The National Action Plan To Implement the Hydrogeomorphic Approach To Assessing Wetland Functions

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

The National Action Plan To Implement the Hydrogeomorphic

Approach To Assessing Wetland Functions

AGENCIES: Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army, DOD; Natural

Resources Conservation Service, Department of Agriculture; Federal

Highway Administration, Department of Transportation; Environmental

Protection Agency; and Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the

Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Through the National Action Plan the Corps of Engineers is

announcing the strategy the Corps and other Federal agencies will

follow to implement the Hydrogeomorphic Approach for Assessing Wetland

Functions (HGM Approach) through the development of regional

guidebooks. The National Action Plan was developed by a National

Interagency Implementation Team. Agencies listed herein. The HGM

Approach was designed to satisfy the need for better information on

wetland functions within the programmatic requirements of the Clean

Water Act Section 404 regulatory program. This methodology will

increase the accuracy of wetland function assessments, allow for

replicability, and reduce the amount of time required to conduct a

wetland function assessment.

ADDRESS: Information may be obtained by writing to: The Chief of

Engineers, Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CECW-OR, Washington, DC

20314-1000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Colleen Charles, Corps of

Engineers, at (202)761-0199; Ms. Sandra Byrd-Hughes, Natural Resources

Conservation Service, at (202)690-3501; Mr. Thomas Kelsch,

Environmental Protection Agency, at (202)260-8795; Mr. Paul Garrett,

Federal Highways Administration, at (202) 366-2067; Mr. Donald MacLean,

Fish and Wildlife Service, at (703)358-2201; and Ms. Susan-Marie

Stedman, National Marine Fisheries Service at (301)713-2325 or access

the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Home Page at: http://

wetland.usace.mil/ or the U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment

Station Home Page at: http://www.wes.army.mil/el/wetlands/wetlands/

html/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The HGM Approach is a wetland assessment

procedure that is based on three fundamental factors that influence how

wetlands function: position in the landscape (geomorphic setting),

water source (hydrology), and the flow and fluctuation of the water

once in the wetland (hydrodynamics). The HGM Approach first classifies

wetlands based on their differences in functioning, second it defines

functions that each class of wetland performs, and third it uses

reference to establish the range of functioning of the wetland.

Regional assessment models are developed based on the functional

profile that describes the physical, biological, and chemical

characteristics of a regional wetland subclass. The goal of the

National Action Plan is to implement, through the development of

regional guidebooks, sufficient assessment models to address 80 percent

of the section 404 permit workload requiring wetland function

assessments. To achieve this goal, approximately 25-30 regional

guidebooks will be required to be developed. Given the magnitude of the

effort, and the need for interdisciplinary expertise, implementation of

the HGM Approach will require participation from several Federal,

State, Tribal and local agencies, academia, and the private sector.

This involvement will occur at all stages of regional guidebook

development.

Discussion of Public Comments and Changes

On August 16, 1996 the draft National Action Plan to Develop the

Hydrogeomorphic Approach for Assessing Wetland Functions (Action Plan)

was published in the Federal Register to which we received

approximately 20 comments. In response to these comments, we have made

a few revisions to the Action Plan as discussed below. The comments of

greatest concern addressed issues regarding public involvement,

communication/public outreach, training, potential uses, applicability,

and accuracy of models in predicting functions.

Overall, commenters were very supportive of the development of the

Hydrogeomorphic Approach for Assessing Wetland Functions (HGM

Approach). However, some commenters were concerned that the National

Action Plan is policy, not guidance, and that the HGM Approach will

preclude and undermine the section 404(b)(1) review. These concerns

come from lack of understanding of the HGM Approach. The HGM Approach

is a tool for assessing wetland functions and does not replace the need

for delineating a wetland boundary nor supersede the Section 404(b)(1)

Guidelines analysis or public interest review. Based on these comments

this has been explained more clearly in the Action Plan.

