Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Restoration Assessment (GLCWRA) Lake Ontario, U.S.: Degree Flowlines

This dataset is part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Restoration Assessment (GLCWRA) initiative. The degree flowlines dataset was created to indicate how many culverts each flowline passes through within the Lake Ontario Restoration Assessment (LORA) study area. The more road crossings on a flowline the more disconnected that area is from the lake and the less suitable it will be for restoration. The GLCWRA initiative identifies coastal wetland areas that have the greatest habitat restoration potential. The data model uses seven parameters to identify and rank wetland restoration areas, resulting in a composite index raster that can be used by ecological managers and planners to assist with the selection of wetland restoration sites. The parameters are Parameter 0: Mask, Parameter 1: Hydroperiod, Parameter 2: Wetland Soils, Parameter 3: Flowlines, Parameter 4: Conservation and Recreation Lands, Parameter 5: Impervious Surfaces, and Parameter 6: Land Use (represents developed areas without impervious surfaces but high societal value). The ancillary data include dikes, degree flowlines, study area and culverts. These data layers are put through an ecological model, which results in a composite restoration index of ranked restoration areas.