Colorado Wetland Information Center Logo Colorado Wetland Information Center Logo CWIC
  • About
    • What Are Wetlands?
    • Why Are Wetlands Important?
    • Colorado Wetland Plan
    • Wetland Partners
  • Wetland Types
    • Overview
    • Ecological Systems
    • Natural Plant Communities
    • Fen Mapping
  • Wetland Condition
    • Overview
    • Ecological Condition
    • Habitat Quality
    • Biodiversity Significance
    • Colorado Wetland Assessment Projects
    • National Wetland Condition Assessment
    • BLM Assessment Inventory and Monitoring
  • Protection & Conservation
    • Overview
    • Conservation
    • Restoration
    • Regulation
    • Best Management Practices
    • Funding and Technical Support
  • Data & Tools
    • Wetlands Mapper
    • Floristic Quality Calculator
    • Landscape Summaries
    • Watershed Toolbox
    • Wetland Plots Database
  • Library
    • Wetland Reports
    • Potential Conservation Areas
    • County Survey Reports
    • Field Guides and App
    • Field Manuals
    • Educational Resources
  • CNHP Home

The San Luis Subbasin

Landscape Summaries > San Luis Subbasin Profile

To view mapped wetlands online, click one of the links below.

  • Colorado Wetlands Inventory Mapping Tool
  • National Wetlands Inventory Wetlands Mapper

Wetland Mapping Summary
Area of mapped wetlands 48,212 acres
Percent of basin mapped as wetlands 5%
Wetland Area by Type (acres)
Freshwater Herbaceous43,59790%
Freshwater Shrub 2841%
Freshwater Forested 23< 1%
Ponds 1,4263%
Lakes 1,3243%
Rivers 9122%
Other 6451%
Wetland Area Mapped with Modifiers (acres)
Excavated 0< 1%
Dammed 0< 1%
Ditched/Drained 0None
Farmed 0None
Modified by Beaver 0< 1%
Wetland Area by Stressor Class (acres)
No Stress66,9997%
Low Stress276,36027%
Moderate Stress187,39419%
High Stress143,97614%
Severe Stress337,21233%

Total Area and Elevation Range
Total Area1,011,949 acres 4,095 sq km
Maximum Elevation 14,311 ft4,363 m
Minimum Elevation7,508 ft 2,289 m
Average Elevation8,429 ft 2,570 m

Land Ownership (acres)
Total Federal Lands489,50548%
Bureau of Land Management97,83610%
Fish and Wildlife Service81,7428%
National Park Service136,97614%
Total Forest Service Land172,95017%
Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands101< 1%
Rio Grande National Forest172,84917%
Total State Lands24,2772%
City, County, and Other Local Government Lands0None
Land Trusts and Non-Governmental Organizations53,4485%
Tribal Lands0None
Private Lands444,71944%

Ecoregions (acres)
21: Southern Rockies284,36128%
21a: Alpine Zone56,9736%
21b: Crystalline Subalpine Forests74,5187%
21c: Crystalline Mid-Elevation Forests13,0991%
21d: Foothill Shrublands26,2463%
21e: Sedimentary Subalpine Forests31,1083%
21f: Sedimentary Mid-Elevation Forests6,8611%
21g: Volcanic Subalpine Forests46,4915%
21h: Volcanic Mid-Elevation Forests29,0643%
22: Arizona/New Mexico Plate727,58872%
22a: San Luis Shrublands and Hills107,89111%
22b: San Luis Alluvial Flats and Wetlands180,43818%
22c: Salt Flats276,59727%
22e: Sand Dunes and Sand Sheets162,66216%

Potential Conservation Areas (PCAs) are delineated around important elements of biodiversity (plants, animals or natural communities). The list below includes all PCAs within the San Luis created for wetland and riparian dependent elements. This list represents wetlands and riparian areas with the highest known biodiversity value in the area.

PCA Reports

Click on a Site Name to view PCA Report.

Filter:





(You are viewing 0 of 0 PCA Reports)

Site Name Biodiversity Significance

Tracked elements of biodiversity include animals, plants, and natural communities that are uncommon either globally or within the state of Colorado. The list below includes all wetland and riparian dependent elements found within the San Luis and the count of known occurrences.

  • Heritage Network Ranking System

Tracked Elements

Build Your Own Tracking List

Heritage Network Ranking System - Click Here to see the online document that explains the ranking criteria as found in the table below. Last updated xx.

Filters:







       
  

The spatial filters below are based on current and historical CNHP element occurrence and observation locations, and not known distributions documented in the literature.




