage pattern. Most
streams have a low to moderate rate of flow and moderate velocity. Large seasonal fluctuations
in discharge of streams; i.e., June's maximum may be six times greater than December's
minimum. Waters may stand for three months or longer in wide, flat floodplains. There are a few
oxbows; some large rivers have been dammed to create reservoirs.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire, grazing, drought (occasionally very severe), and tornadoes were the
principal prehistoric sources of disturbance. Coal is strip-mined in many places.
Land Use. Cattle production is a common use. Native vegetation has been converted to fescue
pasture and agricultural crops on about 75% of the area.
Flint Hills (Section 251F)
Geomorphology. Relatively old episodes of Paleozoic platform sedimentation were followed by
uplift and dissection, characteristic of geomorphic processes historically active in this Section.
Present geomorphic processes include gentle and moderate gradient valley stream erosion,
transport and deposition. Gentle sloping hills with relief of 300 to 500 ft, found among lowlands,
make up most of the area. This Section is within the Central Lowlands geomorphic physical
province. Elevation ranges from 985 to 1,970 ft (300 to 600 m).
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Lithology and Stratigraphy. Most of the Section is interbedded Pennsylvanian carbonates and
shales with recent alluvium in the major river valleys. The northeastern quarter of the Section is
Quaternary glacial till, lacustrine, and fluvial deposits.
Soil Taxa. Types include mostly Mollisols, with 20% in Inceptisols along hilly terrain in the
southeastern area of the Section. Soils have a mesic or thermic temperature regimes, a ustic
moisture regime, and mixed mineralogy.
Potential Natural Vegetation. There is bluestem prairie with northern flood plain forest along
major drainages.
Fauna. Bison and pronghorn antelope were once numerous in this Section. White-tailed deer are
now the most common large mammal. Smaller mammals include jack rabbits, cottontails in areas
of streams and cover, and many smaller rodents. Coyotes, red foxes, and bobcats are mammalian
predators. Bobwhites, horned larks, and meadowlarks are present in large numbers. Cooper's
hawks, red-tailed hawks, and barred owls are year-round residents. Purple martins and swallows
are summer nesters. The Section is at the northern end of winter range for gadwalls, green-
winged teals, and lesser scaups. Herpetofauna include snapping turtles, bullfrogs, ringneck
snakes, and bull snakes. Catfish species are common in rivers and lakes, along with largemouth
bass and black crappie.
Climate. Precipitation averages 24 to 35 in (620 to 900 mm). Temperature averages 50 to 61 °F
(10 to 16 °C). The growing season lasts 160 to 190 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. There is a low density of small to medium size intermittent and
perennial streams and associated rivers, mostly with low to moderate rates of flow and moderate
velocity. Dendritic drainage pattern has developed on maturely dissected surfaces, largely
without bedrock structural control. Few natural lakes occur.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire and drought have probably been the principal historical sources of
disturbance.
Land Use. Land use has caused conversion from native vegetation to agricultural crops on about
75% of the area.
Prairie Parkland (Subtropical)
Cross Timbers and Prairies (Section 255A)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Central Lowlands geomorphic province. The
predominant landform on about 70% of the Section consists of irregular plains that originated
from uplift of level bedded continental sediments, that had been deposited into a shallow inland
sea, followed by a long period of erosion. Other landforms include plains with hills and open
high hills. Elevation ranges from 330 to 1,300 ft (100 to 400 m). Local relief ranges from 100 to
300 ft (30 to 90 m).
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Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rock units were formed during the Paleozoic (30%) and Mesozoic
(70%) Eras. Paleozoic strata consist of Pennsylvanian marine deposits (sandstone, shale, coal,
and limestone). Mesozoic strata consist of Lower Cretaceous marine deposits (limestone).
Soil Taxa. Soils in the Cross Timbers region are mainly Ustalfs. Paleustalfs and Haplustalfs are
on uplands. Ustifluvents and Haplustolls are on narrow flood plains. Soils have a thermic
temperature regime, a ustic moisture regime, and mixed or siliceous mineralogy. Soils are deep,
well drained, and moderate textured; moisture is limited for use by vegetation during part of the
growing season. Soils in the Prairie region are Ustolls, Userts, and Ochrepts. Pellusterts and
Chromusterts are on upland valleys. Calciustolls are on smooth uplands. Haplustolls,
Calciustolls, and Argiustolls are on areas of limestone parent material. Ustochrepts and
Calciustolls occur on steep plateau sideslopes. Haplustolls are on flood plains. Argiustolls and
Haplustalfs are on smooth uplands in northern areas of the Section. Soil temperature regime is
thermic, moisture regime is ustic, and mineralogy is montmorillonitic, mixed, or carbonatic.
Generally, soils are deep, fine textured, and well drained; moisture is limited for use by
vegetation during parts of the growing season.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler classified vegetation as cross timbers, oak-hickory forest,
and oak-hickory-pine forest. The predominant vegetation form is cold-deciduous broad-leaved
forest and extensive areas of tall grassland with a tree layer. Forest cover consists of post, live,
and blackjack oaks, and pignut and mockernut hickories. Grasses consist of big and little
bluestems, indiangrass, and sunflower.
Fauna. Among the fauna in this Section are white-tailed deer, black bear, bobcat, gray fox,
raccoon, cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel, fox squirrel, eastern chipmunk, white-footed mouse,
pine vole, short-tailed shrew, and cotton mouse. The turkey, bobwhite, and mourning dove are
game birds in various parts of this Section. Songbirds include the red-eyed vireo, cardinal, tufted
titmouse, wood thrush, summer tanager, blue-gray gnatcatcher, hooded warbler, and Carolina
wren. The herpetofauna include the box turtle, common garter snake and timber rattlesnake.
Climate. Precipitation averages 35 to 40 inches (900 to 1,050 mm). About 5 to 18 inches (120
to 450 mm) of snow falls annually. Temperature averages 55 to 63 °F (13 to 17 °C). The
growing season lasts 190 to 235 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. This Section has a low to moderate density of perennial streams
and associated rivers, mostly with low to moderate rates of flow and moderate velocity.
Dendritic drainage patterns have developed. One of the major rivers draining this Section is the
Red River. A relatively large number of water reservoirs have been constructed.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire and drought have probably been the principal historical sources of
disturbance.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been cleared for agricultural crops on about 75% of the area.
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Blackland Prairies (Section 255B)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Coastal Plains geomorphic province. The predominant
landform is irregular plains. This Section is an elevated sea bottom that has been shaped by
marine and shore-zone processes resulting from repeated episodes of submergence and
emergence of the land from the ocean. Some geomorphic processes currently active throughout
the area are gentle gradient valley stream erosion, transport and deposition. Elevation ranges
from 330 to 660 ft (100 to 200 m). Local relief ranges from 100 to 300 ft.
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rock units in this Section formed during the Mesozoic (10%) and
Cenozoic (90%) Eras. Mesozoic strata consist of Upper Cretaceous marine deposits (shales,
marls, and chalks), enozoic strata consists of Tertiary marine deposits.
Soil Taxa. Soils are Usterts, Ustolls, Aqualfs, and Ustalfs. Pellusterts are in upland valleys.
Chromusterts are on eroded uplands. Haplustrolls and Ustorthents are along an Austin chalk
escarpment. Calciustolls and Haplustolls are along stream terraces. Albaqualfs, Ochraqualfs, and
Paleustalfs are on uplands. Pelluderts, Haplaquolls, and Chromusterts are on flood plains.
These soils have a thermic temperature regime, a ustic or aquic moisture regime, and
montmorillonitic or mixed mineralogy. Generally, soils are deep, mostly well drained, medium
to fine textured, and have limited soil moisture supplies for use by vegetation during parts of the
growing season.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler mapped vegetation as blackland prairie and juniper-oak
savanna. The predominant vegetation form is tall grassland consisting mainly of bunch grasses,
such as indiangrass, big bluestem, switchgrass, and eastern gamagrass. A savanna community
occurs along many major rivers, consisting of elm, pecan, cottonwood, and hackberry, with
grasses between the trees.
Fauna. Faunal communities are characterized by species associated with a prairie climate and
vegetation. Typical large herbivores and carnivores include coyote, ringtail, and collared
peccary. Smaller herbivores include plains pocket gopher, fulvous harvest mouse, and northern
pygmy mouse. Ocelots were once common, but are now rare. The bison is historically associated
with the Section. Birds are typical of grass and shrublands; residents include many common
species, such as turkey vulture, hairy woodpecker, cardinal, and yellow warbler. Smith's
longspur, a bird of the Arctic tundra, winters here. Amphibians and reptiles typical of this area
include eastern spadefoot toad, Great Plains narrow-mouthed frog, green toad, Texas toad, Gulf
Coast toad, yellow mud turtle, Texas horned lizard, Texas spiny lizard, and Texas blind snake.
Climate. Precipitation ranges from 30 to 45 inches (750 to 1,150 mm), occurring mainly in
spring from April through May. Temperature averages 63 to 70 °F (17 to 21 °C). The growing
season lasts 230 to 280 days.
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Disturbance Regimes. Fire and drought have probably been the principal historical sources of
disturbance.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been changed to agricultural crops on about 75% of the area.
Oak Woods and Prairies (Section 255C)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Coastal Plains geomorphic province. The predominant
landform on about 80% of the Section consists of irregular plains. Other landforms include
plains with hills and smooth plains. This Section is an elevated sea bottom that has been shaped
by marine and shore-zone processes resulting from repeated episodes of submergence and
emergence of the land from the ocean. Some geomorphic processes currently active throughout
the area are gentle gradient valley stream erosion, transport and deposition. Elevation ranges
from 650 to 1,310 ft (200 to 400 m). Local relief ranges from 100 to 300 ft.
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rocks units formed during the Cenozoic Era. Strata are Tertiary
marine sediments consisting of glauconitic, calcarious, fossiliferous strata with lignitic sandy and
argillaceous deposits.
Soil Taxa. Soils are mostly Ustalfs. Paleustalfs and Albaqualfs are on uplands and other areas
with thick sandy surface. Pelluderts, Pellusterts, and Hapludolls are on flood plains and clayey
terraces along major rivers. These soils have a thermic temperature regime, an ustic moisture
regime, and montmorillonitic mineralogy. Soils are deep, medium textured, and generally have a
slowly permeable, clayey subsoil. Moisture may be limiting for plant growth during parts of the
year.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler classified vegetation as oak-hickory forest, cross timbers,
and juniper-oak savanna. The predominant vegetation type is cold-deciduous, broad-leaved
forest. The oak-hickory cover type consists of scarlet, post, and blackjack oaks, and pignut and
mockernut hickories. Forests of elm, pecan, and walnut are in bottomlands. Little bluestem is
the dominant grass.
Fauna. Faunal communities are characterized by species associated with a temperate, subhumid,
forested environment. Common large herbivores and carnivores include coyote, ringtail, ocelot,
and collared peccary. Smaller herbivores include plains pocket gopher, fulvous harvest mouse,
northern pygmy mouse, southern short-tailed shrew, and least shrew. Jaguar and bison are
historically associated with this Section. Birds typical of this Section include many wide-spread
species, such as eastern bluebird, eastern meadowlark, grasshopper sparrow, mourning dove,
Cooper's hawk, and mockingbird. Amphibians and reptiles include eastern spadefoot toad, Great
Plains narrow-mouthed frog, green toad, yellow mud turtle, Texas horned lizard, Texas spiny
lizard, and Texas blind snake.
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Climate. Annual precipitation ranges from 27 to 40 inches (700 to 1,000 mm). Temperature
ranges from 63 to 70 °F (17 to 21 °C). The growing season lasts 200 to 260 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. There is a low density of small to medium size perennial streams
and associated rivers, most with moderate volume of water flowing at low velocity. A major
river draining this Section is the Trinity.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire and drought have probably been the principal historical disturbances.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been converted to agricultural crops on about 75% of the area.
Central Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Section 255D)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Coastal Plains geomorphic province. The predominant
landform consists of a flat, weakly dissected alluvial plain formed by deposition of continental
sediments onto a submerged, shallow continental shelf, which was later exposed by sea level
subsidence. Along the coast, fluvial deposition and shore-zone processes are active in developing
and maintaining beaches, swamps, and mud flats. Elevation ranges from sea level to 160 ft (0 to
50 m). Local relief ranges from 0 to 100 ft.
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rock units formed during the Cenozoic Era. Strata consist of
Quaternary marine deposits (non-glacial sand, silt, and clay deposits) of continental origin.
Soil Taxa. Soils are Aquents, Aqualfs, Aquolls, and Aquepts. Psammaquents, Udipsamments,
Fluvaquents, and Salorthids are on barrier islands and long bays. Haplaquolls, Natraqualfs,
Pelluderts, and Pellusterts are on low coastal terraces. Ochraqualfs, Albaqualfs, and Paleudalfs
are found on plains. Haplaquolls, Haplaquents, and Fluvaquents are on coastal flats and flood
plains. These soils have a hyperthermic and thermic temperature regime, an aquic moisture
regime, and montmorillonitic, mixed, or siliceous mineralogy. Soils are fine to coarse textured,
saline, and mostly poorly drained with high water tables.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler classified vegetation as bluestem-sacahuista prairie and
southern cordgrass prairie. The predominant vegetation form is tall grassland consisting mainly
of bunch grasses. Prairie grasslands dominate areas inland from the coast and consist of little
bluestem, indiangrass, switchgrass, and big bluestem. Occasional areas of live oak are present.
Poorly drained areas along the coast support freshwater and saltwater marsh vegetation of
sedges, rushes, saltgrass, and cordgrass.
Fauna. Large to medium size herbivores and carnivores include coyote, ringtail, hog-nosed
skunk, river otter, ocelot, and collared peccary. Smaller herbivores include swamp rabbit, plains
pocket gopher, fulvous harvest mouse, northern pygmy mouse, and nutria. Bison and jaguar are
historically associated with this Section. Birds of fresh water marshes, lakes, ponds, and rivers
include reddish egret, white-faced egret, white-fronted goose, and olivaceous cormorant. Birds
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of these grassland include white-tailed hawk, bronzed cowbird, and Attwater's prairie chicken.
The rare whooping crane winters in this Section at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.
Reptiles include American alligator, Gulf coast salt marsh snake, Mediterranean gecko, keeled
earless lizard, Texas horned lizard, Texas spiny lizard, and Texas blind snake. Amphibians
common to this Section include Gulf coast toad and diamondback terrapin.
Climate. Annual precipitation ranges from 25 to 55 inches (620 to 1,400 mm). Temperature
averages 68 to 70 °F (20 to 21 °C). The growing season lasts 280 to 320 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. There is a moderate density of small to medium size perennial
streams and a low density of associated rivers, most with moderate volume of water flowing at
very low velocity. The water table is high in many areas, resulting in poor natural drainage and
abundance of wetlands. A poorly defined drainage pattern has developed on very young plains.
An abundance of palustrine systems are present, having seasonally high water level. This Section
adjoins the Carolinian and Louisianian Marine and Estuarine Provinces.
Disturbance Regimes. Ocean tides have probably been the principal historical disturbance.
Climatic influences include occasional hurricanes.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been converted to agricultural crops on about 40% of the area.
Great Plains Steppe and Shrub
Redbed Plains (Section 311 A)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Central Lowlands geomorphic province. Platform uplift
of continental sediments deposited previously into a shallow inland sea, followed by a long
period of erosion; these processes resulted in a moderately to strongly dissected region. About
70% of this Section consists of irregular plains. Other landforms include about equal areas of
plains with low mountains, smooth plains, and tablelands. Elevation ranges from 1,600 to 3,000
ft (500 to 900 m). Local relief in much of the Section ranges from 100 to 300 ft (30 to 90 m).
Smaller areas are present where relief ranges from 30 to 60 ft (10 to 20 m) in tablelands and up
to 1,000 ft (300 m) in low mountains.
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rocks formed during the Paleozoic Era. About 80% of the geologic
strata consist of Permian marine deposits (sandstone, shale, and limestone). Other strata include
Quaternary marine deposits and small isolated areas of Lower Cretaceous marine deposits
(limestone).
Soil Taxa. Soils are Ustolls, Ustalfs, and Ochrepts. Most soils are on uplands and include
Argiustolls, Paleustolls, Natrustolls, Haplustalfs, Paleustalfs, and Ustochrepts. Localized areas of
Ustifluvents are on flood plains. These soils have a thermic temperature regime, a ustic moisture
regime, and mixed mineralogy. Most soils are deep, well drained, variable in texture, and have
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limited moisture supplies for use by vegetation during part of the growing season.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler classified vegetation as bluestem-grama prairie, and cross
timbers; shinnery; and sandsage-bluestem prairie. The predominant vegetation form is medium-
tall grasslands with sparse tree cover. Grasses consist mainly of sand bluestem, little bluestem,
and sand saltbrush.
Fauna. Representative large to medium size herbivores and carnivores include coyote, ringtail,
and ocelot. Small herbivores include eastern cottontail, desert shrew, plains pocket mouse, Texas
kangaroo rat, and prairie vole. Bison and black-footed ferret are historically associated with this
Section. Common birds of thickets and grasslands include the roadrunner, bobwhite, barn owl,
scissor-tailed flycatcher, and common crow. The golden-fronted woodpecker has a more
restricted range. Amphibians common to this environment include Plains spadefoot toad, Great
Plains narrow-mouthed frog, green toad, spotted chorus frog, and yellow-mud turtle. Typical
reptiles include lesser earless lizard, Texas horned lizard, Prairie skink, and Texas blind snake.
Climate. Precipitation averages 20 to 30 inches (500 to 750 mm); snow averages 20 to 30 inches
(500 to 750 mm) annually. Temperature averages 57 to 64 °F (14 to 18 °C). The growing season
lasts 185 to 230 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. The area has a low density of small to medium intermittent
streams and associated rivers, most with a low volume of water flowing at low velocity.
Dendritic drainage pattern has developed without bedrock structural control. Major rivers
include the Washita, Canadian, and Red Rivers.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire and drought have probably been the principal historical disturbances.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been converted to agricultural crops or pasture on about 90%
of the area.
Colorado Plateau Semi-Desert
Grand Canyon (Section 313A)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Colorado Plateau physiographic province. Grand Canyon
lands are in the south-central part of Utah and the northern portion of Arizona. It extends into the
southwestern corner of Colorado. This area is eroded by the Colorado River and its tributaries.
Deep sheer-walled canyons, lines of cliffs, elevated plains, low plateaus, mesas, buttes, and
badlands dominate landscape. Major landforms are the Grand Canyon and Colorado Plateau.
Elevation ranges from 4,200 to 7,800 ft (1,300 to 2,400 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. There are Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Triassic aged sedimentary rock
with some Permian aged sediments in northern Arizona. Eolian deposits occur on the east side of
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the Section. Zion National Park occurs in this Section. All sedimentary rocks are dominantly
shales and sandstone, with some limestone.
Soil Taxa. Soils include Torriorthents, Torrifluvents, Ustochrepts, and Haplustalfs in
combination with mesic and frigid soil temperature regimes, and ustic soil moisture regimes. A
few Haplargids occur with thermic soil temperature regime and aridic soil moisture regime.
Some soils are saline-sodic affected. Areas of very sandy soils exist.
Potential Natural Vegetation. This area consists of pinyon-juniper woodland with a small area of
Great Basin sagebrush, and blackbrush vegetation. The area has a cold desert shrub and steppe
Climate. Precipitation ranges from 3 to 18 in (80 to 458 mm) annually, with more than half of
the annual precipitation falling during the winter. Summers are dry with low humidity.
