What is the WHAF: Explorer Application?
This application provides an interactive experience to help better understand natural resource conditions and challenges,
and identify opportunities to improve the health and resilience of Minnesota’s watersheds.
The Watershed Health Assessment Framework (opens in a new tab)
provides a consistent science-based approach to explore watershed health that is organized around addressing the
Key Concepts (opens in a new tab)
of health, scale, resilience, and complexity.
The WHAF Explorer incorporates this approach in both the presentation of the data and design of the interface.
How to Use the Application
To activate the Explorer toolset, click the map to Set Location.
Use the Set Scale panel to view and navigate to different nested hydrologic boundaries.
Select Ecological Health Scores to investigate scores that represent ecological vulnerabilities and responses.
Open the Matrix to view and compare numeric health scores related to your selected location.
Use Add Data to view over 200 spatial data layers in the map, revealing additional ecological patterns and
management opportunities.
Explore data summaries with Charts and Reports, including major watershed reports and links to other WHAF Applications.
Use Share to save or send a URL of your map exploration.
Visit the Map Tool Guide (opens in a new tab)
for a full description of each tool.
Review the WHAF Process Guide (opens in a new tab)
for an example of an investigative work flow.
Contact
Please email us at WHAF.DNR@state.mn.us if you have questions or feedback for our consideration.
Preferred Citation
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “Watershed Health Assessment Framework: Explorer.” https://arcgis.dnr.state.mn.us/ewr/whaf2/. Accessed [Date of Retrieval].
Resources
Literature and Data (opens in a new tab)