  

(You are viewing 0 of 0 Elements)

Major Group State Scientific Name Common Name Global Rank State Rank ESA Status CO Status Other Status CNHP Tracking Status

We're sorry, but at this time we do not have report data by river subbasin. If you wish to view report data, please select a major river basin or county. We are working to improve the ways in which you can view our data. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Reports

Click on a Report Tile to view Report.

Filter:









(You are viewing 0 of 0 reports)

Report Title Authors Year

Wetland Data & Tools

Wetlands Mapper
Floristic Quality Calculator
Landscape Summaries
Watershed Toolbox
Wetland Plots Database

Related Topics

Wetland Reports
PCA Reports
County Survey Reports
Field Guides and App
Field Manuals
Educational Resources
Watershed Toolbox

Web Projects

  • CODEX - Colorado’s Conservation Data Explorer
  • Rare Plant Guide Online
  • Colorado Wetland Info Center
  • COMaP - Colorado Protected Lands
  • Colorado Bat Working Group
  • STReaMS - Endangered Fishes Database
  • Colorado Native Plant Database Data Portal

About Us

  • About Us
  • Conserving Biodiversity
  • Contact Us
  • Staff Directory
  • Careers
  • Site Map
Warner College of Natural Resources Logo
  • Apply to CSU
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Statement
  • Search CSU
  • CSU Land Acknowledgement
  • CSU Principles of Community
© 2026 Colorado Natural Heritage Program
Colorado State University Logo
  • About
    ▼
    • What Are Wetlands?
    • Why Are Wetlands Important?
    • Colorado Wetland Plan
    • Wetland Partners
  • Wetland Types
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Ecological Systems
    • Natural Plant Communities
    • Fen Mapping
  • Wetland Condition
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Ecological Condition
    • Habitat Quality
    • Biodiversity Significance
    • Colorado Wetland Assessment Projects
    • National Wetland Condition Assessment
    • BLM Assessment Inventory and Monitoring
  • Protection & Conservation
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Conservation
    • Restoration
    • Regulation
    • Best Management Practices
    • Funding and Technical Support
  • Data & Tools
    ▼
    • Wetlands Mapper
    • Floristic Quality Calculator
    • Landscape Summaries
    • Watershed Toolbox
    • Wetland Plots Database
  • Library
    ▼
    • Wetland Reports
    • Potential Conservation Areas
    • County Survey Reports
    • Field Guides and App
    • Field Manuals
    • Educational Resources
  • CNHP Home
  • About
    ▼
    • What Are Wetlands?
    • Why Are Wetlands Important?
    • Colorado Wetland Plan
    • Wetland Partners
  • Wetland Types
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Ecological Systems
    • Natural Plant Communities
    • Fen Mapping
  • Wetland Condition
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Ecological Condition
    • Habitat Quality
    • Biodiversity Significance
    • Colorado Wetland Assessment Projects
    • National Wetland Condition Assessment
    • BLM Assessment Inventory and Monitoring
  • Protection & Conservation
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Conservation
    • Restoration
    • Regulation
    • Best Management Practices
    • Funding and Technical Support
  • Data & Tools
    ▼
    • Wetlands Mapper
    • Floristic Quality Calculator
    • Landscape Summaries
    • Watershed Toolbox
    • Wetland Plots Database
  • Library
    ▼
    • Wetland Reports
    • Potential Conservation Areas
    • County Survey Reports
    • Field Guides and App
    • Field Manuals
    • Educational Resources
  • CNHP Home
  • About
    ▼
    • What Are Wetlands?
    • Why Are Wetlands Important?
    • Colorado Wetland Plan
    • Wetland Partners
  • Wetland Types
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Ecological Systems
    • Natural Plant Communities
    • Fen Mapping
  • Wetland Condition
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Ecological Condition
    • Habitat Quality
    • Biodiversity Significance
    • Colorado Wetland Assessment Projects
    • National Wetland Condition Assessment
    • BLM Assessment Inventory and Monitoring
  • Protection & Conservation
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Conservation
    • Restoration
    • Regulation
    • Best Management Practices
    • Funding and Technical Support
  • Data & Tools
    ▼
    • Wetlands Mapper
    • Floristic Quality Calculator
    • Landscape Summaries
    • Watershed Toolbox
    • Wetland Plots Database
  • Library
    ▼
    • Wetland Reports
    • Potential Conservation Areas
    • County Survey Reports
    • Field Guides and App
    • Field Manuals
    • Educational Resources
  • CNHP Home