Temperature averages 47 to 55 °F (8 to 23 °C). The growing season lasts 110 to 180 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. Water is scarce. The area is drained by the Colorado River and its
tributaries. Ground water supplies are deep and limited. Summer rain storms cause flash flooding
in much of the Section. Few lakes and reservoirs occur, with Lake Powell being the largest.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire is cyclical. Grazing for sheep and cattle is the major land use. Hay
and pasture lands also occur to a very limited extent along drainage ways. Climate is very dry
and hot
Navajo Canyonlands (Section 313B)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Colorado Plateaus physiographic province. Navajo
Canyonlands are in the northeast part of Arizona and southeast Utah. Geomorphic processes
active in this area are deep canyon formations as the result of plateau disSection. Volcanic
mountains exist in this Section, but block-fault structural mountain ranges do not. Major
landforms are Canyonlands, plateaus, plains, and hills. Major landform features are the Painted
Desert, Vermillion and Echo Cliffs, Glen Canyon Recreation Area, and Canyonlands National
Park. Elevation ranges from 4,000 to 8,000 ft (1,210 to 2,425 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. There are Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Triassic aged sedimentary rocks
with some Quaternary and upper Tertiary sedimentary deposits and valley fills.
Soil Taxa. Soils include Haplustalfs, Calciorthids, Haplargids, and Ustochrepts, and a few
Haplustolls, Calciustolls, and Argiustolls in combination with mesic soil temperature regimes,
and ustic and aridic soil moisture regimes.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Vegetation consists of pinyon-juniper woodlands at higher
elevations. Grama and galleta grasses are found at lower elevations; greasewood and saltbrush
are found on calcareous and salt affected soils.
Fauna. Species include pronghorn antelope, jackrabbits, desert mouse, and rattlesnakes.
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Climate. Precipitation ranges from 8 to 18 in (200 to 458 mm) annually, with more than half of
the precipitation falling during the winter. Temperature averages 45 to 57 °F (7 to 13 °C) and
winters are cold. The growing season lasts 110 to 180 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. Water is scarce. The Little Colorado River drains most of the
area, but its flow is intermittent; water is commonly stored in small reservoirs.
Disturbance Regimes. Fires are variable in frequency and intensity. Flash floods and drought are
common. Approximately 90% of this area is rangeland. It is grazed by both cattle and sheep.
Painted Desert (Section 313D)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Colorado Plateaus physiographic province. Geomorphic
processes active in this area are Mesozoic sedimentary deposition followed by tilting and erosion
into majestic plateaus. Major landforms are plains, hills, canyonlands, and valley plains.
Elevation ranges from 4,000 to 7,000 ft (1,210 to 2,134 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. There are Jurassic and Triassic sedimentary rocks and a few areas of
Paleozoic and Precambrian sedimentary rocks.
Soil Taxa. Soils include Haplustalfs, Ustochrepts, and some Haplustolls, Calciustolls, and
Argiustolls with a mesic soil temperature and ustic soil moisture regime. A few soils are in areas
with a mesic soil temperature regime and a few Torriorthents and Calciorthids are in aridic soil
moisture regime.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Grama and galleta grasses occur at lower elevations and pinyon-
juniper woodlands at higher elevations; saltbrush-greasewood type occur in dry, salt affected,
and calcareous soils.
Climate. Precipitation ranges from 8 to 20 in (200 to 508 mm) annually, with about 45 percent of
the precipitation falling during the winter. Temperature averages 45 to 57 °F (7 to 14 °C) and
winters are generally cold. The growing season lasts 100 to 170 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. Water is scarce. The Little Colorado River and Zuni River drain
most of the area, but their flows are intermittent. Water is commonly stored in reservoirs.
Disturbance Regimes. Fires are variable in frequency and intensity. Flash floods and drought are
common. Most of this area is rangeland. It is grazed by both sheep and cattle.
Central Rio Grande Intermontane (Section 313E)
Geomorphology. This Section, which is in the Basin and Range physiographic province, is
located in central New Mexico. Active geomorphic processes in this Section are basins produced
by erosional and deposit!onal action of running water. Major landforms are valleys and lowland
and outwash plains, and alluvial fans and terraces. The Rio Grande basin is the major landform
feature.
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Lithology and Stratigraphy. There are Cenozoic, Pleistocene and Miocene sedimentary rocks and
alluvial deposits, with a few late Tertiary-Quaternary volcanic rocks.
Soil Taxa. Soils include Hapustalfs, Ustochrepts, Haplustolls, Ustifluvents, Torriorthents, and
Fluaquents with mesic soil temperature regime and ustic soil moisture regimes and aquic
conditions.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Grama and galleta grasses and four-wing saltbrush occur along
with sand sage at lower elevations; pinyon-juniper woodlands are at higher elevations. A few
areas have riparian species such as cottonwood and willow.
Climate. Precipitation ranges from 8 to 16 in (204 to 400 mm) annually, with less than half of the
precipitation falling during the winter. Temperature averages 40 to 57 °F (4 to 14 °C). The
growing season lasts 130 to 180 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. Water is scarce throughout this Section.
Disturbance Regimes. Fires are variable in frequency and intensity, depending on fuel and
moisture. Most of this Section is grazed by sheep and cattle.
Southwest Plateau and Plains Dry Steppe and Shrub
Pecos Valley (Section 315A)
Geomorphology. This section is in the Great Plains physiographic province. It is located in west-
central New Mexico. Major landforms are plains, hills, basins, and fans. Major landform features
include the Pecos Plains and the Canadian Valley. Elevation range from 4,000 to 6,900 ft (1,200
to 2,100m)
Lithology and Stratigraphy. There are Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic aged sedimentary and
volcanic rocks and alluvial deposits.
Soil Taxa. Soils include Haplustalfs, Ustochrepts, Argiustolls, Haplustolls, and a few Haplargids,
Calciothids, and Ustorthents.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Vegetation consists of grama and galleta grass, pinyon-juniper in
mesic soil temperature regimes, and ustic soil moisture regimes, and mesquite bush in aridic soil
moisture regimes.
Climate. Precipitation ranges from 8 to 16 in (200 to 400 mm) annually, with less than half of the
precipitation falling in the winter. Temperature ranges from 45 to 70 °F (7 to 21 °C) and winters
are cold. The growing season last 160 to 200 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. Water is scarce throughout this Section because of low annual
accumulation and erratic precipitation. Only a few perennial streams exist. Ground water in deep
sand and gravel deposits or where limestone residuum exists provides for domestic and livestock
use.
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Disturbance Regimes. Fires vary in frequency and intensity, depending on fuel load and
moisture.
Land Use. The land in most of this Section is in farms, ranches, or private holdings. More than
75% of the area is managed as rangeland with cattle and sheep grazing.
Texas High Plains (Section 315B)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Great Plains geomorphic province. The predominant
landform consists of a broad, extensive flat plain formed by fluvial sedimentation of continental
erosional products from adjacent mountain ranges, followed by sheet erosion and transport.
These processes resulted in a region of moderate dissection. Elevation ranges from 2,600 to
6,500 ft (800 to 2,000 m). Local relief in most of the Section ranges from 100 to 300 ft, however,
relief in the tablelands ranges from 300 to 500 ft.
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rocks were formed during the Paleozoic (10%), Mesozoic (10%),
and Cenozoic (80%) Eras. Paleozoic strata consist of Permian marine deposits (sandstone, shale,
and limestone). Mesozoic strata consist of Triassic continental deposits (sandstone). Cenozoic
strata consist of Tertiary Period deposits (poorly consolidated silt, sand, and gravel in varying
proportions).
Soil Taxa. Soils are Ustolls and Ustalfs. Paleustolls, Argiustolls, Paleustalfs, and Haplustalfs are
on uplands. Calciustolls, Haplustolls, and Paleustolls are on ridges and steeper slopes.
Haplustolls occur on young valley floors. Pellusterts are in clayey playa-lake basins.
Calciorthids, Paleorthids, and Torriorthents are on steep slopes in breaks. These soils have a
mesic or thermic temperature regime, a ustic moisture regime, and mixed or carbonatic
mineralogy. Soils are deep, fine to coarse textured, well drained, and have limited soil moisture
for use by vegetation during parts of the growing season.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler classified vegetation as grama-buffalo grass and shinnery.
The predominant vegetation form is short grass communities composed of bunch grasses with a
sparse shrub layer. Species include short grasses (blue gramma, and buffalograss), sagebrush,
mesquite, and yucca.
Fauna. Typical large to medium size herbivores and carnivores include pronghorn, coyote, swift
fox, ringtail, and ocelot. Typical smaller herbivores include desert shrew, desert cottontail,
black-tailed prairie dog, yellow-faced pocket gopher, plains pocket mouse, silky pocket mouse,
hispid pocket mouse, and white-throated woodrat. Bison are historically associated with this
Section. Birds of grasslands include many species that typically occur over a wide area, such as
roadrunner, house finch, yellow warbler, willow flycatcher, cedar waxwing, western kingbird,
and golden eagle. The lesser prairie chicken, found here, is restricted to the more arid grasslands.
Amphibians found in this Section include plains spadefoot toad, Couche's spadefoot toad,
western spadefoot toad, plains leopard frog, Great Plains toad, green toad, red spotted toad,
spotted chorus frog, and yellow-mud turtle. Reptiles include species such as Texas horned lizard,
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round-tailed horned lizard, Great Plains skink, Texas blind snake, and plains black-headed snake.
Climate. Precipitation averages 14 to 18 inches (350 to 450 mm), occurring mainly in the spring
and fall. Temperature averages 55 to 63 °F (13 to 17 °C). The growing season lasts 130 to 220
days.
Surface Water Characteristics. There is a low density of small intermittent streams and few
associated rivers, all with low volume of water flowing at low velocity. A shallow dendritic
drainage pattern has developed. Major rivers include the Canadian and Red. The Canadian River,
in north Texas, is deeply incised into the Great Plains plateau and has developed a broad area (up
to 50 miles wide) of complex topography locally known as "The Breaks." Playa lakes are
common in the western part of this Section.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire and drought have probably been the principal historical disturbances.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been converted to agricultural crops or pasture on about 90%
of the area.
Rolling Plains (Section 315C)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Central Lowlands geomorphic province. Landforms
originated from platform uplift of continental sediments deposited previously into a shallow
inland sea, followed by a long period of erosion. These processes resulted in a moderately
dissected landscape. About 80% of this Section is equally divided between irregular plains and
tablelands. Smaller areas of smooth plains and plains with hills are also present. Elevation
ranges from 1,640 to 2,950 ft (500 to 900 m). Local relief in most of the Section ranges from
100 to 300 ft. Smaller areas are present where local relief ranges from 300 to 500 ft.
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rocks were formed during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic Eras.
Geologic strata consist of about equal amounts of Permian marine deposits and Triassic
continental deposits (sandstone). A small area of Permian continental deposits (sandstone, shale,
and limestone) is also present.
Soil Taxa. Soils are Ustolls, Ustalfs, and Ochrepts. Most soils are on uplands and include
Argiustolls, Paleustolls, and Natrustolls, Haplustalfs, Paleustalfs, and Ustochrepts. Localized
areas of Ustifluvents are on flood plains. These soils have a thermic temperature regime, a ustic
moisture regime, and mixed mineralogy. Most soils are deep, well drained, variable in texture,
and have limited moisture supplies for use by vegetation during part of the growing season.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler classified vegetation as mesquite-buffalo grass. The
predominant vegetation form is medium-tall grassland with a sparse shrub cover. The vegetative
community consists of sand and little bluestems and sagebrush.
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Fauna. The faunal community consists of species suited to a semi-arid environment. Large to
medium-size mammals include coyote, ringtail, ocelot, and collared peccary. Typical smaller
herbivores include desert cottontail, hispid pocket mouse, Texas kangaroo rat, Texas mouse,
desert shrew, and rock squirrel. Bison and black-footed ferret are historically associated with this
Section. Domesticated cattle are the most common large herbivore. Birds of thickets and
grasslands include black-capped vireo, Harris' sparrow, scaled quail, golden-fronted
woodpecker, and pyrrhuloxia. Amphibians include Couche's spadefoot toad, Great Plains
narrow-mouthed frog, green toad, red-spotted toad, and Texas toad. The spotted chorus frog,
yellow-mud turtle, and Texas map turtle are in wetter areas. Common reptiles include lesser
earless lizard, crevice spiny lizard, Texas spotted whiptail, Great Plains skink, prairie skink,
four-lined skink, western hook-nosed snake, Harter's water snake, and plains black-headed
snake.
Climate. Precipitation averages 18 to 24 inches (450 to 600 mm). Temperature averages 57 to 64
°F (14 to 18 °C). The growing season lasts 185 to 230 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. There is a low density of small intermittent streams and few
associated rivers, all with low volume of water flowing at low velocity. A dendritic drainage
pattern has developed. Major rivers include the Colorado and Brazos.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire and drought have probably been the principal historical disturbances.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been converted to agricultural crops or pasture on about 90%
of the area.
Edwards Plateau (Section 315D)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Great Plains geomorphic province. The predominant
landform consists of a broad, extensive flat plain formed by fluvial sedimentation of continental
erosional products from adjacent mountain ranges, followed by sheet erosion and transport; these
processes resulted in a region of moderate dissection. About 90% of this Section consists of
landforms equally divided between smooth plains and tablelands having moderate relief. Also
included are smaller areas of open high hills, high hills, and plains with hills. Elevation ranges
from 650 to 4,000 ft (200 to 1,200 m). Local relief in most of the Section ranges from 100 to 300
ft (30 to 90 m). In a small area of hills, relief ranges from 300 to 500 ft (90 to 150 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rock units in this Section were formed during the Precambrian
(10%), Paleozoic (30%), and Mesozoic (60%) Eras. Precambrian strata consist of metamorphic
rocks of paragneiss and schist structures and plutonic and intrusive rocks of granitic
composition. Paleozoic strata consist of a mixture of Cambrian (carbonates) and lower
Ordovician marine deposits (carbonates). Mesozoic strata consist of Cretaceous marine deposits
(limestone and sandstone).
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Soil Taxa. Soils are mostly Ustolls. Calciustolls are on limestone hills and plateaus.
Chromusterts are on outwash plains and broad plateaus. Ustochrepts are on marl and chalk hills.
Haplustolls are on stream deposits of valley floors. These soils have a thermic temperature
regime, a ustic moisture regime, and carbonatic or montmorillonitic mineralogy. Soils are
generally shallow, fine textured, and have limited soil moisture for use by vegetation during
parts of the growing season.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler classified vegetation as juniper-oak savanna and mesquite-
acacia-savanna. The predominant vegetation form is mid to short grasslands and evergreen scale-
leaved woodlands with a sparse cover of drought-deciduous shrubs. A mixture of species may
occur, including blackjack oak, red cedar, mesquite, live oak, and species of mid and short grass
grasslands.
Fauna. Common large to medium size herbivores and carnivores include coyote, ringtail, coati,
hog-nosed skunk, ocelot, and collared peccary. Smaller herbivores include Mexican ground
squirrel, white-ankled mouse, and prairie vole. Bison are historically associated with this
Section. Domesticated cattle are the most common large herbivores. Birds of thickets typically
found here include scaled quail, golden-fronted woodpecker, golden-cheeked warbler,
pyrrhuloxia, and long-billed thrasher. Amphibians include Couche's spadefoot toad, Rio Grande
leopard frog, Great Plains narrow-mouthed frog, green toad, Texas toad, spotted chorus frog,
barking frog, cliff chirping frog, and Texas map turtle. A number of salamanders in this Section
have a very restricted range: San Marcas, Texas, Cormal blind, Valdina Farms, and Texas blind.
Typical reptiles include Mediterranean gecko, spot-tailed earless lizard, keeled earless lizard,
Texas spiny lizard, Great Plains skink, and four-lined skink.
Climate. Annual precipitation ranges from 15 to 30 inches (375 to 750 mm). Average
temperature is 64 to 68 °F (18 to 20 °C). The growing season lasts 230 to 270 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. A low density of small intermittent and occasional perennial
streams occurs here. All generally have a low volume of water flowing at low velocity, except
along the plateau escarpment, where flow rates can be high. A dendritic drainage pattern has
developed. Major rivers include the Brazos and Colorado.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire and drought have probably been the principal historical disturbances.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been changed to agricultural crops or pasture on about 90% of
the area.
Rio Grande Plain (Section 315E)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Coastal Plains geomorphic province. The predominant
landform in this Section is a flat, weakly dissected alluvial plain formed by deposition of
continental sediments onto submerged, shallow continental shelf, which was later exposed by sea
level subsidence. Elevation ranges from 80 to 1,000 ft (25 to 300 m). Local relief in most of the
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Section ranges from 100 to 300 ft (30 to 90 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rocks formed during the Cenozoic Era. These strata consist of
Tertiary marine deposits (glauconitic, calcareous, fossiliferous layers with lignitic sandy and
argillaceous deposits).
Soil Taxa. Soils are Usterts, Torrerts, and Ustalfs. Pellusterts are on plains over clayey marine
sediments. Paleustalfs are on eolian plains. Torrerts, Haplustolls, Calciustolls, Paleustalfs, and
Haplustalfs are on plains. Calciustolls and Calciorthids are on plains over marine sediments.
Soils have a hyperthermic temperature regime, a ustic or aridic moisture regime, and mixed
mineralogy. Soils are mostly deep, fine to coarse textured, well drained, and have limited soil
moisture for use by vegetation during the growing season.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler classified vegetation as mesquite-acacia-savanna and
ceniza shrub. The predominant vegetation form is short grassland with a sparse cover of drought
deciduous shrubs. Species include mesquite, cactus, and tall and mid grasses. Live oaks and
cottonwoods may be present along stream banks.
Fauna. Typical large to medium size herbivores and carnivores include coyote, ringtail, hog-
nosed skunk, and ocelot. Smaller herbivores include Mexican ground squirrel, Texas pocket
gopher, and southern plains woodrat. Bats typical of this Section include the ghost-faced and
Sanborn's long-nosed. Bison, jaguar, and jaguarundi are historically associated with this Section.
This Section and adjacent 315E form the northern range of a number of birds common to Mexico
and South America. Typical birds include chachalaca, green kingfisher, pauraque, elf owl, white-
winged dove, red-billed pigeon, black-headed oriole, kiskadee flycatcher, yellow-green vireo,
Lichtenstein's oriole, tropical kingbird, beardless flycatcher, buff-bellied hummingbird, green
jay, long-billed thrasher, and white-collared seedeater. Amphibians include Mexican burrowing
toad, Rio Grande leopard frog, sheep frog, giant toad, spotted chorus frog, Mexican tree frog,
Rio Grande chirping frog, and Berlandier's tortoise. Reptiles include Texas banded gecko,
reticulate collared lizard, spot-tailed earless lizard, keeled earless lizard, blue spring lizard,
mesquite lizard, rose-bellied lizard, Laredo striped whiptail, black-striped snake, indigo snake,
speckled racer, and cat-eyed snake.
Climate. Precipitation ranges from 17 to 30 inches (420 to 750 mm), decreasing from east to
west and occurring mostly during May and June. Temperature averages 70 to 72 °F (21 to 22
°C). The growing season lasts 260 to 310 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. A sparse density of small to medium intermittent streams is
present in a dendritic drainage pattern. Major rivers include the Rio Grande and Nueces.
Disturbance Regimes. Drought has probably been the principal historical disturbance.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been converted to dry-land pasture for cattle grazing on about
90% of the area.
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Southern Gulf Prairies and Marshes (Section 315F)
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Geomorphology. This Section is in the Coastal Plains geomorphic province. The predominant
landform consists of a flat, weakly dissected alluvial plain formed by deposition of continental
sediments onto a submerged, shallow continental shelf, which was later exposed by sea level
subsidence. Along the coast, fluvial deposition and shore-zone processes are active in developing
and maintaining beaches, swamps, and mud flats. Elevation ranges from sea level to 160 ft (0 to
50 m). Local relief ranges from 0 to 50 ft (0 to 18 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rock units formed during the Cenozoic Era. These strata consist of
Quaternary marine deposits of non-glacial sand, silt, and clay.