The majority of comments indicated the need for more public

involvement. A few commenters indicated concern with consultant

involvement in developing regional guidebooks, suggesting that their

involvement may influence how the models are developed. We have

emphasized throughout the Action Plan that regional guidebook

development is an iterative process that involves not only Federal,

State, Tribal and local agencies but also academia, the private sector

and the public. Regional guidebooks, developed by A-teams and having

undergone peer reviews, will be published as operational drafts for a

two year period. During this time the operational draft models will be

subjected to further testing by the Federal agencies and the public

with review comments solicited from the public. These review comments

will be incorporated into the final models of the regional guidebooks.

The final regional guidebooks will undergo review and revision every

five years or less if needed. Again, this is explained in further

detail in the Action Plan. We believe that the level of review prior to

final publication is more than adequate to disway any possible

influence by consultant involvement. Also the models in the regional

guidebooks are based upon scientific data and this data will be

available for review and in the guidebooks themselves.

Several commenters were concerned with HGM policy. As indicated in

the Action Plan, the Federal agencies will develop a policy statement

and publish it in the Federal Register for comment. The National Action

Plan or HGM Approach in itself is not policy. The Action Plan is a

document that states the strategies the Federal agencies will follow in

developing regional HGM Approach guidebooks. The HGM

[[Page 33608]]

Approach is a tool to be used in making regulatory decisions, at a

Federal, state, or local level. It can also be used in the decision

making process for applications such as mitigation banking and

watershed planning. We believe that this has been fully addressed in

the Action Plan.

Other commenters stated that the HGM Approach does not assess

wetland values. The HGM Approach is based on the best available science

and thus does not assign value to a wetland. Value represents the

significance of wetland functions to society or individuals, and often

reflects local priorities or policy issues beyond the scope of the HGM

Approach. The functional capacity indices resulting from the HGM

Approach cannot be equated to the societal or economic value of that

wetland function. However, this information can be used when assigning

values to wetland functions in terms of economic or other value units

as required by the Corps public interest review process.

A few commenters indicated the need for more Federal funding to

help model development. At present there are approximately 15 separate

efforts ongoing (see Table 3 of the Action Plan) that were initiated

through Federal funding and approximately 15 efforts initiated by

various States, mainly through the U.S. EPA State/Tribal Wetland Grant

Program. There is a need for more funding. The Corps and other Federal

agencies will continue to look for additional funding opportunities.

Our efforts will continue to focus on reaching the goal of developing

regional guidebooks to address 80 percent of the Corps permit workload

for wetlands requiring wetland function assessment.

A few commenters thought the Federal government was moving too

quickly in developing regional guidebooks and were concerned with the

quality of those being developed. They would rather see an accurate,

reliable guidebook rather than one that gave questionable results. We

agree with this and have assessed the progress of regional guidebook

development. As previously stated there are approximately 15 Federal

national/regional guidebook development efforts. We have reassessed our

goal of having approximately 20-25 regional guidebooks developed by the

end of 1998. To ensure a reliable, accurate, scientifically based

product we have decided that regional guidebook development to reach

the 80 percent goal will take longer than two years. We have found

through early guidebook development efforts that initial development

takes longer than anticipated. We have learned a great deal in the

pilot phases of guidebook development. The regional guidebook

development process is now more efficient, taking less time than the

initial efforts while still maintaining scientific reliability.

Regional guidebook development is time and resource intensive,

generally taking approximately 1-2 years to develop. However, the

actual application of these regional guidebooks to a specific project

is rapid and will take approximately 1 day or less to assess a wetland.

The Action Plan explains in greater detail the regional guidebook

development process. Our goal remains the same--to have approximately

20-25 regional guidebooks developed which would address 80 percent of

the Corps permit workload for wetlands requiring wetland function

assessment. However, we acknowledge that it will take longer than our

initial anticipated two year timeframe. As regional guidebooks become

available, development of additional regional guidebooks will be

expedited more efficiently.

A few commenters addressed the need for training. Two HGM courses,

as described in the Action Plan, are under development by WES. In

response to one commenters concern regarding the Federal agencies as

the sole provider of HGM training there is no intent on the part of the

Federal agencies to be the sole training source for the HGM Approach.

However, it is the intent of the Corps to hold public meetings as

regional guidebooks become available within a geographic area, where

the guidebook and it's application will be explained.

