About the Oklahoma Wetlands Program

The mission of the Wetlands Program is to improve the quantity, quality and biological diversity of wetlands in Oklahoma. We support our mission by delivering voluntary wetland conservation, technical assistance and outreach, and developing practical, data-driven tools.

Many of our priorities are guided by our Wetland Program Plan, a strategy document that is developed through collaboration with the Oklahoma Wetland Technical Work Group (OWTWG). The OWTWG includes local, state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and tribes who partner to manage wetland resources and deliver conservation in Oklahoma.

Educational Resources

The first step towards maintaining healthy wetlands is a citizenry that understands their value. OCC encourages wetland education to inspire conservation through:

Development of outreach materials, and
Support of the Project WET program, which provides science-based water education resources for formal and non-formal educators.

Voluntary Restoration

OCC, in cooperation with local conservation districts and a broad-array of project partners, offers several programs that may provide financial and technical assistance to landowners interested in restoring or enhancing a wetland. Services include:

Invasive species removal and native plant restoration,
Waterfowl habitat improvement,
Wetland easements,
Playa and depressional wetland restoration,
Restoration of wetland hydrology, and
Prairie and riparian restoration adjacent to wetlands.

Voluntary restoration is a win-win for Oklahoma. The benefits of restoration are realized not only by the landowners where the work occurs, but by all of Oklahoma’s citizens. Wetland restoration is a solution that leads to improved water quality and quantity, flood reduction, and healthy wildlife populations for recreation opportunities.

Science Applications

OCC focuses on the development of science-based tools and applications designed to aid wetland management and ultimately improve the quantity and quality of wetlands in Oklahoma. Vital to that mission is understanding where wetlands exist, their condition, and where wetland restoration is most likely to be successful.

To improve tracking of the location and condition of Oklahoma’s wetlands, the OCC Wetlands Program:

Developed and continues to apply a condition-based wetland assessment called the Oklahoma Rapid Assessment Method (OKRAM), which can be used to track post-restoration success, and provide a condition summary of wetlands statewide,
Developed and continues to apply the Restorable Wetlands Identification Protocol (RWIP), a desktop method used to locate where wetland restoration is most likely suitable based on soils, hydrology and topography, and
Leads the Oklahoma portion of the National Wetlands Condition Assessment (NWCA) every five years, which provides a summary of the nation’s wetland resource, and
Updates the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) map in dynamic landscapes to ensure the map remains current for Oklahoma.

Wetland Management

OCC is a non-regulatory agency, but we are committed to helping Oklahomans navigate the sometimes-complex issues related to wetlands. We can provide technical assistance on wetland related questions, and can help steer you towards the information you are looking for.

We also help ensure publicly funded projects minimize impact to wetlands and maximize maintenance of wetland functions for the benefit of wildlife and Oklahomans. Our staff serve on the Oklahoma Interagency Review Team (IRT) to help ensure that wetland mitigation projects replace lost wetland functions. We review all public projects to inform partners about potential impacts to aquatic resources, as well as how to avoid and mitigate those impacts.

Contact Us

Science Inquires

405-365-2276
dan.dvorett@conservation.ok.gov

Restoration Inquiries

572-206-6206
jeff.tibbits@conservation.ok.gov

General Inquiries

405-534-6997
brooks.tramell@conservation.ok.gov