Soil Taxa. Soils are Aquents, Aqualfs, Aquolls, and Aquepts. Psammaquents, Udipsamments,
Fluvaquents, and Salorthids are on barrier islands and long bays. Haplaquolls, Natraqualfs,
Pelluderts, and Pellusterts are on low coastal terraces. Ochraqualfs, Albaqualfs, and Paleudalfs
are found on plains. Haplaquolls, Haplaquents, and Fluvaquents are on coastal flats and flood
plains. These soils have a hyperthermic and thermic temperature regime, an aquic moisture
regime, and montmorillonitic, mixed, or siliceous mineralogy. Soils are fine to coarse textured,
saline, and mostly poorly drained with high water tables.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler classified vegetation as bluestem-sacahuista prairie and
southern cordgrass prairie. The predominant vegetation form is tall grassland with little tree
cover. Grasslands dominate areas inland from the coast and consist of little bluestem,
indiangrass, switchgrass, and big bluestem. Occasional areas of live oak are present. Poorly
drained areas along the coast support freshwater and saltwater marsh vegetation of sedges,
rushes, saltgrass, and cordgrass.
Fauna. The faunal communities typically include coyote, ringtail, hog-nosed skunk, ocelot, and
collared peccary. Smaller mammals include Mexican ground squirrel, Texas pocket mouse,
northern pygmy mouse, and southern Plains woodrat. Birds of freshwater marshes, lakes, ponds,
and rivers include reddish egret, white-faced ibis, black-billed whistling duck, white-fronted
goose, and olivaceous cormorant. Reptiles and amphibians include eastern spadefoot toad, Gulf
coast toad, American alligator, diamondback terrapin, spiny-tailed iguana, Texas horned lizard,
Texas spotted whiptail, and indigo snake.
Climate. Precipitation ranges from 25 to 55 inches (620 to 1,400 mm). Temperature averages 68
to 70 °F (20 to 21 °C). The growing season lasts 280 to 320 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. A low density of small to medium perennial streams is present in
this Section. The water table is high in many areas, resulting in poor natural drainage and
abundance of wetlands. A poorly defined drainage pattern has developed on very young alluvial
plains. There is an abundance of palustrine systems with seasonally high water levels. This
Section adjoins the West Indian Marine and Estuarine Provinces.
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Disturbance Regimes. Ocean tides and grazing have probably been the principal historical
disturbance. Climatic influences include occasional hurricanes.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been changed for agricultural crops on about 40% of the area.
Arizona-New Mexico Mountains Semi-Desert, Open Woodland, Coniferous Forest, Alpine
Meadow
White Mountain-San Francisco Peaks-Mogollon Rim (Section M313A)
Geomorphology. Located in the Colorado Plateau physiographic province, this section is in
central and eastern-central Arizona and west-central New Mexico. Geomorphic processes active
in this Section include Cenozoic volcanism, including basaltic lava flows, cinder cone eruptions,
and volcanic ash. Major landforms include mountains, plains, plateaus, and hills. Major
landform features include the San Francisco Mountains, White Mountains, and Jemez and
Mogollon Mountains. Elevation ranges from 6,000 to over 12,600 ft (1,820 to 3,860 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. There are Quaternary and upper Tertiary volcanic igneous rocks,
with Middle Tertiary to Cretaceous metamorphics and Mesozoic sedimentaries.
Soil Taxa. Soils include Eutroboralfs and Ustochrepts with frigid soil temperature regimes and
ustic soil moisture regimes. There are Glossoboralfs, Dystrochrepts, and Udic Argiborolls in
frigid-udic regimes and Cryoboralfs, and Cryochrepts in cryic-udic regimes. There is a limited
amount of pergelic-udic Cryumbrepts.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Predominant vegetation consists of ponderosa pine and gambel oak
in frigid soil temperature and ustic soil moisture regimes, and white fir, Douglas-fir in frigid-udic
regimes. Engelmann spruce and corkbark fir are in cryic-udic regimes and mountain avens are in
pergelic-udic regimes.
Climate. Precipitation ranges from 20 to over 32 in (500 to over 800 mm) annually, with more
than half of the precipitation falling during the winter. Temperature ranges from less than 32 to
45 °F (less than 0 to 7 °C). The growing season ranges from less than 50 to 110 days, and winters
are cold.
Surface Water Characteristics. This Section is the primary watershed for much of Arizona and
western New Mexico. Several large streams are perennial. Much of the water is stored in
reservoirs, and small artificial lakes are common. Ground water is limited and usually occurs at
great depths.
Disturbance Regimes. Natural fires occurred in ponderosa pine about every 3 to 10 years, but
have been prevented recently. This has led to a higher canopy cover and increased fuel loads,
resulting in a less resilient ecosystem and increased hazard of wildfire. Much of this area is
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covered with timber, with rangeland and recreation being secondary uses.
Sacramento-Manzano Mountain (Section M313B)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Basin and Range physiographic province; it is located in
central and south-central New Mexico. Major landforms are mountains, hills, plains, and scarps.
Major landform features are the Sacramento, Manzano and Sandia Mountains and the Canadian
Escarpment. Elevation ranges from 6,000 to 11,000 ft (2,130 to 3,690 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. There are Paleozoic sedimentary and Cenozoic aged igneous rocks
and a few metamorphic rocks.
Soil Taxa. Soils include Eutroboralfs, Glossoboralfs, Dystrochrepts, Ustochrepts, Argiustolls,
Calciustolls, Haplustolls, and Ustorthents with mesic and frigid temperature regimes and ustic
and udic soil moisture regimes. A few Cryoboralfs and Cryochrepts occur with cryic soil
temperature regimes and udic soil moisture regimes.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Vegetation consists of ponderosa pine in frigid soil temperature
regimes and ustic and udic soil moisture regimes, Douglas-Fir in frigid-udic regimes, pinyon-
juniper in mesic-ustic regimes, and Engelmann spruce, and subalpine fir in cryic-udic regimes. A
few areas support grey oak at the lowest elevations.
Climate. Precipitation ranges from 12 to 35 inches (305 to 900 mm), with less than half of the
precipitation falling during the winter. Temperature averages 40 to 57 °F (4 to 8 °C); winter
temperatures vary throughout this Section. The growing season lasts less than 70 to 170 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. This Section supplies much of the water to the Rio Grande and
Pecos Valley basins. Several streams are perennial.
Disturbance Regimes. Natural fire regime averages 3 to 10 years of frequency in ponderosa pine
forests. Much of this area is covered with timber, with some areas of commercial quality.
Another use of land is as range.
Chihuahuan Semi-Desert
Basin and Range (Section 321A)
Geomorphology. This area, which is in the Basin and Range physiographic province, is located
in southeast Arizona and southwest and central New Mexico. Relatively recent episodes of
continental rifting, volcanism, erosion, and sedimentation have dominated this Section.
Oligocene faulting created the Rio Grande rift in New Mexico and west Texas and initiated
volcanism. Subsequent Miocene composite volcanoes emitted silicic lava and ash. Along with
Pliocene and Pliestocene mass wasting and cyclic erosion events, and associated with glacial
cycles farther north, this combination of processes gradually filled the basins with deep
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sediments from adjacent mountain ranges. Current erosion cycles dissect these deposits and
continue to modify the rift valley through transport and deposition processes. Various landforms
comprise about equal areas: (1) plains with low mountains consisting of 50 to 80% of gently
sloping area and local relief of 1,000 to 3,000 ft; (2) plains with high hills where relief is 1,000 to
3,000 ft; (3) open high hills with relief of 500 to 1,000 ft; and (4) tablelands with moderate relief
averaging 100 to 300 ft. Elevation ranges from 2,600 to 5,500 ft (800 to 1676 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Geologic strata consist of an undifferentiated mixture of Quaternary
marine deposits, Miocene volcanic rocks, lower Tertiary volcanic rocks, and Lower Cretaceous
marine deposits; Permian marine deposits of Ochoan and Guadalupian series; Paleocene
continental deposits; Upper Cretaceous marine deposits; Precambrian plutonic and intrusive
granitic rocks; Quarternary volcanic rocks; Permian continental deposits of Wolcampian age,
and Miocene felsic volcanic rocks; upper Paleozoic marine deposits; Precambrian sedimentary
rocks of Pahrump and Unkar groups; Precambrian Mazatal quartzite, Yavapai series, pinal
schist, and metavolcanic formations.
Soil Taxa. Types are mostly Torriorthents with Calciorthids, Haplargids, and some Alfisols
(10%) and Mollisols (10%) with a thermic temperature regime, an aridic moisture regime, and
mixed or carbonatic mineralogy.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler mapped vegetation as trans-Pecos shrub savanna; grama-
tobosa desert grasslands; oak-juniper woodland; and mesquite-tarbush desert scrub.
Climate. Precipitation ranges from 8 to 13 inches (200 to 320 mm); it occurs mostly during July
and August. Temperature ranges from 55 to 70 °F (13 to 20 °C) and winters are mild. The
growing season lasts 200 to 240 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. There is a low density of intermittent streams and very few
associated rivers, most of which originate in distant mountainous areas. Flow rates are low to
moderate, except during periods of heavy rain, when large amounts of surface runoff can occur.
Dendritic drainage pattern has developed on dissected mountain slopes, largely without bedrock
structural control. Playa lakes are common following periods of rains, but are ephemeral in the
hot, dry climate prevalent in this Section.
Disturbance Regimes. Drought has probably been the principal historical source of disturbance.
Land Use. Land use includes range for cattle grazing on about 90% of the area.
Stockton Plateau (Section 321B)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Great Plains geomorphic province. The predominant
landform consists of open high hills with smaller areas of tablelands. These landform were
formed by fluvial sedimentation of continental erosional products from adjacent mountain
ranges, which was followed by sheet erosion and transport. These processes resulted in a region
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of shallow dissection. Elevation ranges from 2,600 to 4,500 ft (800 to 1,300 m). Local relief in
most of the Section ranges from 500 to 1,000 ft. Relief in a small area of tablelands ranges from
300 to 500 ft.
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rocks were formed during Paleozoic (35%), Mesozoic (40%), and
Cenozoic (25%) Eras. Paleozoic strata consist of Pennsylvanian marine deposits. Mesozoic
strata consist of nondifferentiated mixture of Lower and Upper Cretaceous marine deposits
(limestone, and sandstone). Cenozoic strata consist of lower Tertiary volcanic rocks of high
alkalic content.
Soil Taxa. Soils are Argids and Orthids. Haplargids, Paleargids, and Calciorthids are on uplands,
piedmont plains, and dissected terraces. Calciorthids, Ustolls, and Torriorthents are on uplands
with shallow depths to bedrock. Paleorthids are on mesas and terraces. Gypsiorthids are in
closed basins. Natragids and Torrerts are on basin floors. Torrifluvents are on flood plains and
Torripsamments are on sandy uplands. These soils have a thermic temperature regime, aridic
moisture regime, and mixed or carbonatic mineralogy. Soils are well drained, shallow to deep,
and medium textured. Soil moisture is limited for use by vegetation during most of the growing
season.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler classified vegetation as trans-Pecos shrub savanna; with
juniper and red cedar woodlands. The predominant vegetation form is short to mid height
grasslands with sparse cover of drought-deciduous and scale-leaved shrubs and small trees.
Species include desert shrubs in association with short to mid height grasses and oak savannas.
Fauna. Typical large to medium size herbivores and carnivores include pronghorn, coyote, swift
fox, ringtail, hooded skunk, ocelot, and collared peccary. Smaller herbivores include desert
shrew, desert cottontail, Mexican ground squirrel, yellow-faced pocket gopher, Nelson's pocket
mouse, and Merriam's kangaroo rat. Several bats, western mastiff and yuma myotis, are present
here. Birds of grasslands include bronzed cowbird, Baird's sparrow, and white-necked raven.
Birds of thickets include black-capped vireo, scaled quail, Harris' hawk, Inca dove, cave
swallow, golden-fronted woodpecker, and pyrrhuloxia. Amphibians include Couche's spadefoot
toad, western spadefoot toad, Rio Grande leopard frog, Great Plains toad, red-spotted toad,
spotted chirping frog, and Mexican mud turtle. Reptiles include Texas banded gecko, Big Bend
gecko, desert spring lizard, canyon lizard, crevice spiny lizard, gray checkered whiptail, little
striped whiptail, plateau spotted whiptail, checkered whiptail, Texas-Pecos rat snake, gray-
banded kingsnake, Big Bend patch-nosed snake, Mexican black-nosed snake, Big Bend black-
headed snake, rock rattlesnake, and black-tailed rattlesnake.
Climate. Precipitation ranges from 8 to 13 inches (200 to 320 mm). Temperature ranges from 55
to 64 °F (13 to 18 °C). The growing season lasts 200 to 240 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. This section has a low density of intermittent streams that
originate in nearby mountainous areas and flow mainly following rains. Major river systems
include the Rio Grande and Big Canyon. Flow rates are low except during periods of heavy rain,
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when large amounts of surface runoff can occur. Dendritic drainage pattern has developed.
Playa-type lakes are present following rains but quickly dry up, leaving high salt concentrations.
Disturbance Regimes. This section is part of the Chihuahuan Desert and drought has been the
principal disturbance.
Land Use. Cattle grazing occurs on about 90% of the area.
Great Plains-Palouse Dry Steppe
Southern High Plains (Section 331B)
Geomorphology. This Section is in the Great Plains geomorphic province. The predominant
landform is a broad, extensive flat plain formed by fluvial sedimentation of continental erosional
products from adjacent mountain ranges, followed by sheet erosion and transport. These
processes resulted in a region of moderate dissection. Landforms consist mostly of smooth plains
with smaller areas of tablelands. Elevation ranges from 2,600 to 4,000 ft (800 to 1,200 m). Local
relief ranges mainly from 100 to 300 ft (90 m). A small area of tablelands is present where relief
ranges from 300 to 500 ft (90 to 150 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Rocks were formed during the Paleozoic (20%), Mesozoic (20%),
and Cenozoic (60%) Eras. Paleozoic strata consist of Permian marine deposits (shale and
limestone). Mesozoic strata consists of Upper Cretaceous marine deposits (limestone and
sandstone). Cenozoic strata consists of Quaternary continental deposits (poorly consolidated silt,
sand, and gravel in varying proportions) and other localized marine deposits.
Soil Taxa. Soils are Ustolls and Ustalfs. Paleustolls, Argiustolls, Paleustalfs, and Haplustalfs are
on uplands. Calciustolls, Haplustolls, and Paleustolls are on ridges and steeper slopes.
Haplustolls occur on young valley floors. Pellusterts are in clayey playa lake basins.
Calciorthids, Paleorthids, and Torriorthents are steep slopes in breaks. These soils have a mesic
or thermic temperature regime, an ustic moisture regime, and mixed or carbonatic mineralogy.
Soils are deep, fine to coarse textured, well drained, and have limited soil moisture for use by
vegetation during parts of the growing season.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Kuchler classified vegetation as sandsage-bluestem prairie and
bluestem-grama prairie. The predominant vegetation form is short to mid-height grasslands.
Species composition includes bluegrama, buffalograss, hairy grama, and little bluestem.
Fauna. Large to medium size herbivores and carnivores typical of this Section include
pronghorn, coyote, and ringtail. Smaller herbivores include desert shrew, black-tailed prairie
dog, Plains pocket mouse, silky pocket mouse, and hispid pocket mouse. Bison and black-footed
ferret are historically associated with this Section. Birds of grasslands include lesser prairie
chicken, Swainson's hawk, and burrowing owl. Typical reptiles and amphibians include Great
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Plains toad, red spotted toad, lesser earless lizard, round-tailed horned lizard, Great Plains skink,
and Plains black-headed snake.
Climate. Annual precipitation averages 16 to 20 inches (400 to 520 mm). Between 16 to 35 in
(400 to 900 mm) of snow occurs. Temperature ranges from 50 to 57 °F (10 to 14 °C). The
growing season lasts 140 to 185 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. There is a low density of small intermittent streams with low
volume of water flowing at low velocity. A dendritic drainage pattern has developed on a weakly
dissected plateau, largely without bedrock structural control. Major rivers include the Cimarron
and North Canadian.
Land Use. Natural vegetation has been converted to agricultural crops and range for cattle
grazing on about 90% of the area.
Arkansas Tablelands (Section 3311)
Geomorphology. This Section includes undulating to rolling plains composed of shale that are
moderately dissected by streams. In many places the shale is mantled by loess, alluvium, and
outwash. Large stream valleys and isolated mesas with steep slopes and rolling to hilly dunes
border some of the valleys. Local relief ranges from 10 to 300 ft (3 to 90 m). Elevation ranges
from 3,610 to 6,235 ft (1,100 to 1,900 m). This Section is in Fenneman and Johnson's Great
Plains geomorphic physical division.
Lithology and Stratigraphy. The north-central one-third of the Section is predominantly
Quaternary eolian deposits, including windblown dune sand, silt, and loess, and local gravels and
alluvium. The extreme northwest is Tertiary arkosic sandstones and conglomerates, with local
ashy claystones and sandstones. Extreme southeast is Tertiary that is loose to well-cemented
sand and gravel. The remainder of the Section (generally southern two-thirds) is Permian
through Cretaceous sandstones, locally conglomeratic, and siltstones and shales, with local
limestones. Western part of the southern 2/3 of the Section has more calcareous shales and
limestones. A small area in the extreme south is Tertiary basalt flows and associated tuffs,
breccias, and conglomerates.
Soil Taxa. There are mesic temperature and ustic moisture regimes. Soils include Mollisols,
Entisols, and Alfisols.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Predominant vegetation consists of short and mid grass prairie, and
some woodlands. Kuchler classified vegetation as grama-buffalo grass prairie, sandsage-
bluestem prairie, and juniper-piny on woodland.
Fauna. Buffalo and wolves are historic residents of this Section. Large mammals include white-
tailed deer, mule deer, and pronghorn antelope. Elk, black bear, and mountain lion occasionally
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come into the Section from the west. Horned lark, northern harrier, prairie falcon, and burrowing
owl are year-round residents; the northern range of the roadrunner extends to this Section.
Summer nesters include Swainson's hawk, western and eared grebes, and ruddy duck. Winter
residents include marlin, northern shrike, Brewer's blackbird, and cedar waxwing. Typical
herpetofauna include the prairie rattlesnake, gopher snake, snapping turtle, and Great Plains
toad. Catfish species are present in rivers and lakes.
Climate. Precipitation averages 10 to 17 in (250 to 430 mm). Temperature averages 45 to 50 °F
(7 to 10 °C). The growing season lasts 120 to 180 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. Ground water is associated with sand and gravel over much of the
area, but is scarce where shale bedrock is near the surface. The Arkansas, Chuchara, Purgatoire,
Apishipa, and St.Charles Rivers flow through here. Local wells exist.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire, drought, insects, and disease have been the principal historical
source of disturbance.
Land Use. Almost all of the area is in farms and ranches, but urban areas do occur along the
western edge near Denver and other cities. About 68 percent of the area is used for grazing
purposes. About 8 percent of the area is irrigated, and about 15 percent of the area is in dry
crops.
Northern Rio Grande Basin
Geomorphology. This area is in the Southern Rocky Mountain Province. This Section is located
in north-central New Mexico and south-central Colorado. Landforms include valley, lowland,
and elevated plains and hills. Elevation ranges from 6,875 to 8,800 ft (2,100 to 2,680 m). The
major landform features are The San Luis Valley and the Rio Grande River.
