ABSTRACTS

Please note, the abstracts listed below are in alphabetical order by presenter.

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Take Me to the River: Significant Nexus and the Ninth Circuit in the Post-Rapanos World

Presenter/Author: Jack Kerns Assistant District Counsel San Francisco District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 1455 Market Street San Francisco, CA  94044 Jack.Kerns@usace.army.mil After the U.S. Supreme Court’s opinion in Rapanos v. United States, 126 S. Ct. 2208 (2006),the federal courts were left again with the challenging task of interpreting “waters of the United States.” This paper examines how the federal courts in the Ninth Circuit have applied Rapanos and Justice Kennedy’s “significant nexus” test to the cases before them. The focus of the paper is on the significant nexus factual and legal analysis in the following cases decided in the Ninth Circuit; Baccarat Fremont Developers v. United States, 425 F.3d 1150 (9 th Cir. 2005) (adjacent wetlands); Northern California River Watch v. City of Healdsburg, 496 F.3d 993 (9 th Cir. 2007) (adjacent wetlands); Environmental Protection Information Center v. Pacific Lumber Co., (469 F.Supp.2d 803 (N.D. Ca 2007) (CWA § 402 citizen’s suit); San Francisco Baykeeper v. Cargill Salt Division, 481 F.3d 700 (9 th Cir. 2007) (adjacent waste pond); United States v. Moses, 496 F.3d 984 (9 th Cir. 2007) (intermittent, seasonal stream); US v. Cam, Criminal Case No. 05-141-KI, (D. Ore.) (unpublished) (adjacent wetlands). These cases suggest that the courts are making significant nexus determinations on a case by case basis, and thus the determinations are very fact specific. In addition, many questions remain concerning significant nexus, including how far a wetland has to be in order to be deemed ‘insignificant’, and how much water flow is required in order for to demonstrate an impact on downstream water quality.

Assessment of Cumulative Impacts Utilizing National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) Data for Functional Assessment: California’s Ventura River Watershed and Delaware’s Nanticoke River Watershed

Presenter*/Authors: Ralph Tiner U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 5 300 Westgate Center Drive Hadley, MA 01035 and William Kirchner* U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1 911 NE 11th Avenue Portland, OR 97232 One important focus of applied ecology is the assessment of environmental impacts and the recommendation of ways to avoid or minimize these impacts. Cumulative impacts result from the accumulation of many human activities whose impacts, although not individually measurable, together sum to significant adverse effects. Population growth coupled with society’s increasing ability to manipulate the environment has led to wetland deterioration and conversion to other uses. Wetlands have been drained and impounded for agricultural development; levees have been constructed around them to prevent flooding and rivers that provide essential water and nutrients have been channelized, dammed and diked. Approximately half of the wetlands that existed in the conterminous United States at the time of European settlement have been lost or converted to other uses. The remaining 41 million ha of wetland habitats provide economic income, recreation, water quality improvement, flood water retention, habitat for fish and wildlife, and several other important functions that affect both our economic and social well-being. Therefore, assessment of cumulative impacts requires a landscape-level or watershed approach. Over the past 35 years there has been an increasing interest in wetland conservation and protection in the US, inspired by a growing public awareness of wetland values and concern over escalating losses. Many, if not most, wetlands are now protected under state and federal laws, and great investments have been made in the 1) inventory, 2) characterization, 3) acquisition, 4) management and protection, and 5) restoration of wetland ecosystems. Increased attention on watershed management planning is driving interest in understanding the relationship between wetland loss and the corresponding degradation of function at the landscape level. In our procedure for determining cumulative impacts in California’s Ventura River watershed and Delaware’s Nanticoke River Watershed, changes in wetlands over time were assessed by comparing historic data from soil surveys with current data derived from the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI). Wetlands were classified by NWI types and then by hydrogeomorphic features - landscape position, landform, water flow path, and waterbody type (LLWW descriptors). The expanded NWI database was then used to predict wetland functions for two eras (historic and current). In this article we first present through calculations a historical analysis of wetland quantity in the two watersheds to give us an idea of overall impact. Then we evaluate how these changes have affected nine general wetland functions at the landscape level. This new approach was developed to assist local planners in developing comprehensive plans for wetland conservation and restoration strategies for their watershed and to help understand the effect of wetland changes on wetland functions.

Coastal Wetlands and Sea Level Rise: A Remote Sensing Perspective

Presenter*/Authors: Victor Klemas* and Richard Field College of Marine and Earth Studies University of Delaware klemas@udel.edu There is a scientific consensus that temperatures are increasing worldwide and that average sea levels are rising globally at a rate of approximately 2 mm per year. Many scientists believe that due to melting glaciers and expanding ocean water, the sea level rise will accelerate in the future. The substantial sea level rise and more frequent storms predicted for the next 50 years, will impact coastal wetlands, beach erosion control strategies, salinity of estuaries and aquifers, coastal drainage systems, and coastal economic development. Coastal wetlands, including tidal salt marshes, tidal freshwater marshes and mangrove swamps, are generally within fractions of a meter of sea level, and could be lost, especially if the impact of sea level rise is amplified by coastal storms. Man-made modifications of wetland hydrology and extensive urban developments can further limit the ability of wetlands to survive sea level rise. To plan for wetland protection and sensible coastal development, scientists and managers need to monitor the changes in coastal wetlands as the sea level continues to rise. The objective of this paper is to review advances in remote sensing and related techniques for studying the impact of sea level rise and other natural and man-made impacts on coastal wetlands. To illustrate their effectiveness, we used remote sensors to study changes at a unique Delaware Bay tidal wetland site, which faces an accelerated sea level rise due to a canal breach. Results indicate that new satellite and aircraft remote sensors, supported by a reasonable number of site visits, can map changes of vegetation, hydrology, and sediment accretion or erosion. The improved understanding of the processes occurring at this site will help wetland managers decide whether to intervene in the hydraulic regime by channel modification in order to accelerate or delay marsh development in a particular direction.

