NWI CLASSIFICATION HIERARCHY (SHORT VERSION)

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SYSTEMS

(M) Marine (Open ocean and associated coastline)

(E) Estuarine (Salt marshes and brackish tidal water)

(R) Riverine (Rivers, creeks, and streams)

(L) Lacustrine (Lakes and deep ponds)

(P) Palustrine

SUBSYTEMS

(M) Marine and (E) Estuarine

1. Subtidal

2. Intertidal

(R) Riverine

1. Tidal

2. Lower Perennial

3. Upper Perennial

4. Intermittent

5. Unknown Perennial

(L) Lacustrine

1. Limnetic

2. Littoral

CLASSES, SUBCLASSES, AND DOMINANCE TYPES

(RB) Rock Bottom

Subclasses and Dominance Types

1. Bedrock

2. Rubble

(UB) Unconsolidated Bottom

Subclasses and Dominance Types

1. Cobble-Gravel

2. Sand- 

3. Mud-

4. Organic-

(AB) Aquatic Bed

Subclasses and Dominance Types

1. Algal

2. Aquatic Moss

3. Rooted Vascular

4. Floating Vascular

(RF) Reef

Subclasses and Dominance Type:

1. Coral

2. Mollusk

3. Worm

(SB) Streambed

Subclasses and Dominance Types

1. Bedrock

2. Rubble

3. Cobble-Gravel

4. Sand

5. Mud

6. Organic

7. Vegetated

(RS) Rocky Shore

Subclasses and Dominance Types

1. Bedrock

2. Rubble

(US) Unconsolidated Shore

Subclasses and Dominance Types

1. Cobble-Gravel

2. Sand

3. Mud

4. Organic

5. Vegetated

(ML) Moss-Lichen Wetland

Subclasses and Dominance Types

1. Moss

2. Lichen

(EM) Emergent Wetland

Subclasses and Dominance Types

1. Persistent

2. Nonpersistent

(SS) Scrub-Shrub Wetland

Subclasses and Dominance Types

1. Broad-Leaved deciduous

2. Needle-leaved Deciduous

3. Broad-leaved Evergreen

4. Needle-leaved Evergreen

5. Dead

(FO) Forested Wetland

Subclasses and Dominance Types

1. Broad-leaved Deciduous

2. Needle-leaved Deciduous

3. Broad-Leaved Evergreen

4. Needle-leaved Evergreen

5. Dead

MODIFIERS

Water Regime

Non-Tidal

A. Temporarily Flooded

B. Saturated

C. Seasonally Flooded (Well Drained)

D. Seasonally Flooded (Saturated)

E. Semi-Permanently Flooded

F. Intermittently Exposed

H. Permanently Flooded

J. Intermittently Flooded

K. Artificially Flooded

W. Intermittently Flooded/Temporarily

Y. Saturated/Semipermanent/Seasonal

Z. Intermittently Exposed/Permanent

U. Unknown

Tidal

K. Artificially Flooded

L. Subtidal

M. Irregularly Exposed

N. Regularly Flooded

P. Irregularly Flooded

*S. Temporary Tidal

*R. Seasonal Tidal

*T. Semipermanent Tidal

*V. Permanent Tidal

U. Unknown

* These water regimes are used only in tidally influenced, freshwater systems

Water Chemistry

Coastal Halinity

1. Hyperhaline

2. Euhaline

3. Misohaline (Brackish)

4. Polyhaline

5. Mesohaline

6. Oligohaline

0. Fresh

Inland Salinity

7. Hypersaline

8. Eusaline

9. Mixosaline

0. Fresh

ph Modifiers for all fresh water

a. Acid

t. Circumneutral

i. Alkaline

Soil

g. Organic

n. Mineral

Special Modifiers

b. Beaver

d. Partially Drained / Ditched

f. Farmed

h. Dike / Impounded

r. Artifical Substrate

s. Spoil

x. Excavated

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