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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Report (055) ,'~_"_'~W_' _ ". \ ,^~,.~ n ._~~L~~; , \: .; .<,\,.. \l\ : : \lUJ' ; ; , APR 2 2 2002 \ Cj. William and Shannon Reavey Wetland Delineation Report ~ ~ --.-..... ,..,.,"~:':j~.~ 'i'~i~>j.' (~c[~V~U\.y""r: r J ;. {"'. \.) - . , --~.,~.,." --._-~ .~ ~.,,- ~_I_' 345 Blueberry Hill Dr. Quilcene, WA April 2002 Prepared for: William and Shannon Reavey 4117 Kingsway Anacortes, W A 98221 Olympic Wetland Resources, Inc. --~----:.~-;:::._:. ';~- -- -- -'-- "---,', _" _ _ __ _ .,'_ '_ -: '_ .~ c_ _, <._' -- . ..856S0th Street Port Townsend, Washington 98368 385-6432 William and Shannon Reavey Wetland Delineation Report 345 Blueberry Hill Dr. Quilcene, W A April 2002 Contents Introduction Description of Site Applied Methodology Classification Washington State Wetland Identification and Delineation Manual Soils Vegetation Hydrology Determining Wetland Edges Findings Classification Soils Vegetation Hydrology Summary References Appendix Map #1 Map #2 Map #3 Location Map and Soil Survey Of Jefferson County Jefferson County Wetland Map Findings Map u. S. Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Data Sheets Wetlands Rating Field Data Form (Department of Ecology) William and Shannon Reavey Wetland Delineation Report 345 Blueberry Hill Dr. Quilcene, W A April 2002 Introduction At the request of Shannon Reavey, a wetland delineation was conducted by Dixie Llewellin of Olympic Wetland Resources, Inc. at 345 Blueberry Hill Drive in Quilcene, W A The subject property consists of 5. 1 acres and is located on the T oandos Peninsula. A Level I field assessment was conducted October 23,2001, for a potential buyer to determine the buildable area, buffer restriction, and site potential. It was estimated that the buffer would need to be crossed to access the cleared building site. The purpose of this delineation was to define the exact wetland edge closest to the proposed home site, classify the wetland, and determine associated buffers. Fieldwork was conducted on April 9, 2002. Wetlands associated with the subject property are shown on the Critical Areas Map (Eastern Jefferson County, February 21, 1995). All wetlands within Jefferson County are subject to requirements outlined in the Jefferson County Unified Development Code dated January 1, 2001. Land use restrictions will apply to all future development projects associated with this parceL Description of Site . Description: Parcel # 601105001 (Appendix Map # 1: Location Map) . Location: Approximately 10 miles south on the Coyle Road and approximately 15 miles from Quilcene . Soils: Sinclair gravelly sandy loam (SnC), Swantown gravelly sandy loam (StB), And Everett gravelly sandy loam (EvD) (Appendix Map #1: Soils) . Slopes: SnC 5-10%, StB 0-8%, EvDI5-30% This site consists of a variety of elevations and habitat types. The western two thirds of the 5.1- acre site is a high quality forest that gently slopes down to the wetland. The southeastern section of the property, adjacent to the cul-de-sac access road, has been logged within the last 10 years and mounds of debris are now overgrown with salal, blackberries, and young hemlocks and firs. Ponded water and associated wetland vegetation is intermixed with upland vegetation, creating a mosaic ofwetlandlupland situations due to soil disturbance during logging. A ditch and several holes that are outside of the wetland boundary contain a dominance of wetland vegetation but nearby soils do not exhibit signs of regular water inundation. Reavey Delineation Report Report File Nmnber 2002-0096 1 342 Blueberry Hill Olympic Wetland Resources, Inc. 4/02 Near the center of the property, situated on an elevated peninsula near the potential home site, dense stands of native rhododendrons and madrona are the dominant landscape feature. An abrupt wetland/upland edge of undisturbed natural vegetation lies at the base of this pei:rinsula. To the north of the property the wetland continues and native vegetation is becoming re-establish in the buffer. Applied Methodology The following resources were consulted for this project: . Jefferson County Critical Areas Map Wetlands (1995) and ESA Maps (Stream and Wetlands) . Jefferson County Unified Development Code (January 1, 2001) . Soil Survey ofJefferson County (US. Soil Conservation Service 1975) . National Wetland Inventory Map . Washington State Wetland Identification and Delineation Manual . National List of Plant Species that occur in Wetlands: Northwest (Region 9) Classification Wetland categorization was determined using the Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) Wetland Rating System (publication #91-57 October 1991), which assigns a numerical value to any given wetland according to wetland size, quality of surrounding buffers, vegetation diversity, wetland types, and habitat value. Wetlands are rated as entire systems and quite often exceed