Wasted Resources: How Iowa Could Help Louisiana’s Wetlands

Presenters/Authors: Tonja L Koob*, Ph.D., PE President Gaea Consultants, LLC 536 Washington Avenue New Orleans, LA 70130 (504) 962-5360; Fax: (504) 962-5362 tonja.koob@gaeaconsultants.com and Nina J. Reins, PE, Ph.D. Candidate Gaea Consultants, LLC South Louisiana is all too aware of the results of failing to integrate wetlands management with floodplain management. Freshwater and coastal wetlands existed symbiotically with the Mississippi River for thousands of years, yet the last 100 years has brought about drastic changes in how those related systems have been allowed to interact. Vital river sediment carried from the upper reaches of the Mississippi River to coastal Louisiana no longer feeds adjacent wetlands during spring freshets. Instead this necessary resource is permanently lost off the continental shelf. This wasted resource contributes greatly to coastal wetland loss, and consequently, contributes greatly to South Louisiana’s vulnerability to hurricane storm surge. This natural hazard, however, could be mitigated if the Mississippi River and the coast of Louisiana were viewed as one system. Wetlands would not be lost to flood control requirements, and all of the water resources could be “managed” instead of “engineered.” One currently available management tool that has not been utilized is the simple sediment budget. Analyzing current and historical sediment data sets would provide important information to water resource managers. State and federal agencies could have a variety of management scenarios based on sediment availability throughout the river hydrograph, enabling them to maximize sediment diversions or sediment traps to enhance wetland restoration. The methodology is simple, the data is available, but this integrated approach has not been utilized because floodplain management and coastal restoration have traditionally been viewed as separate objectives. This paper presents a methodology to bring the two together.

Wetlands and Climate Change: Facing Policy and Management Implications

Presenters*/Authors: Rachel Fertik*, Kathleen Kutschenreuter*, Paul Bunje, and Dave Evans* (w/ possible OAR, ORD, OCPD representation) Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (4502T) Washington, DC 20460 (202) 566-1383, Kutschenreuter.Kathleen@epamail.epa.gov Federal efforts to both understand and contribute to the status of scientific knowledge concerning wetlands and climate change and make necessary adjustments in aquatic resource protection and restoration approaches based on that knowledge is paramount to serving the public and its interests. The objective of this session will be to introduce efforts within the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water to address the various potential changes and challenges in wetlands and aquatic resources management within the context of climate change. In the face of uncertainty with regard to the implications of climate change for wetlands science and management, adapting wetlands management to the impacts of climate, and minimizing destruction and alteration of wetlands created by climate change, the discussion will focus on potential activities and actions to reduce and mitigate impacts on wetlands and water resources. The discussion will include a summary of key EPA national and regional initiatives, such as the National Water Program Strategy (“Response to Climate Change”), Offices of Air and Radiation and Research Development initiatives, etc. Emphasis will also be placed on regulatory and non-regulatory national wetlands program opportunities and efforts such as wetland mapping, the CWA §404 program related permit evaluation, etc. The panel will solicit further stakeholder input on the efforts discussed, including thoughts regarding practical applications of information, lessons learned, and solution/results-oriented progress.

Mitigation Compliance in New England

Presenter/Author: Ruth M. Ladd Chief, Policy Analysis and Technical Support Branch Regulatory Division New England District Corps of Engineers 696 Virginia Road Concord, MA  01742-2751 (978) 318-8818; Ruth.M.Ladd@usace.army.mil The New England District has inspected at least 15% of our active (in the monitoring period) mitigation projects over each of the past two years. In addition, increased effort has been put into reviewing required monitoring reports. Problems noted in both monitoring reports and compliance inspections range from problems with hydrology to planting of non-native species. Summaries of monitoring report conclusions and site visit observations were provided to supervisors and project managers noting problems and recommending approaches to address them. As a result of these reports, actions are being taken by project managers to bring projects into compliance with permit requirements. Increased attention to mitigation compliance appears to be resulting in improved mitigation projects.

