Laserfiche WebLink
Page 1 of 6 <br /> •Lane, Roger <br /> From: Lane, Roger <br /> Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 6:43 PM <br /> To: Hilbert, Hans; Steinhauer, Charles <br /> Subject: FW: Wetland Site Review <br /> FYI <br /> Roger <br /> Original Message <br /> From: Jim Knowles [mailto:james.knowles @jdknowles.com] <br /> Sent: Friday, January 23, 2009 3:05 PM <br /> To: Lane, Roger <br /> Subject: RE: Wetland Site Review <br /> Hi Roger, <br /> As we discussed I agree with Cami that spring verification of wetlands is often necessary. The key to that concern is if <br /> wetlands are to be impacted or work is to occur in close proximity to wetlands; such is not the case here. Therefore, <br /> the location of wetlands under NR 117 falls within the jurisdiction of County. <br /> Where Cami is mistaken is that the COE manual does allow for wetland delineations to occur outside the classical <br /> growing season on a case-by-case basis. Here are some reasons why: <br /> 1. Soils: <br /> a. When site soils are non-hydric time of year has no bearing on the factor. Of the three criterion looked <br /> at when mapping wetlands, soils is the most constant and most reliable indicator. The exception is if <br /> the soils have been altered in some way such as grading or filling of a site. <br /> b. As long as soils are not frozen and ground temperature is above 28 degrees then in many instances <br /> the wetland mapping can be undertaken. For this site, soils were soft (not frozen) and ground <br /> temperature varied between 31 and 32 degrees above zero. <br /> c. For this site, there is about two feet of sediment over the native soils and the site is mapped by the <br /> NRCS not to contain hydric soils. When mapped soils are non-hydric and the native soils are buried by <br /> two feet of sediment caused by long-term farming then what hydric soils might have existed there are <br /> clearly buried. <br /> d. When native hydric soils , which is confirmed in the field, is found to contain 12 inches or less of <br /> sediment deposits either from flooding (alluvial) or slope erosion (colluvial) then hydric soils are <br /> assumed to exist. For this site we go down beneath the ground surface a depth of 30 inches in lieu of <br /> the standard 12 - 18 inches done by most delineators. If we don't find hydric soils within that 30 inch <br /> profile it very unlikely that the site is a wetland. The only exception is if the site was recently filled, the <br /> soil beneath the fill is hydric soils and there is evidence of ground water within 12 inches of the pre-fill <br /> soil surface elevation: we had no such conditions on this site. <br /> 2. Vegetation: <br /> a. For this site snow cover was deep so it required moving snow away from the sample area by as much <br /> as one meter in diameter. Once this was done we were able to identify the bulk of plants there. <br /> b. Trees and shrubs were quite identifiable so time of year has nothing to do with that factor. <br /> c. Grasses and forbs are often more difficult to identify during winter because many forbs are non- <br /> existent above the ground due to time of year; many are only visible for two weeks or less depending <br /> on the time of year inside the crowing season when the flora is known to bloom. <br /> d. Other flora often grows throughout the growing season, such as many grasses, and are still quite <br /> visible and identifiable during winter. However, many grasses other than reed canary grass, brome <br /> 1/28/2009 <br />