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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWetland Evaulation - PLN General - 10/4/2004 Forestech LLC www.littleforest.org 1 Main Office: 260 Old Fort Townsend Road Port Townsend,WA 98368 (360)2714779 Branch Office:9857 Miami Beach Road NW Seabeck,WA 98380 (360)830-.5.� RECEIVED OCT, 0 7 2004 3ELFAIR OFFICE Wetland Evaluation Parcel Number 123174190070 Located in the SE 1/4-S 17-T23N-RO I W-WM Mason County, Washington As requested by Chester A. Loudin October 4, 2004 Project Description Landowner proposes to upgrade an existing storm-water facility. The existing facility occupies 5000 square feet, 3,000 of which exists in the wetland vegetation area. The proposed facility would occupy about 20,000 square feet, 12,000 of which would exist in in the wetland vegetation area. The existing facility occurs about ten feet from the wetland edge and the proposed facility would occur about 25 feet from the wetland edge. Project location The project occurs at the 2000 block of Old Belfair Hwy, Belfair, WA; approximately one mile south of the junction of the old Belfair highway and the Bear Creek-Dewato road. Introduction Forestech LLC biologists conducted a wetland/upland evaluation to address the possible effect of a storm-water management facility upon a wetland associated with the Union River floodplain in Mason County, Washington. This evaluation was compiled with respects to the Clean Water Act and Mason County Resource Ordinances. Field and office work to determine the effects of the settling pond was conducted according to the methodology outlined using the criteria as per the Washington State Department of Ecology publication Washington State Wetlands Identification and Delineation Manual, March 1997. A visit was made on September 2, 2004. The intent of the evaluation was to survey the wetland existing on the parcel in order to determine the effects of proposed land use facility on the existing wetland. A potential source of contamination exist from an industrial facility upslope from this project site. An industrial storm-water inspector from the Department of Ecology has inspected the truss manufacturing facility and concluded that the company uses only minimal amount of petroleum products and stores them correctly. They found no evidence of pollution problems. Forestech 2 Water Quality Because any impact on the wetland adjoining this project will also directly impact public resources associated with the Union river, this river is considered as part of this evaluation. The headwaters' of Union River begins on Green Mountain about one and one half mile north of the Union River reservoir. After flowing south, in and out of the reservoir it continues south for about three miles where it encounters this project site. The river then continues south for another four miles where it enters Hood Canal's Lynch cove. The flood plain of the river averages five hundred feet in width. The width of the Union River floodplain near this project site varies between 300 feet and 500 feet. Washington State Department of Ecology is conducting a Total Maximum daily Load (TMDL) study on the Union river for fecal coliform bacteria. The Union River is listed as an impaired water body in the 303(d) list for dissolved oxygen. According to the department, dissolved oxygen concentrations have been reported for the river that does not meet water quality standards. Soil The soil supporting the floodplain of the Union River in the general vicinity of this project is mapped by the USGS Natural Resource Conservation Service as the "Belfast Sandy Loam" series. This soil is mainly along the Tahyua and Union Rivers. The Belfast series consists of moderately well drained, alluvial soils that lie along smaller streams. Their parent material is washed mainly from surrounding areas of Vashon glacial drift. During winter the water table is close to the surface, and some areas are flooded during high water. Topographic relief and depression within the rivers flood plain creates meandering wetlands among islands of upland. The topographic depressions is inundated sufficiently to result in hydric soils. The soil occupying the upland portion of the existing and the proposed projects has been re- graded and does not fit any established soil series. The soil is stable and vegetated. There is no evidence of surface erosion or of sediments entering the wetland or the union river system. Vegetation The immediate wetland area is forested with western red cedar (T. plicata), western hemlock (T. heterophylla) and red alder (A. rubra). The understory is occupied primarily by salmonberry (R. spectabilis), small-flowered bulrush (S. microcarpus), and reed canary grass (P. arundinacea) (see appendix for complete list). Summary — Topographic drainage supplying storm-water to the project site occurs at about ten percent gradient flowing southeast. Water is supplied by culverts under the Old Belfair Highway, across a truss manufacturing facility, a road, and a field with less than ten percent gradient to the