Satisfying New Wetland Mitigation Banking Rule-How to Find a Land Trust Partner "Working with Land Trusts and Easement 101"

Presenter*/Authors: Esther Lev* The Wetlands Conservancy estherlev@wetlandsconservancy.org and Derek Johnson The Nature Conservancy New regulations for wetland mitigation banks require an easement in perpetuity to assure conservation of the wetland mitigation site. Regulators and many bankers assume that all land trusts will jump on the chance. Conservation easements are not easy. They require careful pre-planning, fore-thought and patience. Their success depends on clear understanding of easement goals, roles and good and honest ongoing communication. For the banker, finding a long term land donee or easement holder may appear as a straightforward exercise and one of many regulatory requirements. From the land trust perspective, the process of determining whether to accept and take on the responsibility of an easement or land donation, and under what circumstances, is a bit more complex. This session will offer a "Working with Land Trusts and Easement 101" --What is an easement?: Important easement language; Looking for and communicating with potential easements holders; The pros, cons, and red flags from the perspective of a land trust, and issues surrounding long-term stewardship, endowments, and monitoring. The intent of the new regulations is to ensure the long-term conservation and success of mitigated wetlands. Conversations and an understanding between regulators, bankers and potential easement holders early in the process will improve the long-term conservation and ultimate success of important wetland resources.

Delineating Wetlands on Agricultural Land: A Case Study in the Mid-Willamette Valley

Presenter*/Authors: Jay R. Lorenz*, Ph.D., P.W.S., Joel Shaich, and Matt Findley CH2MHILL 2020 SW Fourth Avenue Portland, OR 97201 (503) 235-5000, Ext. 4033; Fax: (503) 736-2000 Jay.Lorenz@ch2m.com The purpose of this paper is to review procedures and data used to delineate wetlands on 700 acres of agricultural land in the mid-Willamette Valley. Delineating wetlands on farmed land in the mid-Willamette Valley is challenging because gradients are often imperceptible in the field and natural vegetation is absent, forcing the investigator to rely on the interpretation of soil and hydrology. Climate change adds further challenges in determining what is “normal” precipitation. Investigators are rarely provided the luxury of intensive hydrology monitoring over a number of years. Procedures used in this study included topographic mapping using LiDAR technology; 254 soil pits to map the extent of hydric soils; and 100 monitoring wells placed in transects to capture both subtle and noticeable changes in topography. Shallow groundwater wells were monitored for a period of 8 weeks from February 26 through April 19, 2007. Interpreting the results of hydrology monitoring was confounded by above normal precipitation in February during the early weeks of monitoring followed by below normal precipitation in March and early April. Lessons learned include the importance of obtaining site specific topographic mapping prior to field work; the importance of locating monitoring wells; and the importance of frequent monitoring of those wells. There was weak correlation between elevation and the presence of wetland hydrology. LiDAR technology proved to be a cost-effective method for topographic mapping.

Strategies to Improve Critical Areas Compliance

Presenter/Author: Betsy MacWhinney King County DDES 900 Oakesdale Avenue, SW Renton, WA 98057 (206) 296-6793; Betsy.MacWhinney@kingcounty.gov King County, Washington, has a Critical Areas Ordinance that requires undisturbed buffers on wetlands, ranging from 40 to 225 feet in width. Wetland staff review and condition building permits so that construction complies with this regulation. However, what works on paper is not always the same as what occurs on the ground during construction. This paper presents the interim results of a 2 year study, funded by the Washington Department of Ecology, to evaluate actual compliance on the ground.  Over 100 active building sites that contain wetlands have been visited multiple times over the past year to evaluate how conditions are being implemented on the ground. A variety of factors, such as preconstruction meetings, recording wetland information to the property title, number of site inspections, etc. will be evaluated to identify those that lead to improved compliance. The goal of this project is to help identify the most effective areas to direct limited staff review and inspection time.

The Coastal Impact Assistance Program: A Challenge to do the Right Thing

Presenter*/Authors: Robert J. Martinson*, Rodney D. Greenup, Bruce H. Baird, and Stephanie M. Gambino Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico Region 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, (5440) New Orleans, LA 70123 (504) 736-1720; Fax: (504) 736-2631 robert.martinson@mms.gov The Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) is a Federal grant program under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to distribute $1 billion to six coastal oil-and gas-producing states. The CIAP authorizes Federal funds to be distributed to Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil-and gas-producing states to mitigate the impacts of OCS oil and gas activities. Under the CIAP, the Secretary of the Interior may distribute $250 million for each of the fiscal years 2007 through 2010. The Minerals Management Service is tasked to manage the CIAP. Money is allocated to Alabama, Alaska, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and their eligible coastal political subdivisions (CPS) for the following purposes: projects and activities for the conservation, protection, or restoration of coastal areas, including wetland; mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources; planning assistance and the administrative costs of complying with the CIAP; implementation of a federally-approved marine, coastal or comprehensive conservation management plan; and mitigation of the impact of OCS activities through funding of onshore infrastructure projects and public service needs. States with an approved CIAP plan are eligible to receive CIAP funds. Louisiana’s CIAP Plan was approved in November 2007. The entire Louisiana CIAP Plan includes the restoration of over 8,500 wetland and barrier island acres, conservation of 124,262 wetland and coastal acres, 21,600 cubic feet per second of Mississippi River diversions, and nearly 75 miles of shoreline protection and restoration. Work on the Louisiana projects has begun. Plans for the remaining states should be approved in autumn 2008 with project implementation following shortly thereafter.

