California Aquatic Resource Inventory (CARI)

The California Aquatic Resource Inventory is a standardized statewide map of wetlands, streams, and riparian areas. This Geographic Information System (GIS) dataset provides accurate and detailed information about wetland and riparian distribution and abundance for management, planning, and research of the State’s aquatic resources.

Pre-CARI mapping efforts for California contain varying levels of detail, vintages, coverage, and classifications, which makes comparisons of wetland presence across the State challenging. To improve wetland and riparian data in the State, CARI is produced using a standardized mapping approach developed by statewide experts and implemented regionally drawing on local knowledge. Examples of CARI mapping can be seen in the San Francisco Bay Area, Lake Tahoe Basin (Upper Truckee River Watershed), and the Southern California Coast. As CARI efforts continue to produce high-quality, comprehensive maps, there is still a need for a single statewide dataset of aquatic resource data. CARI v0, as seen on EcoAtlas Modern Habitats, is a compilation of multiple data sources to produce seamless coverage across the state. Datasets used in CARI v0 include the National Wetland Inventory (USFWS), National Hydrography Dataset (USGS), and regional intensified maps.

The effort to stitch together a statewide dataset from multiple sources is largely a classification crosswalk exercise. Due to this there may be errors in classification of the features or boundaries of wetland extent in CARI v0. This is particularly an issue with depressional features or freshwater ponds and marshes. The CARI map is not intended for regulatory purposes and does not serve as a jurisdictional delineation. Efforts to correct both spatial accuracy and classification errors will be addressed in CARI v1.

For more information or to submit comments or corrections (including screen shot or lat/longs) contact CARImapping@sfei.org

To download the data visit SFEI's Data Center page: http://www.sfei.org/data-center

Last update: Varies by dataset and feature

Riparian Area

Data are available in the Bay Area only.

The vegetation and hillslope layers were generated using the Riparian Area Mapping Tool (RAMT), which models the functional area for different ecological and geomorphic processes that contribute to create the riparian zone. The calculations required to model the contributing function of each process are organized into modules. Currently, RAMT includes modules for vegetation and hillslope, and more are planned for the future. The main input file to RAMT is a stream or wetland shapefile. Depending on the module, other files include elevation rasters, vegetation datasets, and user-defined bins for data values. In order to ensure a smooth user experience, RAMT was structured to accept data that is freely and widely available, and the interface is fully documented with parameter explanations.

For more information contact us at ecoatlas@sfei.org. To download the data visit GeoFetch: http://gis.sfei.org/geofetch.

Last update: 2011

California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM)

The California Rapid Assessment Method is a standardized, cost-effective tool for assessing the health of wetlands and riparian habitats of California. It is designed to enable standardized ambient assessments at multiple scales: projects, watersheds, regions, and statewide. CRAM can be used to assess compensatory mitigation projects, as well as restoration projects, to help evaluate the performance of wetland and riparian protection policies and programs. The use of CRAM for ambient monitoring will, over time, help wetland managers and scientists quantify the relative influence of anthropogenic stress, management actions, and natural disturbance on the spatial and temporal variability in reference conditions. This information can then be used in the design, management, and assessment of projects.

For more information on CRAM: http://www.cramwetlands.org/. CRAM data can be downloaded from www.ecoatlas.org.

Citation: California Wetlands Monitoring Workgroup (CWMW). "California Rapid Assessment Method for Wetlands and Riparian Areas (CRAM)." EcoAtlas. Accessed [date]. [URL]

Last update: Frequently

Habitat Projects

The Wetland Projects dataset contains wetland restoration or mitigation projects in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Central Coast, and the South Coast. In the San Francisco Bay Area, project information is collected for all new 401 certified projects. Projects can be accessed via the interactive map, as well as individual project information pages that display information on the size, construction status, county, contacts, and planned activity. In addition, supporting materials including monitoring reports, permits, or photos are available in the project’s file repository. Please note that a project can have more than one site and sites can have different status codes.

An online tool for submitting projects is being developed and will streamline the process of uploading and editing projects in EcoAtlas.

Project data can be downloaded from www.ecoatlas.org.

Citation: California Wetlands Monitoring Workgroup (CWMW). "Wetland Projects." EcoAtlas. Accessed [date]. [URL].

Last update: Frequently

Eelgrass Aquatic Resources

Data are not comprehensive for all areas of California.

Eelgrass (Zostera marina and Z. pacifica) aquatic resource areas are recognized as important ecological communities in nearshore open coast areas, shallow bays, and estuaries throughout coastal California. Access to regional maps and related monitoring reports is crucial in order to monitor the extent of eelgrass habitat and how it is changing over time, evaluate the effects of coastal development projects on eelgrass habitat, and inform interested stakeholders and the public about eelgrass distribution. A system for tracking changes in this aquatic resource may inform the effectiveness of ongoing conservation and restoration efforts.