Several commenters questioned whether the models can accurately

predict functions. This is being addressed in the guidance being

developed by Waterway Experiment Station (Guidelines for Developing

Hydrogeomorphic Approach Regional Guidebooks) stating the protocol for

regional guidebook development and is further explained in Section III

A of the Action Plan.

Charles M. Hess, P.E.,

Chief, Operations, Construction and Readiness Division, Directorate

of Civil Works.

Thomas Ptak,

Associate Administrator for Program Development, Federal Highway

Administration.

Lawrence E. Clark,

Deputy Chief for Programs, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Jamie Clark,

Assistant Director, Ecological Services, Fish and Wildlife Service.

Robert H. Wayland III,

Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, Environmental

Protection Agency.

National Action Plan To Implement the Hydrogeomorphic Approach for

Assessing Wetland Functions

I. Executive Summary

II. Overview of Hydrogeomorphic Approach

III. Implementation Strategies of the HGM Approach

A. Goals and Objectives for Implementation

B. Policy Statement

C. Implementation of the HGM Approach

D. Agency Roles and Coordination

1. National Interagency Implementation Team

2. Regional Assessment Teams

3. WES as Technical Support Center

4. Coordination with State, Tribal and local agencies, academia

and the private sector

5. Public Involvement

E. Quality Control for Regional Guidebook Development

F. Training and Outreach

1. Training

2. Outreach

IV. HGM Documents

A. HGM Classification of Wetlands

B. Procedural Document

C. Guidelines for Developing Hydrogeomorphic Approach Regional

Guidebooks

D. National Guidebooks

E. Regional Guidebooks

V. Application of HGM Approach

VI. Schedule

A. Phase I--Pilot Projects--1995

B. Phase II--Expanded Nationwide Effort

C. Phase III

VII. Funding

References

Appendix--Definition of Terms

National Action Plan To Implement the Hydrogeomorphic Approach for

Assessing Wetland Functions

I. Executive Summary

This National Action Plan (Action Plan) identifies the strategy the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Agriculture--Natural

Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Federal Highway Administration, and

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration--National Marine

Fisheries Service will follow to implement the Hydrogeomorphic Approach

for Assessing Wetland Functions (HGM Approach) through the development

of regional guidebooks. This is a plan to guide Federal agency

activities and inform the public on how the federal agencies will be

developing regional guidebooks for use with the HGM Approach. The HGM

Approach is a procedure for measuring the capacity of a wetland to

perform functions. It was designed to satisfy the need for better

[[Page 33609]]

information on wetland functions within the programmatic requirements

of the Clean Water Act Section 404 regulatory program. Information

obtained using the HGM Approach can assist project proponents and

regulators in assessing the level of environmental impact of a proposed

project, in determining the appropriate level of regulatory review, and

in assessing compensatory mitigation required for offsetting

environmental impacts. The hierarchical and modular nature of the

approach makes it adaptable to a variety of other regulatory, planning,

management, and educational situations where information on wetland

functions is needed.

The HGM Approach is characterized and differentiated from other

wetland assessment procedures in that it first classifies wetlands

based on their hydrogeomorphic characteristics (i.e., landscape

setting, water source, hydrodynamics), second it uses reference to

establish the range of functioning of the wetland, and third it uses a

relative index of function, calibrated to reference wetlands, to assess

wetland functions. This increases the resolution, allows for

replicability, and reduces the amount of time needed to conduct the

assessment. The HGM Approach utilizes reference wetlands as the means

for establishing the scale, or index, against which other wetlands of

the same type in a particular geographic area (reference domain) can be

compared to determine their functional capacity. Reference wetlands are

selected to reflect the range of conditions in a particular geographic

area that a particular wetland type may exhibit, from relatively

undisturbed to highly degraded.