Emerging Trends in Wetland Climate Adaptation: Tromping Through the Global Muck

Presenter/Author: John H. Matthews World Wildlife Fund EpiCenter for Climate Adaptation & Resilience Building (541) 738-0386; john.matthews@wwfus.org Freshwater ecosystems have seen significant impacts from anthropogenic climate change to date, with the promise of much larger impacts in the near future. Among freshwater ecosystems, wetlands face special challenges from climate change because their water quality, timing, and volume are highly sensitive to even small shifts in precipitation and evapotranspiration regimes. Developing a global portfolio of practical models to reduce impacts, build climate resilience, and facilitate ecosystem change is critical to guiding management responses to climate change over multi-decadal timescales. The need for such a portfolio is especially critical in the developing world, where rapid economic shifts in agriculture, industry, and energy production are themselves fueling major impacts on water resources generally. Wetlands climate adaptation practice is still in its infancy, but the number of global cases is growing and some trends may be emerging for adaptive management, water policy, and balancing conservation and development conflicts. Here, a variety of non–North American examples are presented of wetlands climate adaptation from the developed and developing world, including cases of recent constrained (negative) climate adaptation.

Developing an Invertebrate Index of Biological Integrity for Pacific Northwest Wetlands

Presenter*/Authors: Celeste A. Mazzacano*, Ph.D., Sarina Jepsen, and Scott Hoffman Black Aquatic Conservation Coordinator* The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation 4828 SE Hawthorne Boulevard Portland, OR 97215 (503) 232-6639, celeste@xerces.org Many of Oregon’s remaining wetlands are severely compromised, but few have been studied thoroughly, and techniques to evaluate the biological attributes of wetlands and their responses to a range of human disturbances are lacking. Considerable work has been done in the Willamette Valley to assess the functions and values of wetland systems using the HGM-based rapid assessment protocol (Adamus & Field 2001), and our project aims to complement these protocols by providing tools to more directly assess wetland biological function. Aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages have been used for decades to monitor streams, but these techniques cannot be transferred directly to wetlands, due to the greater variability and differences in wetland macroinvertebrate taxa. Invertebrate-based bioassessment tools are being developed successfully in other states such as Minnesota, Ohio, Florida and Maine, but similar tools are not yet available for wetlands in the Pacific Northwest. The Xerces Society is in the second year of an ongoing project to develop an invertebrate-based Index of Biological Assessment (I-IBI) that can be used as a biomonitoring tool in Pacific Northwest wetlands. We are sampling a range of riverine wetlands throughout the Willamette Valley to identify attributes of the macroinvertebrate community that respond strongly to human activities and change reliably across a gradient of human disturbance. We will report on our preliminary results from this study, including identification of several biological attributes of the wetland macroinvertebrate community that can be incorporated into a developing I-IBI; optimization of effective wetland invertebrate sampling methods; and testing of a rapid, on-the-ground rubric for rating the level of human disturbance of wetland sites.

Numerical Modeling of a Floating Marsh System

Presenter*/Authors: Tate O. McAlpin*, Joseph V. Letter, and S. Keith Martin Research Physicist Estuarine Engineering Branch Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center 3909 Halls Ferry Road Vicksburg, MS 39180 (601) 634-3249; Tate.O.McAlpin@usace.army.mil Modeling hydrodynamic conditions in a floating marsh system is extremely challenging, The US Army Corps of Engineers model RMA2 possesses a marsh porosity capability, originally developed as a transition method between wet and dry states, that can be used to model the hydrodynamic behavior of a floating marsh system. By using marsh porosity, water is allowed to flow through and underneath a floating mat of vegetation. RMA2 also allows specification of friction as a function of water depth that can account for the frictional effects of the floating marsh on the water surface. This capability allows for increased friction for shallower depths when the floating marsh has greater flow restriction. As a case test, the Davis Pond floating marsh (located in southern Louisiana) was modeled using RMA2. The system consists of a freshwater diversion that diverts flow from the Mississippi River into the Davis Pond area. This freshwater inflow is then transported out of the Davis Pond area and into Lake Cataouatche and the larger Barataria Basin. A numerical model of the Davis Pond area was created and validated to observed field data collected from November 2003 to January 2004. The excellent agreement between model results and field observations illustrated RMA2’s ability to represent hydrodynamic conditions of a floating marsh system. Acknowledgement: The experiments described and the results presented were obtained from research sponsored by the US Army Corps of Engineers District, New Orleans and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory. Permission was granted by the Chief of Engineers to publish this information.

Climate Change and Its Potential Effect on Vernal Pool Ecosystems

Presenter/Author: Niall McCarten Hydrological Science Program Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources University of California, Davis Davis, CA 95616 nfmccarten@ucdavis.edu Climate models predict that climate change can disrupt existing patterns and the amount of rainfall and cause an increase in temperature based on regional location. Changes in precipitation and temperature would affect the water balance of vernal pool wetlands. Vernal pool landscapes can have a complex water balance including surface and subsurface water flows and water loss due to subsurface discharge along an aquitard and from evapotranspiration. My research on vernal pool ecohydrology has provided field data to model the water balance of vernal pools and their surrounding watersheds. These data and models are providing interesting information on the distribution and abundance of plants along a hydroperiod gradient. For example, many native, endemic vernal pool plants have a non-linear and often narrow distribution while non-native, invasive plants often have a linear, broad distribution along a hydroperiod gradient. Predictions for increased or decreased precipitation can be input into the ecohydrology models allowing us to identify potential changes in plant community structure. Similarly, an input to the water balance model of increased temperature would cause higher evapotranspiration rates. Without corresponding increases in rainfall this could result in reduced ponding and perhaps more importantly more rapid soil moisture loss during the peak growing period. Ecological functioning of vernal pools will probably change in many geographic areas. Mitigation for the continued loss of vernal pools through preservation, restoration, enhancement, and creation will need to account for these climatic changes. Analysis of a variety of vernal pool ecosystems is providing management tools for preservation and restoration.

