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Catawba Country Club Tributary to Henry Fork River Newton, NC Wetland Restoration Design, Permit, Build and Plant
Haywood Vocational Opportunities Hazelwood, NC Stormwater Wetland Design
Southeastern Jurisdictional Administrative Council of the United Methodist Church Lake Junaluska, NC Wetland Restoration Design, Permit and Plant
Cashiers, NC Wetland Enhancement and Boardwalk Design, Permit and Construct
Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department Cullowhee, NC Stormwater Wetland Design, Permit and Construct
Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society Asheville, NC Stormwater Wetland Design, Permit and Construct
We have also designed, permitted wetland projects for numerous
local municipalities, county governments and developers. Our scientists are members of the
Society of Wetland Scientists.
Our construction managers are
Clear Water
Contractors in the state of North Carolina.
Wetland Definitions Unfortunately, there is not a uniform wetland definition used throughout the country, and the wetland boundary often differs between regulatory agencies. Which methodology to use for delineating wetlands has been the subject of great debate during the past decade, and the issue remains unresolved. Currently, the most widely used approach is the 1987 Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual now required by the Corps and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. However, some states, such as New Jersey, use the 1989 Federal Interagency Manual for Identifying and Delineating Jurisdictional Wetlands, whereas other states, such as Connecticut and New York, have their own methods. Regardless of the formal definition, most wetlands are found in areas of low relief and poor drainage, often along watercourses or in topographic depressions. Wetlands can also be found on steep slopes in areas of groundwater discharge; in developed areas such as corporate lawns, golf courses and airports and in farm fields. Although the delineation of wetlands can require considerable training and experience, many wetlands can be identified by a few common, recognizable characteristics. Wetlands are generally defined by three basic parameters: hydric soils, hydrophytic vegetation and wetland hydrology. Each parameter is identified by several indicators, and many are apparent in the field. A broad overview of each of the parameters follows. Wetland Hydrology 
The presence of water is the driving force in the development of wetlands. The amount of water needed for an area to be wetlands continues to be the central issue in the debate about how to define wetlands. For the moment at least, wetland hydrology occurs when the soils are saturated at or near the surface or are inundated for a sufficient length of time (typically greater than 14 consecutive days when soil temperatures are above 41ºF) to allow microorganisms to deplete most or all of the available oxygen within the soil (anaerobic). This lack of oxygen causes certain biological and chemical changes in the soil and creates an environment favorable only to plants that can survive in wet conditions. Because many wetlands are wet only for short periods of time, and some may never have water on the surface, identifying wetland hydrology is often a difficult task. However, certain indicators can be useful, including the following: • evidence of flooding • water marks or stains on trees • obvious standing water or soil saturation • blackened or discolored fallen leaves |
With more than 15 services available, we are truly a multidiscipline firm able to meet your project needs. If a category has a link associated with it, then a project example exists with plan sheets, photographs and more. Wetland (hydrophytic) Vegetation
Most wetlands are dominated by plant species that are adapted to growing in wet conditions. The best way to determine whether wetland vegetation is present is to learn the most common wetland plants in your area. Most will be easily recognizable and easy to learn. There are many excellent user-friendly field guides to wetland plants, and most have color photographs and identification keys designed for people with little or no botanical training. Many colleges, continuing education programs and private companies also offer seminars, short courses and field training in wetland plant identification. Even without knowing the names of the plants in your area, the following field indicators identify potential wetland vegetation: • shallow root systems • windthrown or fallen trees • buttressed (enlarged) tree trunks • inflated or floating stems and leaves • trees with multiple trunks arising from the base Wetland (hydric) Soils
As soils are subjected to wet conditions, biological and chemical processes often alter the color of the soil and may cause an accumulation of organic matter commonly known as peat or muck. Typically (although numerous caveats exist), wet soils are either gray or black and feature prominent orange or red iron stains or have a thick surface layer of peat or muck. Soil colors can occur in many shades of red, yellow, brown, black, gray and even green or blue. However, only certain soil colors in the upper portion of the soil indicate wetland conditions. The wetland boundary is often based on subtle changes in soil color and other soil characteristics. To ensure consistency between individuals and repeatable results in the delineation of wetlands, soil colors are determined by using a special color book known as the Munsell Soil Color Charts. To evaluate the soil color, an auger or shovel is typically used to dig a shallow hole. The soil color is then compared to the soil color charts. Soil colors can also be assessed without digging a hole in areas of exposed soils such as road cuts, on streambanks and at the base of windthrown or fallen trees. Although hydric soil identification is often based on complex technical characteristics, particularly at or near the upland-wetland boundary, the following field indicators are often reliable for recognizing hydric soils: • gray or black colors • sulfidic (rotten egg) odors • peat or muck accumulations Additional Sources of Information
Reviewing various sources of information before visiting the site can help identify potential wetland areas and provide a greater understanding of field conditions. Among the best sources of information are Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly USDA) county soil surveys, USGS topographic maps, U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetland Inventory maps, other state and local wetland maps, natural resource inventories, plant community maps and aerial photographs.
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