Under the HGM Approach, national guidebooks are being developed for

each of the major classes of wetlands: riverine, depressional, slope,

flats (mineral soil and organic soil), and fringe (estuarine and

lacustrine). The national guidebooks provide a template for developing

regional guidebooks for regional wetland subclasses. Regional

guidebooks include a definition and characterization of the regional

wetland subclass, models for assessing selected functions, and methods

for applying the assessment models. Interdisciplinary teams of wetland

specialists from Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies, as well as

the private sector and academia, will coordinate the development of

regional guidebooks. To ensure the technical accuracy of the effort,

regional guidebooks will be developed following specific protocols and

subjected to a rigorous peer review process involving wetland experts

from Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies, academia, and the

private sector. Regional guidebooks will be published initially as an

operational draft for a two year period to provide agencies, academia,

the private sector, and the general public an opportunity to review,

apply, and comment on the procedure. Issues raised during this time

will be addressed in the final publication. To ensure the best

available science is incorporated, the final regional guidebooks will

be subject to review and revision for a period not to exceed five

years.

Regional guidebooks are being developed in three phases: a pilot

phase, an expanded nationwide effort to develop 15 to 20 additional

regional guidebooks, and an effort to develop additional models based

on priorities established by the Federal agencies. Efforts will be

prioritized so that at the end of Phase II there are a sufficient

number of regional guidebooks to address 80 percent of the permit

workload for wetlands requiring a functional assessment. Given limited

agency resources, such an undertaking will require the coordinated

participation of Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies, as well as

individuals from academia, and the private sector. State agencies and

others who choose to initiate development of regional guidebooks on

their own will be encouraged to coordinate with the Federal agencies to

ensure consistency, quality, and maximum applicability by Federal,

State, Tribal, and local agencies in their wetland programs.

Technical support and coordination for the development of the HGM

Approach is being provided by the U.S. Army Engineer Waterways

Experiment Station (WES). To facilitate development of the regional

guidebooks, WES, in conjunction with other Federal and State agencies

and other wetland experts, has developed, and will continue to develop,

the necessary support documents, technical information and training

materials. Experts from WES will oversee the development of regional

guidebooks to ensure consistency and accuracy in these efforts.

To support implementation of the HGM Approach, the Federal agencies

will be preparing a policy statement to clarify the application of the

HGM Approach within the Section 404 regulatory program and the Food

Security Act Swampbuster program. The HGM Approach is a procedure for

determining the level at which a proposed project will affect wetland

functions. An assessment using the HGM Approach is not a substitute for

the Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines or the public interest review; rather

the HGM Approach is a tool to be used in the permit review process. It

may be used to rapidly and consistently determine the level of

environmental impact of a proposed project, to compare project

alternatives, to identify measures that would minimize environmental

impacts, to determine mitigation requirements, and to establish

standards for measuring mitigation success. The policy statement will

indicate the manner in which such applications can provide greater

certainty and consistency within the decision making process.

II. Overview of the Hydrogeomorphic Approach

The Hydrogeomorphic Approach for Assessing Wetland Functions (HGM

Approach), developed by scientists at the U.S. Army Engineer Waterways

Experiment Station (WES), is a procedure for measuring the capacity of

a wetland to perform functions. The procedure was designed to satisfy

the need for better information on wetland functions within the

programmatic requirements of the Clean Water Act Section 404 (Section

404) regulatory program. The HGM Approach is a tool that can be used in

the alternatives analysis and in assessment of compensatory mitigation

within the Section 404 permit review process. The hierarchical and

modular nature of the approach make it adaptable to a variety of other

regulatory, planning, management, and educational situations requiring

the assessment of wetland functions.

The HGM Approach is characterized and differentiated from other

wetland assessment procedures in that it first classifies wetlands

based on their ecological characteristics (i.e., landscape setting,

water source, hydrodynamics), second it uses reference to establish the

range of functioning of the wetland, and third it uses a relative index

of function, calibrated to reference wetlands, to assess wetland

functions. HGM uses a hierarchical classification with seven major

hydrogeomorphic wetland classes. These classes are : riverine,

depressional, slope, flats (organic soil and mineral soil), and fringe

(estuarine and lacustrine). The hydrogeomorphic classification is based

on three fundamental factors that influence how wetlands function:

position of the wetland in the landscape (geomorphic setting), water

source (hydrology), and the flow and fluctuation of the water once in

the wetland (hydrodynamics). Within a specific geographic area wetland

classes can be further divided

[[Page 33610]]

into regional wetland subclasses (e.g., vernal pools in California,

prairie potholes in the northern plains states, and pine flatwoods in

the southeastern U.S.). Classifying wetlands based on how they function

narrows the focus of attention to a specific type or subclass of

wetland, the functions that wetlands within the subclass are most

likely to perform, and the landscape and ecosystem factors that are

most likely to influence how wetlands in the subclass function. (Table

1.) This increases the accuracy of the assessment, allows for

replicability, and reduces the time needed to conduct the assessment.