Accelerating Vegetation Change in the Kenai Peninsula Lowlands, South-Central Alaska: Woody Invasion of Herbaceous Wetlands

Presenter/Author: Kacy McDonnell USKH, Inc. (907) 350-1204; kmcdonnell@uskh.com We document accelerating wetland changes from 1951-1996 on the western Kenai Peninsula using: (1) three generations of historical aerial photography, (2) tree-ring ages of encroaching wetland trees and shrubs, and (3) radiocarbon-dated peat cores. The aerial photography for 11 wetland sites showed that open herbaceous areas shrank 5% per decade from 1951-1968, and 9% per decade from 1968-1996. Wetland-upland ecotones at these sites declined 66% in herbaceous points, and were replaced by shrub, open woodland and closed canopy forest. We took peat cores at 25 wetland sites (basal peat ages 2 520 to 18 740 calibrated years Before Present) and found that these peatlands originated from wet Sphagnum -sedge fens with very little woody vegetation; most wood was concentrated in the upper 30 cm, and consisted of live shrub roots. Taken together, these results suggest that wet Sphagnum -sedge fens recruiting since the end of the Wisconsin glaciation began to dry in the 1850s, and that this drying has greatly accelerated since the 1970s.

Economics of Wetlands as a Conservation Tool in the Tinkers Creek Watershed

Presenter/Author: Mike McNutt Watershed Coordinator Tinkers Creek Watershed Partners Cuyahoga County Board of Health 5550 Venture Drive Parma, OH 44130 (216) 201-2001, Ext. 1224; mmcnutt@ccbh.net www.tinkerscreekwatershed.org Traditionally, wetlands have been viewed as wastelands with little value. Often, development decisions made at the local level are short-sided and don’t consider both the market and non-market values these “free” resources offer the general welfare of the community. Economically, wetland values can be classified into four categories: Direct Use Values, Indirect Use Values, Option Values, and Non-Use Values. The Tinkers Creek Watershed Partners commissioned a study to assign a tangible value to the remaining wetlands found within this highly urbanized watershed. The project will provide data to local governments about the value of these resources as a direct function of their innate abilities to provide benefits to the community. These benefits range from stormwater storage, recreational opportunities, and wildlife habitat protection, to increases in property values. Because population growth is increasing, and affordable housing is directly related to that increase, wetland loss will continue until their benefits can be articulated to local governments. Typically, drawing a comparison between conserving a wetland and developing that area is like comparing “apples to oranges.” However, providing actual dollar values of a wetland to community officials, in addition to, the “free” functions those wetlands provide, is a tool that can be used to promote conservation and assist in solving local stormwater and flooding problems in urbanized watersheds.

Factors Influencing Carbon Storage Rates in Re-established Wetlands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California

Presenter*/Authors: Robin Miller* and Roger Fujii U.S. Geological Survey 6000 J Street, Placer Hall Sacramento, CA 95819 romiller@usgs.gov To study the effects of wetland re-establishment on carbon storage for subsidence mitigation of organic soils in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, a 6-hectare agricultural field was divided and flooded permanently to depths of 25 and 55 cm in October 1997. Since then, we have documented the evolution of plant communities, measured plant biomass inputs and decomposition rates of emergent marsh vegetation in conjunction with rates of sediment accretion and environmental conditions, in the re-established wetlands. Hydrologic conditions affected both rates of production and decomposition of organic matter, thereby influencing rates of wetland carbon storage. Highly productive, emergent marsh vegetation spread more rapidly in the shallower wetland, and plant-litter decomposition experiments showed slowest decomposition rates in emergent marsh areas having reduced water temperatures and pH. Average land-surface elevations increased approximately 4 cm/yr between 1997 and 2008; but ranged from 0.4 to 5.9 cm/yr at different sites in the wetlands. Sites without emergent vegetation had the least elevation gain, while sites of dense marsh vegetation more isolated from the river water inlets had the greatest elevation gain. These results suggest that accumulation of organic matter, rather than mineral sediment, is the dominant factor contributing to land-surface elevation gain in these wetlands; and organic matter accumulation in wetlands is affected strongly by biogeochemical factors, which are influenced by hydrology and can be managed to maximize accretion rates. Therefore, reestablishing non-tidal wetlands using managed hydrology can increase land-surface elevations while sequestering carbon and providing new wetland habitat.

