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AAT Arc Attribute Table Coverage Collection of similar features. DLG Digital Line Graph GIS Geographic Information System LMIC Land Management Information Center NWI National Wetlands Inventory PAT Polygon Attribute Table or Point Attribute Table SML Simple Macro Language (used by PC ARC/INFO) PFO Palustrine Forested PEM Palustrine Emergent The NWI quads were obtained from LMIC. SMUS created by Mike Murphy, cartographer for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, were used to convert NWI DLG files into PC Arc/Info coverages. The SML's created a list of quad names, converted the DLG files to PC Arc/Info format using the DLGTOARC command, and joined the pcode, acode and xcode files to PAT, AAT and pat files. The quad coverages were tiled using political township boundary's to match the extent of the other Cass County GIS coverages. These PLS coverages were digitized from USGS 1:24,000 Quadrangles using PC/Arclnfo. A field for the new GIS acres was added and calculated based on the area field in the newly created township coverages. Other fields were added to the attribute table to store the ratings in each discipline and certain spatial parameters. If any portion of a wetland fell within a specific spatial selection, then the entire wetland got a higher rating. County, federal, state and private ownership polygons were digitized for each township. A database manager was used to produce a list of major wetland groups found in privately owned land in Cass County. This list was used for analysis by each of the represented disciplines. Uniqueness Based on the number of occurrences of each major wetland group, the list was separated into three groups where natural breaks occurred. Wildlife Arcview was used to determine hydrologically isolated PEM types and PFO types adjacent to rivers. These were given a value of 3 along with other types that provide critical wildlife habitat. All deep water habitats were given a value of 1. Other types selected from the list because they provide quality wildlife habitat were given a value of 2. Disclaimer. Wildlife habitat is dependent upon many site specific factors. Wetland type is not necessarily related to habitat quality— nearly all wetland types provide habitat for some species of wildlife. The following evaluation of habitat value of wetland types is based on factors such as relative abundance and the overall importance of wetland types for wildlife within Cass County. While these ratings may be useful as a general guide, an on-site evaluation is necessary to determine the habitat quality of a particular site. Fisheries Any wetland within 1320 feet of a designated Trout or Cisco Lake or Stream was given a value of 3. In addition, wetlands within 200 feet of any protected lake or river were given a value of 3. Wetlands between 200 feet and 1320 feet were given a value of 2 and all others were given a value of 1. 16