Wetland Classification and Mapping of Seward, Alaska     Map Unit Descriptions     Map Component: WU     Seward Area Extent: 1 wetland polygon; 6.9 acres

The single wetland named WU in the Seward area (outlined in blue).  It occupies a steep narrow valley at the head of a ravine.  The northern tip of Bear Lake is visible lower center, and the Seward highway and Alaska railroad run along the left margin of this satellite image taken in 2003.	Wetland Indicators Type: Mineral soil Depth to water table: not measured, expect much variation Organic layer thickness: not measured Average depth to redoximorphic features: not measured, expect much variation Common Soils: not visited Plant communities: not visited
	NWI: PFO4B HGM: Terrene Slope Throughflow

WU refers to Wetland / Upland Complex.  In Clean Water Act terminology, an upland refers to an area that does not meet the criteria defining a wetland in the 1987 Wetland Delineation Manual (Environmental Laboratory, 1987).  Therefore a Wetland / Upland Complex refers to an area that has small wetlands and small uplands mapped together.  They are mapped together because the wetlands are too small to delineate separately at the mapping scale used (1:25,000).  Wetland makes up at least 30% of the area mapped, but significant non-wetland areas also occur. 

A single, small unvisited 'wetland' lying northeast of Bear Lake was named WU in the Seward area.  It occupies a steep narrow valley perpendicular to the top of a ravine, and has much topographic diversity.  On stereo-paired aerial photographs it appears to support small areas of open peatland between short upland hills.