Regionally Important Resources
DCA Rules for Regionally Important Resources require Regional Commissions to prepare "a detailed map of the
recommended resource boundaries that includes all of the important natural or cultural
resources in the region." The Department of Community Affairs provides digital maps to help Regional Commissions in the preparation of these maps. The GIS files provided here
are either ESRI Geodatabase or Shapefile format and have been
compressed. Some of these maps
are subject to periodic updates so please check back accordingly.
View an example RIR map for the entire state of Georgia.
View a similar example RIR map for one region.
View notes on how theses maps were created.
According to the DCA Rules for Regionally Important Resources, Chapter 110-12-4-.02(2)(a)1., "Begin by mapping all resources identified by the Georgia Department of Natural
Resources as State Vital Areas. This includes Coastal Marshes, Salt Marshes, Tidal
Wetlands and resources covered by the Environmental Planning Criteria (see definition
at section 110-12-4-.03). For the resources covered by the Environmental Planning
Criteria, map only the critical protection areas as provided in the Criteria (e.g., required
buffer zones, jurisdictional wetlands, high pollution susceptibility groundwater recharge
areas, etc.)."
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Coastal Resource Maps
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Download
a set of maps including Coastal Marshlands, Georgia Shorelines, and Gray's Reef
National Marine Sanctuary. According to DCA's Minimum Standards and Procedures
for Local Comprehensive Planning "Coastal Resources: Include beaches, coastal
marshes and estuaries that are vulnerable to the impacts of development."
(Updated April 17, 2009)
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Groundwater Recharge Area Map
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Download
a statewide map of groundwater recharge areas, from the Georgia Department of
Natural Resources' Digital Environmental Atlas of Georgia.
(6-14-2004)
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National Wetlands Inventory / Generalized Wetlands 2009
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Seamless National Wetlands Inventory maps of Georgia with a cross-index of the Cowardin classification to the 'Generalized Wetlands' codes and descriptions in the 'Environmental Planning Criteria' Georgia Department of Natural Resources Rules Chapter 391-3-16. Maps are available by state region or for the entire state. (Updated April 17, 2009)
Download Region 1 Wetlands map.
Download Region 2 Wetlands map.
Download Region 3 Wetlands map.
Download Region 4 Wetlands map.
Download Region 5 Wetlands map.
Download Region 6 Wetlands map.
Download Region 7 Wetlands map.
Download Region 8 Wetlands map.
Download Region 9 Wetlands map.
Download Region 10 Wetlands map.
Download Region 11 Wetlands map.
Download Region 12 Wetlands map.
Download Georgia Wetlands map.
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Protected Mountain Area Map
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Download
a statewide map of protected mountain areas, as required by the Georgia
Department of Natural Resources- Environmental Protection Division- Rules for
Environmental Planning Criteria 391-3-16-.05. Mountain protection is also a
DCA-required natural resources planning element. This is a DCA-compiled map,
based on analysis of the 1:24,000-scale National Elevation Dataset.
(3-15-2002)
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Protected River Maps
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Download
the statewide maps of 'Protected Rivers', Cities
with Protected Rivers and Counties
with Protected Rivers. River Corridor Protection Plans are required for
designated streams by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Rules for
Environmental Planning Criteria 391-3-16-.04 and are also a DCA-required
natural resources planning element. This is a DCA-compiled map that differs
substantially from the 'Corridor' coverage in the 'Digital Environmental Atlas
of Georgia' (Georgia Geologic Survey Publication CD-1). The DNR map (compiled
by the USGS) errantly contains river reservoir areas and does not include all
of the stream segments downstream to the jurisdiction of the Coastal Marshland
Protection Act area. (1-3-2003)
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Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan Map
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Download
a map for Georgia's Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) 2008- 2013. This map was prepared in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' SCORP planning process. It includes points representing parks and recreational facilities that were identified for the plan. (7-30-2010)
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Southeastern Ecological Framework (Green Infrastructure Network)
- The Regionally Important Resource Rules [Chapter 110-12-4-.02(2)(a)5] instructs Regional Commissions to 'include linkages between resources mapped to form, to the maximum feasible
extent, a continuous regional green infrastructure network'. The Southeastern Ecological Framework (SEF) conveniently provides such a landscape ecology based model that identifies primary ecological areas protected by conservation or ecosystem management programs, and
delineates a green infrastructure network connecting them. SEF
identifies the important ecological characteristics of these ecologically valued areas and theirconnecting green infrastructure. In fact, many SEF hub areas provide excellent candidates for Regionally Important Resources and the SEF corridors provide excellent connecting green infrastructure linkages between them.
Download
statewide SEF maps, including Primary Ecological Areas and Significant Ecological Areas. DCA has converted these from the original grid model to vectors and clipped them to the Georgia state boundary for easy use in regional planning applications. Complete documentation of SEF, with Georgia application examples, is available in the EPA Final Report
(5-20-2010)
Last updated
7/28/2010
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