The regional survey maps for eelgrass contained within EcoAtlas represent the best available data about eelgrass distribution in coastal embayments and estuaries in the southern California region during 1994-2014. These data have been collected using a variety of methods and the survey results are not comprehensive in that the data incorporated in these surveys have been derived from a restricted subset of surveys that have been conducted in the region. This information is intended only for regional planning purposes and not for site-specific impact assessment purposes. All data, including mitigation project polygons and associated monitoring reports, were provided by third party consultants and compiled by staff of the Long Beach office of the Protected Resources Division, National Marine Fisheries Service West Coast Region.

The date slider adjusts the visibility of system-wide eelgrass surveys according to the desired time period. The frequency and coverage of system-wide surveys vary. For those systems with multiple year survey periods, the use of a wide date range may provide an indication of the maximum extent of eelgrass in the system. However, the absence of eelgrass in a given year may be a product of limited survey observations rather than actual absence of eelgrass.

For more information and to download the data, contact Bryant Chesney (Bryant.Chesney@noaa.gov) or Adam Obaza (Adam.Obaza@noaa.gov), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southwest Region, Long Beach office of the Habitat Conservation Division.

For more information about regional eelgrass monitoring efforts, please view the Recommendations for a Southern California Regional Eelgrass Monitoring Program Technical Report.

Last update: 2014

Historic Aquatic Resources and Terrestrial Plant Communities

Since the 1990s, the San Francisco Estuary Institute-Aquatic Science Center (SFEI-ASC) and partner organizations (including Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, CSU Northridge, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Ecosystem Restoration Program, Friends of The Napa River, and the Alameda County Resource Conservation District) have been mapping California’s historical aquatic and terrestrial resources. This dataset combines the historical mapping from 12 separate SFEI-ASC research projects spanning from 1998 to 2013. The historical mapping of prevailing conditions prior to Euro-American modification is a major component of each research effort. The goals of these historical ecology mapping efforts include providing information for habitat restoration, watershed management, flood protection, and local education.

For each research project, an array of heterogeneous data sources was compiled and analyzed in order to map historical features. Spatial data sources including historical maps, surveys, and aerial photos were used in conjunction with non-spatial sources such as early explorers’ journals, travelers’ accounts, and newspaper articles in order to interpret and map historical ecological features. Information about the original mapping projects, as well as sources and certainty levels associated with each historical feature can be accessed by clicking on a particular feature and then clicking the ‘more..’ hyperlink.

Extensive supporting information, including bibliographic references, analyses, and research methods, can be found in the individual published reports which are available online. When using these data for analytical purposes, we strongly recommend referring to the each project's documentation for a complete description of habitat types, certainty levels, and mapping extents. For more information visit SFEI-ASC’s Historical Ecology Page: http://www.sfei.org/he. To download the data visit GeoFetch: http://gis.sfei.org/geofetch.

We would like to thank the many funders who have supported this collective body of work. Click here to see the complete list.

Last update: 2013

Edit existing feature

• Select Stream to edit a line feature or Wetland to edit a polygon feature
• Use the map navigation controls to zoom to a feature of interest
• Click a feature to select it for editing
• To move a vertex, click and drag it
• To add a vertex, click and drag the midpoint of a line segment
• To delete a vertex, position the mouse over it and press the Delete key
• Enter contact information and update feature attributes using the form fields
• Click Clear to clear the map and form
• When done editing, click Submit
• A contact email address is required

For additional help, please contact eigis@sfei.org

Click here for more information on the CARI Editor.

Delete existing feature

• Select Stream to delete a line feature or Wetland to delete a polygon feature
• Use the map navigation controls to zoom to a feature of interest
• Click a feature to select it
• Geometry and attributes of a feature to be deleted cannot be edited
• Enter contact information using the form fields
• Click Clear to clear the map and form
• When all information has been entered, click Submit
• A contact email address is required

For additional help, please contact eigis@sfei.org

Click here for more information on the CARI Editor.

Draw new feature

• Select Stream to draw a new line feature or Wetland to draw a new polygon feature
• Use the map navigation controls to zoom to a suitable scale for drawing
• Draw using the left mouse button and double-click to complete the feature
• To move a vertex, click and drag it
• To add a vertex, click and drag the midpoint of a line segment
• To delete a vertex, position the mouse over it and press the Delete key
• Enter contact information and feature attributes using the form fields
• Click Clear to clear the map and form
• When all information has been entered, click Submit
• A contact email address is required

For additional help, please contact eigis@sfei.org

Click here for more information on the CARI Editor.

Import new feature

• Select Stream to import a new line feature or Wetland to import a new polygon feature
• Only one feature may be imported at a time
• Valid file formats: .kml, .kmz, .zip (if shapefile)
• Click Choose File to select a file containing a line or polygon feature
• Click Add Feature to Map to import the feature
• To move a vertex, click and drag it
• To add a vertex, click and drag the midpoint of a line segment
• To delete a vertex, position the mouse over it and press the Delete key
• Enter contact information and feature attributes using the form fields
• Click Clear to clear the map and form
• When all information has been entered, click Submit
• A contact email address is required

For additional help or information on submitting a larger dataset with multiple features, please contact eigis@sfei.org

Click here for more information on the CARI Editor.