Lithology and Stratigraphy. There are mostly Cenozoic sedimentary rocks and a few tertiary
volcanic rocks. Included also are terrestrial basin fill of late Tertiary and Quaternary age.
Soil Taxa. Soils include Inceptisols, Alfisols, Entisols, Aridisols, and Mollisols. Temperature
regimes range from mesic to frigid. Moisture regimes range from ustic to aridic.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Grama, galleta and sand dropseed grasses and Great Basin big
sagebrush are found in ustic soil moisture regimes and cottonwood and willow along riparian
corridors. Fescue-mountain muhly prairie also occurs. Kuchler mapped potential vegetation as
saltbush-greasewood and wheatgrass-needlegrass.
Fauna. This Section was once characterized by bison and large carnivores such as the gray wolf
and grizzly bear. These species have been reduced, primarily at the hand of man, yet
occasionally are still reported in the area. Currently, large ungulates include Rocky Mountain
elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, antelope, and moose; cougar, black bear, and coyotes comprise
the large predator component throughout the Section. Historical and present-day herpetofauna
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include the Wyoming and western toads; spotted and northern leopard frogs; tiger salamander;
short-horned and sagebrush lizards; the gopher snake, rubber boa, racer, and several species of
garter. Habitats in this Section support a rich and diverse avifauna: neotropical migratory
landbirds; waterfowl, including trumpeter swans and common loons; raptors, including bald and
golden eagles and peregrine falcons; and gallinaceous species. The Colorado River cutthroat
trout represents the historic salmonid component. Other fish that now inhabit the waters within
this Section include: the rainbow, brown, brook, golden, mackinaw, and hybrid trout, plus arctic
grayling; Rocky Mountain whitefish; speckled dace; squawfish; and others. Of special note is the
Kendall Warm Springs dace, found only in this Section and only in one stream.
Climate. Precipitation ranges from 6 to 20 in (150 to 500 mm) annually with less than half of the
precipitation falling during the winter. Temperature averages 39 to 57°F (4 to 14 °C) and winters
are generally cold. The growing season lasts 100 to 140 days
Surface Water Characteristics. There is limited precipitation; irrigation water is provided by the
Rio Grande River and small reservoirs supported by run off from nearby mountains. Wells can
tap ground water in deep soils in valley plains. The Chama River is an important water source in
the south part of this Section. The Conejos River flows through here.
Disturbance Regimes. Soil salinity is a problem in much of the area.
Land Use. Much of this Section is in farms and ranches. About 25% of this area is irrigated
cropland. Grazing and recreation are important activities. The Great Sand Dunes National
Monument is located in this Section. About 50% of the area is Federally owned and about 50%
is in farms and ranches. About 25% of the area is irrigated. Some grazing on native rangeland
occurs.
Great Plains Steppe
South-Central Great Plains (Section 332E)
Geomorphology. Gently sloping loess-mantled narrow ridgetops are separated by steep slopes
bordering drainage ways. Some stream valleys with nearly level flood plains and large stream
terraces exist. Dissected plains with broad rolling ridgetops and moderately steep valley sides
occur. Valleys are usually narrow with broad flood plains and terraces, and hilly dissected plains.
There are rivers with wide flood plains and terraces, and small streams with narrow bottomlands.
Rolling plains have a deep mantle of windblown sand and sandy outwash. Elevation ranges from
1,310 to 2,950 ft (400 to 900 m). This Section is within Fenneman and Johnson's Great Plains
geomorphic physical division.
Lithology and Stratigraphy. Most of Section is Cretaceous marine shales, with some sandstones
in the extreme northwest. Quaternary windblown dune sands and loess often cover the
Cretaceous shales.
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Soil Taxa. There are mesic and therimc temperature and ustic moisture regimes. Soils include
Mollisols and Alfisols.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Predominant vegetation is grass and prairie communities. Kuchler
mapped vegetation as bluestem-grama prairie, sandsage-bluestem prairie, northern flood plain
forests, and buffalograss.
Fauna. Bison, wolves, and black-footed ferrets are historically associated with this Section.
Present large mammals include white-tailed deer, mule deer, and a small population of
pronghorn antelope. Typical small mammals include bobcat, red fox, jackrabbit, cottontail, and
prairie dog. Typical year-round avifauna include the introduced ring-necked pheasant, horned
lark, bobwhite, Cooper's hawk, and prairie falcon. Summer nesters include Swainson's hawk,
blue-winged teal, and ruddy duck. The goshawk may be a rare winter resident. The goldeneye
and common merganser are other winter residents. Herpetofauna include snapping turtle, Great
Plains toad, western hognose snake, and the western garter snake. Catfish species are typical in
area waters.
Climate. Precipitation ranges from 20 to 35 in. (500 to 900 mm). Temperature averages 50 to 61
°F (10 to 16 °C). The growing season lasts 150 to 230 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. Large rivers, streams, ponds, reservoirs, and wells exist in this
Section. Ground water is abundant in areas associated with sand and gravel deposits; however, it
is scarce and may be mineralized in areas where shale, sandstone, clay, and limestone are near
the surface. Many rivers flow through this Section, including the Platte, Loup, Republican,
Cimarron, Arkansas, Solomon, and Saline. Large reservoirs include Johnson, Harlan, Wilson,
Waconda, and Cheney.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire, insects, and disease are primary natural disturbances.
Land Use. Most of the Section is in farms and ranches. About 60 percent of the area is in crop
land. About 35 percent of the area is grazed. Irrigation occurs along rivers in most of the area
accounting for approximately five percent of the total area; however, in the central area, where
corn is the major cash crop, it is irrigated extensively.
Southern Rocky Mountain Steppe: Open Woodland, Coniferous Forest, Alpine Meadow
Southern Parks and Rocky Mountain Ranges (Section M331F)
Geomorphology. Included in the Southern Rocky Mountain Province, this Section is located in
northeast-central New Mexico and south-central Colorado. Landforms are mountains and a few
valley plains. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are this Section's major landform feature.
Elevation ranges from 7,500 to 14,000 ft (2,300 to 4,300 m).
Lithology and Stratigraphy. There are Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rocks and
120
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Cenozoic and Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. A few Cretaceous through Mid-Tertiary intrusive
volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks are present.
Soil Taxa. Soils include Glossoboralfs with frigid soil temperature regimes and udic soil
moisture regimes, and Cryoboralfs and Cryochrepts with cryic soil temperature regimes and udic
soil moisture regimes.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Predominant vegetation includes Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine
in frigid soil temperature regimes; Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir in cryic soil temperature
regimes; and kobresia, geum and arenaria in alpine pergelic zones.
Climate. Precipitation averages 24 to 28 in (600 to 700 mm) annually, with less than half of the
precipitation falling during the winter. Temperature averages 32 to 45 °F (0 to 7 °C) and winters
are cold. The growing season lasts 70 to 110 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. Water from streams and lakes is abundant and ground water is
plentiful.
Disturbance Regimes. Fires vary in frequency and intensity in ponderosa pine stands, but may
occur when fuel load is high and dry. Fire is rare in areas with cryic temperature regimes and
udic soil moisture regimes. The upper mountain slopes are forested, but merchantable timber is
scarce. Recreation, mining, and ranching are important land uses.
South-Central Highlands (Section M331G)
Geomorphology. Steeply sloping to precipitous mountains are dissected by many narrow stream
valleys with steep gradients. Upper mountain slopes and crests may be covered by snowfields
and glaciers. High plateaus and steep walled canyons are common, especially in the west.
Elevation ranges from 7,545 to 14,110 ft (2,300 to 4,300 m). This Section is within Fenneman
and Johnson's Southern Rocky Mountains (eastern half of the Section) and Colorado Plateaus
(western half of the Section) geomorphic physical divisions.
Lithology and Stratigraphy. The San Juan Mountains area (eastern half of the Section) is Tertiary
volcanic ash flows, lavas, and conglomerates with local porphyritic intrusives. The western half
is mostly Pennsylvanian through Cretaceous sandstones, siltstones, shales, and conglomerates,
with local carbonates near the San Juan Mountains. In the extreme southern part of the Section is
a small area of Tertiary sandstones, shales, and conglomerates.
Soil Taxa. This area has frigid, cryic and pergelic temperature regimes, and aridic, ustic, and
udic moisture regimes. Mollisols, Alfisols, Inceptisols, and Entisols are most dominant on the
uplands. Great groups and suborder combinations at the higher elevations would include
Cryoborolls, Cryochrepts, Cryumbrepts, Cryoboralfs. Haploborolls, Argiborolls, Haplustalfs,
and Eutroboralfs are dominant at lower elevations. Valley bottoms and riparian areas will have
moist versions (aquic) of Mollisols and Entisols, and certain amounts of Histisols. Valley
121
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bottoms often contain Fluvaquents, Cryaquents, Cryaquolls, Haplaquolls, and Borohemists.
Potential Natural Vegetation. Vegetation ranges from shrub and grasslands, forests, and alpine
tundra. Kuchler classified vegetation as southwestern spruce—fir forest; pine-Douglas-fir forest;
mountain mahogany—oak scrub; Great Basin sagebrush; juniper-piny on woodland; and alpine
meadows and barren.
Fauna. Elk, mule deer, black bear, and mountain lion are common large mammals of this
Section. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep inhabit higher elevations, and moose have been recently
introduced. Smaller mammals include beaver, marmot, snowshoe hare, pine marten, and pika.
Common forest-dwelling birds are Steller's jay, grey jay, and Clark's nutcracker, and blue
grouse. Mountain bluebird, broad-tailed hummingbird, and Swainson's hawk are typical summer
residents. Herpetofauna present include western garter snake, chorus frog, and leopard frog.
Native cutthroat trout have been displaced in parts of their former range by brook, rainbow, and
brown trout.
Climate. Precipitation ranges from 15 to 30 in (370 to 750 mm). Temperature averages 32 to 45
°F (0 to 7 °C). The growing season last less than 70 days.
Surface Water Characteristics. Water from streams and lakes is abundant. Ground water is
plentiful. The Rio Grande, Animas, Gunnison, and San Miguel Rivers flow through here.
Disturbance Regimes. Fire, insects, and disease are principal sources of natural disturbance.
Land Use. More than 50% of this area is Federally owned, the remainder is in farms, ranches,
and private holdings. Most of the grassland and much of the open woodland is grazed. Some
small valleys are irrigated. Recreation, mining, and timber harvest are important land uses.
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APPENDIX B
Metadata for REAP Layers
123
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EPA Region 6 REAP Diversity Layer (Raw Scores)
Identification Information:
Citation:
Citation Information:
Publication Date: 20110119
Title: EPA Region 6 REAP Diversity Layer (Raw Scores)
Edition: 1
GeospatialData Presentation Form: raster digital data
Publication Information:
Publication Place: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200, Dallas, TX, 75202, USA
Publisher: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6
Online Linkage: https://edg.epa.gov/Data/R6/REAP/r6reap_diversity.zip
Description:
Abstract:
The Regional Ecological Assessment Protocol (REAP) is a screening level assessment
tool created as a way to identify priority ecological resources within the five EPA Region
6 states (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas). The REAP is an
extension of the Texas Ecological Assessment Protocol (TEAP). The TEAP was released
in 2005 as a multi-agency effort (i.e, Texas Environmental Resource Stewards, TERS).
US EPA received funds from FHWA under the Eco-Logical initiative to complete the
REAP. Please refer to the 2005 report (
) for more details on TERS and the
TEAP. The REAP divides eighteen individual measures into three main sub-layers:
diversity, rarity, and sustainability. This feature class represents the diversity layer which
shows land cover continuity and diversity. There are three measures that make up the
diversity layer: appropriateness of land cover, contiguous size of undeveloped area, and
the Shannon land cover diversity index. Each cell in the final diversity grid has a score of
between 1 and 100 based on the average of the three measures. Cells with higher scores
represent areas that are more diverse. Cells with lower scores represent areas that are the
least diverse.
Purpose:
To use as a screening tool in order to identify high priority ecological areas in EPA
Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas).
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance and Update Frequency: As needed
Spatial Domain:
Bounding Coordinates:
West Bounding Coordinate: -109.628939
East Bounding Coordinate: -87.944746
North Bounding Coordinate: 37.301077
South Bounding Coordinate: 25.395091
124
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Keywords:
Theme:
Theme Keyword Thesaurus: None
Theme Keyword: Diversity, Priority Ecological Areas, Habitat, Screening Tools
Place:
Place Keyword Thesaurus: None
Place Keyword:
Arkansas, AR, Louisiana, LA, New Mexico, NM, Oklahoma, OK, Texas, TX, Region
United States of America, USA, North America
Use Constraints: Public Access
Point of Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: U.S. EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6RA-DA
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
Contact ElectronicMa/7Address: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Data Set Credit: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region 6.
Security Information:
Security Classification: Unclassified
Native Data Set Environment:
Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 3; ESRI ArcGIS
10.0.0.2414
Data Quality Information:
A ttribute A ccuracy:
A ttribute A ccuracy Report:
QA/QC has been performed by EPA Region 6 GIS Support Team members. No
significant attribute errors have been found.
Lineage:
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: Fire Sciences Laboratory, Rocky Mountain Research Station
Publication Date: 20010331
Title: Potential Natural Vegetation Groups, Version 2000
125
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GeospatialData Presentation Form: map
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Missoula, Montana
Publisher: Fire Sciences Laboratory, Rocky Mountain Research Station
Type of"Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: Potential Natural Vegetation Groups, Version 2000
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Title: National Land Cover Database (NLCD 2001)
Edition: 1
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: map
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Sioux Falls, SD USA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Type of Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: National Land Cover Database (NLCD 2001)
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: USDA Forest Service
Publication Date: 20040201
Title: Bailey's Ecoregions
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: map
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Reston, VA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Type of Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: Bailey's Ecoregions
Process Step:
Process Description:
A feature class consisting of 250m x 250m grid cells was created using the XTools Pro
extension (3rd party add-on extension) within ArcGIS. The grid was snapped to the
original 1km TEAP grid.
Process Date: 20081208
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin for EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Contract Team Leader
ContactAddress:
Address Type: Unknown
126
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Address: Mailcode: 6SF-VI
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact Electronic Mail Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
Continuous Land Cover Model: Reclassified the NLCD layer to create an undeveloped
land raster file for Region 6. NLCD Land Cover types 11, 12, 31, 41, 42, 43, 52, 71, 72,
90, and 95 were reclassified to 1 as undeveloped lands. Land Cover types 21, 22, 23, 24,
81, 82, and 127 were reclassified to 0 as developed lands.
Process Date: 20090120
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin c/o U.S. EPA
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Analyst
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
Address: MC: 6SF-VI
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact Electronic Mail Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
Continuous Land Cover Model: Used the Region Group tool to create a new raster from
the undeveloped lands raster layer that groups cells of the same value. Used the Zonal
Geometry tool to calculate the area of each of the groups. Added 2 fields to the zonal
geometry raster. Calculated the first field to the Log 10 of the area field. The second field
converted the loglO value to a 0 to 100 score using the following method: All developed
lands (Link = 0) and undeveloped lands < lOha (100,000 sq meters) were scored 0.
Selected Link = 1 and area >= 100000. Identifed the maximum and minimum value in the
LoglO field for the selected records. Calculated the score = ("LoglO field" - minimum
value) * (99/(maximum value - minimum value)) + 1. Created a new grid based on this
new value using the ArcGIS "Lookup" tool.
Process Date: 20090715
127
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Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin c/o U.S. EPA
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Analyst
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: MC: 6SF-VI
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact ElectronicjVlailAddress: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
Continuous Land Cover Model: Used the Zonal Statistics Tool to average the values of
the lookup grid (30m) based on the 250m grid.
Process Date: 20090715
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin c/o U.S. EPA
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Analyst
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: MC: 6SF-VI
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact Electronic Mail Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
Appropriateness of Land Cover: Used the RECLASS tool in ArcGIS to reclassify the
Kuchler Potential Natural Vegetation (PNV) 2000 grid to the NLCD classification
scheme (Cross Timbers and Oak Hickory were reclassified to Deciduous Forest; Pine-
Douglas-Fir, Pine Forest, and Juniper-Pinyon were reclassified to Evergreen Forest;
Chaparral, Oak-Hickory-Pine, and Southern Mixed Forest were reclassified to Mixed
Forest; Southwest Shrub Step, Desert Shrub, Shinnery, and Texas Savanna were
128
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reclassified to Shrubland; Plains Grassland, Prairie, and Desert grassland were
reclassified to Grasslands/Herbaceous; Southern floodplain was reclassified to Woody
Wetlands; Wet grassland was reclassified to Emergent Herbaceous Wetlands).
Process Date: 20090113
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin c/o U.S. EPA
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Analyst
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: MC: 6SF-VI
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact ElectronicjVlailAddress: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
Appropriateness of Land Cover: Using the RECLASS tool, reservoirs were reclassified
(Kuchler reservoirs in the Texas High Plains, Southern High Plains, Redbed Plains, and
the Rolling Plains ecoregions were reclassified to Grasslands/Herbaceous; Kuchler
reservoirs in the Louisiana Coast, Eastern Gulf, Central Gulf, and Southern Gulf Prairies
and Marshes ecoregions were reclassified to Open Water; Kuchler reservoirs in the Basin
and Range, Sacramento-Monzano Mountain, Stockton Plateau and Rio Grande Plain
ecoregions were reclassified to Shrubland; and the Kuchler reservoirs in the Cross
Timbers and Prairie, Oak Woods and Prairies, Mid Coastal Plains-Western Section,
Blackland Prairies, Edwards Plateau, and Coastal Plains and Flatwoods-Western Gulf
Section ecoregions were reclassified to Woody Wetlands.
Process Date: 20090113
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin c/o U.S. EPA
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Analyst
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
Address: MC: 6SF-VI
City: Dallas
129
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State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact ElectronicjVlailAddress: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
Appropriateness of Land Cover: Compared the current NLCD data to the modified PNV
2000 data using the EQUAL TO tool in ArcGIS. Values that were the same received a
score of 1, those that were not the same received a score of 0. This grid was then
reclassified to convert the 1 score to 100. The 0 score stayed as 0.
Process Date: 20090722
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin c/o U.S. EPA
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Analyst
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
Address: MC: 6SF-VI
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8669
Contact Electronic Mail Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
Appropriateness of Land Cover: Averaged the values of the 30 meter pixels that made up
each 250m grid cell to determine the Index score for each cell. Used Zonal Statistics tool
with the MEAN setting to do this.
Process Date: 20090722
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin c/o U.S. EPA
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Analyst
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
Address: MC: 6SF-VI
130
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City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact ElectronicMa/7Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
Appropriateness of Land Cover: Converted the value of the grid to a 1 to 100 by doing
the following: Converted the grid created in the last step to an integer grid using the INT
tool in ArcGIS. Identified the maximum and minimum values in the Value field. Added a
new field to the integer grid. Calculated this new field = ("Value Field" - minimum
value) * (997 ( maximum value - minimum value)) + 1. Used the Look Up tool to create a
new grid based on the values in the newly calculated field.
Process Date: 20090722
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin c/o U.S. EPA
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Analyst
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
Address: MC: 6SF-VI
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact Electronic Mail Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
Shannon Index: Using the ATtlLA extension for Arc View 3.3, ran the diversity index
module. Inputs to the model were the Texas NLCD raster data, with NOD ATA values set
to water as recommended in the ATtlLA documentation. Used the Texas 250 meter grid
shapefile as the area of interest coverage in the model.
Process Date: 20100201
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin c/o U.S. EPA
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Analyst
131
-------
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact ElectronicJVlailAddress: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
Shannon Index: Output from ATtlLA was transformed to 0 to 100 grid.
Process Date: 20100201
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin c/o U.S. EPA
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Analyst
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact Electronic JVlail Address: danielson.j eff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
Diversity Index: Used the Mosaic tool to merge the 3 diversity layers together using the
mean function. This created an output grid that is an average of the 3 layers.
