Flickinger Geoservices Group
Flickinger Geoservices Group
Discover Our Expertise
Regulated Wetlands have evolved from cattails and Lilly Pads to Red Maples and poison Ivy, as have the regulations; trust our experience.
That low spot in the rear of the property you know, the one that’s “not a wetland because it’s only wet in the spring, and anyway it’s all trees”; it may very well constitute a regulated Vernal Pool or “Swamp”.
Skip ahead If you already know what a wetland is...now the boring stuff:
WETLAND DETERMINATION-BACKGROUND
On August 17, 1991 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was directed under the 1991 appropriation bill to utilize the 1987 Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual. The Interim Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Northcentral and Northeast Region was issued in October of 2009 and is to be used in conjunction with the 1987 Manual.
The federal manuals specify that hydrophytic (i.e., water plants) vegetation determinations are based on the wetland indicator status of species that make up the plant community. These indicator statuses are listed below.
HYDROPHYTIC VEGETATION: The frequency and duration of soil inundation or soil saturation exerts a controlling influence on the species of vegetation growing in an area. These plant species are placed into five categories and reflect the occurrence of these species in wetland or non-wetland areas. These categories, called wetland probability indicators, were appended to plant life by a National Interagency Panel. These indicators are:
a. OBL: Obligate wetland plants are plants that almost always occur in wetlands under natural conditions, rarely in non-wetlands (99% probability or occurrence in wetlands).
b. FACW: Facultative wetland plants usually occur in wetlands but may also occur in non-wetlands (67% probability of occurrence in wetlands).
c. FAC: Facultative wetland plants are plants with a similar likelihood of occurring in both wetlands and non-wetlands.
d. FACU: Facultative upland plants are those which usually occur in non-wetlands, but may also occur in wetlands (less than 33% probability of occurrence in wetlands).
e. UPL – Obligate upland plants are plants that are rarely found in wetlands (less than one percent probability of occurrence in wetlands).
Percentage of plant species dominance is the accepted method of quantification. If greater than 50% of the dominant species in each vegetative layer is FAC, FACW or OBL, then hydrophytic vegetation is present.
HYDRIC SOILS: To be considered a wetland, the presence of hydric soils must be confirmed. Hydric soils are those that are saturated, flooded or ponded long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part. This anaerobic condition favors the growth of hydrophytic vegetation. The colors of various soil components are often the most diagnostic indicators of hydric soils. Colors of these components are strongly influenced by the frequency and duration of soil saturation, which leads to reducing soil conditions. Specifically, gleyed (gray colored) soils develop when anaerobic soil conditions produce a heavily reducing environment. Mineral hydric soils that are saturated for substantial periods of the growing season (but not long enough to produce gleyed soils) will either have bright mottles and a low matrix chroma or will lack mottles but have a low matrix chroma (USACE, 1987).
WETLAND HYDROLOGY: It is essential to establish that the area under investigation is temporarily or periodically inundated with water or has saturated soils during the growing season. The inundation of water has an overriding influence on the plant life so that there is a dominance of hydrophytic vegetation. Also, the inundation of water results in the formation of hydric soils due to the anaerobic and reducing conditions. While wetland hydrology is the overriding factor of wetland formation, it may also be the most difficult to identify.
Our job is to help you deal with, if not avoid, the miasma that is wetland regulation, keep your project moving forward and do whatever is strategically necessary for your project’s success.
Our experience in Development, from working construction, to Engineering monitoring and Geotechnical analysis gives us the unique insight into the realities of land Development.
Wetland determinations and Delineations
Flickinger Geoservices Group knows that land is expensive, don't throw it away. A wetland Delineation, based upon knowledge and experience; that is accurate, conservative and defensible; is today, the foundation of a successful project.
Wetland boundary "determinations" are the fundamental basis of our work, whether Routine or Comprehensive.
The first thing we do is determine the limits of Federal and State Jurisdiction, the wetland Boundary, then mark that location, with a signature ribbon.
These points are then located utilizing Differential GPS, or conventional survey and mapping methodologies.
The field information is then collected processed and incorporatyed into Wetland Delineation Maps. These maps are created in Auto Cad or Arc Info, depending upon the users preference.
Data sheets incorporating all pertinent information of the determining criteria must accompany the Delineation in a report form for submittal to the regulatory agencies
Flickinger Geoservices Group
Permitting
We know what to do
Without question the most frustrating aspect of Wetlands and Development.