The HGM Approach includes a development phase and an application

phase. The development phase is carried out by an interdisciplinary

Assessment Team of wetland experts (A-team) and begins with the

classification of wetlands into regional subclasses. The A-team then

develops a functional profile that describes the physical, chemical,

and biological characteristics (wetland functions) of the regional

wetland subclass, identifies which functions are most likely to be

performed, and discusses different ecosystem and landscape attributes

and processes that influence each function. The functional profile is

based on the experience and expertise of the A-team and information

collected from reference wetlands. Reference wetlands are selected from

a reference domain (a defined geographic area) and represent sites that

exhibit a range of variation within a particular wetland type including

sites that have been degraded/disturbed as well as those sites which

have had little disturbance.

Table 1.--Hydrogeomorphic Classes of Wetlands Showing Associated Dominant Water Sources, Hydrodynamics, and Examples of Subclasses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Examples of subclass

Hydrogeomorphic class Dominant water source Dominant hydrodynamics ------------------------------------------------------------

Eastern USA Western USA

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Riverine..................... Overbank flow from channel... Unidirectional, horizontal... Bottomland hardwood forests.. Riparian forested.

Depressional................. Return flow from groundwater Vertical..................... Prairie potholes marshes..... California vernal pools.

and interflow.

Slope........................ Return flow from groundwater. Unidirectional, horizontal... Fens......................... Montane seeps Avalanche

chutes.

Flats (mineral soil)......... Precipitation................ Vertical..................... Wet pine flatwoods........... Playas.

Flats (organic soil)......... Precipitation................ Vertical..................... Peat bogs, portions of Peat bogs

Everglades.

Fringe (Estuarine)........... Overbank flow from estuary... Bidirectional, horizontal.... Chesapeake Bay marshes....... San Francisco Bay marshes.

Fringe (Lacustrine).......... Overbank flow from lake...... Bidirectional, horizontal.... Great Lakes marshes.......... Flathead Lake marshes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source: Smith et al., An approach for assessing wetland functions using hydrogeomorphic classification, reference wetlands, and functional indices. U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station, Technical Report TR WRP-DE-9. Vicksburg, MS. Oct. 1995.

The A-team next develops assessment models and calibrates them

based on data collected from the reference wetlands. These models

define the relationship between attributes and processes of the wetland

ecosystem and surrounding landscape and the capacity of a wetland to

perform a function. The assessment model results in a functional

capacity index (FCI) (0-1.0), which estimates the capacity of a wetland

to perform a function relative to other wetlands from the same regional

subclass in the reference domain. The standard of comparison used to

scale functional indices are reference standards, or the conditions

under which the highest, sustainable level of function is achieved

across the suite of functions performed by reference standard wetlands

in a regional wetland subclass.

During the application phase of the HGM Approach, the assessment

models in the regional guidebook are used to assess wetland functions.

The context of the application may be the Section 404 permit review

process, or in some other regulatory, planning, or management

situation. The HGM Approach does not replace the need for delineating a

wetland boundary, preclude the sequencing process, nor supercede the

Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines analysis or public interest review. The

HGM Approach is a tool that can be used in the alternatives analysis

and is expected to be used on those permit actions which warrant a

functional assessment for determining wetland impacts. Regulators will

be able to use this procedure to rapidly and accurately determine the

level of environmental impacts of proposed projects, compare project

alternatives, identify measures that would minimize environmental

impacts, determine mitigation requirements, and establish criteria for

measuring mitigation success. As such, the procedure will be helpful in

providing greater certainty and reduced permit review times thus

allowing for expedited decision making.

The HGM Approach does not assign a value to wetland functions.

