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Hydrophytic Vegetation (Wetland Vegetation) <br /> Wetland vegetation is defined in the 1987 Manual as "The sum total of macrophytic plant life <br /> growing in water or on a substrate that is at least periodically deficient in oxygen as a result of <br /> excessive water content. When hydrophytic vegetation comprises a community where indicators <br /> of hydric soils and wetland hydrology also occur, the area has wetland vegetation." ln more <br /> standard terms, some plants are more adapted to growing within inundated or saturated soil. <br /> Based on literature records and professional experience, a panel of experts compiled a list of <br /> plant species and assigned each a hydrophytic status (described below and includes five major <br /> classes of probability of a plant occurring within a wetland). <br /> In terms of delineation there is a gradient of plant species that are adapted to "growing in water <br /> or on substrate that is at least periodically deficient of oxygen". Fieldwork associated with <br /> wetland delineations includes a procedure (the 50/20 Rule, for determination of dominance), <br /> which is also outlined in the 1987 Manual, by which to determine if hydrophytic plant species <br /> dominate the vegetation at a given location. This procedure has been used far the wetland <br /> delineation at the subject parcel of this report. <br /> Hydric Soil <br /> Defined in the 1987 Manual as "A soil that is saturated, flooded, or ponded long enough during <br /> the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions that favor the growth and regeneration of <br /> hydrophytic vegetation. Hydric soils that occur in areas having positive indicators of <br /> hydrophytic vegetation and wetland hydrology are wetland soils." <br /> For the purposes of delineation of wetlands, soils cannot be viewed without digging pits or <br /> extracting soil using an auger. Therefore, transects of soil samples are taken from perceived <br /> upland to perceived wetlands along a transitional boundary. There are specific color indicators, <br /> textures, and depth requirements in the soil that are reviewed in order to determine whether <br /> hydric soils occur at a given point or not. After a transect of soil samples has been taken, upon <br /> consideration of vegetation and indicators of appropriate hydrology a working prototype for the <br /> given wetland is developed by the delineator. The wetland delineator then uses this working <br /> prototype to complete the location of the remainder of the wetland boundary, unless the wetland <br /> is large enough or the landscape features (vegetation or topography) change enough to warrant <br /> additional transect samples. <br /> A-3 <br />