site of the proposed settling pond. Field and office evaluations resulted in the conclusion that the effected wetland is rated as a category 11 wetland based on the wetlands significant habitat value of 25 points. Mason County Resource Ordinance 17.01.070 provides that a category 11 wetland be protected by a 85 feet vegetation buffer. The Ordinance also provides that the vegetation area width could be averaged as long as the minimum width is not less than 75 feet. The ordinance also provides that storm-water management facilities can encroach into the vegetation area but should be restricted to the outer twenty five percent of the vegetation area. The Ordinance also provides for mitigation for impact on wetland vegetation areas. J The storm-water management facility, as designed, exceeds the maximum allowable encroachment into the wetland vegetation area by about thirty feet. (reducing the vegetation area to 75 feet and encroaching into the outer 25%.) Flow from the settling pond, as designed, should have no negative impact on the wetland. The plan as proposed does not fully comply with measures established under Mason County Ordinances for protecting the wetlands. The ordinance does provide that mitigation measures such as restoration and enhancement of wetland vegetation areas can implemented in order to offset any impact. Landowner proposes to enhance and restore adjoining vegetation areas in order to offset any impact. The analysis, conclusions, and recommendations presented in this report are based on information provided by the landowner, conditions observed in the field and my best professional judgment. 40W�lc--� Earl Kong Wetland Consultant 4 Appendix List of vegetative species occupying the wetland area. Overstorv• western hemlock(Tsuga heterophylla)-FAC red alder(Alnus rubra)-FAC western red cedar(Thuja plicata)-FAC black cottonwood (Populus balsamifera)-FAC pacific willow(Salix L.) -FAC Shrubs salmon berry(Rubus spectabilis) -FAC elderberry(Sambuccus racemosa)-FAC himilayan blackberry(Rubus discolor) - UPI, Scotch broom(Cytisus scoparius)-FAC Herbs common vetch(vicia sativa)-FACW buttercup(Ranunculus repens) -FAC thimbleberry(Rubus leucodermis)-UPI, Twisted stalk-streptopus roseus-FACU piggy back(Tolmiea menziesii)-FAC stinging nettles(Urtica dioica)-FAC skunk cabbage(Lysichiton americanum)-OBL pacific waxer parsley(Oenanthe sarmentosa)- OBL Small flower bull-rush(Scirpus microcarpus) - OBL Foxglove(Digitalis purpurea)-FACU Ferns bracken fern(Pteridium aquilinum) -FAC Lady fern(Athyrium filix-femina)-FAC Grasses reed canary grass(Phalans arundinacea) - FAC Common horsetail (Equisetum arvense)-FAC Aouatics Common duck-weed (Lemna minor)-OBL WETLAND VEGETATION AREA SITE PLAN for Chet and Debbie Loudin Parcel# 123174190070 Mason county, Washington. Located in the NE 1/4-SE 1/4-S 17-T23N-RO 1 W-WM Scale= I" = 100' EX15TlNG RUAp "PROPOSED 5ETTLIN6 POND 01 BUFFER POUTER 259gy (Zi.251 _ ► \� . r-EX15TINU 5ETTLIN6 POND CATE&oPY 41 WETL.ANO'ONTERSPEASED) Wetlands Rating Field Data Form Background Information: Name of Rater: Ecer a v%St Affiliation: L J4 Date: ew-t i-Mpo y. i Name of wetland(if known): Government Jurisdiction of wetland: wl a sa*% e-d Location: 1/4 Section:!U_of 1/4 S:Z6 Section: t-1 Township: Z 5 U Range: o t w Sources of Information: (Check all sources that apply) Site visit: :—USGS Topo Map: NWI map: Aerial Photo: Soils survey: _i Other. Describe: When The Feld Data form is complete enter Category here: 0.1. High Quality Natural Wetland Circle Answers Answer this question if you have adequate information or experience to do so. If not find someone with the expertise to answer the questions. Then,if the answer to questions Ia, lb and lc are all NO,contact the Natural Heritage program of DNR la.Human caused disturbances. Is there si uSc"evidence of human-caused changes to topography or hydrology of the wetland as indicated by any of the following conditions? Consider only changes that may have taken place in the last 5 decades. The impacts of changes done earlier have probably been stabilized and the wedand ecosystem will be close to reaching some new equilibrium that may represent a high quality wetland l al.Upstream wad> 12%impervious. Yes:go to Q2 1 a2. Wetland is ditched and water flow is not obstructed. Yes: go to Q.2 Ia3.Wetland has been graded,filled,logged es: o I A Water in wetland is controlled by dikes,weirs,etc. Yes:go to Q.2 1a5.Wetland is grazed. Yes:go to Q2 1a6. Other indicators of disturbance(list below) es:go to ,icl c-a,*S3Qxm ¢Q< 1,.G.i; No:go to 1b. o id Ssa9As otd dawn 25 lb Are there populations of non-native plants which are currently present, YES: go to Q.2 cover more than 10%of the wetland,and appear to be invading native No: go to Ic. populations? Briefly describe any non-native plant populations and Information source(s): Ic. Is time evidence of human-caused disturbances which have visibly YES:go to Q.2 degraded water quality. Evidence of the degradation of water quality NO:Possible Cat I include: direct(untreated)runoff from roads or parking lots; presence, contact