Natural Riparian Natural Riparian ResourcesResources

Erosion/Deposition

Water

Vegetation

16: Accumulation of chemicals affecting 16: Accumulation of chemicals affecting plant productivity and composition is not plant productivity and composition is not apparentapparent

Purpose: The intent is to determine Purpose: The intent is to determine if the vegetation is being affected if the vegetation is being affected by chemicals in the system.by chemicals in the system.

Item 16 is closely associated to items 8, 9, and 18. When item 16 is answered “no,” either item 8 or 9 would also be answered “no.”

16: Accumulation of chemicals affecting 16: Accumulation of chemicals affecting plant productivity and composition is not plant productivity and composition is not apparentapparent

Stock ponds can alter water balance and concentrate soluble chemicals

16: Accumulation of chemicals affecting 16: Accumulation of chemicals affecting plant productivity and composition is not plant productivity and composition is not apparentapparent

16: Accumulation of chemicals affecting 16: Accumulation of chemicals affecting plant productivity and composition is not plant productivity and composition is not apparentapparent

Accumulation of Accumulation of chemicals…chemicals…

Notes:Notes:

An interdisciplinary team has the An interdisciplinary team has the option of taking samples for further option of taking samples for further evaluation should they be unable to evaluation should they be unable to adequately answer this question.adequately answer this question.

Many natural chemicals occur in Many natural chemicals occur in wetlands (i.e. phosphates and wetlands (i.e. phosphates and nitrates) that enhance vegetation nitrates) that enhance vegetation production. But excess nutrients can production. But excess nutrients can lead to algae blooms, reduction of lead to algae blooms, reduction of oxygen in open water systems, and oxygen in open water systems, and rapid eutrophication.rapid eutrophication.

17: Saturation of soils (i.e., ponding, flooding 17: Saturation of soils (i.e., ponding, flooding frequency, and duration is sufficient to frequency, and duration is sufficient to compose and maintain hydric soils.compose and maintain hydric soils.

Purpose: The intent is to determine Purpose: The intent is to determine if there is sufficient water if there is sufficient water available to create or maintain available to create or maintain hydric soil characteristics.hydric soil characteristics.

Hydric soils are saturated with water from flooding, Hydric soils are saturated with water from flooding, ponding, or shallow groundwater and have organic ponding, or shallow groundwater and have organic peat or muck layers or shallow redox or gley peat or muck layers or shallow redox or gley features.features.

There is a strong relationship between item 17 and items 1, 3, 6, and 10.

Wet Meadow Soil

Anaerobic Anaerobic conditionsconditions

Gleyed soilGleyed soil

Redox conditionRedox condition

• The presenceof hydric indicatorsis the easiest way todemonstrate that soilsaturation is sufficientto maintain anaerobic conditions.

17: Saturation of 17: Saturation of soils is sufficient to soils is sufficient to compose and compose and maintain hydric maintain hydric soils.soils.

“Yes”

17: Saturation of soils (i.e., ponding, flooding 17: Saturation of soils (i.e., ponding, flooding frequency, and duration is sufficient to frequency, and duration is sufficient to compose and maintain hydric soils.compose and maintain hydric soils.

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18: Underlying geologic 18: Underlying geologic structure/soil material/permafrost structure/soil material/permafrost is capable of restricting water is capable of restricting water percolationpercolation

Purpose: The intent is to determine Purpose: The intent is to determine whether the underlying material is whether the underlying material is being maintained.being maintained.

•Wetlands often have an underlying clay or rock material that causes sites to persist.

18: Underlying geologic structure/soil 18: Underlying geologic structure/soil material/permafrost is capable of material/permafrost is capable of restricting water percolationrestricting water percolation

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18: Underlying geologic 18: Underlying geologic structure/soil material/permafrost structure/soil material/permafrost is capable of restricting water is capable of restricting water percolationpercolation

19: Riparian-wetland is in balance with 19: Riparian-wetland is in balance with water and sediment being supplied by water and sediment being supplied by the watershed (i.e., no excessive the watershed (i.e., no excessive erosion or deposition)erosion or deposition)

Closely tied to item 4

Some wetlands are depositional areas that fill Some wetlands are depositional areas that fill with sediment over geologic time. The rate of with sediment over geologic time. The rate of filling can be accelerated by sediment filling can be accelerated by sediment supplies from roads, logging, water supplies from roads, logging, water diversions, farming, or grazing, if not done diversions, farming, or grazing, if not done properly.properly.

Purpose: To determine if erosion and deposition rates are being affected or accelerated by management activities

The intent is to The intent is to identify that identify that water and water and sediment are sediment are being supplied being supplied at a natural at a natural rate and can rate and can function function properlyproperly

19: Riparian-wetland is in balance with 19: Riparian-wetland is in balance with water and sediment being supplied by water and sediment being supplied by the watershed (i.e., no excessive the watershed (i.e., no excessive erosion or deposition)erosion or deposition)

If a wetland shows no evidence of excessive depositionand is not filling any faster than its normal rate, as a result of excess water or sediment from the watershed,the answer would be “yes.”

Water and sediment…Water and sediment…

Indicators of excessiveIndicators of excessiveerosion or deposition erosion or deposition

can can include unstable include unstable

shorelines,shorelines,deltas extending into adeltas extending into awetland, and loss of wetland, and loss of

openopenwater.water.

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20: Islands and shoreline characteristics (i.e., 20: Islands and shoreline characteristics (i.e., rocks, coarse and/or large woody material) are rocks, coarse and/or large woody material) are adequate to dissipate wind and wave event adequate to dissipate wind and wave event energiesenergies

Purpose: To determine the shoreline Purpose: To determine the shoreline stability of those systems that stability of those systems that do do notnot require live vegetation only. require live vegetation only.

Loss of shorelines affect wetlands by Loss of shorelines affect wetlands by lowering water quality, reducing the lowering water quality, reducing the capacity to hold water, and altering the capacity to hold water, and altering the plant community.plant community.

20: Islands and shoreline characteristics (i.e., 20: Islands and shoreline characteristics (i.e., rocks, coarse and/or large woody material) are rocks, coarse and/or large woody material) are adequate to dissipate wind and wave event adequate to dissipate wind and wave event energiesenergies

20: Islands and shoreline characteristics (i.e., 20: Islands and shoreline characteristics (i.e., rocks, coarse and/or large woody material) are rocks, coarse and/or large woody material) are adequate to dissipate wind and wave event adequate to dissipate wind and wave event energiesenergies

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