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<br />J. CORCLUSIORS: <br /> <br />The terrain, the soils and the irrigation history of the <br />area has contributed dramatically to the development of <br />extensive wetland acreage in a once xeric basin. Every <br />situation where a wetland could occur it seems a wetland <br />exists. The tracking system data. base and 2 years of data <br />has allowed us to calculate an average of 6.9 acres (as <br />opposed to 2 acres in the 1990 report) of wetlands per <br />contracted unit (the highest figure and lowest figure were <br />dropped). This does not include wetlands found on non- <br />contracted acres under the same ownership. Voluntary <br />mitigation with relatively low value replacement wetlands <br />(such as ponds) and enhancement of existing wetlands on a <br />farm by farm basis may not keep up with anticipated wetland <br />losses. Many of the wetlands we lose or enhance are high in <br />value, so it is difficult to gain much. until we reach <br />those producers with the habitat resources and a sincere <br />desire to develop land for wildlife these losses will <br />continue. The possibility also exists that these <br />individuals may give up on the program while waiting. <br /> <br />Enhancement of existing wetlands appears to be our only <br />alternative for achieving gains in wetland values while <br />reducing salinity, but the constraints placed on our <br />mitigation efforts by the Environmental Protection Agency <br />(EPA) have limited our ability to achieve positive results. <br />Because we are restricted to one (1) acre shallow water <br />developments in wetlands (unless a 404 permit is approved) <br />our chances of reaching replacement goals are reduced. <br /> <br />.~ <br />.~ :J <br />.. (\.... <br />r.( .lo ~ <br />\ .... ..... <br />