Wetland Re-establishment Changes Gaseous Carbon Fluxes in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California

Presenter/Author: Robin Miller U.S. Geological Survey 6000 J Street, Placer Hall Sacramento, CA 95819 romiller@usgs.gov Draining wetlands for agricultural use in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, began in the late 1800s and has caused significant subsidence of the organic soils. Following re-establishment of wetlands to different water depths (continuously flooded since 1997 to ~25 cm and ~55 cm), we measured gaseous carbon ( C ) fluxes for 6 years. Carbon dioxide (CO 2) losses from the organic soil decreased dramatically after flooding, and remained significantly lower in the re-established wetlands compared to a nearby drained agricultural field. Results from 14C isotope analysis showed that CO 2 emitted from the agricultural field contained a measurable amount of ‘old’ carbon. In contrast, wetland CO 2 emissions were of a more modern origin, suggesting that the bulk of the C cycling through the wetlands was from current plant sources. In the restored wetlands, CO 2 and methane (CH 4) production increased significantly in the first years following flooding, as emergent marsh vegetation became established and spread. The shallower marsh showed greater uptake of CO 2 by plants and greater diffusive losses of CO 2 than the more deeply flooded wetland. However, despite lower CO 2 uptake by plants, the deeper marsh emitted greater amounts of CH 4 measured both as diffusive losses and through plant transport. Furthermore, CH 4 emissions showed significant spatial variability in the wetlands that appeared to be associated with the plant community and local hydrologic environment. Thus, hydrologic conditions affected the cycling of C through wetland systems by influencing plant colonization and growth, as well as the forms and amounts of emitted gaseous C.

Climate Change and the National Wetlands Inventory: Moving from Data Producer to Data Steward?

Presenter/Author: Jo Ann Mills Team Coordinator National Wetlands Inventory 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 840 Arlington, VA 22203 (703) 358-2430; Fax: (703) 358-1869 With climate change driving the need and demand for wetlands geospatial data, where is the National Wetlands Inventory today, how are wetland maps data being used at present, and where do we go from here? At a time when up-to-date habitat geospatial data are critical for assessment of the current state of wetlands, conserving wetlands-associated species, managing for clean water, planning for development, and modeling to predict, direct, and monitor success in restoration activities, the National Wetlands Inventory is transitioning from the primary wetlands data producer for the nation -- to data steward, quality assurance gatekeeper, and standards authority for data contributed by others. Envision one scenario of the Inventory restructuring and repositioning to perform this most basic national support function as declining purchasing power impacts its ability to map wetlands. Hear a second vision of the Inventory’s future with increased funding that includes completing the wetlands layer for the nation and producing more refined, systematically updated geospatial data, reconnaissance-level functional assessments (such as llww [Tiner]), analyses of change, and providing data for modeling for the future (such as sea-level rise and changes due to drought), to address the nation’s needs for wetlands, deepwater, and riparian geospatial information during climate change.

Changes in Climate and Sea Level Relevant to the Wetlands of the Pacific Northwest

Presenter*/Authors: Philip Mote* and Lara Whitely Binder University of Washington Seattle, WA 98196 (206) 616-5346; philip@atmos.washington.edu With the release in 2007 of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Climate Impacts Group (CIG) at the University of Washington has been asked by the State of Washington to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the likely impacts of climate change. CIG began by compiling the projected changes in climate generated by 20 global climate models and made available through IPCC, not just for common variables like seasonal mean temperature and precipitation but also for quantities like coastal upwelling and coastal sea surface temperature. In addition, detailed modeling with the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model provides unprecedented detail and statistical descriptions of likely changes in streamflow in the Northwest’s major rivers. These changes will be summarized and the implications for the Northwest’s wetlands will be discussed.

Using Intensive Sampling Wetland Data to Evaluate the Agreement of Two Rapid Wetland Assessment Method for Headwater Wetlands in North Carolina

Presenter*/Authors: Breda Munoz*, Ph.D. Research Statistician III RTI International 221 Cox Building 3040 Cornwallis Road Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194 (919) 990-8304; breda@rti.org and Rick Savage and Virginia Baker North Carolina Division of Water Quality The EPA Office of Water has recognized a critical need for states and federal agencies to be able to quantitatively assess the condition of the Nation's wetland resources. To address this issue, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing a probabilistic sampling design to collect information at the national level that stratifies wetlands by type and size; collects biotic and abiotic data to establish baseline conditions; and assesses wetland condition with Level 1 (GIS) and Level 2 (rapid assessment) characterization methods. This survey, the National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCS), is scheduled for completion in 2011, and is the first ever assessment of national wetland condition, extent and quality.  In response to the need for consistency and scientifically sound state monitoring programs, many federal and state workgroups have been exploring and developing wetland assessment methodologies. Wetland assessment methods (WAMs) are tools developed by state and tribal programs to assess the conditions of wetlands. In particular, rapid WAMs provide quantitative information on the status of wetland resources with a relatively small investment of time and effort. We will use Level 3 (intensive sampling) data for hydrology, soils, vegetation, water chemistry, amphibians and aquatic macrobenthos to assess the accuracy and agreement of two rapid WAMs (Ohio and North Carolina WAMs) collected in 23 headwater wetlands in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of North Carolina. A methodology to evaluate the agreement of results obtained from different WAMS can help to provide sound statistical methodologies for national estimates of wetland conditions.

