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Create, Restore, and/or Enhance Wetland
Habitat Improvement | 181
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Definition
Refers to the creation, restoration, or enhancement of a wetland area or function. This may be from the installation of a water control structure, re-contouring, and excavation to improve habitat connectivity. If the wetland was created from dike removal, breaching or modification; or the installation of a tidegate or culvert to improve fish passage use WE # 180: Enhance Floodplain; if additional actions or techniques are implemented make sure you properly document associated work elements i.e., WE# 35: Develop Pond, or WE# 36: Develop Terrestrial Habitat Features. Habitat Creation (Establishment) is defined as the manipulation of the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics present to develop a wetland on an upland or deepwater site, here a wetland did not previously exist. Creation results in a gain in wetland acres. Habitat Restoration (Re-establishment) is defined as the manipulation of the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of a site with the goal of returning natural/historic functions to former wetland that may have been filled or subsided. Restoration results in rebuilding a former wetland and results in a gain in wetland acres by re-gradation of the elevation to support wetland vegetation. While Habitat Enhancement is defined as the manipulation of the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of a site with the goal of repairing natural/historic functions of degraded wetland. Habitat Enhancement is the manipulation of a site to heighten, intensify, or improve specific function(s); to change the growth stage or composition of the vegetation present; or undertaken for a purpose such as water quality improvement, flood water retention or wildlife habitat. (For example, enhancement would be the conversion of a freshwater marsh to a freshwater tidal or marine tidal marsh, which may enhance overall function to the ecosystem.) Enhancement results in a gain in wetland function, but does not result in a gain in wetland acres.
Deliverables (recommended)
- Completion of created wetlands and /or completion of wetland enhancement measures in the specified areas
Rules and Examples (work element scenarios and associated rules)
Rule 1: Do not include the NEPA, ESA, cultural resources consultation, or O&M costs when budgeting for this work element. This work element is only to cover implementation measures to create, restore or enhance a wetland.
Example 1: You are planning to restore 400 acres back to a wetland; the current condition of the land supports agriculture production where few wetland attributes remain. Your plans include wetland enhancement measures to be conducted at two separate locations, one within an existing 25-acre wetland and another within an existing 10-acre wetland. All planned actions require excavation. Any environmental compliance work (NEPA, ESA consultation, permits, cultural resource surveys, etc.) prior to the start of work should be listed under WE# 165, Produce Environmental Compliance Documentation.
Rule 2: Each created, restored or enhanced wetland location must be listed under its own separate work element. If wetland enhancements are to occur in separate wetlands, the proposed enhancement measures for each of those wetlands warrants its own work element.
Example 1:
The proposed enhancements (excavation, etc.) at the location of the 25-acre wetland must be listed under its own work element. The proposed enhancements (excavation, addition of large woody debris, etc.) at the 10-acre wetland location must also be listed under its own work element.
The 400-acre wetland restoration project may be encompassed under work element. In this case, the restoration or creation actions further promote the hydrological connectivity of the entire parcel and there is the potential for the establishment of wetland vegetative species across the majority of the property.
Example 2:
There may be the need for separate work elements if the wetland creations or restorations are to occur in separate areas within a large parcel of land, the planned actions may not further promote the hydrological connectivity within the property, and establishment of wetland vegetative species across the majority of the parcel is not intended.
An example situation, if you had a 400 acre parcel of land and you plan to create four separate 1-acre shallow depression areas that will have reliance on ground water and precipitation as their primary water sources. It can generally be perceived that these actions do not promote the hydrological connectivity within the entire parcel and it is unlikely that wetland vegetative species could be established across the majority of the property. Each shallow depression area to be created warrants listing under its own work element.
Using multiple work elements should be done when proposed wetland enhancements/ creation measures are along a river or stream that serves as the primary water source, and the proposed implementation actions are to occur along its banks, such as the creation of depressions or shallow sloughs to capture high water flows for lengthening periods of surface water retention. If the actions are intended to be more localized in nature split each enhancement or creation action into a separate work element.
