MDT Montana Wetland Field Evaluation Form and Instructions 



July 1. 1996 



Functional point: 



Incidental use: 



n 



Little to No use: 



Moderate use: 



Moss-lichen wetland class: 

 Native fish species: 

 Non-aquatic wildlife: 



Occasional use: 



Open water: 



Permanent/perennial. 



Rare 



A numerical rating, ranging from to 1, assigned to a particular 

 function/value based on given criteria. 



AA receives chance, inconsequential use by a given species or habitat 

 conditions or the known distribution of the species would mdicate this 

 level of use. This term implies that, while it may be conceivable that a 

 given species may occur at an AA at a given point in time, the chance is 

 remote and the use is not likely to be repeated. 



AA is regularly, infi-equently, or sporadically used by extremely small 

 numbers relative to local populations, or receives chance, 

 inconsequential use in any numbers relative to local or transient 

 populations. 



AA is regularly used in small numbers relative to local populations, or 

 infrequently or sporadically used in any numbers relative to local or 

 transient populations. 



Wetland where mosses or lichens cover substrates other than rock and 

 where emergents, shrubs, or trees make up less than 30% of areal cover. 



Implies a species indigenous to Montana; not necessarily to a given 

 drainage or water body. 



Species that may use wetland habitats, but are not primarily or solely 

 dependent on them for breeding, nesting, feeding or other critical life 

 cycle components. Examples include American robin, red-tailed hawk, 

 common yellowthroat, striped skunk, white-tailed deer, white-footed 

 deer mouse, and smooth green snake. 



AA is inconsistently, infrequently, sporadically used by a given species 

 or habitat conditions and the known distribution of the species would 

 indicate this level of use. Traditional breeding, nesting, denning, 

 foraging, or seasonal habitat may occur in the general vicinity (e.g., 

 watershed), but not in the AA. 



Any area of standing or flowing water without emergent (not including 

 pioneer species), scrub-shrub, or forested vegetation (e.g., in most cases, 

 a flooded wet meadow would not be considered to contain open water) . 



Surface water is present throughout the year except during years of 

 extreme drought. 



An estimated < 10% of wetlands in the same Major Montana Watershed 

 Basin are similar in composition to the AA. 



18 



