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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLevel I Wetland Assessment 801045021 t5 L.(J D'S - DO 0 / l' mUltO"> -OO\~ Olympic Wetland Resources, Inc. Dixie Llewellin, Principal Biologist 856 50th Street Port Townsend, WA 98368 360 385-6432 dixie@cablespeed.com March 16, 2005 Robeli Olson P.O. Box 601 KeypOli W A 98345 Level I Wetland Assessment t~AR 1 g Parcel# 801 045 021 March 2005 JEFFERSON COUNTY OeD Introduction A Level I Wetland Assessment was conducted on March 11, 2005 at the parcel located at 185 Brothers Road off Eaglemount Road. The parcel has been cleared for a home site to the edge of a very clearly marked buffer. Commercially made signs are posted on trees indicating the buffer limits at 50 feet from the wetland edge. At the time of clearing it was assumed that the buffer protection was 50 feet from the edge of a Type 5 stream (as mapped on this parcel by the Jefferson County Stream Map). It was later determined during a consultation with Ross Goodwin, Department of Natural Recourses, that the swale was not a Type 5 Stream but a wetland (memo Michelle Farfan Senior Planner Lead, DRD). Since wetlands are regulated by the Army Corps of Engineers and Department of Ecology, this wetland analysis was required. Wetland analysis was conducted using the methodology outlined in the Washington State Department of Ecology Wetland Identification and Delineation Manual (1997). All wetlands within Jefferson County are subject to requirements outlined in the Jefferson County Unified Development Code (UDC) dated January 1,2001. Land use restrictions will apply to all future developments associated with this parcel. Description of Site . Legal Description: Parcel #801 045021 Section 4 Township 28N Range lW . Location: 185 Brothers Road off of Eaglemount Road between HWY 20 and Center Valley Road, Jefferson County . Soils: AID Alderwood sandy gravelly loam . Slopes: 0 to 15% slopes Level] Assessment Olson Report File Number 2005-6572 1 Olympic Wetland Resources, Inc 3/05 Findings The identified wetland swale has surface saturation with occasional shallow ponding, wetland soils (10YR 312), and hydrophytic vegetation (sedge, salmonberry, alders, water parsley). The wetland buffer consists of a dense understory of shrubs and young trees. The cleared area is distinctly outside a 50-foot buffer. A delineation should not be required since the wetland edge is defined by hydrology, topography, and a relatively distinct plant community change. The wetland qualifies as a Category III wetland (12 points, Department of Ecology Data FOlm) included at end of this report) and will have 50-foot buffers if delineated and 75 foot buffers if not delineated. Currently the proposed house site and building envelope are well outside the 75-foot restriction, however there has been some clearing is within 60-feet of the wetland. It is recommended that the buffer between the finished construction projects be voluntarily revegetated with native trees and shrubs. Shrubs planted could include red-flowering currents, vine maple, red-osier dogwood, hazelnut and cedars. Plantings can be arranged to suit landscape and aesthetic requirements. In general shrubs should be spaced 4 to 5 feet apmi and trees 10 feet apmi. All invasive non-native species should be controlled (Scot's broom, thistle, reed canarygrass). The house site is on the east side of the wetland; the remainder of the buffer on the west side of wetland will not be impacted. Final authority over wetland determinations and associated buffers rests with Jefferson County Planning Depmiment. If this project requires a further planning please don't hesitate to call. ~Ij P fij , '"II'" I~' ,() 1 t~'-~a'~ c!'~ (j Dixie Llewellin Principal Biologist, Olympic Wetland Resources, Inc. Certified for Wetland Delineation, 1987 Manual. Wetland Training Institute, June 1995. JEFFERSON COUNTY DeD Level 1 Assessment Olson Report File Number 2005-6572 2 Olympic Wetland Resources, Inc 3/05 Wetland Rating Field Data Form Background Information: Name of Rater: Dixie L1ewellin Affllialion: Olvmpic Wetland Resources, Inc, Name of Wetland (it known): Off Brothers Road Government Jurisdiction ot Wetland:Jefferson Countv Department of Ecoloav Corp of Enaineers Location: Section:4 Township: 28N Range:1W Sources of Information (Check all sources that apply) Sile V,sil:X USGS Topo Map:X NWI Map' Aerial Photo:X Soil Survey:X OtherX Descrtbe:Jefferson County Critical Areas Map When the Field Data Form is Complete Enter Cate~orv Here: Q1. High Quality Natural Wetland 1a. Human caused disturbances Is there significant evidence of human-caused changes to topography or hydrology or the weiland as indicated by any of the following conditions? Consider only changes that may changes that may have taken place in the last 5 decades, The impacts of changes done earlier have probably been stabilized and the wetland ecosystems will be close to reaching some new equilibrium that may represent a high auality wetland 1a.1 Upland watershed>12% impervious 1 a.2 Wetland is ditched and water flow is not obstructed 1a.3 Wetland has been graded. filled. logged (historically logged) 1a.4 Water in wetland is controlled by dikes, weirs. etc, 1 a.5 Wetland is grazed 1a.6 Other indicators of disturbance (listed below) 1 b, Are there populations of non-native plants which are currently present, cover more Ihan 10% of the wetland, and appear to be invading native populations? Briefly describe any non-native populations and information sQurce{s). 