Process Date: 20100401
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin c/o U.S. EPA
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Analyst
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
132
-------
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact ElectronicJVlailAddress: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description: Diversity Index: Scores were converted to a 1-100 scale.
Process Date: 20100401
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin for EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Contract Team Leader
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6SF-VI
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact Electronic JVlail Address: danielson.j eff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description: Metadata Created
Process Date: 20100610
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin c/o U.S. EPA
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Analyst
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact Electronic JVlail Address: danielson.j eff@epa.gov
Spatial Data Organization Information:
Direct Spatial Reference Method: Raster
133
-------
Raster Object Information:
Raster Object Type: Pixel
Row Count: 3435
Column Count: 1653
Vertical Count: 1
Spatial Reference Information:
Horizontal Coordinate System Definition:
Planar:
Map Projection:
Map Projection Name: NAD 1983 Albers
Albers ConicalEqualArea:
Standard Parallel: 27.5
Standard Parallel: 35.0
Longitude of Central Meridian: -100.0
Latitude of Projection Origin: 18.0
False Easting: 1500000.0
False Northing: 6000000.0
Planar Coordinate Information:
Planar Coordinate Encoding Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate Representation:
Abscissa Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
Ordinate Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
Planar Distance Units: Meter
Geode tic Model:
Horizontal Datum Name: D North American 1983
Ellipsoid Name: GRS 1980
Semi-major Axis: 6378137.0
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257222101
Distribution Information:
Distributor:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6RA-DA
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
134
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Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
Contact Electronic^Mail Address: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Distribution Liability: See access and use constraints information.
Metadata Reference Information:
Metadata Date: 20110120
Metadata Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin for US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Contract Team Leader
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: Mailcode: 6SF-VI
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact ElectronicjVlail Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Metadata Standard Name: FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata Standard Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
EPA Region 6 REAP Diversity Layer (Rank)
Identification Information:
Citation:
Citation Information:
Publication Date: 20110119
Title: EPA Region 6 REAP Diversity Layer (Rank)
Edition: 1
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: raster digital data
Publication Information:
Publication Place: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200, Dallas, TX, 75202, USA
Publisher: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6
Online Linkage: https://edg.epa.gov/Data/R6/REAP/r6reap_diversity.zip
Description:
Abstract:
The Regional Ecological Assessment Protocol (REAP) is a screening level assessment
tool created as a way to identify priority ecological resources within the five EPA Region
135
-------
6 states (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas). The REAP is an
extension of the Texas Ecological Assessment Protocol (TEAP). The TEAP was released
in 2005 as a multi-agency effort (i.e, Texas Environmental Resource Stewards, TERS).
US EPA received funds from FHWA under the Eco-Logical initiative to complete the
REAP. Please refer to the 2005 report (
) for more details on TERS and the
TEAP. The REAP divides eighteen individual measures into three main sub-layers:
diversity, rarity, and sustainability. This feature class represents the diversity layer which
shows land cover continuity and diversity. There are three measures that make up the
diversity layer: appropriateness of land cover, contiguous size of undeveloped area, and
the Shannon land cover diversity index. Each cell in the final diversity grid has a score of
between 1 and 100 based on the average of the three measures. Cells with higher scores
represent areas that are more diverse. Cells with lower scores represent areas that are the
least diverse. In this feature class the cells are placed into the following 5 groups based
on the score: 1 (top 1% of scores), 10 (top 10% of scores), 25 (top 25% of scores), 50
(top 50% of scores), and 100 (all the rest of the scores).
Purpose:
To use as a screening tool in order to identify high priority ecological areas in EPA
Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas).
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance and Update Frequency: As needed
Spatial Domain:
Bounding Coordinates:
West Bounding Coordinate: -109.628939
East Bounding Coordinate: -87.944746
North Bounding Coordinate: 37.301077
South Bounding Coordinate: 25.395091
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme Keyword Thesaurus: None
Theme Keyword: Diversity, Priority Ecological Areas, Habitat, Screening Tools
Place:
Place Keyword Thesaurus: None
Place Keyword:
Arkansas, AR, Louisiana, LA, New Mexico, NM, Oklahoma, OK, Texas, TX, Region 6,
United States of America, USA, North America
Use Constraints: Public access.
Point of Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: U.S. EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
Contact Address:
136
-------
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6RA-DA
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
Contact ElectronicMa/7Address: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Data Set Credit: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region 6.
Security Information:
Security Classification: Unclassified
Native Data Set Environment:
Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 3; ESRI ArcGIS
10.0.0.2414
Data Quality Information:
A ttribute A ccuracy:
A ttribute A ccuracy Report:
QA/QC has been performed by EPA Region 6 GIS Support Team members. No
significant attribute errors have been found.
Lineage:
Process Step:
Process Description:
Rank the diversity grid cells from high to low and placed them into 5 groupings.
Converted the diversity grid of raw scores into an integer grid and added a rank field.
Sorted the value field from high to low. Selected the highest 1% of scores and calculated
rank = 1. Selected the scores that were the next highest 2% to 10% and calculated rank =
10. Selected scores ranging from the highest 11% to 25% of scores and calculated rank =
25. Selected those scores that were between 26% and 50% and calculated rank = 50.
Selected the lowest 50% of scores and calculated rank = 100. Used the Lookup tool to
create a new grid based on the rank field.
Process Date: 20100401
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin for EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Contract Team Leader
ContactAddress:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6SF-VI
City: Dallas
137
-------
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: (214)665-8559
Contact ElectronicMa/7Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
The individual ecoregion diversityrank grids are merged together to form the Region 6
grid using the MosaictoNewRaster tool.
Process Date: 20110114
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description: Created metadata.
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Spatial Data Organization Information:
Direct Spatial Reference ^Method: Raster
Raster Object Information:
Raster Object Type: Pixel
Row Count: 3435
Column Count: 1653
Vertical Count: 1
Spatial Reference Information:
Horizontal Coordinate System Definition:
Planar:
Map Projection:
Map Projection Name: NAD 1983 Albers
Albers ConicalEqualArea:
Standard Parallel: 27.5
Standard Parallel: 35.0
Longitude of Central Meridian: -100.0
Latitude of Projection Origin: 18.0
False Easting: 1500000.0
False Northing: 6000000.0
Planar Coordinate Information:
Planar Coordinate Encoding Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate Representation:
138
-------
Abscissa Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
Ordinate Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
Planar Distance Units: Meter
Geode tic Model:
Horizontal Datum Name: D North American 1983
Ellipsoid Name: GRS 1980
Semi-major Axis: 6378137.0
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257222101
Entity and Attribute Information:
Detailed Description:
Entity Type:
Entity Type Label: diversityrank.vat
Attribute:
Attribute Label: Rowid
Attribute Definition: Internal feature number.
A ttribute Definition Source: ESRI
Attribute Domain Values:
Unrepresentable Domain:
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Beginning Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Ending Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Attribute:
Attribute Label: VALUE
Attribute Definition: Ecological Quality Ranking
Attribute Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 1
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Top 1% of scores (most ecologically important)
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 10
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Top 2% to 10% of scores
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 25
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Middle 11% to 25% of scores
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 50
139
-------
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Middle 26% to 50% of scores
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 100
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Lowest 50% of scores (least ecologically
important)
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Beginning Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Ending Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Attribute:
Attribute Label: COUNT
Attribute Definition: Count of the number of cells with the value
Beginning Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Ending Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Distribution Information:
Distributor:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6RA-DA
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
Contact Electronic Mail Address: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Distribution Liability: See access and use constraints information.
Metadata Reference Information:
Metadata Date: 20110120
Metadata Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin for US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Contract Team Leader
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
140
-------
Address: Mailcode: 6SF-VI
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact Electronic Mail Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Metadata Standard Name: FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata Standard Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
EPA Region 6 REAP Rarity Layer (Raw Scores)
Identification Information :
Citation:
Citation Information:
Publication Date: 20100610
Title: EPA Region 6 REAP Rarity Layer (Raw Scores)
Edition: 1
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: raster digital data
Publication Information:
Publication Place: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200, Dallas, TX, 75202, USA
Publisher: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6
Online Linkage: https://edg.epa.gov/Data/R6/REAP/r6reap_rarity.zip
Description:
Abstract:
The Regional Ecological Assessment Protocol (REAP) is a screening level assessment
tool created as a way to identify priority ecological resources within the five EPA Region
6 states (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas). The REAP is an
extension of the Texas Ecological Assessment Protocol (TEAP). The TEAP was released
in 2005 as a multi-agency effort (i.e, Texas Environmental Resource Stewards, TERS).
US EPA received funds from FHWA under the Eco-Logical initiative to complete the
REAP. Please refer to the 2005 report (
) for more details on TERS and the
TEAP. The REAP divides eighteen individual measures into three main sub-layers:
diversity, rarity, and sustainability. This feature class represents the rarity layer which
shows the rarity of species and land cover in the Region. There are four measures that
make up the rarity layer: vegetation rarity, natural heritage rank, taxonomic richness, and
rare species richness. Each cell in the final rarity grid has a score of between 1 and 100
141
-------
based on the average of the four measures. Cells with higher scores represent areas that
have the most rarity. Cells with lower scores represent areas that have the least rarity.
Purpose:
To use as a screening tool in order to identify high priority ecological areas in EPA
Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas).
Supplemental Information:
Thanks to following for providing the species data used in creating this layer: Cindy
Osborne of the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Nicole Lorenz of the Louisiana
Heritage Program, Rayo McCollough of the New Mexico Heritage Program, Bruce
Hoagland of the Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory, and the Texas Parks & Wildlife
Dept.
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance and Update Frequency: As needed
Spatial Domain:
Bounding Coordinates:
West Bounding Coordinate: -109.628939
East Bounding Coordinate: -87.944746
North Bounding Coordinate: 37.301077
South Bounding Coordinate: 25.395091
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme Keyword Thesaurus: None
Theme Keyword: Rarity, Priority Ecological Areas, Habitat, Screening Tools
Place:
Place Keyword Thesaurus: None
Place Keyword:
Arkansas, AR, Louisiana, LA, New Mexico, NM, Oklahoma, OK, Texas, TX, Region 6,
United States of America, USA, North America
Use Constraints: Public access.
Point of Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: U.S. EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6RA-DA
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
142
-------
Contact Electronic^Mail Address: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Data Set Credit: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region 6.
Security Information:
Security Classification: Unclassified
Native Data Set Environment:
Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 3; ESRI ArcGIS
10.0.0.2414
Data Quality Information:
A ttribute A ccuracy:
A ttribute A ccuracy Report:
QA/QC has been performed by EPA Region 6 GIS Support Team members. No
significant attribute errors have been found.
Lineage:
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Title: Threatened & Endangered Species Data
GeospatialData Presentation Form: map
Other Citation Details:
Obtained from the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Louisiana Heritage Program,
New Mexico Heritage Program, Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory, and the Texas
Parks & Wildlife Dept.
Type of Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: Threatened & Endangered Species Data
Source Contribution:
Threatened & Endangered Species Data was obtained from the Arkansas Natural
Heritage Commission, Louisiana Heritage Program, New Mexico Heritage Program,
Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory, and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Title: National Land Cover Database (NLCD 2001)
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Sioux Falls, SD USA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Type of"Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: National Land Cover Database (NLCD 2001)
Source Contribution: National Land Cover Database from 2001.
Process Step:
Process Description:
Landcover Rarity: Reclassified the NLCD 2001 data to combine the developed lands into
one class. NLCD Land Cover types 21, 22, 23, 24, 81, 82, and 127 were reclassified to 0
143
-------
as developed lands. The rest of the Land Cover types (11, 12, 31, 32, 41, 42, 43, 51, 52,
71, 72, 90, and 95) were left with their original coding.
Process Date: 20100407
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin c/o U.S. EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Analyst
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665. 8559
Contact Electronic Mail Address: danielson.j eff@epa.gov
Process Description:
Landcover Rarity: The receded NLCD mosaic was clipped to Bailey's Ecoregions to
produce individual files corresponding to NLCD natural vegetation by ecoregion. Pixel
counts were conducted for each of the ecoregion files and each cover type was receded to
a rarity rank based on its frequency distribution. The land cover type with the lowest
number of cells was scored 100. The land cover type with the most number of cells was
scored 0. This was done for each ecoregion and also for the statewide grid.
Process Date: 20100407
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Landcover Rarity: For each ecoregion, mosaic'd the ecoregion 0-100 grid with the
statewide 0-100 grid using the mean function. If the resulting grid had scores less than
100, then converted the scores to a 0-100 score and created a new grid using the Lookup
Tool.
Process Date: 20100407
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
144
-------
Number of Species: The number of unique species was summarized based on quad name.
Process Date: 20110110
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Number of Species: The quad shapefile with number of species per quad was spatially
joined to the 250m grid shapefile using the 'summarize by maximum value' option. If a
250m cell was completely within a quadrangle, it received the number of species from
the quadrangle. If a 250m cell fell within more than 1 quadrangle, the cell was assigned
the value from the quadrangle with the highest number of species.
Process Date: 20110110
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Number of Species: Using the "feature to raster" function in ArcGIS, a 250m raster
dataset was produced with the maximum score field used as the value. The maximum
score was converted to a 1-100 score and a new grid was created using the Lookup tool.
Process Date: 20110110
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Number of Taxa: If the data was not already summarized by quadrangle, then a new taxa
field was added to the species layers. Each species was assigned to its taxonomic group.
The taxonomic groups are: bryophyte, pterodophyte, gymnosperm plant, dicot plant,
monocot plant, lichen, platyhelminthe, uniramian arthropod, insect, chelicerate, annelids,
diplopods, crustacean, mollusk, fish, amphibian, reptile, bird, and mammal.
Process Date: 20110111
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Number of Taxa: The taxanomic groups were summarized by USGS 7.5' quadrangle to
obtain a number of unique taxa per quadrangle. The quad shapefile with number of taxa
145
-------
per quad was spatially joined to the 250m grid shapefile using the 'summarize by
maximum value' option. If a 250m cell was completely within a quadrangle, it received
the number of taxa from the quadrangle. If a 250m cell fell within more than 1
quadrangle, the cell was assigned the value from the quadrangle with the highest number
of taxa.
Process Date: 20110111
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Number of Taxa: Using the "feature to raster" function in ArcGIS, a 250m raster dataset
was produced with the maximum score field used as the value. The maximum score was
converted to a 1-100 score and a new grid was created using the Lookup tool.
Process Date: 20110111
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Species Rarity: For each species a class score was assigned based on the GRANK,
SRANK, federal listing, state listing as follows: Any State or Federal listed species were
automatically given a rank of 1. Classes 2-10 were computed by combining the SRANK
and GRANK into a single score, e.g. Gl + S2 = 3 etc. After scores were calculated, the
species data was summarized based on the 7.5' USGS quadrangle. Each quad was
accordingly attributed with a single class attribute reflecting the lowest (minimum) score
that occured within it. For example, quadrangle A has 2 species; species 1 has a rank of 5
and species 2 has a rank of 2; quadrangle A is assigned a score of 2.
Process Date: 20110112
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Species Rarity: The quadrangle layer was spatially joined to the 250m grid shapefile with
the minimum value saved.
Process Date: 20110112
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
146
-------
Process Step:
Process Description:
Species Rarity: Using the "feature to raster" function in ArcGIS, a 250m raster dataset
was produced with the minimum score field used as the value. The minimum score was
converted to a 1-100 score and a new grid was created using the Lookup tool.
Process Date: 20110112
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Rarity Index: The 4 rarity grids were mosaiced together to obtain a grid that was the
average of the 4 grids.
Process Date: 20110113
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description: Rarity Index: The grid was converted to a 1-100 score.
Process Date: 20110113
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin for EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Contract Team Leader
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Process Step:
Process Description: Metadata created
Process Date: 20110119
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Spatial Data Organization Information:
Direct Spatial Reference ^Method: Raster
Raster Object Information:
Raster Object Type: Pixel
Row Count: 3435
Column Count: 1653
Vertical Count: 1
147
-------
Spatial Reference Information:
Horizontal Coordinate System Definition:
Planar:
Map Projection:
Map Projection Name: NAD 1983 Albers
Albers ConicalEqualArea:
Standard Parallel: 27.5
Standard Parallel: 35.0
Longitude of Central Meridian: -100.0
Latitude of Projection Origin: 18.0
False Easting: 1500000.0
False Northing: 6000000.0
Planar Coordinate Information:
Planar Coordinate Encoding Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate Representation:
Abscissa Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
Ordinate Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
Planar Distance Units: Meter
Geode tic Model:
Horizontal Datum Name: D North American 1983
Ellipsoid Name: GRS 1980
Semi-major Axis: 6378137.0
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257222101
Distribution Information:
Distributor:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6RA-DA
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
Contact ElectronicMa/7Address: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Distribution Liability: See access and use constraints information.
Metadata Reference Information:
148
-------
Metadata Date: 20110120
Metadata Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin for US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Contract Team Leader
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: Mailcode: 6SF-VI
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact Electronic Mail Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Metadata Standard Name: FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata Standard Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
EPA Region 6 Rarity Layer (Rank)
Identification Information:
Citation:
Citation Information:
Publication Date: 20100610
Title: EPA Region 6 Rarity Layer (Rank)
Edition: 1
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: raster digital data
Publication Information:
Publication Place: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200, Dallas, TX, 75202, USA
Publisher: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6
Online Linkage: https://edg.epa.gov/Data/R6/REAP/r6reap_rarity.zip
Description:
Abstract:
The Regional Ecological Assessment Protocol (REAP) is a screening level assessment
tool created as a way to identify priority ecological resources within the five EPA Region
6 states (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas). The REAP is an
extension of the Texas Ecological Assessment Protocol (TEAP). The TEAP was released
in 2005 as a multi-agency effort (i.e, Texas Environmental Resource Stewards, TERS).
US EPA received funds from FHWA under the Eco-Logical initiative to complete the
149
-------
REAP. Please refer to the 2005 report (
) for more details on TERS and the
TEAP. The REAP divides eighteen individual measures into three main sub-layers:
diversity, rarity, and sustainability. This feature class represents the rarity layer which
shows the rarity of species and land cover in the Region. There are four measures that
make up the rarity layer: vegetation rarity, natural heritage rank, taxonomic richness, and
rare species richness. Each cell in the final rarity grid has a score of between 1 and 100
based on the average of the four measures. Cells with higher scores represent areas that
have the most rarity. Cells with lower scores represent areas that have the least rarity. In
this feature class the cells are placed into the following 5 groups based on the score: 1
(top 1% of scores), 10 (top 10% of scores), 25 (top 25% of scores), 50 (top 50% of
scores), and 100 (all the rest of the scores).
Purpose:
To use as a screening tool in order to identify high priority ecological areas in EPA
Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas).
Supplemental Information:
Thanks to following for providing the species data used in creating this layer: Cindy
Osborne of the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Nicole Lorenz of the Louisiana
Heritage Program, Rayo McCollough of the New Mexico Heritage Program, Bruce
Hoagland of the Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory, and the Texas Parks & Wildlife
Dept.
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance and Update Frequency: As needed
Spatial Domain:
Bounding Coordinates:
West Bounding Coordinate: -109.628939
East Bounding Coordinate: -87.944746
North Bounding Coordinate: 37.301077
South Bounding Coordinate: 25.395091
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme Keyword Thesaurus: None
Theme Keyword: Rarity, Priority Ecological Areas, Habitat, Screening Tools
Place:
Place Keyword Thesaurus: None
Place Keyword:
Arkansas, AR, Louisiana, LA, New Mexico, NM, Oklahoma, OK, Texas, TX, Region 6,
United States of America, USA, North America
Use Constraints: Public access.
Point of Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: U.S. EPA Region 6
150
-------
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6RA-DA
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
Contact ElectronicMa/7Address: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Data Set Credit: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region 6.
