Wetland Delineation report - 2015

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Wetland Delineation Report Stonegate Farm,Orono&Medina, MN BES Project No. 2015-021 September 18,2015 Wetlands H. I, J and L These wetlands are small basins which been taken over by shrubs and or tre�s but also include areas that are still being farmed. Wetland I is described to represent the group. Wetland I is a Palustrine, Scrub-Shrub, Temporarily flooded, (PSSA) shrub-carr basin. The vegetation at sample point SI-W is dominated by sand bar willow(Salix interior) and reed canary grass. The vegetation community met the dominance test and had a prevalence index of 2.07. Soils in the wetland consisted of six inches of N 2/0 clay loam, over six inches of N 2/0 clay, over 10YR 4/1 clay(Al2). Surface water(A1) up to three inches deep was present in the center of the basin. The water table (A2)was at a depth of 10 inches and saturated soil (A3)was observed at a depth of 6 inches in the wetland soil pit. The other wettand hydrology indicator observed in the wetland included; inundation visible on aerial imagery(B7), saturation visible on aerial imagery (C9), geomorphic position (D2)and a positive FAC-neutral test(D5). The adjacent upland vegetation was sampled on a slight topographic rise between the two wetlands. The upland (SI- U) is dominated by Amur maple (Acer ginnala), red fescue (Festuca rubra), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), and wild parsnip(Pestinaca sativa). The vegetation community did not meet the dominance test and had a prevalence index of 3.55. The upland soils consisted of eight inches of N 2/1 loam, over finro inches of 10YR 2/1 clay loam, over 12 inches 10YR 3/1 clay, over 10YR 4/1 clay. Free water and saturated soil was not observed within a depth of 25 inches in the upland soil pit at the time of the site visit. There were no wetland hydrology indicator observed at the upland sampling point. The wetland boundary was generally staked along the vegetation transition and topographic break. Wetlands F. G1, G2, G3, G4, and K This group of wetlands are isolated basins that are farmed through in most years. A farmed wetland determination was conducted and wetland signatures were noted in more than 50% of the normal precipitation years in each of the basins. Wetland F has a natural over flow to the slope to the northwest. Wetland K has a natural over flow to Wetland J. Wetland G is complex of shallow depressions that drain to a man-made ditch and then to the slope north of the site. On aerial photographs Wetland G is an amorphous polygon that changes shape significantly from year to year. Data points from Wetland G are described here to represent the group. Wetland G is a Palustrine, Emergent, Temporarily flooded, drained, farmed (PEMAdf)fresh (wet) meadow. The vegetation at sample point SG-W is planted to soybeans and is an atypical situation under the 1987 manual. The volunteer species present in small amounts includes reed canary grass, Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) and soft stem club rush (Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani). Including the soybeans the vegetation community does not meet the dominance test and has a prevalence index of 4.10. However disregarding the soybeans as atypical, there is one OBL, one FACW and one FACU species which would suggest under normal circumstances there would be more FAC and wetter species than FACU and UPL species. Soils in the wetland consisted of eight inches of 10YR 1/1 clay loam, over four inches of 10YR 2/1 clay, over 10YR 4/1 clay(Al2). Surface water(A1) up to three inches deep was present in the center of the depressions. The water table (A2)was at a depth of 10 inches and 5