California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM): Slope Wetlands

CRAM is a cost-effective and scientifically defensible rapid assessment method for monitoring and assessing the ecologcial conditions of wetlands throughout California. It takes less than half a day to assess a wetland area, and is designed evaluate the condition of the wetland based on it's landscape setting, hydrology, physical structure and biological structure.  Because the methodology is standardized for over seven types of wetlands, ecological condition scores can be compared at the local, regional and statewide landscape scales.  

This project will expand the CRAM information management system to include data entry forms for Slope Wetlands and the display of assessments on EcoAtlas. Slope Wetland is a broad category of groundwater-dominated wetlands inclusive of wet meadows, forested slopes, seeps and springs sub-types. In these wetlands groundwater may emerge into the root zone or across the ground surface seasonally or perennially, but mainly has unidirectional flow. The term “slope” refers to the uni-directional flow of ground and surface water within the wetland, rather than to a geomorphic feature (e.g. hillslope, toe-slope). 

Visit the CRAM website to download the Slope Wetlands field book.