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Twentymile Coal Company: Fish Creek & Rail Load Out <br />U.S. Waters Inventory & Wetland Delineation <br />• A topographic map (scale of 1" = 300') was used in the field to map delineated <br />wetlands. A Trimble GPS was used to survey sampling locations and the extent of <br />wetlands. Jurisdictional wetland boundaries on this site were distinct, <br />characteristically abrupt and readily observed in the field. <br />The Clean Water Act defines wetlands as: <br />"those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a <br />frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal <br />circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life <br />in saturated soil conditions' (33 CFR 328.3(a)(7)(b). <br />To be delineated as wetland an area had to exhibit all 3 required wetland <br />characteristics, including a predominant cover of hydrophytic vegetation, hydric <br />soils and wetland hydrology. Primary and secondary indicators of these 3 wetland <br />characteristics are described in detail in the COE wetland delineation manual. <br />I • Vegetation cover composition was obtained by point-intercept line-transect <br />methods. Formal transect data was collected at six wetland and three upland sites <br />in Fish Creek, and from 3 wetland and 2 upland sites at the Rail road Load Out. <br />Dominant species within each potential wetland area were determined using this <br />I data and the relative contribution of hydrophytic species calculated and recorded. A <br />comprehensive list of species observed during monitoring is provided in Table 1. <br />' Soi] cores were taken to determine the presence and areal extent of hydric <br />soils. Fourteen formal soil cores were taken and documented; representing typical <br />I hydric and non-hydric soils within the two survey areas. Soils were cored to a <br />rr,; n;,,,um depth of 16 inches. A Munsell color chart was used to measure soil and <br />I mottling colors. Texture, soil moisture, and other pertinent hydric soil <br />characteristics were noted, measured and recorded on the field forms. Also, the <br />presence or absence of primary and secondary wetland hydrology and soil <br />characteristics were observed and noted on the forms. Typical delineation sample <br />site locations were recorded on the topography map. <br />I • Habitat Management, Inc. 4 7/20/01 <br />