Value represents the significance of wetland functions to society or

individuals, and often reflects local priorities or policy issues

beyond the scope of the HGM Approach. The functional capacity indices

resulting from the HGM Approach cannot be equated to the societal or

economic value of that wetland function. This information may be used

when assigning values to wetland functions in terms of economic or

other value units as required by the public interest review process.

III. Implementation Strategies of the HGM Approach

A. Goals and Objectives for Implementation

The primary goal for implementation of the HGM Approach is to

provide a standardized tool for consistently assessing wetland

functions in a diversity of wetland types throughout the United States.

This tool will use the best available technical and scientific

information and maintain compatibility with the time and resource

framework of the Section 404 regulatory program. The objective is to

develop a sufficient number of regional guidebooks to address 80

percent of the permit workload impacting priority wetlands

[[Page 33611]]

requiring a functional assessment, as identified by a Corps survey.

This includes those individual and general permits requiring either an

alternatives analysis and/or compensatory mitigation.

To achieve this goal, the Corps and other Federal agencies have

formed a National Interagency Implementation Team (Implementation

Team). The purpose of the Implementation Team is to prepare and oversee

an implementation plan which identifies the priorities of HGM regional

guidebook development and outlines the steps to develop a regional

guidebook from model development to the application. This

implementation plan prepared by the Implementation Team is the

``National Action Plan to Implement the HGM Approach for Assessing

Wetland Functions' (Action Plan). The Action Plan identifies the

strategy the Federal agencies will follow in implementing this new

assessment methodology to meet the identified objective.

All regional guidebooks will:

(1) Be developed in a consistent and coordinated manner, following

protocol identified in the ``Guidelines for Developing Hydrogeomorphic

Approach Regional Guidebooks''. Technical oversight by scientists at

WES will facilitate state and Federal interagency agreement on

applications of the HGM approach, and will require the involvement of

experts from academia and the private sector, as well as Federal,

State, Tribal and local agencies at all stages and levels of review;

(2) Utilize the best scientific information in the development of

each model;

(3) Develop regional guidebooks based on national and regional

priorities for the Section 404 Regulatory program;

(4) Make the most efficient use of limited agency resources; and

(5) Ensure public involvement at all stages and levels of

development.

B. Policy Statement

Concurrent with implementation of the HGM Approach, the Corps and

the other Federal agencies will develop a policy statement clarifying

how the HGM Approach can be used within the Section 404 and Swampbuster

programs to improve regulatory decision making. The policy statement

will address various issues, including how information on wetland

functions generated by the HGM Approach will be used by regulators to

make timely and consistent decisions that are reflective of the

relative functional capacity of different wetlands. In addition, the

policy statement will identify supplemental procedures to be folowed in

applying the HGM Approach which ensure that other important, such as

red flagging and the relative value of wetland functions, are to be

considered in the decision making process.

In order to ensure that application of the HGM Approach meets its

objectives of being timely, accurate and cost-effective, the agencies

will conduct extensive field testing of regional guidebooks during the

two-year operational draft period prior to development of the policy

statement. The field testing will be conducted in cooperation with the

States and other interested parties, as appropriate. The policy

statement will be published in the Federal Register for public review

and comment.

C. Implementation of the HGM Approach

Implementation of the HGM Approach is a multi-step procedure and

will require the participation by several Federal, State, Tribal and

local agencies, as well as experts from academia and the private

sector. This participation will occur at all stages of the regional

guidebook development process starting with identification and

prioritization of regional wetland subclasses and initial model

development through model calibration, verification, and validation of

the revised model.

The first step of this multi-step procedure is to identify the

national priorities for regional guidebook development of wetland

subclasses through surveys of Corps district offices on what wetland

types in their districts were under the greatest development pressure.

The next step is to establish regional A-teams from participating

agency specialists, academics and the private sector, that are trained

in the HGM Approach and classification. The A-teams will identify and

prioritize regional wetland subclasses, define the reference domain,

and identify reference wetlands.

Once the regional subclasses and reference domain have been

identified, conceptual assessment models for wetland functions will be

drafted based on a review of both the literature and existing models.