Milestones (may include)
- Environmental compliance requirements complete
On-the-ground work associated with this work element cannot proceed until this milestone is complete. Milestone is complete when final documentation is received from BPA environmental compliance staff (completion can be based on pre-existing environmental documentation from BPA).
- Submit existing and planned wetland hydrograph for enhancement measures or created wetlands
Planned hydrograph must show depth, duration, and times of inundation.
- Results of test well data if applicable
- Completion of site plan/excavation plan (may be excerpts from a Management Plan)
- Negotiations with land owners completed (if applicable)
- Subcontractor awarded contract for implementation (if applicable)
- Land area for implementation surveyed and staked
- Begin excavation
- Approximate half-way point of construction
- Completion of excavation for each wetland created
- GIS recording of created wetland or enhanced area
Metrics
| Metric |
Metric Type |
Metric Guidance |
Metric
Required |
Metric
Type |
Metric
Precision |
| 1518 |
# of acres of riparian wetland habitat treated |
Identify the total acres of habitat treated in this habitat zone. Riparian Wetland: Wetlands within the Riparian habitat zone are habitat that is transitional between terrestrial and aquatic where the water table is usually at or near the land surface or land that is covered by shallow water. Wetlands have one or more of the following characteristics: at least periodically, the land supports predominantly hydrophytic plants; the substrate is predominantly undrained hydric soil; and the substrate is non-soil and is saturated with water or covered by shallow water at sometime during the yearly growing season. These wetlands are typically considered connected wetlands that interact with the hyporheic zone, which is a region beneath and lateral to a stream bed. |
Required |
number |
0.01 |
| 1520 |
# of acres of freshwater wetland habitat treated |
Identify the total acres of habitat treated in this habitat zone. Freshwater Wetland Non-Tidal: Wetlands within the instream habitat zone typically on the stream bank are habitat that is transitional between terrestrial and aquatic where the water table is usually at or near the land surface or land that is covered by shallow water. Wetlands have one or more of the following characteristics: at least periodically, the land supports predominantly hydrophytic plants; the substrate is predominantly undrained hydric soil; and the substrate is non-soil and is saturated with water or covered by shallow water at sometime during the yearly growing season |
Required |
number |
0.01 |
| 1521 |
# of acres of estuarine wetland habitat treated |
Identify the total acres of habitat treated in this habitat zone. Estuarine Tidal Wetland: Wetlands within the tidal estuarine zone are habitat that is transitional between terrestrial and aquatic where the water table is usually at or near the land surface or land that is covered by shallow water. Wetlands have one or more of the following characteristics: at least periodically, the land supports predominantly hydrophytic plants; the substrate is predominantly undrained hydric soil; and the substrate is non-soil and is saturated with water or covered by shallow water at sometime during the yearly growing season. Tidal marshes may be classified as marine source tidal, freshwater tidal, or tidal forested wetlands. |
Required |
number |
0.01 |
Location Guidance
Identify point at approximate center of area created or restored, or point at location of installation.
Environmental Compliance
Applicability and status of the following environmental compliance requirements can be found on the Environmental Compliance tab for that work element in your SOW for all 2007 contracts forward. BPA's Environmental staff will update and maintain this information in Pisces in real time, so that you can check the status of environmental compliance on your project at any time. Note: Many of the fields are set to auto-load in Pisces, but the settings will be reviewed by BPA's Environmental staff prior to the contract being finalized, and may be revised depending on the specific circumstances. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
NEPA coverage for this work element will be identified by BPA's Environmental Compliance Lead. Endangered Species Act (ESA)
ESA consultation is typically required for this work element. National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)
NHPA Section 106 consultation is typically required for this work element which often includes a cultural/historic resource survey by a qualified archaeologist. Public Involvement
Public involvement is typically required for this work element. The contractor should work with BPA Environmental staff to document previous or ongoing outreach efforts associated with this work or to develop a public involvement plan.
Associated Work Elements
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