project boundaries. Washington State Wetland Identification and Delineation Manual Fieldwork to determine the actual wetland boundaries was conducted according to the methodology outlined in the Washington State Wetland Identification and Delineation Manual (Department of Ecology #96-94). Chapter 173-22 of the Washington Administrative Code requires that all wetlands within the State of Washington be delineated using this manual. The methodology outlined in the Washington State Wetland Identification and Delineation Manual requires examination of the three parameters for a positive wetland determination: hydric soils, hydrophytic vegetation, and hydrology. For an area to qualifY as a jurisdictional wetland it must have a positive indicator from all three parameters. All wetlands identified using this methodology may be federally regulated, regardless of size. Soils A hydric soil is a soil that forms under conditions of saturation, flooding, or ponding lasting long enough during the growing season to result in an anaerobic upper layer. Hydric soils favor the growth and regeneration ofhydrophytic vegetation. The indicators for this type of soil include low chroma, mottles, gleying, and high organic content within the upper 32 inches of the soil profile. Holes were dug on the site and soil colors (including value and chroma) were recorded in the top 16 inches. Soil colors were analyzed using the Munsell Color Charts (1992). The Jefferson County Soil Survey map, indicating soils found on subject property, is included in the Appendix (Map # 1). Reavey Delineation Report Report File Number 2002-0096 2 342 Blueberry Hill Olympic Wetland Resources, Inc. 4/02 Vegetation Wetland plant species must constitute greater than 51 % of the total vegetation present to meet the qualification as a site dominated by hydrophytic vegetation. Dominance of plant species is determined by calculating actual aerial cover within a 30-foot radius for trees, a 10-foot radius for shrubs, and a 6- foot radius for the herbaceous layer at each data point. Commonly occurring plant species have been rated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFW) National List of Plant Species That Occur in Wetlands: Northwest (Region 9), as to their frequency of occurrence in wetlands and non-wetlands. During the fieldwork, each species was recorded and given a rating based on indicator status. Hydrology Wetland hydrology is defined in the Washington State Wetland Identification and Delineation Manual as "areas that are periodically inundated or have soils saturated to the swface at some time during the growing season". Areas must have seasonally inundated or saturated soil at least 12.5% of the growing season. Indicators of hydrology include visual observation of inundation or soil saturation, water- stained leaves, cracking of the soil swface, and/or sediment deposits. Positive signs of hydrology are often absent during the summer and fall months but can be inferred if there are positive indicators of hydric soil and hydrophytic vegetation. Determining Wetland Edges Wetland edges were determined by establishing a data point within the wetland, which contained positive indicators of all three of the wetland requirements: soils, hydrology, and vegetation, and another data point outside the wetland, where one or all of the requirements were not present. Measurements were taken with a Chainman II hip chain from a metal post, which is assumed to define the southeast comer of the property. Findings A high quality Type II wetland, running north to south bisects the rectangular 5 . I-acre parcel. As defined by the earlier assessment, the access to the cleared building site would require a buffer crossing. Since buffer restriction will not affect any proposed development to the west, only the eastern edge of the wetland was delineated. This wetland extends beyond property boundaries to the north and south and was possibly much larger prior to development to the south. Topography is hilly with most low-lying areas dominated by the wetland vegetation. The partial source of hydrology for the wetland is uphill runoff and lateral flows of stormwater along the hard packed clay layer below shallow topsoil. The wetland edge was flagged with orange plastic ribbon labeled "Wetland Boundary" and was tied to vegetation at eye level along the wetland edge at spacing of20 to 40 feet, depending on visibility. All data points were marked and labeled with light green flagging. Measurements were taken from a metal post assumed to be the property comer. Due to the density of vegetation and lack of exact survey points, the remaining points mapped are approximate and should be confirmed by a survey. All data points, flagging points, wetland edges, and buffers for the wetland are indicated on the Findings Map in the Appendix (Map #3). Reavey Delineation Report Report File Number 2002-0096 " -' 342 Bluebell\' Hill Olympic Wetland Resources, Inc. 4/02 