Planning and Environmental Documents for Public Review

Click here to view USACE Galveston District Planning and Environmental documents for public review.

Viewing & Comments

Viewing Notices: To view a full public notice or its associated drawings file (if any), click on either full public notice or permit drawings link in the attachments section. To download the file to your computer, right-click on the public notice or drawings link, then select "Save Target As" from the menu.

How to Send Comments on Regulatory Division Public Notices: Send comments to the Regulatory Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, P.O. Box 1229, Galveston, Texas 77553-1229 or by electronic mail to our Public Notice Comment Email. Comments made in reference to a public notice should include your name, address, phone number and the Department of the Army permit number referenced in the public notice (e.g. SWG-2015-00001).  

How to Send Comment on Other Galveston District Public Notices: Please follow the instructions included with the public notice. For Galveston District Planning and Environmental Documents for public review, please click here.

Updated National Wetland Plant List

Published May 14, 2012

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Galveston District, announces the availability of the
updated National Wetland Plant List (NWPL). The NWPL plays a critical role in wetland
determinations under the Clean Water Act and Food Security Act. Wetlands are evaluated using
three parameters – soils, hydrology and vegetation. Using sampling protocols outlined in the
Regional Supplements to the 1987 Wetland Delineation Manual, the indicator status is then used to
determine whether the vegetation parameter is met.

The 2012 NWPL should be used in any wetland delineations performed after 1 June 2012. The 2012
NWPL may be used in delineations/determinations conducted prior to that date and, for the purpose
of clarity and accurate interpretation, should be referenced in delineation reports or regional
supplement determination forms.

The NWPL is a list of plants with their updated nomenclature and their assigned indicator statuses.
An indicator status reflects the likelihood that a particular plant occurs in a wetland or upland. The
five indicator status definitions are: OBL: Almost always is a hydrophyte, rarely in uplands;
FACW: Usually is a hydrophyte but occasionally found in uplands; FAC: Commonly occurs as
either a hydrophyte or non-hydrophyte; FACU: Occasionally is a hydrophyte but usually occurs in
uplands; and UPL: Rarely is a hydrophyte, almost always in uplands.

The lead responsibility to update the 1988 list was transferred from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (FWS) to the Corps in December 2006. The 2012 NWPL is the culmination of a six-year
interagency process to update the 1988 National List of Plant Species That Occur in Wetlands (Reed
1988). This national effort also has involved the three other Federal agencies with legal
responsibilities for wetlands: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the FWS, and the
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). This update represents the most complex and
thorough evaluation of wetland plant species ratings since the inception of the 1988 list, and it
allows for greater input across more professional institutions with increased public access to critical
information.

The 2012 NWPL, background information including previous names and indicator statuses, public
comments and responses to the comments received in response to the 6 January 2011 Federal
Register notice, and the website citation may be found at:
http://wetland_plants.usace.army.mil   

Specific changes include:
- Providing the status ratings of over 8,200 plants
- A dedicated website that includes photos, previous status ratings and other botanical
information
- Updated nomenclature for over 2,400 plants
- Ecoregions matching those of the Regional Supplements to the 1987 Wetland Delineation
Manual
- Descriptions of status ratings were updated to describe the qualitative probability of a
plants occurrence in a wetland/upland.
- +/- modifiers were removed for FAC species

The 2012 NWPL uses the best available scientific and technical information for improving precision
in determining the vegetation factor when delineating upland/wetland boundaries for purposes of
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and the Wetland Conservation Provisions of the Food Security
Act. It also provides a procedure for continual future scientific updates and public input as more
data are gathered and analyzed. The plant list can be downloaded from the website in its entirety, by
ecoregion or by state. A citation for the NWPL will also be available on the web, when finalized.
The Corps will continue to accept suggestions on the 2012 NWPL. Suggestions may be submitted to
Mr. Robert Lichvar, Director of the National Wetland Plant List ERDC/ Cold Regions Research and
Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), 72 Lyme Road, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755 or by e-mail to
NWPL@usace.army.mil.

Regulatory Branch, CESWG-PE-RE
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
P.O. Box 1229
Galveston, Texas 77553-1229
409-766-3982 Phone
409-766-6301 Fax
DISTRICT ENGINEER
GALVESTON DISTRICT
CORPS OF ENGINEERS