Individual Permits, Section 401 Water Quality Certifications...Alternatives analysis, Section 404 B(1) Guidelines state that unless your project is "Water Dependent", less environmentally damaging alternatives are presumed to exist, yes its a tough standard to meet. We know how to do it.
requires public notice.
requires Sec 401 Water Quality Certification from the state, Ohio EPA
requires public notice from the state too!
Not going anywhere for a while?
IP's can take a year or two.
Nationwide Permits, easier, not easy. No more than 1/2 acre of wetland or generally less than 300 feet of stream. No off-site alternatives needed. but minimization to the practicable extent possible.
Requires a Pre-Construction Notification or PCN. Supposed to take not more than 45 days, don't bet on it.
Isolated Wetland Fill Permits, Director's Authorizations, there are more, mostly through the state as applies to Isolated Wetlands.
Jurisdictional Wetlands. These are wetlands that demonstrate a significant "Nexus" to interstate waters. Most wetlands in Ohio fall under this category.
Isolated Wetlands, not so common here, the federal agencies are loathe to abandon their jurisdiction.
Making wetland determinations or jurisdictional determinations, its all part of what we do.
Wetland Values, Classification and ORAM Scores.
What are we dealing with? High quality, Low quality wetlands and streams can be determined using objective State and Federal methodolgies
Flickinger Geoservices Group Services
Streams, Ditches, Ordinary High Water Mark? What's that?
Flickinger Geoservices Group does more than just wetlands. Sttreams can be a real nightmare. Is it Ephemeral, Intermittant or Perennial? Is it even a regulated stream, perhaps its a ditch, or a channelized stream. Knowing the difference can mean thousands of dollars.
Ephemeral streams are those that only run when it rains, they are generally dry through the summer and fall.
Intermittant streams flow "most" of the timebut can go dry under low rainfall conditions.
Perrenial streams run all the time.
All streams have three distinct characteristics.
1. Defined "Bed" and "Bank", thats two!
2. "Ordinary High Water Mark", the main thing, evidence of flow on banks.
sounds reasonable, except any defined channel, no matter how small is regulated as "Stream". Stream impacts are primarily linear and espescially ephemeral channels can be quite a difficult item to permit ($$$).
We do Endangered Species
It's called Section 7 Consultation, and it can destroy your timeline, your project scope, your day.
Indiana Bats, Eastern Massauga Rattle Snake, Kirtlands Warbler, not to mention the Bald eagle. Some examples of Ohio's nationally endangered or threatened wildlife.
We can address all your ESA (Endangered Species Act) questions and issues.
Know what you are getting into.
Cultural Resources Review and Section 106 Consultation
Administered by the State Historical Preservation Office or SHPO, this is yet another potential pitfall to a successfull project.
Sec 106 consultation is also required under Wetland permitting. The sole purpose is to identify properties, artifacts and buildings eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
Architectural Wonders, Modern Man in the 20th Century, Historic residences, Mastodons, Indian Burial Grounds, George Washington slept here, Who's buried in Grant's tomb? well that's a little over the top, but it's up to the project proponent to address this issue to the satisfaction of the regulatory agencies.
It's EXPENSIVE! I'm talking up to $60,000 if not more on Archaeologically "attractive" sites.
About Us
Creative Solutions, Integrated Solutions, Teamwork, Vision
yada yada yada
Enough fluff
I am a wetland and stream permitting expert.
I was educated at the University of Akron in Environmental Geography.
Go Zips?
I began performing Wetland determinations and Delineations in March of 1989 under the company I formed for this purpose, GEOService Consultants.
On August 22, 1991,I formed Flickinger Wetland Services Group, business was good until the economy went bad and my health went worse, I have come full circle.
FLICKINGER GEOSERVICES GROUP. has performed over 3500 wetland consulting projects under my direct supervision . These include Wetland Delineations, Nationwide and Individual Permit Applications, Wetland Mitigation Design, implementation and Monitoring.
Special Qualifications and Education include:
Wetland Delineation Certification.
Wetland Regulation Certifications.
Plant Identification Certifications.
Wetland Assessments methodologies including the OEPA Rapid Assessment Method (ORAM) and the Vegetation Index of Biotic Integrity (VIBI)
Stream Evaluation methodologies including the Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI), the Headwater Habitat Evaluation Index (HHEI), and the Headwater Macro-invertebrate Field Evaluation Index (HMFEI).
some more interesting stuff:
I took all the pictures and wrote all the copy used on this website.
I'm an avid mountain biker and cyclist.
I spent the 1980"s managing construction projects throughout the Mideast and Pakistan.
Look me up on Facebook.