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>> This video is an introduction to
Wetland Delineation and Regional Supplements.
For detailed information on this topic please visit the Corps website.
How do we identify wetlands and why is that important?
And why does the Corps of Engineers care about identifying wetlands?
One of the laws that governs the Corps regulatory program
is the Clean Water Act of 1972.
Section 404 of the law sets guidelines for protecting the nation's waters
from damage that results from the discharge of dredged or fill material.
The Corps of Engineers regulates through Department of the Army permits
activities that could result in pollutants being placed in the nation's waters.
Such activities may include dredging waterways for navigation,
clearing land to prepare for development,
and constructing roads, levees, dikes and dams.
While waters such as streams, rivers and lakes are easy to identify,
wetland characteristics are not always as obvious.
>> That's right. In fact wetlands are not always wet.
A wetland is an area that is inundated or covered by water,
but it doesn't necessarily mean that it is soaked all the time.
Water may saturate a wetland either on a permanent or periodic basis.
But regardless of their degree of wetness,
wetlands are a valuable and important part of the ecosystem.
Wetlands perform a variety of functions
that are important for environmental health.
They provide food and habitat where a variety of species nest,
reproduce and raise their young, and where they hide and rest.
They protect from wave action that erodes the shoreline
and threatens shoreline stability.
They serve as storage areas to hold storm and flood waters,
preventing them from spreading, damaging property and potentially taking lives.
They work as nature's filter, purifying water as it passes through them,
and as a natural recharge area where groundwater and surface water meet.
Because wetlands are so important
and because the Corps administers the program that permits activities in them,
we identify them by looking for the characteristics
that make a wetland a wetland.
This process is called wetland delineation
because we delineate or identify the boundaries of wetlands
by carefully examining three characteristics.
These include vegetation, soil and hydrology.
One indicator of a wetland is the type of vegetation that grows in it.
Wetland vegetation is called hydrophytic vegetation
because the plants grow in wet conditions.
There are nearly 5,000 different wetland plant types in the United States.
Another wetland indicator is soil.
There are almost 2,000 wetland or hydric soils in the nation.
Hydric soils may have a dark, dull color below the surface
or may consist of sandy soil
with streaks that stain when rubbed between the fingers.
The soils may consist of decayed plant material
and have the odor of rotten eggs.
The third indicator is hydrology
or the presence of standing or flowing water
at, below or above the surface of the soil.
Water may not always be visible.
Sometimes watermarks may be seen on trees, or small piles of debris
may be piled against trees, rocks or other objects by the movement of water.
Corps regulators identify wetlands
by recording the types of plants and hydrology found on the site
and by comparing soil samples
against a Munsell color guide, a soil research tool
that classifies soil colors based on hue, lightness and color purity.
Considering all of these factors together helps the Corps
to accurately establish the boundaries of wetlands
and determine whether or not they should be
regulated under the Clean Water Act.
One additional consideration in identifying wetlands is the
regional differences in climate, hydrologic and geologic conditions,
and plant and animal species across the country.
A wetland in Mississippi for instance
may be vastly different than a wetland in Alaska.
For this reason the Corps has developed
a series of regional supplements to the Wetland Delineation Guide
which are used by regulators in the wetland identification process.
Regional supplements are available for Alaska, the Arid West,
the Atlantic and Gulf coast, the Caribbean Islands,
the Eastern Mountains and Piedmont region, the Great Plains,
Hawaii and the Pacific Islands, the Midwest,
the North Central and Northeastern United States, and the Western Mountains.
>> The Corps developed these regional supplements
as part of a nationwide effort to address regional wetland characteristics
and improve the accuracy and efficiency of wetland delineation procedures.
This is an important step in our decision-making process
which provides opportunities for reasonable economic development
while also protecting invaluable natural resources.
>> Before beginning any project in waters of the United States
be sure to find out if a Department of the Army permit is required.
While this video attempts to give a general overview of the regulatory process,
viewers should refer to the actual laws, regulations and guidance
for complete and current information.