““Regionalizing” the Regionalizing” the Corps of Engineers Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Wetland Delineation

ManualManual

National wetland delineation National wetland delineation guidance cannot capture the guidance cannot capture the variability of wetlands across variability of wetlands across the entire United Statesthe entire United States

Reasons to RegionalizeReasons to Regionalize

• Regional variability in wetland conditions due Regional variability in wetland conditions due to climate, geology and landforms, and to climate, geology and landforms, and biogeographybiogeography

• Failure to regionalize can result in inconsistent, Failure to regionalize can result in inconsistent, arbitrary, and controversial wetland arbitrary, and controversial wetland determinationsdeterminations

• To be technically and legally defensible, the To be technically and legally defensible, the Manual should reflect the state-of-the-scienceManual should reflect the state-of-the-science

• National Academy of Sciences National Academy of Sciences recommendationsrecommendations

History of the ProjectHistory of the Project• In 2003, Corps HQ initiated an effort to In 2003, Corps HQ initiated an effort to

develop regional supplements to the 1987 develop regional supplements to the 1987 wetland delineation manualwetland delineation manual– R&D effort led by ERDCR&D effort led by ERDC

• Supplements already developed for:Supplements already developed for:– AlaskaAlaska– Arid WestArid West– Western Mountains, Valleys and Coast Western Mountains, Valleys and Coast – Great PlainsGreat Plains

• Current status and products:Current status and products:– http://www.usace.army.mil/cw/cecwo/reg/http://www.usace.army.mil/cw/cecwo/reg/

reg_supp.htmreg_supp.htm

Interagency CooperationInteragency Cooperation

• EPA, NRCS, FWS, Corps Districts, and ERDCEPA, NRCS, FWS, Corps Districts, and ERDC• Provide technical oversight, consistency, and Provide technical oversight, consistency, and

quality controlquality control

National Advisory National Advisory TeamTeam

Regional Working GroupsRegional Working Groups• Federal, state, and academic expertsFederal, state, and academic experts• Identify technical issues, select wetland indicators, Identify technical issues, select wetland indicators,

develop regionalized procedures, and help ERDC draft develop regionalized procedures, and help ERDC draft the Regional Supplementthe Regional Supplement

• Participate in field testingParticipate in field testing

Steps in the ProcessSteps in the Process• Develop a Regional Supplement in Develop a Regional Supplement in

cooperation with the Regional Working Groupcooperation with the Regional Working Group• Review by the National Advisory Team Review by the National Advisory Team • Independent peer reviews (including private Independent peer reviews (including private

sector, other federal agencies, and states sector, other federal agencies, and states with regulatory programs)with regulatory programs)

• Field testing following NAT protocolField testing following NAT protocol• Public notice for review and commentsPublic notice for review and comments• Public notice for 1-year interim Public notice for 1-year interim

implementationimplementation• Public notice for final implementationPublic notice for final implementation

What won’t change?What won’t change?• The Corps/EPA wetland definitionThe Corps/EPA wetland definition• The basic three-factor approach to The basic three-factor approach to

wetland identification (vegetation, wetland identification (vegetation, soil, hydrology)soil, hydrology)

• Emphasis on indicator-based Emphasis on indicator-based wetland determinationswetland determinations

• Jurisdictional reachJurisdictional reach

Supplements vs. National Supplements vs. National ManualManual

• As regional supplements are finalized As regional supplements are finalized and implemented, they will replace and implemented, they will replace certain portions of the 1987 certain portions of the 1987 delineation manualdelineation manual

National Wetland National Wetland Delineation ManualDelineation Manual

Technical Technical Standard for Standard for Water-Table Water-Table MonitoringMonitoring

AlaskaAlaska

Arid Arid WestWest

Etc.Etc.Great Great PlainsPlains

Western Western MountainsMountains

Regional SupplementsRegional Supplements

MidwestMidwest

Coastal Coastal PlainPlain

Regional SupplementsRegional SupplementsTable 1. Sections of the Corps Manual replaced by this Regional

Supplement.