DNR or historic evidence,of waste dumps;oily sheens;the smell of organic chemicals;or lifestock use. Briefly describe: 0.2. Irreplaceable Ecological functions: Does the wetland: (NO to all:go to Q.3) ® have at least 1/4 acre of organic soils deeper than 16 inches YES go to 2a and the wetland is relatively undisturbed;OR [IIf the answer is NO because the wetland is disturbed briefly describe: Indicators of disturbance may include: -Wetland has been graded,filled,logged; -Organic sons on the surface are dried-out for more than half of the year, -Wetland receives direct stormwater runoff from urban or agricultural areas.); OR ® have a forested class greater than I acre; S:Go to Zb OR .. ® have characteristics of an ermine system; YES: Go to 2c OR ® have eel grass,floating or non-floating kelp beds? YES: Go to 2d 2a. Bogs and Fees 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 invasive species(see Table 3)is less than 10%7 Is the area of sphagnum mosses and deep organic soils> 12 acre? YES: Category I Is the area of sphagnum mosses and deep organic soils 1/4-12 acre? YES: Category II NO:Go to 2a.3 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 plants and deep organic soils> 1/2 acre? YES: Category I Is the area of herbaceous plants and deep organic soils 1/4-12 acre? YES: Category 11 NO:Go to 2a.3 26 2a.3. Is the vegetation a mixture of only herbaceous plants and Sphagnum mosses with no scrub/shrub or forested classes? Is the area of herbaceous plants,Sphagnum,and deep organic soils> IR acre? YES: Category I Is the area of herbaceous plants,Sphagnum,and deep organic soils 1/4-1/2 acre? YES: Category II NO: Go to Q.3. Q.2b. Mature forested wetland. 2b.1. DoesZM of the cover of upper forest canopy consist of evergreen YES: ' to ory I trees older than years q deciduous trees older than 50 years? to 2b.2 Note:The size of trees is often not a measure of age,and size cannot be used as a surrogate for age(see guidance). -4 -s4bx 2b2. Does 5�09b of the cover of forest canopy consist of evergreen trees older Go to 2b.3 than 50 years,AND is the structural diversity of the forest high as O:Go to characterized by an additional layer of trees W-49'tall,shrubs 6'-29, tall,and a herbaceous groundcover? .4 �Sa ya 2b.3. Does<25%of the areal cover in the herbaceoustgroundcover or YES:Category I the shrub layer consist of invasivelexotic plant species from the list on p. 19? NO: Go to Q.2c. Estuarine wetlands. 2c1. Is the wetland listed as National Wildlife Refuge,National Park, YES:Category I National Estuary Reserve,Natural Area Preserve,State Park,or NO: Go to 2c.2 Educational,Environmental or Scientific Reserves designated under WAC 332-30-15 V. . . . . 2c.2. Is the wetland>5 acres;. . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . YES:Category I Note:If an area contains patches of salt tolerant vegetation that are 1)less than 600 feet apart and that are separated by mudflats that go dry on a Iviean 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 calculating the wetland area or is the wetland 1-5 acres; . .. . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . YES:Go to 2c.3 or is the wetland< 1 acre?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YES:Go to 2c.4 27 w - t g'e. }�w.�rerx Svc. 2c.3. Does ibe wedAW iWd it 1699 3 Of the ft,lvwitig�c'Y�t� ia: . . . . . . . . '.fw. gol y NO:Category II -minimum existing evidence of human related disturbance such as diking,ditching,filling,cultivation,grazing or the presence of non- native plant species(see guidance for definition); -surface water connection with tidal saltwater or tidal freshwater; -at least 75%of the wetland has a IW 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 26. (above)?. . YES:Category II NO:Category III Q.2d. Eel Grass and Kelp Beds. 2d.1. Are eel grass beds present?.. . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YES:Category I NO:go to 2d2 2d.2. Are there floating or non-floating kelp bed(s)present with greater than YES:Category I 50%macro algal cover in the month of August or September?. . . . . . . . . NO:Category II 0.3. Category N wetlands. 3a. Is the wetland:less than 1 acre a, hydrologically isolated Aa comprised of one vegetated class that is dominated(>80% areal cover) YES:Category IV by one species from Table 3(page 19)or Table 4(page 20) `O:go to 3b. Is the wetland: less than two acres and,hydrologically isolated, with one vegetated class,and>90%of areal cover is any combination of YES:Category TV species from Table 3(page 19) NO:go to 3c.Is the wetland excavated from upland aW a pond smaller than 1 acre YES:Category IV without a surface water connection to streams,lakes,rivers,or other :go to wetland,and has<0.1 acre of vegetation. 