1c. Is there evidence of human-caused disturbances which have visibly degraded water auality Evidence of the degradation of water auality include: direct (untreated) runoff from roads or parking lots: presence, or historic evidence, of waste dumps; oily sheens: the smell of organic chemicals; or livestock use. Briefly Describe: Q.2. Irreplaceable Ecological Functions: Does the wetland have at least 1/4 acre of organic soils deeper than 16 inches and the wetland is relatively undisturbed; OR have a forested class greater that 1 acre; OR have characteristics of an estuarine system; OR have eel grass floating or non-floating kelp beds? 2a. Bogs and Fens Are any of the three following conditions met for the area of organic soil? 2a.1 Are Sphagnum mosses a common ground cover (>30%) and the cover of of invasive species (Table 3) less Ihan 10%? Is the area of sphagnum mosses and deep organic soils>1I2 acre? Is the area of sphagnum mosses and deep organic soils 1/4 to 1/2 acre? 2a.2 Is there an area of organic soil which has an emergent class with at least one species from Table 2, and cover of invasive species is <10% (see Table 3)? Is the area of herbaceous plant and deep organic soils >1/2 acre? Is the area of herbaceous plant and deep organic soils 1/4 to> 1/2 acre? 2a.3 Is the vegetation a mixture of only herbaceous plant and sphagnum mosses with no scrub/shrub or forest classes? Is the area of herbaceous plants. sphagnum. and deep organic soils>1/2 acre? Is the area of herbaceous plants. sphagnum. and deep organic soils 1/4 to 1/2 acre? Q.2b Mature Forested Wetlands 2b.1 Does 50%of the cover of upper forest canopy consist of evergreen trees older than 80 years or deciduous trees older than 50 years? Note: The size of trees is often not a measure of age, and size cannot be used as a surrogate for age 2b.2 Does 50% of the cover of forest canopy consist of evergreen trees older than 50 years. AND is the structural diversity of the forest high as characterized by an additional layer of Irees 20'-49't tall, shrubs 6'-20' tall and a herbaceous groundcover? 2b.3 Does <25% of the areal cover in the herbaceousf groundcover layer or the shrub layer consist of exotic species? Q.2c Estuarine Wetlands 2c.1 Is the weiland listed as National Wildlife Refuge. National Park, National Estuary Reserve, Natural Area Preserve, State Park, of Educational, or Scientific Reserves Designated under WAC 332-30-151? 2c.2 Is the wetland >5 acres Note: If an area contains patches of salt tolerant vegetation that are 1 )Iess than 600 feet apart and that are separated by mudflats that go dry on a Mean Low Tide. or 2) separated by tidal channels that are less than 100 feet wide; all the vegetated areas are to be considered together in calculation the wetland area OR is the wetland 1-5 acres; OR is the wetland <1 acre 2c.3 Does the weiland meet at least 3 of the following 4 criteria' _ Minimum existing evidence of human related disturbance such as diking, ditching, filling, cultivation, grazing or the presence of non.native plant species; -Surface water connection with tidal saltwater of tidal freshwater; -At least 75% of the wetland has a 100' buffer of ungrazed pasture. open water. shrub, or forest; .Has at least 3 of the following features: low marsh; high marsh; tidal channels; lagoon(s); woody debris: or contiguous freshwater wetland 2c.4 Does the wetland meet all of the four criteria under 2c.3? (above)? Q2.d Eelgrass and Kelp Beds 2d.1 Are eelgrass beds present? 2d.2 Are their floating or non-floating kelp beds present with greater than 50% macro- algal cover in the month of August of September? Date: March 11 2005 12 Doints 111I Circle Answers Yes: go to 0,2 Yes: go to 02 Yes: go to 0,2 I Yes: go to 0,2 Yes: go to 02 Yes: go to 0.2 No: go to 1b. Yes: go to 0.2 Yes: go to 0.2 No: Possible Cat. I (No to all: go to 03) I Yes go to 2a. Yes: Go to 2b, Yes: Go to 2c, Yes: Go to 2d, Yes: Category I Yes; Category II No: Go to 2a,3 Yes: Category I Yes: Category II No: Go to 2a,3 Yes: Category t Yes: Category II Yes: Category I No: Go to 2b,2 Yes: Go to 2b,3 No: Go to 0,3 Yes: Category I No: Go to 0,3 Yes: Category I No: GO to 2c.2 Yes: Category I Yes: Go to 2c,3 Yes: Go to 2cA Yes: Category I No: Category II Yes: Category II No: Category III Yes: Category I No: GO to 2d,2 Yes: Category I Yes: Category II ki tt' C,' () .Ji () ,If -FERSON COUNTY DeD' Q.3 Category IV Wetlands 3a, Is the wetland :Iess