THE CURRENT PROJECT WILL USE A CONTRACTOR TO RESEARCH EXISTING WATERSHED-BASED AQUATIC RESOURCES FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENTS TOOLS AND APPROACHES IN USE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN ORDER TO DEVELOP A WATERSHED-BASED FUNCTION ASSESSMENT APPLICABLE TO NE MN. THE FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT WILL IDENTIFY TRADITIONAL WETLAND MITIGATION OPTIONS (I.E. HISTORICAL OR FORMER WETLANDS SUITABLE OF WETLAND RESTORATION, CREATION, ENHANCEMENT) BASED ON THE FUNCTION S AND SERVICES THEY PROVIDE. FURTHER, THE ASSESSMENT WILL IDENTIFY THE AQUATIC RESOURCE FUNCTIONS THAT WOULD LIKELY BE SUPPORTED THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ALTERNATIVE MITIGATION OPTIONS IDENTIFIED AND RANKED UNDER EPA CONTRACT B145-0007. IGF::OT::IGF