Classification A high quality Class II (3 I points) wetland was identified on site. A copy of the Department of Ecology wetland rating form is included at the end of this report. According to the Jefferson County UDC (Table 3-4 Standard Buffer Widths for Wetlands), Class II wetlands have a protective 100-foot buffer measured perpendicular from the delineated wetland edge. This is considered a high quality wetland due to its proximity to a large undisturbed forested buffer, multi-structural layer, high habitat diversity, and a regular presence of surface water. The wetland itself extends into the forest, which consists of a mixture of deciduous and evergreen trees. The overall diversity of plant species in all layers is high and invasive non-native plants are few. The undisturbed section of the wetland is particularly high quality since ponded water lasts longer and there are a number of habit features such as dead snags, woody debris, and dense shrub thickets around the perimeter. Soils According to the Jefferson County Soil Survey the following soils occur on site: Sinclair gravelly sandy loam (SnC), Swantown gravelly sandy loam (StB), and Everett gravelly sandy loam (EvD). None of the soils classified on site were identified as a hydric soil on the Jefferson County Area Hydric Soil list (January 1991). However, soil pits confirmed the presence of hydric soils. The soils are dark brown and often had bright orange mottles, which form in soils that are regularly saturated. At Data Point #1 soils exhibited these characteristics (10Y;R4/1 silty clay loam and 2YR 4/2 mottles present 10YR 5/6). At Data Point #2 soil colors changed to a lighter chroma (lOYR 2/1 ion top only andlOYIR 4/3 no mottles). A hardpan layer was encountered at 6 to 10 inches in some locations. This dense clay layer is responsible for lateral flow of stormwater, which surfaces when the top layers of soil are excavated or disturbed. Vegetation Most of the vegetation was still partially dormant during this early spring field visit. The majority of the trees and shrubs were identified by branch and twig characteristics and herbaceous plants were identified by plant material from last season's growth. A high diversity of native vegetation was identified throughout the site. Meadows of slough sedges thrive in standing water in the low-lying areas. The wetland extends under the forest canopy, which consists of cedars, willows, and alders with a thick understory of spirea, rose, and sword ferns growing on mounds. This combination of forest cover and open wetland provides many bird, mammal, and invertebrate species a high quality habitat. Other water -tolerant plants identified include water parsley, horsetail, buttercup, and rushes. In the logged area the transition between the wetland/upland edge is indistinct; there is an unusual mosaic of upland plants (salal, huckleberry, and sword ferns) and water dependant species (sedges and spirea). It is a common physiological adaptation of for upland plant found in a wetland to grow on raised hummocks or mounds. Logging activity has created such hummocks on this site. Since there is no distinct edge to the wetland, the delineated edge was determined by non-hydric soils and less than 50% of the wetland vegetation cover. Ponded water was observed in pockets upslope from the wetland edge. Reave\" Delineation Report Report File Number 2002-0096 4 342 Blueberry Hill Olympic Wetland Resources, Inc. 4102 In contrast, the wetland edge in the middle of the property was abrupt; 100% wetland vegetation (sedge, willow) was adjacent to 100% upland vegetation (salal, firs). The upland peninsula is dominated by lush stands of Douglas fir, madrona, rhododendron, huckleberry, salal, fireweed, bracken fem, and sword fern creating a park like appearance. Table 1 presents a partial listing of the vegetation identified on the property and the assigned wetland tolerance status. Table 1. Vegetation Summary Scientific Name Wedand Plants Common Name U I d I Indicator Layer FAC FAC OBL OBL OBL FACW FAC FAC FACW FAC Herb Tree Herb Herb Herb Herb Shrub ' Tree Shrub Tree 'plan DJ ants 4rbutus menziesii Madrona NA Tree Epilobium anzustifolium Fireweed NA Herb Gaultheria shallon Salal FACU Shrub Po/vstichum munitum Sword fern FACU Herb Pseudotsuza menziesii Douglas fir FACU Tree Pteridium aaui/inum Braken fern FACU Herb Rhododendron macrovhvllum Pacific rhododendron NA Shrub Rubus ursin us Trailing blackberry FACU Shrub Svmvhoircarpos alba Snowbem' FACU Shrub Tsuza heterophvlla Western hemlock F ACU- Tree T'accinium panJifolium Red huckleberv FACU Shrub OBL Obligate wetland species >99%, FACW Facultative wet wetland species 67 to 99% FAC Facultative wetland species 34 to 66% FACe Facultative upland species, !to 33% UPL Obligate upland species <: I % NA )lot available Reavey Delineation Report Report File Number 2002-0096 342 Blueberry Hill Olympic Wetland Resources, Inc. 4/02 5 Hydrology Water only needs to be