HomeMy WebLinkAboutWetland Report 502164039(360) 385-0073
marine.suNeys.inc@gmail.com
November 16, 2015
Jefferson County
Department of Community Development
621 Sheridan St.
Port Townsend, WA 98368
To whom is may concern,
267 Hudson Street
Port Townsend WA 98368
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Please find with this letter a copy of our site assessment of possible wetland areas and buffers for
parcel 502164039, Case SEP15-00127 for Michael Sims. We came to the conclusion that the
septic system is well outside of the required wetland buffers and that no further action is needed.
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions about this assessment.
Respectfully submi ed,
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Amy 1.eitman
Marine Surveys & Assessments
(360)385-4073
marine.surveys.i nc@gmail.com
267 Hudson Street
Port Townsend WA 98368
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Site Assessment for Parcel 502164039 •��EEEEB,SUN CUUNiYDID
Case SEP15-00127
On October 27, 2015 Marine Surveys & Assessments walked through the property for a site visit
at 24 Duckabush Road in Brinnon, WA (Figure 1) to locate possible wetland areas and buffers
that may be affected by a drain field project. Because this septic system was not originally
permitted this letter is to comply with Jefferson County regulations for an after the fact permit.
Jefferson County requested Mr. Sims to provide either a habitat management plan or a letter that
analyses if this septic field project is within a wetland or a wetland buffer. A layer on the
Jefferson County Critical Areas map (Figure 1) shows a wetland on the southern portion of
parcel # 502164039 that is connected to the wetlands associated with the Duckabush River
estuary. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife National Wetlands Inventory has mapped PSSR and E2EMN
wetlands, which are located on the south side of the Duckabush Road and East of State Route
101 (Figure 2).
The septic drain field is located near the top of a steep slope to the cast of the existing house.
Heading south from the southern end of the drain field, the property drops downslope and levels
out near its southern end and is bordered by the Duckabush Road. There is a slight depression
between the bottom of the slope and the Duckabush Road in which the vegetation changes a
little, most noticeably an area containing an Equisetum sp. (Horsetail). There was no evidence of
a high water table during this visit, and no holes were dug. It does not appear that the wetland
arca mapped on the Jefferson County layer is accurate. The depression is approximately 130 feet
south of the southern end of drain field (Figure 3). This arca is cut off from the mapped wetlands
south of the Duckabush Road and East of State Route 101. There aro no culverts to transport
water from a potential depression into these large wetland areas. As measured on the map, the
closest point of the large wetland to the southern end of the drain field is approximately 250 feet
(Figure 4). The edge of this wetland is clear and the buffer recommendations set forth in the
Department of Ecology Appendix 8-C'Guidance on Widths of Buffers and Ratios for
Compensatory Mitigation for Use with the Western Washington Wetland Rating System
(modified to use with the 2014 Washington State Rating System for Western Washington)',
states that the width of buffers needed to protect wetlands in western WA, taking into
consideration impacts of proposed land uses, would be 225 feet for category 1 and II wetlands
under moderate land use. Moderate land use is defined as residential (I unit/acre or less). The
small, isolated depression would likely be rated low due to location and size (if it were indeed a
"wetland") and would require a smaller buffer (I 10 feet for a category III and 40 feet for a
category IV under moderate land use).
The location of the septic system is well outside of the required wetland buffers as suggested by
the Western Washington Wetland Rating System. In addition to the fact that the septic drain field
is outside the buffer requirements, we are not convinced that this depression would qualify as a
wetland and therefore we recommend that no further action is needed.
Figure 1
Jefferson County Mapped Wetlands & Property Location
Figure 2
Wetlands as Mapped by the USFWS & Drain Field Location
- — Sims Property
National Wetlands Inventory
Wetlands
User Remarks:
Figure 3
Southern End of Drain Field to Depression — 130'
Figure 4
Southern End of Drain Field to USFWS Mapped Wetlands — 250'