ItemReplaced Portions of the

Corps Manual (Environmental

Laboratory 1987)

Replacement Guidance(this Supplement)

Hydrophytic Vegetation Indicators

Paragraph 35, all subparts, and all references to specific indicators in Part IV.

Chapter 2

Hydric Soil Indicators Paragraphs 44 and 45, all subparts, and all references to specific indicators in Part IV.

Chapter 3

Wetland Hydrology Indicators

Paragraph 49(b), all subparts, and all references to specific indicators in Part IV.

Chapter 4

Growing Season Definition Glossary Chapter 4, Growing Season; Glossary

Hydrology Standard for Highly Disturbed or Problematic Wetland Situations

Paragraph 48, including Table 5 and the accompanying User Note in the online version of the Manual

Chapter 5, Wetlands that Periodically Lack Indicators of Wetland Hydrology, Procedure item 3(g)

Regional Sampling ProtocolsRegional Sampling Protocols

Developed for Alaska and the Arid West:Developed for Alaska and the Arid West:• Hydrophytic VegetationHydrophytic Vegetation

– 3-step process3-step process• HydrologyHydrology

– Description and local user-note development Description and local user-note development • Hydric SoilsHydric Soils

– Description and local user-note developmentDescription and local user-note development• Problem Areas and Atypical SituationsProblem Areas and Atypical Situations

– Identify specific wetland typesIdentify specific wetland types– General procedures for identificationGeneral procedures for identification

Examples of Regional Examples of Regional IndicatorsIndicators

Using cryptogams (mosses, Using cryptogams (mosses, lichens, fungi) in lichens, fungi) in hydrophytic vegetation hydrophytic vegetation decisionsdecisionsDry soils that appear hydric Dry soils that appear hydric (e.g., gray parent materials)(e.g., gray parent materials)

Determining growing season Determining growing season (e.g., leaf-out)(e.g., leaf-out)

Examples of Regional Examples of Regional IndicatorsIndicatorsSand and gravel substratesSand and gravel substrates

Sparse and patchy vegetation Sparse and patchy vegetation (e.g., playa edges and saline (e.g., playa edges and saline wetlands)wetlands)

Identifying regional Identifying regional primary/secondary indicators primary/secondary indicators of hydrology (e.g., surface soil of hydrology (e.g., surface soil cracks, crayfish burrows, cracks, crayfish burrows, macroinvertebrates, algae)macroinvertebrates, algae)

Seasonally frozen soils may Seasonally frozen soils may develop wetland indicators but develop wetland indicators but be well drained after they thawbe well drained after they thaw

Proposed Wetland Delineation Proposed Wetland Delineation RegionsRegions

Arid WestArid WestGreat PlainsGreat Plains

Western Mountains, Western Mountains, Valleys & CoastValleys & Coast

MidwestMidwest

Mid-Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic and SoutheastSoutheast

Atlantic and Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Gulf Coastal PlainPlain

Glaciated Northcentral Glaciated Northcentral and Northeastand Northeast

Caribbean IslandsCaribbean IslandsPacific IslandsPacific Islands

AlaskaAlaska

Contents of the National Contents of the National Delineation ManualDelineation Manual• Corps/EPA wetland definitionCorps/EPA wetland definition• Basics of the three-factor approachBasics of the three-factor approach• General definitions of hydrophytic General definitions of hydrophytic

vegetation, hydric soil, and wetland vegetation, hydric soil, and wetland hydrologyhydrology– No specific indicatorsNo specific indicators

• Preliminary data gathering (offsite Preliminary data gathering (offsite sources)sources)

• Routine and Comprehensive field methodsRoutine and Comprehensive field methods• General Atypical Situation guidanceGeneral Atypical Situation guidance• General Problem Area guidanceGeneral Problem Area guidance• Main GlossaryMain Glossary