present 20 days of the growing season for an area to qualifY as a wetland. The growing season is defined by the Jefferson County soil survey as March 12 to November 25. Hydrology must be present for 12.5% (20 days) of these 258 days. The growing season is defined by soil temperature at 19.7 inches below the soil surface to be higher than biological 0 (50 C, or 400 F). This delineation took place four weeks into the growing season. Surface and ponded water was present in several locations and saturation was present in all pits dug within the wetland. Water was ponded at the bottom of the swale to depths of6 inches. Summary A Class II wetland and associated buffers dominate the eastern portion of the 5 . I-acre parcel. The potential home site location falls outside all buffer restrictions. To access the buildable area, a buffer crossing will be required. Fortunately the buffer that will be crossed is adjacent to the portion of the wetland most disturbed by recent logging activities. The pristine section of the wetland and associated buffers will not be affected. It should be noted that ponded water accumulates wherever there is soils disturbance. Buffer widths can be altered or reduced under certain conditions outlined in the UDC (Section Streams 3 3-25 (6), and Wetlands 3-30 (6) Reducing Buffer Widths). The staff ofthe Jefferson County Department Of Community Development must approve all plans for alterations. The applicant must demonstrate that there is no adverse effect to the wetland, or function of buffers and that disturbance to native vegetation will be minimal. Under no circumstance will buffers be reduced by more than 25 percent. A copy of this report has also been prepared for submittal to Jefferson County Department Of Community Development. If there are further question or planning requirement for this projects please do not hesitate to call. Sincerely, Dixie Llewellin Principal Biologist, Olympic Wetland Resources, Inc. Certified for Wetland Delineation, 1987 Manual. Wetland Training Institute, June 1995. Reavey Delineation Report Report File Number 2002-0096 6 342 Blueberry Hill Olympic Wetland Resources, Inc. 4102 Appendix Map # 1 Map #2 Map #3 Location Map and Soil Survey Of Jefferson County Jefferson County Wetland Map Findings Map u. S. Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Data Sheets Wetlands Rating Field Data Form (Department of Ecology) References Buckingham, et al., 1995. Flora of the Olympic Peninsula. Northwest Interpretive Association and the Washington Native Plant Society, Seattle, W A. Cooke, Sarah Spear, 1997. A Field Guide to the Common Wetland Plants of West em Washington and Northwest Oregon. Seattle Audubon Society, Seattle, WA. Cowarclin, L.M. V. Carter, F. C. Goblet, and E. T. LaRoe, 1979. Classification of Wetland and Deep Water Habitats of the U.S. U S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, DC. Hitchcock and Conquest, 1973. Flora of the Pacific Northwest. Federal Interagency Committee for Wetland Delineation, 1987. Federal Manual for Identifying and Delineating Jurisdictional Wetlands. July 1994 update. US. Army Corp of Engineers, US. Environmental Protection Agency, US. Fish and Wildlife Service, and US.D.A. Soil Conservation Service. Jefferson County Unified Development Code. January 2001. Leonard, William P., 1993. Amphibians of Washington and Oregon. Seattle Audubon Series. MacBeth, Div. of Kollmorgen Instruments Corp., 1992. MunseD Soil Color Charts. Mitsch and Gosselink, 1993. Wetlands. Pojar, Mackinnon, 1994. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Reed, Porter, 1988. National List of Plant Species that Occur in Wetlands, Region 9. 1993 update. Washington State Wetland Department of Ecology, March, 1997. Washington State Wetland Identification and Delineation Manual, #96-94. US. Department of Agriculture, 1994. Keys to Soil Taxonomy. Pocahontas Press. US. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, 1975. Soil Survey of Jefferson County. nile: Scale: \beet ..:r:~; >P_ .%i' {}"1 Olympic Wetland Resources, Inc. i\ 'I '$ 856 50th ~treet Port TOWIIsend, WA 98368 360 385-6432 Location and Soil Map 345 Blueberry Hill Quilcene, WA 98376 William and Shannon Reavey 44117 Kingsway Anacortes, WA 98221 April 2002 Job I: 2002-096 #1 TNf ~MN Vl~ ~ ~ ..4- ~ Clienl: Subject Property z (:) o N '<t o " '<t Jefferson County Soil Survey page 64 sne Sinclair gravelly sandy loam StB Swantown gravelly sandy loam EvD Everett gravelly sandy loam lille: Jefferson County Wetland Map 345 Blueberry Hill Quilcene, WA 98376 William and Shannon Reavey 44117 Kingsway Anacortes, WA 98221 }1.- .\~.!J Ol~pic Wetlan~ Resources, Inc. ft ~l 856 50th ~treet Port Townsen~, WA 98368 360 385-6432 Clienl: : ' f()1104C03 .,. ---r- f7 ! . I I I --J ......--~_.- e:J11Oi014 \ I i 001105007 I -_._.~~_....._-_.....- i I ! .i ro11CriCOl Subject Property 6011 05001 W110leal 0011ai013 . ,I .! 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