than 1 acre AND hydrologically isolated, AND comprised of one Yes: Category IV vegetated class that is dominated (>80% areal cover) by one species from Table 3 or 4 No: go to 3b, l 3b. Is the wetland: less than 2 acres AND hydorlogically isolated, with one vegetated class, Yes: Category IV and >90%of areal cover in any combination of species from Tale 3. No: go to 3c, I 3c Is the wetland excavated from upland AND a pond smaller than 1 acre without a Yes: Categorv IV surface water connection to streams, lakes, rivers or other wetland, and has No: go to Q.4 l <0.1 acre of vegetation Q4. Significant Habitat Value Acres Points Answer all questions and enter data requested >200 6 4a. Total Wettand Area 40-200 5 Estimate area, select from choices in the near-right column and score in the far column: 10-40 4 5-10 3 Enter acreage of wetland here: 1 acres, and source: ocular 1-5 2 0,1-1 1 <0.1 0 4b. Wetland Classes: Circle the wetland classes below that qualify: Open Water: if the areas of open water is >1/4 acre # of classes Points Aquatic Beds: if the area of aquatic beds is >1/4 acre 1 0 Emergent if the area of emergent class is >114 acre 2 I 3 Scrub.Shrub: if the area of scrub-shrub class is >114 acre 3 6 Forested: jf the area of forested class is >114 acre 4 8 Add the number of wetland classes. above. that qualify, and then score according to 5 10 the columns at right. e,g, 4 classes + 8 points, 4c. Plant Species Diversity For each wetland class (below) that qualifies in 4b, count the number of different plant species you can find that cover more than 5% of the around, You do not have to name them, Class #Species Points Class #Species Points Aquatic Bed 1 0 Scrub -Shrub 1 0 2 1 2 1 3 2 3-4 2 >3 3 >4 3 Emeroent 1 0 Forested 4 0 2-3 1 2 1 4-5 2 3-4 2 >5 3 >4 3 3 4d. Structural Diversity If the wetland has a forested class, add 1 point if each of the following classes is present within the forested class and is laroer than 1/4 acre" Trees> 50'tall Yes 1 Trees 20' to 49' Yes 1 Shrubs Yes 1 Herbaceous ground cover Yes 1 Also add one point if there is any "open water" or "aquatic bed" class immediately nest to the forested area (i,e.. There is no scrub/shrub or emergent vegetation between them) Yes 1 4e. Interspersion Between Wetland Classes High 5 Moderate 3 Low I 1 None 0 4f. Habitat Features Answer queslion below and apply score to the right: Is there evidence that the open or standing water was caused by beavers? Yes 2 Is a heron rookery located within 300'? Yes 1 Are raptor nests located within 300' Yes 1 Are there at least 3 standing dead trees (snags) per acre greater than 10" al (DBH)? Yes 1 Are there at least 3 downed logs per acre with a diameter >6" for at least 10' in length? Yes 1 Are there areas within the wetland that are ponded for at least 4 months out of the year, and the wetland has not qualified as having an open water class in Question 4b.? Yes I 2 49. Connection to Streams (Score one answer only) 4g,1 Does the wetland provide habitat for fish at any time of the year AND does it have a perennial surface water connection to a fish bearing stream? Yes 6 4g,2 Does the wetland provide fish habitat seasonally AND does it have a seasonal surface water connection to a fish bearing stream? Yes 4 4g,3 Does the wetland function to export organic matter through a surface water connection at all times of the year to a perennial stream? Yes 4 4g4 Does the wetland function to export organic matter through a surface water connection to a stream on a seasonal basis? Yes I 2 4h. Buffers Score the existing buffer on a scale of 1-5 based on the following descriptions. If the conditions of the buffers do not exactly match the description, score either a point higher or lower depending on whether the buffers are less or more degraded. Forest, scrub, native grassland or open water buffers are present for more than 100' around 95% of the circumference Score 5 Forest. scrub. native grasslands or open water buffers wider than 100' for more than 1/2 of the wetland circumference, or a forest, scrub grassland. or open water buffer for more than 50' around 95% of the circumference Score 13 Forest. scrub, native grassland or open water buffers wider than 100' for more than 1/4 of the wetland circumference, or a forest, scrub, native grassland, or open water buffers wider than 50' for more than 1/2 of the weiland circumference Score 2 No roads. buildings or paved areas within 100' of the wetland for more than 95% of the wetland circumference Score 2 No roads. buildings or paved areas within 25" of the wetland for more than 95% of the circumference, or no roads buildings or paved areas within 50' of the wetland for more than 1/2 of the wetland circumference Score 1 Paved areas, industrial areas or residential construction (with less than 50' between houses) are less than 25 feet from the wetland for more than 95% of the circumference of the wetland Score 0 Total Score Q.4 4a. Through 4h. 12 Is the Total greater than or equal to 22 points?