Security Information:
Security Classification: Unclassified
Native Data Set Environment:
Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 3; ESRI ArcGIS
10.0.0.2414
Data Quality Information:
A ttribute A ccuracy:
A ttribute A ccuracy Report:
QA/QC has been performed by EPA Region 6 GIS Support Team members. No
significant attribute errors have been found.
Lineage:
Process Step:
Process Description:
Rank the rarity grid cells from high to low and placed them into 5 groupings. Converted
the rarity grid of raw scores into an integer grid and added a rank field. Sorted the value
field from high to low. Selected the highest 1% of scores and calculated rank = 1.
Selected the scores that were the next highest 2% to 10% and calculated rank =10.
Selected scores ranging from the highest 11% to 25% of scores and calculated rank = 25.
Selected those scores that were between 26% and 50% and calculated rank = 50. Selected
the lowest 50% of scores and calculated rank = 100. Used the Lookup tool to create a
new grid based on the rank field.
Process Date: 20110112
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin c/o U.S. EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Analyst
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
151
-------
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact ElectronicjVlailAddress: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
The individual ecoregion rarityrank grids are merged together to form the Region 6 grid
using the MosaictoNewRaster tool.
Process Date: 20110112
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description: Created metadata.
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Spatial Data Organization Information:
Direct Spatial Reference Method: Raster
Raster Object Information:
Raster Object Type: Pixel
Row Count: 3435
Column Count: 1653
Vertical Count: 1
Spatial Reference Information:
Horizontal Coordinate System Definition:
Planar:
Map Projection:
Map Projection Name: NAD 1983 Albers
Albers ConicalEqualArea:
Standard Parallel: 27.5
Standard Parallel: 35.0
Longitude of Central Meridian: -100.0
Latitude of Projection Origin: 18.0
False Easting: 1500000.0
False Northing: 6000000.0
Planar Coordinate Information:
Planar Coordinate Encoding Method: coordinate pair
152
-------
Coordinate Representation:
Abscissa Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
Ordinate Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
Planar Distance Units: Meter
Geode tic Model:
Horizontal Datum Name: D North American 1983
Ellipsoid Name: GRS 1980
Semi-major Axis: 6378137.0
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257222101
Entity and Attribute Information:
Detailed Description:
Entity Type:
Entity Type Label: rarityrank.vat
Attribute:
Attribute Label: Rowid
Attribute Definition: Internal feature number.
A ttribute Definition Source: ESRI
Attribute Domain Values:
Unrepresentable Domain:
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Beginning Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Ending Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Attribute:
Attribute Label: VALUE
Attribute Definition: Ecological Quality Ranking
Attribute Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 1
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Top 1% of scores (most ecologically important)
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 10
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Top 2% to 10% of scores
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 25
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Middle 11% to 25% of scores
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
153
-------
Enumerated Domain Value: 50
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Middle 26% to 50% of scores
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 100
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Lowest 50% of scores (least ecologically
important)
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Beginning Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Ending Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Attribute:
Attribute Label: COUNT
Attribute Definition: Count of the number of cells with the value
Beginning Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Ending Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Distribution Information:
Distributor:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6RA-DA
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
Contact ElectronicMa/7Address: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Distribution Liability: See access and use constraints information.
Metadata Reference Information:
Metadata Date: 20110120
Metadata Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin for US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Contract Team Leader
Contact Address:
154
-------
Address Type: Unknown
Address: Mailcode: 6SF-VI
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact Electronic Mail Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Metadata Standard Name: FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata Standard Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
EPA Region 6 REAP Sustainability Layer (Raw Scores)
Identification Information :
Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: US Environmental Protection Agency Region 6
Publication Date: 20100610
Title: EPA Region 6 REAP Sustainability Layer (Raw Scores)
Edition: 1
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: raster digital data
Publication Information:
Publication Place: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200, Dallas, TX, 75202, USA
Publisher: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6
Online Linkage: https://edg.epa.gov/Data/R6/REAP/r6reap_sustainability.zip
Description:
Abstract:
The Regional Ecological Assessment Protocol (REAP) is a screening level assessment
tool created as a way to identify priority ecological resources within the five EPA Region
6 states (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas). The REAP is an
extension of the Texas Ecological Assessment Protocol (TEAP). The TEAP was released
in 2005 as a multi-agency effort (i.e, Texas Environmental Resource Stewards, TERS).
US EPA received funds from FHWA under the Eco-Logical initiative to complete the
REAP. Please refer to the 2005 report (
) for more details on TERS and the
TEAP. The REAP divides eighteen individual measures into three main sub-layers:
diversity, rarity, and Sustainability. This feature class represents the Sustainability layer
which describes the state of the environment in terms of stability (sustainble areas are
those that can maintain themselves into the future without human management). There
are eleven measures that make up the Sustainability layer: contiguous land cover,
regularity of ecosystem boundary, appropriateness of land cover, waterway obstruction,
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road density, airport noise, Superfund sites, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) sites, water quality, air quality, and urban/agriculture disturbance. Each cell in
the final sustainability grid has a score of between 1 and 100 based on the average of the
eleven measures. Cells with higher scores represent areas that are more sustainable. Cells
with lower scores represent areas that are the least sustainable.
Purpose:
To use as a screening tool in order to identify high priority ecological areas in EPA
Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas).
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance and Update Frequency: As needed
Spatial Domain:
Bounding Coordinates:
West Bounding Coordinate: -109.625907
East Bounding Coordinate: -87.950602
North Bounding Coordinate: 37.298816
South Bounding Coordinate: 25.395527
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme Keyword Thesaurus: None
Theme Keyword:
Sustainability, Priority Ecological Areas, Habitat, Screening Tools
Place:
Place Keyword Thesaurus: None
Place Keyword:
Arkansas, AR, Louisiana, LA, New Mexico, NM, Oklahoma, OK, Texas, TX, Region 6,
United States of America, USA, North America
Use Constraints: Public access.
Point of Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: U.S. EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6RA-DA
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
Contact ElectronicMa/7Address: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Data Set Credit: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region 6.
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Security Information:
Security Classification: Unclassified
Native Data Set Environment:
Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 3; ESRI ArcGIS
10.0.0.2414
Data Quality Information:
A ttribute A ccuracy:
A ttribute A ccuracy Report:
QA/QC has been performed by EPA Region 6 GIS Support Team members. No
significant attribute errors have been found.
Lineage:
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6
Publication Date: 20090101
Title: National Priorities List Sites
GeospatialData Presentation Form: map
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Dallas, TX
Publisher: U.S. EPA Region 6
Type of"Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: National Priorities List Sites
Source Contribution: Sites on the EPA National Priorities List.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Publication Date: 20080101
Title: National Transportation Atlas Databases (Public-Use Airports)
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: map
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Washington DC
Publisher: Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Type of"Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: National Transportation Atlas Databases (Public-Use
Airports)
Source Contribution:
Public-use airports that are in the National Transportation Atlas Database.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: Fire Sciences Laboratory, Rocky Mountain Research Station
157
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Publication Date: 20010331
Title: Potential Natural Vegetation Groups, Version 2000
GeospatialData Presentation Form: map
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Missoula, Montana
Publisher: Fire Sciences Laboratory, Rocky Mountain Research Station
Type of Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: Potential Natural Vegetation Groups, Version 2000
Source Contribution: Kuchler's Potential Natural Vegetation Groups.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Publication Date: 20090101
Title: TCEQ Superfund Sites
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: map
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Austin, TX
Publisher: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Type of Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: TCEQ Superfund Sites
Source Contribution:
Superfund sites listed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: USDA Forest Service
Publication Date: 20040201
Title: Bailey's Ecoregions
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: map
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Reston, VA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Type of Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: Bailey's Ecoregions
Source Contribution: Bailey's Ecoregion boundaries.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: Louisiana Dept of Environmental Quality
Title: Louisiana Volunteer Reporting Program
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Baton Rouge, LA
Publisher: Lousiana Dept of Environmental Quality
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Type of"Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: Louisiana Volunteer Reporting Program
Source Contribution:
Sites in Louisiana that are part of the Volunteer Reporting Program.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: Oklahoma Dept of Environmental Quality
Publication Date: 20090101
Title: Oklahoma Volunteer Cleanup Program
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Oklahoma City, OK
Publisher: Oklahoma Dept of Environmental Quality
Type of Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: Oklahoma Volunteer Cleanup Program
Source Contribution:
Sites in Oklahoma that are part of the Volunteer Cleanup Program.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator:
U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date: 20060101
Title: National Hydrography Dataset
GeospatialData Presentation Form: map
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Reston, Virginia
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Type of Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: National Hydrography Dataset
Source Contribution: Streams & water bodies from the National Hydrography Dataset.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6
Publication Date: 20090101
Title: RCRA Corrective Action Sites
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: map
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Dallas, TX
Publisher: U.S. EPA Region 6
Type of Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: RCRA Corrective Action Sites
Source Contribution: RCRA Corrective Action facilities.
159
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Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
Publication Date: 20090101
Title: Texas Volunteer Cleanup Program
GeospatialData Presentation Form: map
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Austin, TX
Publisher: TCEQ
Type of"Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: Texas Volunteer Cleanup Program
Source Contribution: Sites in Texas that are part of the Volunteer Cleanup Program.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: New Mexico Environment Dept.
Publication Date: 20090101
Title: New Mexico Active Voluntary Reporting Program
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Santa Fe, NM
Publisher: New Mexico Environment Dept
Type of Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: New Mexico Active Voluntary Reporting Program
Source Contribution:
Sites in New Mexico that are part of the Active Voluntary Reporting Program.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: Arkansas Dept of Environmental Quality
Publication Date: 20090101
Title: Arkansas State Priorities List Sites
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Little Rock, AR
Publisher: Arkansas Dept of Environmental Quality
Type of"Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: Arkansas State Priorities List Sites
Source Contribution: Sites in Arkansas that are on the State Priorities List.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6
Publication Date: 20090101
Title: National Nonattainment Areas
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GeospatialData Presentation Form: map
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Dallas, TX
Publisher: U.S. EPA Region 6
Type of"Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: National Nonattainment Areas
Source Contribution: Region 6 areas that are listed as nonattainment.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: U.S. Census Bureau
Publication Date: 20020101
Title: TIGER/Line Files, UA Census 2000 (Roads)
Edition: UA Census 2000
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: map
Series Information:
Series Name: TIGER/Line Files
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Washington, DC
Publisher: U.S. Census Bureau
Type of Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: TIGER/Line Files, UA Census 2000 (Roads)
Source Contribution: Road layer from the TIGER/Line files.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: Steeves, Peter and Douglas Nebert (U.S. Geological Survey)
Publication Date: 19940101
Title: l:250,000-scale Hydrologic Units of the United States
Edition: 1
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: map
Series Information:
Series Name: Open-File Report
Issue Identification: 94-0236
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Reston, VA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Type of Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: l:250,000-scale Hydrologic Units of the United States
Source Contribution: 8-digit Hydrologic Units.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6
161
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Publication Date: 20090101
Title: RCRA TSD Sites
GeospatialData Presentation Form: map
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Dallas, TX
Publisher: U.S. EPA Region 6
Type of Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: RCRA TSD Sites
Source Contribution: RCRA TSD sites.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Publication Date: 20090101
Title: Dams
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: map
Publication Information:
Publisher: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Type of Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: Dams
Source Contribution: Layer from the National Dam Inventory.
Source Information:
Source Citation:
Citation Information:
Originator: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Title: National Land Cover Database (NLCD 2001)
Edition: 1
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: map
Publication Information:
Publication Place: Sioux Falls, SD USA
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Type of Source Media: None
Source Citation Abbreviation: National Land Cover Database (NLCD 2001)
Source Contribution: Land use/land cover from the National Land Cover Database.
Process Step:
Process Description:
Superfund Sites: This universe includes un-owned sites where hazardous waste was
released to the environment and which were in the formal clean up process. National
Priorities List and state superfund sites were buffered 610 meters. The areas inside the
buffers were assigned a value of 0 and the areas outside the buffers were assigned a value
of 100. The superfund layer was then converted to a Regionwide 0-100 grid. This grid
was then clipped by ecoregion to create the ecoregion grids.
Process Date: 20090610
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
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Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin c/o U.S. EPA
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Analyst
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact Electronic Mail Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
Airports: The zone of disturbance extents surrounding airports are directly related to the
sizes fo the airplanes utilizing them. Further, airplane sizes are directly related to airport
runway lengths. Therefore, the extents of the zone of disturbance is directly related to the
runway lengths. The recommendation for airport buffer distance to protect critical
ecosystems is a rough estimate based on limited information from a FAA report along
with data from a draft Tweed-New Haven airport report on noise monitoring and
modeling analyses. According to the FAA, the noise generated by an aircraft is generally
determined by the thrust powering aircraft; the amount of thrust an aircraft needs is
proportional to the weight of the plane - that is, the heavier the aircraft, the more thrust it
needs (and more noise produced). Runway length only defines the heaviest aircraft (total
weight) that can land and take off. While new aircraft have shorter runway take off
requirements and reduced noise, many of the older aircraft with high noise potential will
remain in service. The categories of aircraft were developed based on available
information in the above reports. Buffer development was estimated for the very large
and small categories of aircraft with proportional buffers made for the categories in
between. Using data from the above FAA report, a plot was made of distance (miles from
runway that exceed 60 dBA at take off) against time above noise level (total minutes per
day). A linear break point was found for this plot at 7500 meters (-4.7 mi) on the 60 dBA
curve (above 60 dB, 100 minutes per day). Thus very large aircraft and associated
airports are assigned a buffer of 7500 meters. For small aircraft a buffer of 900 meters
(-2900 feet) was selected based on data found in the draft Tweed-New Haven airport
report. The very small category is given a buffer of 610 meters (2,000 ft) based on recent
buffers established to protect National Parks. The categories and buffer distances are as
follows: Airport Category Buffer (meters) Runway Length (feet) very large 7,500 >
6,500 large 5,300 5,000 - 6,500 medium 3,100 4,000 - 5,000 medium small 900 1,800 -
4,000 small 755 610 - 1,800 very small 610 < 610 The BTS airport data was buffered
based on "airport type" using the buffers listed above. The areas inside the airport buffers
were assigned a value of 0 and the areas outside the airport buffers were assigned a value
of 100. The airport layer was then converted to a Regionwide 0-100 grid. This grid was
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then clipped by ecoregion to create the ecoregion grids.
Process Date: 20090610
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Urban/Agricultural Disturbance: Activities in urban and agricultural areas generate
disturbances to surrounding areas. This layer takes into account stressors such as
pesticides, fertilizers, and noise. Used RECLASS to reclassify the NLCD grid into 2
values; 0 for urban/ag and 100 for all other types. Used the EXPAND tool to expand the
Urban/Ag area by 600 meters. The resultant grid is a Regionwide 0-100 Urban/Ag grid.
This grid was then clipped by ecoregion to create the ecoregion grids.
Process Date: 20090610
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
RCRA Corrective Action sites: This universe includes owned sites where hazardous
waste was released to the environment and which were in the formal clean up process.
RCRA sites were buffered 610 meters. The areas inside the buffers were assigned a value
of 0 and the areas outside the buffers were assigned a value of 100. The RCRA layer was
then converted to a Regionwide 0-100 grid. This grid was then clipped by ecoregion to
create the ecoregion grids.
Process Date: 20090610
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Watershed Obstruction/Waterway Impoundment: Dams and the corresponding reservoirs
are interruptions (fragmentation) to the continuities of waterways, thereby making them
less sustainable. The 250k Hydrologic Unit data layer was spatially joined to the Corps of
Engineers dams dataset to attach the 8-digit JHUC to each dam. The dams dataset was
then summarized by JHUC code to determine the number of dams per hydrologic unit.
The NHD dataset was then intersected with the HUC250 layer to attach the 8-digit JHUC
to the waterways. The intersected NHD dataset was then summarized by JHUC to
determine the total length of stream/river miles per JHUC. For each JHUC, the number of
dams was then divided by the stream miles to calculate dam density (dams per stream
mile). The JHUC layer was converted to grid and clipped by ecoregion. The log 10 of the
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dam density value was then normalized to 0 to 100 within each ecoregion.
Process Date: 20090612
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Air Quality: A county layer was scored based on air nonattainment status. Counties that
are nonattainment for 8 hour ozone or PM10 were scored 0. All other counties were
scored 100. The county layer with nonattainment scores was then intersected with
ecoregions. The score for the nonattainment areas were then normalized to a 0 to 100
score by ecoregion. The nonattainment layer was then converted to a 0-100 Regionwide
grid. This grid was then clipped by ecoregion to create the ecoregion grids.
Process Date: 20090612
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Water Quality: Stream segments and water bodies that have been listed as impaired or
threatened in the 303(d) List. An impaired segment is a water body which does not meet
the standards set for its use, or is expected not to meet its use in the near future. The
impaired water layer was overlain with the 250m cell shapefile. The 250m cells that had
impaired water were assigned a value of 0. All others were assigned a value of 100. The
layer was then converted to a Regionwide 0-100 grid. This grid was then clipped by
ecoregion to create the ecoregion grids.
Process Date: 20090612
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Appropriateness of Land Cover: Used the RECLASS tool in ArcGIS to reclassify the
Kuchler Potential Natural Vegetation (PNV) 2000 grid to the NLCD classification
scheme (Cross Timbers and Oak Hickory were reclassified to Deciduous Forest; Pine-
Douglas-Fir, Pine Forest, and Juniper-Pinyon were reclassified to Evergreen Forest;
Chaparral, Oak-Hickory-Pine, and Southern Mixed Forest were reclassified to Mixed
Forest; Southwest Shrub Step, Desert Shrub, Shinnery, and Texas Savanna were
reclassified to Shrubland; Plains Grassland, Prairie, and Desert grassland were
reclassified to Grasslands/Herbaceous; Southern floodplain was reclassified to Woody
Wetlands; Wet grassland was reclassified to Emergent Herbaceous Wetlands).
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Process Date: 20090113
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Appropriateness of Land Cover: Using the RECLASS tool, reservoirs were reclassified
(Kuchler reservoirs in the Texas High Plains, Southern High Plains, Redbed Plains, and
the Rolling Plains ecoregions were reclassified to Grasslands/Herbaceous; Kuchler
reservoirs in the Louisiana Coast, Eastern Gulf, Central Gulf, and Southern Gulf Prairies
and Marshes ecoregions were reclassified to Open Water; Kuchler reservoirs in the Basin
and Range, Sacramento-Monzano Mountain, Stockton Plateau and Rio Grande Plain
ecoregions were reclassified to Shrubland; and the Kuchler reservoirs in the Cross
Timbers and Prairie, Oak Woods and Prairies, Mid Coastal Plains-Western Section,
Blackland Prairies, Edwards Plateau, and Coastal Plains and Flatwoods-Western Gulf
Section ecoregions were reclassified to Woody Wetlands.
Process Date: 20090113
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Appropriateness of Land Cover: Compared the current NLCD data to the modified PNV
2000 data using the EQUAL TO tool in ArcGIS. Values that are the same received a
score of 1, those that were not the same received a score of 0. This grid was then
reclassified to convert the 1 score to 100. The 0 score stayed as 0.
Process Date: 20090722
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Appropriateness of Land Cover: Averaged the values of the 30 meter pixels that made up
each 250m grid cell to determine the Index score for each cell. Used Zonal Statistics tool
with the MEAN setting to do this.
Process Date: 20090722
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
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Process Description:
Appropriateness of Land Cover: Converted the value of the grid to a 1 to 100 by doing
the following: Converted the grid created in the last step to an integer grid using the INT
tool in ArcGIS. Identified the maximum and minimum values in the Value field. Added a
new field to the integer grid. Calculated this new field = ("Value Field" - minimum
value) * (997 ( maximum value - minimum value)) + 1. Used the Look Up tool to create a
new grid based on the values in the newly calculated field.
