Question

Consider the scenario of a worker contacting you, stating that he received a notice of violation on a project site. The worker removed all the trees on a previously forested site and has filled the site with a layer of fill dirt that is roughly three feet thick. A company claims that a portion of the site the worker was working on was a wetland prior to his site work, however the acreage and exact location of the wetland are unknown. _____________________________________________________________________

Outline your approach to via bullet points AND a) Determine what the actual area of wetland impact is on this site; and, b) Restore the site to its previous wetland condition.

Answer 1

a) The wetlands are not completely removed or reduced. There exist a thin oxidative layer which ranges from few millimeters to many centimeters formed due to the interaction between the soil, atmosphere and the water column. Hydric soils are generally found in the wetlands and can be determined by

• Presence of a thick layer of peat or organic soil which red to brown and black in color.
• Presence of muck or decayed organic matter in the soil which are black in color
• Some soil has a rotten egg-like smell due to decomposition of plants and waterlogged conditions.
• Brown or yellow spots may be present in the grey colored soil.

b) Wastelands are important as they protect and improve water quality. Besides storing flood water they provide animal habitat, maintain surface water levels and flow during scarcity. The objectives of restoration should be

• Determining the level of disturbance
• Using a nearby reference site for restoration
• Re-establishing the natural flooding system
• Maintaining the hydrology of the soil
• Restoring the plant species
• Establishing the natural ecosystem
• Removing the causes of degradation
• Time management
• Monitoring the site for future