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Wetland Delineation Report—Orono Substation Expansion Project July 2, 2010 south, south of County Road 6. The MnDNR PWI apparently overstates the area covered by wetland 27-916W within the Site as it is depicted in areas designated as upland during the field review. E-mail correspondence with MnDNR Area Hydrologist John Gleason on June 23, 2010 found that an Ordinary High Water Level(OHV� was established for wetland 27-916W in September, 1998. The OHW for the north part of 27-916W(within the Site) is 963.1 mean sea level(msl) and 963.9 msl for the south part. 4.2 Delineated Wetland Descriptions Westwood completed a wetland delineation on the Site and identified one Type 3 (PEMCd) shallow marsh(Wetland A), approximately 13.5 acres of which lies within the property boundary(E�ibit 5). The wetland extends west of the subject property and is part of a larger wetland complex from which it was historically severed by Wayzata Boulevard and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad grade to the north and County Road 6 to the south. Two transects were completed along the southern wetland boundary. Dominant wetland vegetation included reed canary grass, common reed grass and cattail with lesser amounts of box elder, spotted touch-me-not, stinging nettle, black willow, red- osier dogwood, quaking aspen, river-bank grape, Virginia creeper, and sedge. Upland vegetation was dominated by Canada goldenrod, Kentucky bluegrass, smooth brome, box elder, and prickly ash with lesser amounts of common buckthorn, tatarian honeysuckle, leafy spurge, smooth sumac, bird's-foot trefoil, Canada thistle, and scattered spruce and pine trees. Soils at the wetland sample point locations were generally lOYR 2/lwith approximately 5% lOYR 4/4 concentrations. Soils met the A4 field indicator for hydric soils (Hydrogen Sulfide). Primary indicators of wetland hydrology included a high water table and saturation observed within 12 inches of the soil surface. Soils at upland sample locations were without redoximorphic features and no primary or secondary indicators of wetland hydrology were observed. Detailed data collected for this wetland are provided on the attached data forms in Appendiat A. 4.3 Wetland Buffers According to current MCWD Rule D, wetlands greater than five acres in size require a 35- foot buffer. MCWD Rules for wetland protection are currently being revised. Assuming the proposed draft Wetland Protection Rule is adopted and implemented, the buffer width will be determined based on the functions and values of the wetland using the MCWD's Functional Assessment of Wetlands (MCRAM) or the Minnesota Routine Assessment Methodology(MnRAM). According to Becky Houdek with MCWD, Wetland A was classified as a Manage 2 wetland in 2001 using the MCRAM. As a Manage 2 wetland, base buffer widths would be 30-feet with a minimum applied bufFer width of 24-feet should a permit application be submitted after the Wetland Protection Rule is implemented. 3