Wetlands

What are wetlands? Wetlands play a role in the landscape by controlling erosion, absorb floodwater, and purify surface water. They are areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support a prevalence of vegetation adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.

Types of Wetlands
There are the five classifications of wetlands:

Marshes are wetlands where the soil if generally continually inundated with water. The plants in these wetlands have adapted to grow in areas with saturated soil conditions.
A bog is a wetland where very little water flows into or out of the wetland. The most prevelant vegetation growing in bogs are the mosses.
Bottomland hardwood are wetlands that are located along rivers and stream--areas that are occassionally flooded when water overflows their banks. Swamps are generally classified as tree dominated swetlands.
Pocosins are a type of bog where stunted pine trees and evergreen shrubs grow even though very little water flows into or out of the system.

What are the characteristics of wetlands? Wetlands, at least periodically, have waterlogged soils or are covered with a relatively shallow layer of water. Most wetlands are located in low-lying areas, where rain and runoff help to keep them saturated. Who are the primary builders of wetlands? They are typically developed by beavers, rivers, streams, and sometimes people. Available on the internet is a Wetlands Identification EasyGuide to assist in determining if you have a wetland. If you do have a wetland, there are several agencies to assist you.

Regulatory Information

These sites streamline some of the current policies on wetlands.
These policies are developed by the Administrative arm of the Federal Government.

Executive Order 11990 - Protections of wetlands -1977
This order was written by President Jimmy Carter to avoid, to the extent possible, the long and short term adverse impacts associated with the destruction or modification of wetlands. Additionally it was intended to avoid direct or indirect support of new construction within wetlands. This executive order had ten sections associated with wetlands.

Protecting America’s Wetlands - August 1993 - August 1995
The Administration Wetlands Plan was issued in August 1993. In the two year since it was developed, many proposals from the plan have been implemented. It has streamlined the wetlands permitting process, responded to the concerns of farmers and small landowners, improving cooperation with private landowners to protect and restore wetlands, and increased the role of State, local, and Tribal governments in wetlands protection. President Clinton’s Administration is committed to improving wetlands programs, making them more fair and flexible for landowners and more effective.

Title 30. Environmental Quality
Part I. Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission Chapter 279. Water Quality Certification.
This Title establishes procedures and criteria for the application, processing and review of state water quality certifications for activities under the jurisdiction of the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission as required by the Federal Clean Water Act. It is to maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the State’s waters.

Onsite and Offsite Identification of Wetlands
Many federal, state, and local agencies, private organizations, and landowners need to identify onsite or delineate the boundaries of wetlands for a variety of purposes. Offsite identification of wetlands can be a useful screening tools to determine the possible existence of wetlands. This site lists the methods used by the Corps of Engineers to identified wetlands.

Programs - Federal, State, Local, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

US Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program - 33 CFR Parts 320 through 330
33 CFR contains information on wetlands developed by the US Corps of Engineers. Parts 320 through 330 deals with policies, permits, enforcement, definition and public hearings. This information is from the Federal Register November 13, 1986 (Parts 320-329 with Parts 323 and 328 as modified August 25, 1993) and November 22, 1991 (Part 330). Also, other materials gathered from Corps Districts are located in this site.

US Army Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual - Part I and II
Part I of this manual is guidelines and methods to help individuals to determine whether an area is a wetland for purposes of Section 404 of Act. Part II of this manual contains the technical guidelines. Part II lists definitions, diagnostic environmental characteristics, and technical approach which comprises a guideline for the identification and delineation of wetlands.

Permits

Section 401 of the Rivers and Harbors Appropriations Act
Section 401 concerns with the construction of bridges, causeways, dams or dikes generally.

Hydric Soils

Plants

1996 National List of Vascular Plant Species That Occur in Wetlands
This site provides information on the 1996 national list of vascular plant species occuring in wetlands. This site, also, lists the wetland indicator categories. Copies of the 1996 National List are available from the Fish and Wildlife Service. The 1996 National Listing can be downloaded from this web site.

Wetlands produce great volumes of food as leaves and stems break down in the water. This provides food for insects, shellfish, and forage fish, and it provides nutrients for wetlands plants and algae.

Wildlife

Links to Other Sites Containing Information on Wetlands

United States Fish & Wildlife Services

Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds - Wetlands Division

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Wetlands Information Hotline

National Agricultural Library

Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Nature Page

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