Synopsis of Global Warming and Wetlands Presentation

Presenter/Author: Jim Murphy Wetlands and Water Resources Counsel National Wildlife Federation 58 State Street Montpelier, VT 05602 (802) 229-0650; jmurphy@nwf.org Global warming poses many threats to our water resources. For instance, global warming will bring more extreme weather events, meaning an increase in both flooding and drought conditions. Increased severe rain events will bring jumps in pollution from sediment, pathogens, and nutrients. Increased sea level rise from global warming will cause flooding, and higher levels of salinity in estuaries, other waters and groundwater near coastal areas. Temperatures will likely rise in many waters, flow rates will become less constant, and conditions supporting current aquatic wildlife will likely deteriorate in a great number of waters. Invasive species will likely increase at the expense of indigenous species. Cold water species like salmonids will suffer. Additionally, a great number of water resources, such as significant numbers of prairie potholes, may simply be lost as a result of global warming. With these sobering threats posed by global warming, it will be more critical than ever to provide broad and comprehensive protections for wetlands. Wetlands will be increasingly important in preserving water quality and protecting aquatic habitat from degradation and loss. The flood control, water storage and recharge, pollutant filtration, and habitat provision functions of wetlands will likely increase in importance as global warming places new and significant strains on watersheds. The future of Clean Water Act protections cannot be properly evaluated without consideration of the threats posed by global warming. Currently, basic CWA protections for many important waters – such as geographically “isolated” wetlands and headwater streams and wetlands – are at risk as a result of recent Supreme Court decisions (SWANCC (2001) and Rapanos (2006)) and agency directives purporting to interpret those decisions. However, due to global warming, the protection of these resources will become ever more critical in order to achieve the CWA’s goal to maintain and restore the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of all waters. This fact should help inform policy debates about protecting these waters. Similarly, for permitting decisions under the CWA, ensuring protection of these resources will be as critical as ever. Overall, greater attention must be given to the more acute consequences that wetland loss will have in the face of global warming. All important wetlands must be protected under the CWA. Sequencing under the Section 404 permitting program needs to ensure true attempts to avoid and minimize resources are made. When mitigation takes place, consideration will likely have to be given to global warming concerns. The protection of certain wetlands, like coastal wetlands needed to protect against the deleterious effects of sea level rise or prairie potholes that will become rarer, will become more crucial. Permitting decisions will need to reflect this. My presentation will discuss the challenges to water resources and wetlands posed by global warming. It will then discuss appropriate responses to these challenges in the context of the administration of wetlands regulations under the CWA. First, it will analyze the need to restore and affirm broad protection for all wetlands. Next, it will proffer ideas about how permitting decisions under the Section 404 program can ensure wetlands protections maintains the integrity of our water resources in the face of global warming.

Development of an Indicator-Based Method for Evaluating the Duration of Streamflow in Oregon

Presenter*/Authors: Tracie-Lynn Nadeau*, Ph.D. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds (on detail to) Oregon Operations Office 805 SW Broadway, Suite 500 Portland, OR  97205 (503) 326-3685; Fax: (503) 326-3399 Nadeau.Tracie@epamail.epa.gov and Mike Turaski U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District In light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Rapanos decision and Justice Scalia’s focus on “relatively permanent” tributaries, the Corps and EPA now place greater emphasis on determining the duration of stream flow in making jurisdictional determinations. Because there are many non-perennial streams in Oregon for which there are no reliable flow records, the Corps Portland District and EPA Oregon Operations Office are cooperatively developing a field assessment method that can be used to distinguish between perennial, intermittent and ephemeral streams in Oregon. The method, based on an approach developed by the North Carolina Division of Water Quality, uses a suite of readily observed indicators representing a stream process or feature: geomorphic (channel structure, erosional and depositional features, etc.), hydrologic (groundwater discharge, hydric soils, etc.), and biologic (wetland plants, macroinvertebrates, etc.). Each indicator is assigned a numeric score using a weighted scale, and the flow duration is predicted based on the cumulative score for a given stream reach. To verify the method, EPA is conducting a study applying the method to approximately 125 stream reaches in multiple hydrologic regions across the state, during both wet and dry seasons, and comparing predicted and observed flow durations. We anticipate that an interim version of the Oregon Stream Flow Identification Method will be available via public notice later this fall.

Projected Effects of Sea-Level Rise on Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge: An Application of the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model

Presenter/Author: Delissa Padilla-Nieves U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System 4401 N. Fairfax Drive - MS 670 Arlington, VA 22203 (703) 358-2427; Delissa_Padilla@fws.gov The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is using the Sea Level Affecting Marsh Model (SLAMM) to project the impacts of sea-level rise on coastal habitats of the National Wildlife Refuge System. For example, SLAMM was used to model wetland conversion and shoreline modification in response to sea-level rise at Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana. For this analysis, sea-level rise simulations included a “mean” and “maximum” scenario based on the IPCC A1B greenhouse gas emission descriptions. A one-meter global sea-level rise by 2100 was also modeled. Model simulations suggest substantial transition of lowland coastal habitats for Bayou Sauvage during the 21 st century. Tidal marshes are anticipated to be the most impacted habitat in all scenarios. Tidal flats will likely expand in area during both the short and long term. However, some tidal flats are likely to convert to open water in the long term. Dramatic changes are anticipated for Bayou Sauvage’s tidal marshes, swamps and freshwater marshes under the 1-m sea-level rise scenario. A substantial portion of these habitats is likely to convert to open water by 2100. The SLAMM results are useful for the planning purposes of refuge staff, regional planners, and partners concerned with wetlands conservation for migratory birds and other aspects of ecological integrity.

