 | This posting continues some of the common terms and definitions* found in the wetlands regulatory world. Section 404 wetland - Special aquatic habitat whose boundaries are defined in the current Corps wetlands delineation manual and which is therefore subject to Corps jurisdiction under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. [Knowledge and use of the current definitions of waters of the U.S. are MOST important here.] |
Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines - Regulations of the EPA (40 CFR 230) defining the substantive criteria used in evaluating discharges of dredged or fill material under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Significant (impact) - (1) Finding resulting from an environmental assessment that an environmental impact statement is necessary; (2) finding within the Corps permitting process of public interest review that an action will degrade the waters of the United States sufficient to warrant avoidance by removal to a practicable alternative site.
Special aquatic sites - “Those sites identified in Subpart E [40 CFR 230.40-.45]. They are geographic areas, large or small, possessing special ecological characteristics of productivity, habitat, wildlife protection, or other important and easily disrupted ecological values” (40 CFR 230.3(q-1)). Subpart E of 40 CFR 230 lists the following areas as special aquatic sites: sanctuaries and refuges, wetlands, mud flats, vegetated shallows, coral reefs, riffle and pool complexes (40 CFR 230.40-.45).
Standard permit - An individual permit that has been processed through the public interest review procedures, including public notice and receipt of comments.
Stratum - A layer of vegetation used to determine dominant species in a plant community; the 1987 Corps Manual uses four strata in identification of wetland vegetation: trees, shrubs, herbs, and woody vines.
Success criteria (for mitigation) - Easily measurable external attributes that a mitigation wetland should exhibit to indicate that mitigation objectives have been met; often expressed in terms of vegetative cover and health, water depths and durations, sediment loads, water quality, etc. [Currently the use of the word “success” is out of fashion and it is now preferred to use the term “performance.”]
Texture (of soil) - Particle size distribution, such as sandy loam, silty clay, etc.
Tree - For purposes of jurisdictional delineation, the 1987 Corps Manual identifies trees as plants that have a diameter at breast height of at least 3.0 in.
Upland plants (UPL) - For purposes of jurisdictional delineation, the 1987 Corps Manual identifies upland plants (UPL) as plants that rarely occur (estimated probability <1 percent) in wetlands, but occur almost always (estimated probability >99 percent) in non-wetlands under natural conditions.
Value - Within the Munsell color system, “the relative lightness or intensity of color and approximately a function of the square root of the total amount of light.” (Soil Science Society of America 1987)
Water dependency - A site is water-dependent “if the activity associated with a discharge which is proposed for a special aquatic site.... [requires] access or proximity to or siting within the special aquatic site in question to fulfill its basic purpose” (40 CFR 230.10(a)(3)).
- JMB
*Source: Wetlands Management Book, Environmental Laboratory (ERDC/EL SR-00-16) by Carolyn B. Schneider and Steven W. Sprecher, December 2000.
Significant (impact) - (1) Finding resulting from an environmental assessment that an environmental impact statement is necessary; (2) finding within the Corps permitting process of public interest review that an action will degrade the waters of the United States sufficient to warrant avoidance by removal to a practicable alternative site.
Special aquatic sites - “Those sites identified in Subpart E [40 CFR 230.40-.45]. They are geographic areas, large or small, possessing special ecological characteristics of productivity, habitat, wildlife protection, or other important and easily disrupted ecological values” (40 CFR 230.3(q-1)). Subpart E of 40 CFR 230 lists the following areas as special aquatic sites: sanctuaries and refuges, wetlands, mud flats, vegetated shallows, coral reefs, riffle and pool complexes (40 CFR 230.40-.45).
Standard permit - An individual permit that has been processed through the public interest review procedures, including public notice and receipt of comments.
Stratum - A layer of vegetation used to determine dominant species in a plant community; the 1987 Corps Manual uses four strata in identification of wetland vegetation: trees, shrubs, herbs, and woody vines.
Success criteria (for mitigation) - Easily measurable external attributes that a mitigation wetland should exhibit to indicate that mitigation objectives have been met; often expressed in terms of vegetative cover and health, water depths and durations, sediment loads, water quality, etc. [Currently the use of the word “success” is out of fashion and it is now preferred to use the term “performance.”]
Texture (of soil) - Particle size distribution, such as sandy loam, silty clay, etc.
Tree - For purposes of jurisdictional delineation, the 1987 Corps Manual identifies trees as plants that have a diameter at breast height of at least 3.0 in.
Upland plants (UPL) - For purposes of jurisdictional delineation, the 1987 Corps Manual identifies upland plants (UPL) as plants that rarely occur (estimated probability <1 percent) in wetlands, but occur almost always (estimated probability >99 percent) in non-wetlands under natural conditions.
Value - Within the Munsell color system, “the relative lightness or intensity of color and approximately a function of the square root of the total amount of light.” (Soil Science Society of America 1987)
Water dependency - A site is water-dependent “if the activity associated with a discharge which is proposed for a special aquatic site.... [requires] access or proximity to or siting within the special aquatic site in question to fulfill its basic purpose” (40 CFR 230.10(a)(3)).
- JMB
*Source: Wetlands Management Book, Environmental Laboratory (ERDC/EL SR-00-16) by Carolyn B. Schneider and Steven W. Sprecher, December 2000.
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