Contents of a Regional Contents of a Regional SupplementSupplement• Chapter 1Chapter 1 – Introduction – Introduction

– Applicable region and subregionsApplicable region and subregions– Physical and biological characteristics of the Physical and biological characteristics of the

regionregion– Kinds, distribution, and abundance of wetlandsKinds, distribution, and abundance of wetlands

• Chapter 2Chapter 2 – Hydrophytic vegetation indicators – Hydrophytic vegetation indicators• Chapter 3Chapter 3 – Hydric soil indicators – Hydric soil indicators• Chapter 4Chapter 4 – Wetland hydrology indicators – Wetland hydrology indicators• Chapter 5Chapter 5 – Difficult wetland situations in the – Difficult wetland situations in the

region (including delineation guidance)region (including delineation guidance)• Data formData form

Role of the Technical Role of the Technical Standard for Water-Table Standard for Water-Table MonitoringMonitoring• To determine whether wetland hydrology is To determine whether wetland hydrology is

present on highly disturbed or problematic sites present on highly disturbed or problematic sites that lack wetland indicatorsthat lack wetland indicators– Not intended for routine use or to overrule an Not intended for routine use or to overrule an

indicator-based determination on an undisturbed siteindicator-based determination on an undisturbed site• Provides standards for the design, construction, Provides standards for the design, construction,

and installation of water-table monitoring wells, and installation of water-table monitoring wells, and the collection and interpretation of dataand the collection and interpretation of data– http://el.erdc.usace.army.mil/wrap/pdf/tnwrap05-2.pdfhttp://el.erdc.usace.army.mil/wrap/pdf/tnwrap05-2.pdf

Hydrology – Difficult Hydrology – Difficult Wetland InteractionsWetland Interactions

• Site visits during the dry seasonSite visits during the dry season• Periods with below normal rainfallPeriods with below normal rainfall• Drought yearsDrought years• Years with unusually low winter snow-packYears with unusually low winter snow-pack• Reference sitesReference sites• Hydrology toolsHydrology tools• Evaluating multiple years of aerial photographyEvaluating multiple years of aerial photography• Long-term hydrologic monitoringLong-term hydrologic monitoring

Tentative Sequence of Tentative Sequence of RegionsRegions

AlaskaAlaska 20042004Arid WestArid West 20052005Western Mountains, Valleys & CoastWestern Mountains, Valleys & Coast 20062006Great PlainsGreat Plains 20062006MidwestMidwest 20072007Atlantic and Gulf Coastal PlainAtlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain 20072007Mid-Atlantic and SoutheastMid-Atlantic and Southeast 20082008Caribbean IslandsCaribbean Islands 20082008Glaciated Northcentral / NortheastGlaciated Northcentral / Northeast 20092009Hawaii / Pacific IslandsHawaii / Pacific Islands 20092009

Target DateTarget DateFor DraftFor Draft

Relationship to SWANCC, Relationship to SWANCC, Rapanos/Carabell, etc.Rapanos/Carabell, etc.

This effort will not affect Section 404 This effort will not affect Section 404 jurisdictional policy. The goal in jurisdictional policy. The goal in regionalizing the 1987 Manual is to regionalizing the 1987 Manual is to provide the most current scientific and provide the most current scientific and technical information for identifying technical information for identifying wetlands and determining their wetlands and determining their boundaries. Whether or not a wetland is boundaries. Whether or not a wetland is regulated under Section 404 is an regulated under Section 404 is an entirely different and separate issue.entirely different and separate issue.

Relationship to the Plant Relationship to the Plant ListsLists

The “regionalization” of the 1987 The “regionalization” of the 1987 Manual and the updating of FWS Manual and the updating of FWS plant lists are separate and plant lists are separate and independent efforts. The Regional independent efforts. The Regional Supplements do not contain any Supplements do not contain any changes to the plant lists.changes to the plant lists.