Process Date: 20090722
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Contiguous Land Cover Model: Reclassified the NLCD 2001 data to combine the
developed lands into one class. NLCD Land Cover types 21, 22, 23, 24, 81, 82, and 127
were reclassified to 0 as developed lands. The rest of the Land Cover types (11, 12, 31,
32, 41, 42, 43, 51, 52, 71, 72, 90, and 95) were left with their original coding.
Process Date: 20090120
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Contiguous Land Cover Model: Used the Region Group tool to create a new raster from
the reclassified NLCD grid. Used the Zonal Geometry tool to calculate the area of each
of the groups. Added 2 fields to the zonal geometry raster. Calculated the first field to the
Log 10 of the area field. The second field converted the log 10 value to a 0 to 100 score
using the following method: All developed lands (Link = 0) and those undeveloped lands
(Link > 0) that are smaller than lOha (100,000 sq meters) were scored 0. Selected Link >
0 and area >= 100000. Identifed the maximum and minimum value in the LoglO field for
the selected records. Calculated the score = ("LoglO field" - minimum value) *
(99/(maximum value - minimum value)) + 1. Created a new grid based on this new value
using the ArcGIS "Lookup" tool.
Process Date: 20100302
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Contiguous Land Cover Model: Used the Zonal Statistics Tool to average the values of
the lookup grid (30m) based on the 250m grid.
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Process Date: 20100302
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Regularity of Ecosystem Boundaries (perimeter to area ratio): Reclassified the NLCD
2001 data to combine the developed lands into one class. NLCD Land Cover types 21,
22, 23, 24, 81, 82, and 127 should be reclassified to 0 as developed lands. The rest of the
Land Cover types (11, 12, 31, 32, 41, 42, 43, 51, 52, 71, 72, 90, and 95) should be left
with their original coding. Used the Region Group and Zonal Geometry tools to calculate
the area and perimeter of contiguous areas of the same land cover type.
Process Date: 20100331
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Regularity of Ecosystem Boundaries: NLCD raster dataset was clipped by ecoregion and
converted to polygon. The perimeter/area ratio (PAR) for all developed land cover types
and for undeveloped types that are smaller than 10 hectare was calculated to 0. The real
PAR (real perimeter / real area) was then calculated for each undeveloped polygon over
10 hectare. A perfect circle has the shortest perimeter to area, making it the ideal
condition. However, the formula for PAR for a circle is (2*pi*r /pi * r2) which gives an
absolute measure (meters/square meters). For this purpose, a relative measure (0-1, 0-
100) would be better, because it has definite bounds. Therefore, to get a relative measure
we compared the ideal condition to the real condition (ideal PAR/real PAR). The ideal
perimeter/area ratio was then calculated using the following formula: Radius-ideal =
(Area-real)0.5/(pi). From this we inserted the ideal Radius (RI) into the above formula
for a circle: (2*pi*RI)/area-real) = ideal PAR. The ideal PAR is then divided by the real
PAR to calculate our relative PAR value. These calculations were done for each polygon
so that each undeveloped polygon over 10 hectare has the relative PAR value (remember
that every polygon that is developed and every undeveloped polygon under 10 hectare
was automatically calculated to be 0). The loglO of the resultant PAR value was then
taken and the results normalized to 0-100 for each land cover type in each ecoregion with
0 being the most irregular boundaries and 100 being the closes to a circle, with the
exception the open water land cover type where irregular boundaries were scored
highest(lOO) and more regular scored lowest (0). The separate ecoregions layers were
then appended to together to make 1 statewide PAR layer.
Process Date: 20100331
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
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Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Road Density: Roads fragment the landscape and thereby adversely impact the ecological
self-sustainability of ecosystems. The Census Bureau's TIGER/Line road layer was used
to analyze road density in the region. The following factors were assigned to each TIGER
road classification code: TIGER Code Classification Factor AO-9 (i) Miscellaneous 1
A10-29 (ii) Primary 3 A30-39 (iii) Secondary 2.67 A40-49 (iv) Local & Rural 2 A50-79
(v) Miscellaneous 1 The factors were derived from the EPA document "Evaluation of
Ecological Impacts from Highway Development (1994). In this document, the conclusion
is made that disturbance effects may extend 500-600m from quiet rural roads to 1600-
1800m from busy highways. Therefore, a factor of 3 presumably exists between the
zones of disturbance generated by the smallest, least used roads and large interstate
highways. Additionally, local & rural roads are presumed to be intermediate generators
of disturbance (thereby receiving a factor of 2), whereas secondary roads which include
U.S. highways and state roads are presumed to create disturbance regimes more similar to
primary roads than to local and rural roads. A 250m grid was overlaid atop the TIGER
road layer. The total road length for each road classification was aggregated within each
250m cell and multiplied by its corresponding factor. These products were then summed
to yield the total loaded road length for each 250m cell. The log base 10 was then
calculated for each cell. Cells not having any roads were assigned a value of 0. These
values were normalized to a scale of 100 to 0 and the scale was inverted, yielding the
road scores. In this manner, high road scores represented low road densities (a score of
100 indicated the complete absence of roads - ideal for ecological self-sustainability) and
low road scores represented high road densities. The descriptions above are represented
in the following calculations, and were made for each 250m cell: (R*F)i-v = L and, S
= { 1 - [LoglO (L) / 5.919] } * 100 where, R is the total road length of a classification
code type within a grid cell; F is the loading factor for a classification code type; i - v are
the five classification code types; L is the total loaded road length for a grid cell; and S is
the inverse loaded & normalized road length for a grid cell (road score). The 0-100 layer
was then converted to a statewide road density grid.
Process Date: 20100402
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Sustainability Index: The sustainability index grid was created by averaging the values of
the individual layers. These values were then normalized to 0 - 100.
Process Date: 20100402
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
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Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
Sustainability Index: The individual ecoregion grids were merged together using the
MOSAIC tool to create a Region wide grid.
Process Date: 20100402
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description: Metadata created
Process Date: 20100616
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Spatial Data Organization Information:
Direct Spatial Reference Method: Raster
Raster Object Information:
Raster Object Type: Pixel
Row Count: 3434
Column Count: 1652
Vertical Count: 1
Spatial Reference Information:
Horizontal Coordinate System Definition:
Planar:
Map Projection:
Map Projection Name: NAD 1983 Albers
Albers ConicalEqualArea:
Standard Parallel: 27.5
Standard Parallel: 35.0
Longitude of Central Meridian: -100.0
Latitude of Projection Origin: 18.0
False Easting: 1500000.0
False Northing: 6000000.0
Planar Coordinate Information:
Planar Coordinate Encoding Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate Representation:
Abscissa Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
Ordinate Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
170
-------
Planar Distance Units: Meter
Geode tic Model:
Horizontal Datum Name: D North American 1983
Ellipsoid Name: GRS 1980
Semi-major Axis: 6378137.0
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257222101
Distribution Information:
Distributor:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6RA-DA
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
Contact ElectronicMa/7Address: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Distribution Liability: See access and use constraints information.
Metadata Reference Information:
Metadata Date: 20110120
Metadata Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin for US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Contract Team Leader
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: Mailcode: 6SF-VI
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact ElectronicMa/7Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Metadata Standard Name: FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
171
-------
Metadata Standard Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
EPA Region 6 Sustainability Layer (Rank)
Identification Information:
Citation:
Citation Information:
Publication Date: 20100610
Title: EPA Region 6 Sustainability Layer (Rank)
Edition: 1
GeospatialData Presentation Form: raster digital data
Publication Information:
Publication Place: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200, Dallas, TX, 75202, USA
Publisher: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6
Online Linkage: https://edg.epa.gov/Data/R6/REAP/r6reap_sustainability.zip
Description:
Abstract:
The Regional Ecological Assessment Protocol (REAP) is a screening level assessment
tool created as a way to identify priority ecological resources within the five EPA Region
6 states (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas). The REAP is an
extension of the Texas Ecological Assessment Protocol (TEAP). The TEAP was released
in 2005 as a multi-agency effort (i.e, Texas Environmental Resource Stewards, TERS).
US EPA received funds from FHWA under the Eco-Logical initiative to complete the
REAP. Please refer to the 2005 report (
) for more details on TERS and the
TEAP. The REAP divides eighteen individual measures into three main sub-layers:
diversity, rarity, and Sustainability. This feature class represents the Sustainability layer
which describes the state of the environment in terms of stability (sustainble areas are
those that can maintain themselves into the future without human management). There
are eleven measures that make up the Sustainability layer: contiguous land cover,
regularity of ecosystem boundary, appropriateness of land cover, waterway obstruction,
road density, airport noise, Superfund sites, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) sites, water quality, air quality, and urban/agriculture disturbance. Each cell in
the final Sustainability grid has a score of between 1 and 100 based on the average of the
eleven measures. Cells with higher scores represent areas that are more sustainable. In
this feature class the cells are placed into the following 5 groups based on the score: 1
(top 1% of scores), 10 (top 10% of scores), 25 (top 25% of scores), 50 (top 50% of
scores), and 100 (all the rest of the scores).
Purpose:
To use as a screening tool in order to identify high priority ecological areas in EPA
Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas).
Status:
Progress: Complete
172
-------
Maintenance and Update Frequency: As needed
Spatial Domain:
Bounding Coordinates:
West Bounding Coordinate: -109.625907
East Bounding Coordinate: -87.950602
North Bounding Coordinate: 37.298816
South Bounding Coordinate: 25.395527
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme Keyword Thesaurus: None
Theme Keyword:
Sustainability, Priority Ecological Areas, Habitat, Screening Tools
Place:
Place Keyword Thesaurus: None
Place Keyword:
Arkansas, AR, Louisiana, LA, New Mexico, NM, Oklahoma, OK, Texas, TX, Region
United States of America, USA, North America
Use Constraints: Public access.
Point of Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: U.S. EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6EN-XP
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
Contact ElectronicMa/7Address: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Data Set Credit: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region 6.
Security Information:
Security Classification: Unclassified
Native Data Set Environment:
Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 3; ESRI ArcGIS
10.0.0.2414
Data Quality Information:
A ttribute A ccuracy:
A ttribute A ccuracy Report:
QA/QC has been performed by EPA Region 6 GIS Support Team members. No
173
-------
significant attribute errors have been found.
Lineage:
Process Step:
Process Description:
Rank the sustain (sustainability) grid cells from high to low and placed them into 5
groupings. Converted the sustain grid of raw scores into an integer grid and added a rank
field. Sorted the value field from high to low. Selected the highest 1% of scores and
calculated rank = 1. Selected the scores that were the next highest 2% to 10% and
calculated rank =10. Selected scores ranging from the highest 11% to 25% of scores and
calculated rank = 25. Selected those scores that were between 26% and 50% and
calculated rank = 50. Selected the lowest 50% of scores and calculated rank = 100. Used
the Lookup tool to create a new grid based on the rank field.
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin for EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Contract Team Leader
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: USA
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact ElectronicjVlailAddress: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
The individual ecoregion sustainrank grids are merged together to form the Region 6 grid
using the MosaictoNewRaster tool.
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description: Created metadata.
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Spatial Data Organization Information:
Direct Spatial Reference ^Method: Raster
174
-------
Raster Object Information:
Raster Object Type: Pixel
Row Count: 3434
Column Count: 1652
Vertical Count: 1
Spatial Reference Information:
Horizontal Coordinate System Definition:
Planar:
Map Projection:
Map Projection Name: NAD 1983 Albers
Albers ConicalEqualArea:
Standard Parallel: 27.5
Standard Parallel: 35.0
Longitude of Central Meridian: -100.0
Latitude of Projection Origin: 18.0
False Easting: 1500000.0
False Northing: 6000000.0
Planar Coordinate Information:
Planar Coordinate Encoding Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate Representation:
Abscissa Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
Ordinate Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
Planar Distance Units: Meter
Geode tic Model:
Horizontal Datum Name: D North American 1983
Ellipsoid Name: GRS 1980
Semi-major Axis: 6378137.0
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257222101
Entity and Attribute Information:
Detailed Description:
Entity Type:
Entity Type Label: sustainrank.vat
Attribute:
Attribute Label: Rowid
Attribute Definition: Internal feature number.
A ttribute Definition Source: ESRI
Attribute Domain^Values:
Unrepresentable Domain:
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Attribute:
Attribute Label: VALUE
Attribute Definition: Ecological Quality Ranking
175
-------
Attribute Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 1
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Top 1% of scores (most ecologically important)
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 10
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Top 2% to 10% of scores
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 25
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Middle 11% to 25% of scores
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 50
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Middle 26% to 50% of scores
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 100
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Lowest 50% of scores (least ecologically
important)
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute:
Attribute Label: COUNT
Attribute Definition: Count of the number of cells with the value
Distribution Information:
Distributor:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6RA-DA
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
176
-------
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
Contact Electronic^Mail Address: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Distribution Liability: See access and use constraints information.
Metadata Reference Information:
Metadata Date: 20110120
Metadata Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin for US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Contract Team Leader
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: Mailcode: 6SF-VI
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact ElectronicjVlailAddress: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Metadata Standard Name: FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata Standard Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
EPA Region 6 REAP Composite Layer (Raw Scores)
Identification Information:
Citation:
Citation Information:
Publication Date: 20110119
Title: EPA Region 6 REAP Composite Layer (Raw Scores)
Edition: 1
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: raster digital data
Publication Information:
Publication Place: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200, Dallas, TX, 75202, USA
Publisher: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6
Online Linkage: https://edg.epa.gov/Data/R6/REAP/r6reap_composite.zip
Description:
Abstract:
The Regional Ecological Assessment Protocol (REAP) is a screening level assessment
177
-------
tool created as a way to identify priority ecological resources within the five EPA Region
6 states (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas). The REAP is an
extension of the Texas Ecological Assessment Protocol (TEAP). The TEAP was released
in 2005 as a multi-agency effort (i.e, Texas Environmental Resource Stewards, TERS).
US EPA received funds from FHWA under the Eco-Logical initiative to complete the
REAP. Please refer to the 2005 report
() for more details on TERS and the
TEAP. The REAP divides eighteen individual measures into three main sub-layers:
diversity, rarity, and sustainability. This feature class represents the composite of these
three layers. The results from the diversity, rarity, and sustainability layers are summed to
create the composite grid with scores potentially ranging from 3 to 300. The higher
scores represent areas that may be of a higher ecological importance.
Purpose:
To use as a screening tool in order to identify high priority ecological areas in EPA
Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas).
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance and Update Frequency: As needed
Spatial Domain:
Bounding Coordinates:
West Bounding Coordinate: -109.625907
East Bounding Coordinate: -87.950602
North Bounding Coordinate: 37.298816
South Bounding Coordinate: 25.395527
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme Keyword Thesaurus: None
Theme Keyword: Composite, Priority Ecological Areas, Habitat, Screening Tools
Place:
Place Keyword Thesaurus: None
Place Keyword:
Arkansas, AR, Louisiana, LA, New Mexico, NM, Oklahoma, OK, Texas, TX, Region 6,
United States of America, USA, North America
Use Constraints: Public access.
Point of Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: U.S. EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6RA-DA
City: Dallas
178
-------
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
Contact ElectronicJVlailAddress: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Data Set Credit: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region 6.
Security Information:
Security Classification: Unclassified
Native Data Set Environment:
Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 3; ESRI ArcGIS
10.0.0.2414
Data Quality Information:
A ttribute A ccuracy:
A ttribute A ccuracy Report:
QA/QC has been performed by EPA Region 6 GIS Support Team members. No
significant attribute errors have been found.
Lineage:
Process Step:
Process Description:
The composite grid is created by summing the diversity, sustainability, and rarity grids.
The final values for the composite grid will range between 3 and 300.
Process Date: 20110114
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin for EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Contract Team Leader
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6SF-VI
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact Electronic JVlail Address: danielson.j eff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
The individual ecoregion composite grids are merged to create the Region 6 grid using
the MosaictoNewRaster tool in ArcGIS 10.
Process Date: 20110114
179
-------
Process Step:
Process Description: Metadata created.
Spatial Data Organization Information:
Direct Spatial Reference ^Method: Raster
Raster Object Information:
Raster Object Type: Pixel
Row Count: 3434
Column Count: 1652
Vertical Count: 1
Spatial Reference Information:
Horizontal Coordinate System Definition:
Planar:
Map Projection:
Map Projection Name: NAD 1983 Albers
Albers ConicalEqualArea:
Standard Parallel: 27.5
Standard Parallel: 35.0
Longitude of Central Meridian: -100.0
Latitude of Projection Origin: 18.0
False Easting: 1500000.0
False Northing: 6000000.0
Planar Coordinate Information:
Planar Coordinate Encoding Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate Representation:
Abscissa Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
Ordinate Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
Planar Distance Units: Meter
Geode tic Model:
Horizontal Datum Name: D North American 1983
Ellipsoid Name: GRS 1980
Semi-major Axis: 6378137.0
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257222101
Distribution Information:
Distributor:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
180
-------
Address: Mailcode: 6RA-DA
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
Contact ElectronicMa/7Address: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Distribution Liability: See access and use constraints information.
Metadata Reference Information:
Metadata Date: 20110120
Metadata Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin for US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Contract Team Leader
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: Mailcode: 6SF-VI
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact Electronic Mail Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Metadata Standard Name: FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata Standard Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
EPA Region 6 REAP Composite Layer (Rank)
Identification Information:
Citation:
Citation Information:
Publication Date: 20110119
Title: EPA Region 6 REAP Composite Layer (Rank)
Edition: 1
Geospatial Data Presentation Form: raster digital data
Publication Information:
Publication Place: 1445 Ross Ave, Ste 1200, Dallas, TX, 75202, USA
Publisher: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6
Online Linkage: https://edg.epa.gov/Data/R6/REAP/r6reap_composite.zip
181
-------
Description:
Abstract:
The Regional Ecological Assessment Protocol (REAP) is a screening level assessment
tool created as a way to identify priority ecological resources within the five EPA Region
6 states (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas). The REAP is an
extension of the Texas Ecological Assessment Protocol (TEAP). The TEAP was released
in 2005 as a multi-agency effort (i.e, Texas Environmental Resource Stewards, TERS).
US EPA received funds from FHWA under the Eco-Logical initiative to complete the
REAP. Please refer to the 2005 report
() for more details on TERS and the
TEAP. The REAP divides eighteen individual measures into three main sub-layers:
diversity, rarity, and sustainability. This feature class represents the composite of these
three layers. The results from the diversity, rarity, and sustainability layers are summed to
create the composite grid with scores potentially ranging from 3 to 300. The higher
scores represent areas that may be of a higher ecological importance. In this feature class
the cells are placed into the following 5 groups based on the score: 1 (top 1% of scores),
10 (top 10% of scores), 25 (top 25% of scores), 50 (top 50% of scores), and 100 (all the
rest of the scores).
Purpose:
To use as a screening tool in order to identify high priority ecological areas in EPA
Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas).
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance and Update Frequency: As needed
Spatial Domain:
Bounding Coordinates:
West Bounding Coordinate: -109.625907
East Bounding Coordinate: -87.950602
North Bounding Coordinate: 37.298816
South Bounding Coordinate: 25.395527
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme Keyword Thesaurus: None
Theme Keyword: Composite, Priority Ecological Areas, Habitat, Screening Tools
Place:
Place Keyword Thesaurus: None
Place Keyword:
Arkansas, AR, Louisiana, LA, New Mexico, NM, Oklahoma, OK, Texas, TX, Region 6,
United States of America, USA, North America
Use Constraints: Public access.
Point of Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: U.S. EPA Region 6
182
-------
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
ContactAddress:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6RA-DA
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
Contact ElectronicMa/7Address: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Data Set Credit: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region 6.