28 0.4. Significant habitat value. Answer all questions and enter data requested Circle scares that gaalifj 4a. Total wetland area am j2t21U1;i Estimate area,select from choices in the near-right column,and score in the >200 6 far column: 40-200 5 10-40 4 Enter acreage of wetland here: 3 acres,and source: 5 - 10 3 1 -5 0.1 - 1 <0.1 0 4b. Wetland classes: Circle the wetland classes below that qualify: Open Water: if the area of open water is> 1/4 acre Aquatic Beds: if the area of aquatic beds> 1/4 acre, Emergent: if the area of emergent class is> 1/4 acre, #of classes EW= 1 . . . . . . .0 Scrub-Shrub: if the area of scrub-shrub class is> 1/4 acre, 2.. . . . .d 3 .. . . . . .6 Forested: if area of forested class is> 1/4 acre, 4.. . .. . .8 5 .. . . . . .10 Add the number of wetland classes,above,that qualify,and then score according to the columns at right. e.g.If there are 4 classes(aquatic beds,open water,emergent& scrub-scrub),you would circle 8 points in the far right column 4c. Plant species diversity. For each wetlaul class(at right)that qualifies in CUM #species in class PiWM 4b above,count the number of different plant species Aquatic Bed 1 0 you can find that cover more than 5%of the ground. 2 1 You do not have to name them. 3 2 >3 3 Score in column at far right: e.g.If a wetland has an aquatic bed class with 3 species, Emergent 1 0 an emergent class with 4 species and a scrub-shrub 2-3 1 class with 2 species you would circle 2,2,and 1 in the 4-5 2 far column. >5 3 Note.Any plant species with a cover of>5% qualifies for points within a class,even those Scrub-Shrub 1 0 that are not of that class. 2 1 3-4 >4 3 Forested 1 0 2 3-4 >4 3 T mum If the wetland has a forested class,add I point if each of the f6flowing— classes is present within the forested class and is lareer than 1/4 acre: -trees 20'-49'tall . .. . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . -shrubs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . � -herbaceous ground cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . Also add 1 point if there is any"open water"or"aquatic bed"class immediately next to the forested area(ie.there is no scrub/shrub or emergent vegetation between them). YES- 1 4e. Decide from the diagrams below whether interspersion between High-5 wetland classes is high,moderate,low or none? If you think the Moderate-3 amount of interspersion falls in between the diagrams score accordingly ow- 1� (i.e. a moderately high amount of interspersion would score a 4, None-0 while a moderately low amount would score a 2) none low low r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r r moderate moderate high 4C Habitat features. Answer questions below,circle features that apply,and score to 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 4oaated within 300'? YES= 1 Are there at least 3 standing dead trees(snags)per acre greater than 10"in diameter at"breast height"(DBH)?. YES= 1 Are there at least 3 downed logs per acre with a diameter >6" for at least IV in length? YES= 1 Are there areas(vegetated or unvegetated)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. ? 30 4g.1.Does the wetland provide habitat for fish at any time of the year AND does it have a perenru gweitiand provide=habitatseasonwly AND OUR it nave 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 4gA Does the wetland function to export organic matter through a surface water connection to a stream on a seasonal basis? 4h.Buffers. Score the existing buffers on a scale of 1-5 based on the following four descriptions. If the condition of the buffers do not exactly match the description,scone 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 grassland,or open water buffers wider than 100' for more than 1/2 of the wetland circumference,or a forest,scrub, grasslands,or open water buffers for more than 50'around 95%of the circumference. Score=3 Forest,scrub,native grassland,or open water buffers wider than I for more than 1/4 of the wetland circumference,or a forest,scrub,native grassland,or open water buffers wider than 59 for more than 1/2 of the wetland circumference. Snore=2 No roads,buildings or paved areas within IW 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 constn action(with less than 59 between houses)are less than 25 feet from the wetland for more than 95% of the circumference of the wetland. Score=0 31 4i. Connection to other habitat areas: Select the description which best matches the site being evaluated -Is the wetland connected to,or part of,a riparian corridor at least 200'wide on present>IW wide with good forest or shrub cover (>25%cover)connecting it with a Significant Habitat Area? -Is the wetland connected to any other Habitat Area with either 1)a forestsd/shrub a�' corridor< IW wide,or 2)a a corridor that is> 100'wide,but has a low vegetative cover less than 6 feet in height? YES=3 -Is the wetland connected to,or a part of,a riparian corridor between 50- 100,wide with scrubtshrub or forest cover connection to other wetlands? YES=3 -Is the wetland connected to any oiler Habitat Area with narrow corridor(<I00) of low vegetation(<G in height)? YES= 1 -Is the wetland and its buffer(if the buffer is less than 50'wide) completely isolated by development(urban,residential with a density greater than 2/acre,or industrial)? YES=0 Now add the scores circled(for (XSa-0.51 above)to get a total. Is the Total greater than or equal to 22 points? =Category NO=Category 2,$ A0 ITS -Ck 32