Out of This World

Video by Christopher Northfield

The Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) Approach for Assessing Wetland Functions

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center

May 19, 2023 | 6:04

The Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) Approach for Assessing Wetland Functions was developed by researchers at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) through the Wetlands Regulatory Assistance Program (WRAP), and was supported by partners from other Federal and State agencies, academia, and industry as part of an interagency national action plan for HGM. HGM is both a wetland classification scheme and a methodology for assessing the capacity of an ecosystem to perform functions, and classifies and characterizes wetlands based on their geomorphic or landscape position, predominant source of hydrology, and hydrodynamics. Since the early 90s, ERDC and its partners have developed over 30 HGM models and accompanying guidebooks, which are (1) applicable to multiple geographic regions, (2) applicable to multiple classes and subclasses of wetlands, and (3) may be used across multiple USACE mission areas or other regulatory and resource management needs of other Federal, state, or Tribal partners.