A Review of Oregon's Statewide Planning Goal 16: Estuarine Resources

Presenters/Authors: Anna Pakenham and Jenna Borberg Oregon State University 104 COAS Admin Building Corvallis, OR 97331 (845) 750-7275 apakenham@coas.oregonstate.edu The State of Oregon, as part of a legislatively mandated review of its Statewide Land Use Program called “The Big Look,” is evaluating how well selected goals and policies are working, with an eye toward recommending needed improvements. One of those policies is Statewide Planning Goal 16: Estuarine Resources, a key element of Oregon’s Coastal Management Program. This paper outlines the results of the estuarine component of that evaluation. Goal 16 is intended to protect estuarine ecosystems while allowing for development where appropriate. It defines guidelines for estuarine land and water use, including mitigation of development, dredging, and filling impacts; maintaining estuarine water quality; and the designation of restoration sites. The paper includes a brief history of Oregon estuarine management and wetlands protection efforts, a summary of policies and guidelines defined in Goal 16, a summary and analysis of existing data used for the evaluation, and an assessment of how well the Goal’s requirements are met by Federal, State, and Local agencies. Methods include literature review, analysis of land use and mitigation permit databases, and interviews with agencies involved in managing Oregon estuaries. Using this analysis, data gaps have been identified as well as possible steps to address them. The assessment has the potential to inform future management and research directions that could help Oregon better protect its estuarine resources to maximize “long-term environmental, economic, and social benefits,” as the Goal states.

The Role of Wetlands Conservation in Climate Change Mitigation

Presenter/Author: Pat Parenteau Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic Vermont Law School P.O. Box 96 South Royalton, VT 05068 (802) 831-1305; pparenteau@vermontlaw.edu Climate Change mitigation will require both reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, primarily carbon dioxide, and the maintenance and expansion of carbon sinks, including wetlands. Preservation of existing wetlands is the first order of business, but a more aggressive program of wetland restoration is also required. This will involve public and private investments at all levels--local, state, regional, national, and global. Regional cap and trade programs, such as the Northeast Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), are already getting started. Some form of national cap and trade program for GHG's will be enacted in the next few years. Revenues from the sale of allowances, as well as from potential carbon taxes, could be used to fund necessary restoration. Additionally, these programs will allow the purchase of offsets that could potentially include carbon sequestration in wetlands. The challenge is to make sure that wetlands conservation policies and sound science is factored into these new climate change laws and programs as they come online.

Participatory Action of Grassroots Communities in Addressing Wetlands and Climate Change

Presenters/Authors: Kristina Peterson University of New Orleans Center for Hazards Assessment and Response 2057 Havers Street Houma, LA 70360 Krajeskipeterson@msn.com and Rosina Philippe American Wetlands- AmeriCorp Through a Participatory Action model, the members of a coastal community, (Grand Bayou, Louisiana) have become co-scientists with academics and agencies to address urgent issues of vanishing wetlands. This paper/presentation will explore how the development of a participatory model in a primarily Native American coastal community has strengthened both the traditional and formal science towards the work of coastal restoration. In the past 6 years this community has partnered with academics and agencies as co-scientists in a ‘coastal discourse’ to find the most appropriate methods and actions for the saving and restoration of the coast and the Grand Bayou Community. The paper will explore the participatory model and the benefits of co-science, traditional and formal knowledge acting in synergistic ways to find new paths of problem solving. Members from the academic community and the Grand Bayou community who are acting as co-scientist will present the paper.

Alaskan Wetlands and Climate Change: A Summary of Research, Mitigation and Adaptation

Presenter/Author: Jim Powell, Ph.D. Student, UAF Former State Wetland Coordinator Manager, Water Quality Standards Division of Water Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation 410 Willoughby Avenue, Suite 303 Juneau, AK 99801 (907) 465-5185, Fax: (907) 465-5274 jim.powell@Alaska.gov Coastal communities moving inland; wetlands drying up; insect infestation devastating millions of acres; increased forest fires; shrinking glaciers; Polar Bears roaming inland where they have never been seen before -- all occurring in Alaska. These are not scenarios about future effects of climate change, these are observed effects happening now in Alaska. These pronounced ecological and social changes in many cases have been triggered by climate change’s impact on wetland functions. Considering that more than forty percent of the land in Alaska is classified as a wetland or water of the U.S., changes in wetland functions have global implications. A recent University of Alaska Fairbanks study found that ebullition (bubbling) accounted for five times more methane emission from the edge of thaw lakes in the Arctic and Sub Arctic than previously estimated. Permafrost, which locks in terrestrial carbon and which is classified as wetland, is predicted to disappear by the end of the Twenty-First Century, releasing 30 percent of all terrestrial carbon. This paper will describe the findings of several climate change/wetland research projects and the institutional responses, including mitigation and adaptation, for moving toward a more resilient Alaska.

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