Wetland Determinations
Wetlands are ecosystems which serve a variety of valuable functions in Southwest Florida: they help purify and filter water that passes through them, while acting as nature’s sponges to soak up rainfall and water from runoff. They also provide habitat for a large number of birds, fish, mammals and reptiles. On undeveloped land in Florida, the presence of wetlands can influence land use decisions such as cost and value. Earth Tech Environmental is skilled in the process of wetland determination. Implementing a combination of aerial interpretation, background research, and field inspections, we can help assess whether a parcel contains uplands, wetlands, or a combination of both.
A ‘wetland’ is defined much more broadly than merely the existence of standing water, complicating the sometimes ambiguous nature of a determination. During the field inspection, our Ecologists and Environmental Scientists scrutinize the site by looking for specific evidence or “indicators” lending to the presence of wetlands. The methodology is guided by analyzing the vegetation, soil, and hydrology. Hydric indicators include algal matting, tree base buttressing, drift lines, and water marks, just to name a few!
On each site, several soil samples are analyzed. If inundation (flooding) or saturation occurs in a particular area, this will be observable in the soil.
The type of vegetation that grows in an area is also indicative of community type. During the site inspection, Earth Tech Environmental captures vegetation inventory focusing on species’ presence and abundance. Governmental agencies have developed plant lists which report the probability of occurrence in a habitat for a particular specie of plant. Earth Tech Environmental utilizes these lists in the determination process.
By analyzing the vegetation, soil and hydrology of a site, Earth Tech Environmental can provide a comprehensive wetland determination to help clients make better informed land use decisions. If a site is determined to contain wetlands, we can also help with delineating the jurisdictional limits, whereby defining and marking the wetland boundaries. Give us a call today!
