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Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States

Special Modifiers

Many wetlands and deepwater habitats are man-made, and natural ones have been modified to some degree by the activities of man or beavers. Since the nature of these modifications often greatly influences the character of such habitats, special modifying terms have been included here to emphasize their importance. The following Modifiers should be used singly or in combination wherever they apply to wetlands and deepwater habitats.

Excavated
Lies within a basin or channel excavated by man.

Impounded
Created or modified by a barrier or dam which purposefully or unintentionally obstructs the outflow of water. Both man-made dams and beaver dams are included.

Diked
Created or modified by a man-made barrier or dike designed to obstruct the inflow of water.

Partly Drained
The water level has been artificially lowered, but the area is still classified as wetland because soil moisture is sufficient to support hydrophytes. Drained areas are not considered wetland if they can no longer support hydrophytes.

Farmed
The soil surface has been mechanically or physically altered for production of crops, but hydrophytes will become reestablished if farming is discontinued.

Artificial
Refers to substrates classified as Rock Bottom, Unconsolidated Bottom, Rocky Shore, and Unconsolidated Shore that were emplaced by man, using either natural materials such as dredge spoil or synthetic materials such as discarded automobiles, tires, or concrete. Jetties and breakwaters are examples of Artificial Rocky Shores. Man-made reefs are an example of Artificial Rock Bottoms.

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