Security Information:
Security Classification: Unclassified
Native Data Set Environment:
Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 3; ESRI ArcGIS
10.0.0.2414
Data Quality Information:
A ttribute A ccuracy:
A ttribute A ccuracy Report:
QA/QC has been performed by EPA Region 6 GIS Support Team members. No
significant attribute errors have been found.
Lineage:
Process Step:
Process Description:
The composite grid is created by summing the diversity, sustainability, and rarity grids
for each ecoregion. The final values for the composite grid will range between 0 and 300.
Process Date: 20110114
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin for EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Contract Team Leader
ContactAddress:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6SF-VI
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
183
-------
Contact Electronic Mail Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Process Step:
Process Description:
Rank the cells from high to low and placed them into 5 groupings. Converted the grid of
raw scores into an integer grid and added a rank field. Sorted the value field from high to
low. Selected the highest 1% of scores and calculated rank = 1. Selected the scores that
were the next highest 2% to 10% and calculated rank =10. Selected scores ranging from
the highest 11% to 25% of scores and calculated rank = 25. Selected those scores that
were between 26% and 50% and calculated rank = 50. Selected the lowest 50% of scores
and calculated rank = 100. Used the Lookup tool to create a new grid based on the rank
field.
Process Date: 20110114
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description:
The individual ecoregion compositerank grids are merged together to form the Region 6
grid using the MosaictoNewRaster tool.
Process Date: 20100610
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Process Step:
Process Description: Created metadata.
Process Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Person Primary:
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Spatial Data Organization Information:
Direct Spatial Reference Method: Raster
Raster Object Information:
Raster Object Type: Pixel
Row Count: 3434
Column Count: 1652
Vertical Count: 1
Spatial Reference Information :
Horizontal Coordinate System Definition:
Planar:
Map Projection:
184
-------
Map Projection Name: NAD 1983 Albers
Albers ConicalEqualArea:
Standard Parallel: 27.5
Standard Parallel: 35.0
Longitude of Central Meridian: -100.0
Latitude of Projection Origin: 18.0
False Easting: 1500000.0
False Northing: 6000000.0
Planar Coordinate Information:
Planar Coordinate Encoding Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate Representation:
Abscissa Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
Ordinate Resolution: 0.000000004145639387331813
Planar Distance Units: Meter
Geode tic Model:
Horizontal Datum Name: D North American 1983
Ellipsoid Name: GRS 1980
Semi-major Axis: 6378137.0
Denominator of Flattening Ratio: 298.257222101
Entity and Attribute Information:
Detailed Description:
Entity Type:
Entity Type Label: compositerank.vat
Attribute:
Attribute Label: Rowid
Attribute Definition: Internal feature number.
A ttribute Definition Source: ESRI
Attribute Domain Values:
Unrepresentable Domain:
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Beginning Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Ending Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Attribute:
Attribute Label: VALUE
Attribute Definition: Ecological Quality Ranking
Attribute Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 1
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Top 1% of scores (most ecologically important)
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
185
-------
Enumerated Domain Value: 10
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Top 2% to 10% of scores
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 25
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Mid 11% to 25% of scores
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 50
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Mid 26% to 50% of scores
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Attribute Domain Values:
Enumerated Domain:
Enumerated Domain Value: 100
Enumerated Domain Value Definition: Lowest 50% of scores (least ecologically
important
Enumerated Domain Value Definition Source: US EPA Region 6
Beginning Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Ending Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Attribute:
Attribute Label: COUNT
Attribute Definition: Count of the number of cells with the value
Beginning Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Ending Date of Attribute Values: 20110114
Distribution Information:
Distributor:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Sharon Osowski, Ph.D.
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
Address: Mailcode: 6EN-XP
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.7506
Contact Electronic^Mail Address: osowski.sharon@epa.gov
Distribution Liability: See access and use constraints information.
186
-------
Metadata Reference Information:
Metadata Date: 20110120
Metadata Contact:
Contact Information:
Contact Organization Primary:
Contact Organization: Lockheed Martin for US EPA Region 6
Contact Person: Jeff Danielson
Contact Position: GIS Contract Team Leader
Contact Address:
Address Type: Unknown
Address: Mailcode: 6SF-VI
Address: 1445 Ross Ave Ste 1200
City: Dallas
State or Province: TX
Postal Code: 75202
Country: US
Contact Voice Telephone: 214.665.8559
Contact Electronic Mail Address: danielson.jeff@epa.gov
Metadata Standard Name: FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata Standard Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
187
-------
APPENDIX C
Diversity Layer Ecoregion maps
188
-------
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190
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Top 1% (More Diverse)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Diverse)
35
70
I Miles
140
Figure A-3. Basin and Range diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher diversity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
191
-------
Top1% (More Diverse)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Diverse)
"
20
40
\ Miles
80
Figure A-4. Blackland Prairie diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher diversity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
192
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Figure A-6. Central Gulf Prairies and Marshes diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2)
shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with
higher diversity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
194
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2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Diverse)
12.5
25
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50
Figure A-8. Coastal Plains and Flatwoods, Western Gulf Section diversity map. A separate
figure (Figure 2) shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1%
represent locations with higher diversity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent
locations with lower diversity.
196
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2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Diverse)
20
40
\ Miles
80
Figure A-10. Cross Timbers and Prairie diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the
five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
diversity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
198
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| 2-10%
| 11-25%
| 26-50%
| 51-100% (Less Diverse)
15
30
1 Miles
60
Figure A-12. Edwards Plateau diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher diversity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
200
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Top 1% (More Diverse)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Diverse)
JL
HBh
10
I Mites
20
Figure A-13. Flint Hills diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the five-state region.
Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher diversity, those
identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
201
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11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Diverse)
Miles
80
Figure A-16. Mid Coastal Plains, Western Section diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2)
shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with
higher diversity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
204
-------
25
p1% (More Or/ei;:o)
2-10%
^H 11-25%
| | 26-50%
| | 51-100% (Less Diverse)
50
1 Miles
100
Figure A-17. Mississippi Alluvial Plain diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the
five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
diversity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
205
-------
I Top 1% (More Diverse)
| 2-10%
| 11-25%
| 26-50%
| 51-100% (Less Diverse)
I Miles
0 5 10
20
Figure A-18. Navajo Canyonlands diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the five-
state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher diversity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
206
-------
|Top1% (More Diverse)
^| 2-10%
^H 11-25%
| | 26-50%
| | 51-100% (Less Diverse)
Miles
036
12
Figure A-19. Northern Rio Grande diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the five-
state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher diversity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
207
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Top 1% (More Diverse)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Diverse)
15 30
60
Figure A-20. Oak Woods and Prairies diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the
five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
diversity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
208
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I Top 1% (More Diverse)
| 2-10%
| 11-25%
| 26-50%
] 51-100% (Less Diverse)
•»
0 5 10
Figure A-21. Osage Plains diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher diversity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
209
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T°P 1% (More Diverse)
| 1 26-50%
| | 51-100% (Less Diverse)
12
Figure
A-24. Painted Desert diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the five-state region.
Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher diversity, those
identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
212
-------
(More Diverse)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
| [51-100% (Less Diverse)
0 15 30
\ Miles
60
Figure A-25. Pecos Valley diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher diversity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
213
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50
Figure A-26. Redbed Plains diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher diversity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
214
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I Top 1% (More Diverse)
| 2-10% N
I 11'25% »-^
] 26-50%
j 51-100% (Less Diverse)
">'
0 15 30
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60
Figure A-27. Rio Grande Plains diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher diversity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
215
-------
^B Top 1% (More Diverse)
^| 2-10%
• 11-25%
| 126-50%
^\ 51-100% (Less Diverse)
0 20 40
1 Miles
Figure A-28. Rolling Plains diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher diversity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
216
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Top 1% (More Dwerse)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
| | 51-100% (Less Diverse)
40
~l Miles
BO
Figure A-29. Sacramento-Monzano Mountains diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2)
shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with
higher diversity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
217
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| 2-10%
| 11-25%
| 26-50%
| 51-100% (Less Diverse)
10
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20
Figure A-31. South-Central Highlands diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the
five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
diversity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
219
-------
I Top 1% (More Dwerse)
| 2-10%
| 11-25%
| 26-50%
] 51-100% (Less Diverse)
I Miles
10
Figure A-32. Southern Gulf Prairies and Marshes diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2)
shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with
higher diversity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
220
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221
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Top 1% (More Dwerse)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Diverse)
10
20
\ Miles
40
Figure A-34. Southern Parks and Rocky Mountain Ranges diversity map. A separate figure
(Figure 2) shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent
locations with higher diversity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with
lower diversity.
222
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I Top 1% (More Dwerse)
2-10%
11-25%
| 26-50%
| 51-100% (Less Diverse)
^.l
15
30
60
Figure A-35. Stockton Plateau diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher diversity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
223
-------
1
^m TcP 1% (More Diverse)
^H 2-10%
| | 26-50%
| | 51-100% (Less Diverse)
_T
50
1 Miles
100
Figure A-36. Texas High Plains diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher diversity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
224
-------
Top 1% (More Diverse)
2-10%
11-25% W^E
26-50% T
«
51-100% (Less Diverse)
10
~l Miles
20
Figure A-37. Upper Rio Grande Basin diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2) shows the
five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
diversity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
225
-------
Top1% (More Dwerse)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Diverse)
12.5 25
~l Miles
50
Figure A-38. White Mountains-San Francisco Peaks diversity map. A separate figure (Figure 2)
shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with
higher diversity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower diversity.
226
-------
APPENDIX D
Rarity Layer Ecoregion maps
227
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229
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25
Top 1% (More Rare)
2-10%
11-25%
| 26-50%
51-100% (Less Rare)
~l Miles
50 100
Figure B-3. Basin and Range rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity, those
identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
230
-------
Top 1% (More Rare)
••11-25%
| 1 26-50%
| | 51-100% (Less Rare)
15
311
1 Miles
60
Figure B-4. Blackland Prairie rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity, those
identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
231
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232
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Mi If:?
0 5 10
Top 1% (More Rare)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Rare)
Figure B-6. Central Gulf Prairies and Marshes rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows
the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
rarity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
233
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234
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Top 1% (More Rare)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Rare)
12.5
25
I Miles
50
Figure B-8. Coastal Plains and Flatwoods, Western Gulf Section rarity map. A separate figure
(Figure 3) shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent
locations with higher rarity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower
rarity.
235
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236
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Top1% (More Rare)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Rare)
Figure B-10. Cross Timbers and Prairie rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-
state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
237
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^H 2-10%
j^H 11-25%
| | 26-50%
| | 51-100% (Less Rare)
15
30
1 Miles
60
Figure B-12. Edwards Plateau rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity, those
identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
239
-------
I Top 1% (More Rare)
[2-10%
[ 11-25%
| 26-50%
[ 51-100% (Less Rare)
_T
10
1 Miles
20
Figure B-13. Flint Hills rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-state region.
Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity, those identified
in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
240
-------
£
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241
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242
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Top 1% (More Rare)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Rare)
15 30
~l Miles
60
Figure B-16. Mid Coastal Plains, Western Section rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3)
shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with
higher rarity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
243
-------
0 20 40
Top 1% (More Rare)
2-10%
11-25%
| 26-50%
51-100% (Less Rare)
\ Miles
80
Figure B-17. Mississippi Alluvial Plain rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-
state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
244
-------
Top 1% (More Rare)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Rare)
10
20
1 Miles
40
Figure B-18. Navajo Canyonlands rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity, those
identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
245
-------
I Top 1% (More Rare)
^H 2-10% ^
^H 11-25% "Hrah"
| | 26-50% Y
| [51-100% (Less Rare)
0
10
1 Miles
20
Figure B-19. Northern Rio Grande rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity, those
identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
246
-------
Top 1% (More Rare)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Rare)
25
50
1 Miles
100
Figure B-20. Oak Woods and Prairies rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-
state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
247
-------
I Top 1% (More Rare)
| 2-10%
| 11-25%
| 26-50%
| 51-100% (Less Rare)
10
1 Miles
20
Figure B-21. Osage Plains rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-state region.
Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity, those identified
in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
248
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c
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250
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Top 1% (More Rare)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Rare)
'*$£-•
1 Miles
Figure B-24. Painted Desert rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-state region.
Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity, those identified
in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
251
-------
Top 1% (More Rare)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Rare)
0 12.5 25
1 Miles
50
Figure B-25. Pecos Valley rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-state region.
Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity, those identified
in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
252
-------
H Top 1% (More Rare)
H 2-10%
H 11-25%
| | 26-50%
| | 51-100% (Less Rare)
0
10 20
1 Miles
40
Figure B-26. Redbed Plains rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-state region.
Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity, those identified
in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
253
-------
^H Top 1% (More Rare)
^B 2-10%
^H 11-25%
| | 26-50%
| | 51-100% (Less Rare;
0
12.5 25
1 Miles
50
Figure B-27. Rio Grande Plains rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity, those
identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
254
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I Top 1% (More Rare)
^H 2-10%
^H 11-25%
| 126-50%
| |51-100% (Less Rare)
15 30
60
Figure B-28. Rolling Plains rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-state region.
Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity, those identified
in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
255
-------
Top 1% (More Rare)
2-10%
11-25%
| 26-50%
51-100% (Less Rare)
15 30
1 Miles
60
Figure B-29. Sacramento-Monzano Mountains rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows
the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
rarity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
256
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| 2-10%
| 11-25%
j 26-50%
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I Miles
036
12
Figu
re B-31. South-Central Highlands rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity, those
identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
258
-------
(Top 1% (More Rare)
^H 2-10%
^•11-25%
| 126-50%
| [51-100% (Less Rare)
Miles
0 4.5 9
18
Figure B-32. Southern Gulf Prairies and Marshes rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows
the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
rarity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
259
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| 12E-50%
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10
I Miles
20
Figure B-34. Southern Parks and Rocky Mountain Ranges rarity map. A separate figure (Figure
3) shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations
with higher rarity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
261
-------
I Top 1% (More Rare)
| 2-10%
| 11-25%
| 26-50%
j 51-100% (Less Rare)
10
20
1 Miles
40
Figure B-35. Stockton Plateau rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity, those
identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
262
-------
Top 1% (More Rare)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Rare)
0 15 30
1 Miles
GO
Figure B-36. Texas High Plains rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity, those
identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
263
-------
^H Top 1% (More Rare)
^| 2-10%
|^| 11-25%
| | 26-50%
| | 51-100% (Less Rare)
0
4.5
1 Miles
18
Figure B-37. Upper Rio Grande Basin rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3) shows the five-
state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher rarity,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
264
-------
^H T°p1% (More R:3re)
[•] 2-10%
^| 11-25%
| | 26-50%
| | 51-100% (Less Rare)
0 12.5 25
\ Miles
50
Figure B-38. White Mountains-San Francisco Peaks rarity map. A separate figure (Figure 3)
shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with
higher rarity, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower rarity.
265
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APPENDIX E
Sustainability Layer Ecoregion maps
266
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| 2-10% „
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Figure C-3. Basin and Range sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows the five-
state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
269
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>Top1% (More Sustainable)
^| 2-10%
^B 11-25%
| | 26-50%
| |51-100% (Less Sustainable)
0 15 30
1 Miles
60
Figure C-4. Blackland Prairie sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows the five-
state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
270
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Top1% (More Sustainable)
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11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Sustainable)
10
20
1 Miles
40
Figure C-6. Central Gulf Prairies and Marshes sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4)
shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with
higher sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower
sustainability.
272
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2-10%
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I Miles
0 5 10
Figure C-8. Coastal Plains and Flatwoods, Western Gulf Section sustainability map. A separate
figure (Figure 4) shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1%
represent locations with higher sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent
locations with lower sustainability.
274
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2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Sustainable)
15 30
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60
Figure C-10. Cross Timbers and Prairie sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows
the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
276
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| 2-10%
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12.5 25
1 Miles
50
Fig
ure C-12. Edwards Plateau sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher sustainability,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
278
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Top 1% (More Sustainable)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Sustainable)
10
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20
Figure C-13. Flint Hills sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher sustainability,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
279
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2-10%
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26-50%
51-100% (Less Sustainable)
0 20 40
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Figure C-16. Mid Coastal Plains, Western Section sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure
4) shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations
with higher sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower
sustainability.
282
-------
(More Sustainable)
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| [51-100% (Less Sustainable)
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1 Miles
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Figure C-17. Mississippi Alluvial Plain sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows
the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
283
-------
I Top 1% (More Sustainable)
| 2-10%
| 11-25%
| 26-50%
| 51-100% (Less Sustainable)
I Miles
10
20
Figure C-18. Navajo Canyonlands sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows the
five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
284
-------
Miles
12
Figure C-19. Northern Rio Grande sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows the
five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
285
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| 2-10%
| 11-25%
| 2E-50%
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I Miles
0 15 30
60
Figure C-20. Oak Woods and Prairies sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows the
five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
286
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| 2-10%
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Figure C-21. Osage Plains sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher sustainability,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
287
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Figurre C-24. Painted Desert sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows the five-
state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
290
-------
Top1% (More Sustainable)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Sustainable)
12.5 25
1 Miles
50
Figure C-25. Pecos Valley sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher sustainability,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
291
-------
Top 1% (More Sustainable)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Sustainable)
10 20
1 Miles
40
Figure C-26. Redbed Plains sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher sustainability,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
292
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| 2-10%
| 11-25%
| 26-50%
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0 12.5 25
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50
Figure C-27. Rio Grande Plains sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows the five-
state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
293
-------
|^^Top1% (More Sustainable)
^•2-10%
IB 11-25%
| | 26-50%
| | 51-100% (Less Sustainable)
0 15 30
~l Miles
60
Figure C-28. Rolling Plains sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows the five-state
region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher sustainability,
those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
294
-------
Top1% (More Sustainable)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Sustainable)
15 30
1 Miles
60
Figure C-29. Sacramento-Monzano Mountains sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4)
shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with
higher sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower
sustainability.
295
-------
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| 2-10%
| 11-25%
] 26-50%
] 51-100% (Less Sustainable)
~l Miles
10
20
Figure C-31. South-Central Highlands sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows
the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
297
-------
I Top 1% (More Sustainable)
| 2-10%
| 11-25%
| 26-50%
] 51-100% (Less Sustainable)
10
20
1 Miles
40
Figure C-32. Southern Gulf Prairies and Marshes sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure
4) shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations
with higher sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower
sustainability.
298
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299
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(Top1% (More Sustainable)
^| 2-10%
JBl 11-25%
| | 26-50%
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10
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20
Figure C-34. Southern Parks and Rocky Mountain Ranges sustainability map. A separate figure
(Figure 4) shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent
locations with higher sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations
with lower sustainability.
300
-------
Top 1% (More Sustainable)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Sustainable)
10
20
1 Miles
40
Figure C-35. Stockton Plateau sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows the five-
state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
301
-------
Top1% (More Sustainable)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Sustainable)
15 30
\ Miles
60
Figure C-36. Texas High Plains sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows the five-
state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
302
-------
Top1% (More Sustainable)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Sustainable)
4.5
~l Miles
18
Figure C-37. Upper Rio Grande Basin sustainability map. A separate figure (Figure 4) shows
the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent locations with higher
sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations with lower sustainability.
303
-------
Top1% (More Sustainable)
2-10%
11-25%
26-50%
51-100% (Less Sustainable)
0 12.5 25
~l Miles
50
Figure C-38. White Mountains-San Francisco Peaks sustainability map. A separate figure
(Figure 4) shows the five-state region. Those areas identified in red as the top 1% represent
locations with higher sustainability, those identified in white as 51-100% represent locations
with lower sustainability.
304
-------