
Wetland delineation establishes the existence (location) and physical limits (size) of a wetland for the purposes of federal, state, and local regulations.
Wetland delineation is also an element of a “jurisdictional determination.” This process identifies which water bodies within a project's boundaries meet the definition of "waters of the United States." For more information on this, see the Corps' Regulatory Guidance Letter 08-02, Jurisdictional Determinations (issued June 26, 2008, PDF 118 kb).
Remember that the Corps of Engineers (Corps), not applicants or their consultants, determines whether or not a wetland is a "water of the United States" and thus regulated under the federal Clean Water Act (CWA). If the Corps determines that a wetland is not subject to the CWA, the wetland may still be a "water of the State" and subject to regulation by Ecology as well as by local jurisdictions. For more information on Ecology's regulation of wetlands determined by the Corps to be non-jurisdictional due to their isolation from navigable waters, click here.
A report that explains how the boundary was determined. It should include:
A description of how and when the delineation was done.
Data forms used to delineate the wetland area (see shaded box for clarification on which forms to use).
The map described in #2 above.
A soil survey map.
Click here for a checklist of information that should be in your wetland delineation report, as well as a sample report outline.
NOTE: You may need to hire a qualified wetland professional to help you identify and delineate wetlands (using the manuals listed below) and prepare a delineation report. For tips to help you find and select a qualified wetland professional, click here (PDF, 81 KB).
The Corps now requires you to use the appropriate regional Supplement when delineating wetlands:
You can find answers to frequently asked questions about the regional
Supplements in the shaded box below.
Frequently Asked Questions:
|
If you have any questions on how to use the state delineation manual or about wetland delineation in general, email Tom Hruby at Ecology.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.