Montane Ecoregion Wetland Assessment—Spatial Data, Field Studies, and Multi-Metric Index (RI-291)

by Diane Menuz, Elisabeth Stimmel, and Miles McCoy-Sulentic

Summary

This study assesses wetlands in Utah’s montane ecosystem, which are vital to water purification, groundwater recharge, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Its objectives are developing a new, comprehensive Utah Montane Wetlands (UT-MOWET) dataset including data on location confidence levels and overstory vegetation classes. It also conducted a field survey of 81 montane wetland sites, from foothills to alpine areas, using Utah Rapid Assessment Procedure (URAP), collecting information on wetland types, conditions, functions, stressors, and plant communities.  A Multi-Metric Index (MMI) was developed for meadow wetlands in the valleys and foothill areas to quantitatively estimate wetland conditions and differentiate between least and most disturbed sites. This research provides crucial baseline data for protecting Utah’s wetland montane wetlands and advances the MMI as a tool to evaluate wetland health.

Other Information

• Published: 2025
• Pages: 71
• Appendices: 6
• Location: Utah
• Media Type: Paper Report