Interior Plains Ecoregion - National Wetland Condition Assessment Results
NWCA 2021 Ecoregional Results
Key Results
An estimated 13,045,113 acres of wetland in the Interior Plains ecoregion are represented in the National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA).
The NWCA assesses a number of indicators to assess the health of wetlands.
- 20% of wetland area rated good for the vegetation indicator and 13% rated good for the nonnative plant indicator.
- One of the most widespread stressors was the cumulative physical alterations indicator with 68% of wetland area rating poor. Vegetation replacement was the most widespread individual physical alterations indicator, with 58% of wetland area rating poor.
- Nutrients are an essential part of a wetland ecosystem, however excess nutrients can be detrimental. The NWCA found that 25% of wetland area rated poor for nitrogen and 32% rated poor for phosphorus. Since many wetlands do not have surface water throughout the year, these indicators could not be assessed for 53% of wetland area.
Change from 2016*
- The NWCA reports that the percent of wetland area in good condition for the vegetation indicator decreased by 4 percentage points. Wetland area rating poor for nitrogen decreased by 13 percentage points.
To access more ecoregional specific information, please visit the interactive NWCA Dashboard.
* The change analysis is based on information from two points in time – 2016 and 2021.