Model development will include selection of functions for each wetland

subclass, selection and definition of variables for each function, and

construction of assessment models. The draft models will then go

through a peer-review technical workshop to provide individuals with

expertise on hydrology, soils, vegetation and wildlife an opportunity

to critique the draft assessment models. The workshop participants will

include wetland experts from Federal, State, Tribal, and local

agencies, and individuals from academia and the private sector who will

be an integral part of model development. At the workshop, the model

will be critiqued and revised as needed to reflect recommendations from

the workshop participants. After model review and revision, the draft

model will be calibrated with data collected from reference wetland

sites and field tested for accuracy and sensitivity of functional

indices by the A-team. Models will be published as draft operational

regional wetland subclass guidebooks (operational drafts) for a two

year period. The operational draft will include a description and range

of the regional wetland subclass, a functional profile, the assessment

models, and application instructions with field data sheets. During

this time, the operational draft models will be subjected to further

extensive field testing by the Federal agencies, and review comments

will be solicited from the public. Review comments will be incorporated

into a final model. The final model will undergo review and revision as

needed on a periodic basis (not to exceed a five-year period) to ensure

that new technical data and research are incorporated into the model.

D. Agency Roles and Coordination

Given the magnitude of the effort, and the need for

interdisciplinary expertise, implementation of the HGM Approach will

require participation from several Federal, State, Tribal and local

agencies, academia, private consultants and other wetlands experts.

This will be coordinated in the following manner.

1. National Interagency Implementation Team

The Action Plan, outlining the steps the federal agencies will

follow in implementing the HGM Approach, will be administered by a

National Interagency Implementation Team (Implementation Team) chaired

by a representative from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Other

agencies represented on the Implementation Team will be the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (FWS), USDA--Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and NOAA-National Marine

Fisheries Service (NMFS). Technical assistance will be provided to the

Implementation Team by representatives of WES and others involved in

the development of the HGM Approach.

The Implementation Team is responsible for ensuring that the Action

[[Page 33612]]

Plan is implemented in a consistent and timely fashion, and that the

concerns and priorities of each agency are considered. They will meet

as needed to assess progress, ensure timely development of products,

and address problems and potential inconsistencies.

2. Regional Assessment Teams

Regional assessment teams (A-teams) will include scientists with

expertise in wetland hydrology, biochemistry, soils, plants, and

wildlife. Representation on the A-Team will be from each agency

whenever possible. The USACE representative will serve as the A-team

leader. The primary responsibilities of the A-team are as follows:

Identify regional wetland subclasses and define reference

domains.

Identify reference wetland sites.

Identify and define functions for each subclass.

Identify and define variables and construct assessment

models.

Conduct interagency and interdisciplinary workshop to

critique models.

Collect data from reference wetland sites and establish

reference standards.

Calibrate assessment models using reference wetland data.

Verify and validate the assessment models.

A-teams will meet as needed during implementation of the HGM

Approach. A-teams will solicit technical input from other wetland

experts from the academic and private sectors as necessary to

accomplish their objectives. It is anticipated that development of each

regional guidebook will require approximately one year to complete.

3. WES as Technical Support Center

WES will serve as the primary technical support center for

coordinating the development of regional guidebooks. WES will publish

guidance for developing regional guidebooks (``Guidelines for

Developing Hydrogeomorphic Approach Regional Guidebooks''), and

facilitate publication of the regional guidebooks and other documents

related to the HGM Approach. WES will also serve as the center for

training and outreach activities related to the HGM Approach.

4. Coordination With State, Tribal and Local Agencies, Academia and the

Private Sector

It is the intent of the Federal agencies to involve representatives

from appropriate State, Tribal and local agencies, as well as local

experts from academia and the private sector in the development of

regional guidebooks. Input will be solicited regarding the technical

accuracy of the assessment models, as well as its applicability to

Federal, State, Tribal and local wetlands programs. The A-team will be

responsible for identifying individuals outside of the Federal

government with expertise on the hydrology, biogeochemical processes,

soils, and habitat functions of the regional wetland subclass to

participate in assessment model development and the peer review.

It is anticipated that many State regulatory and/or resource

agencies will be interested in taking the lead in developing regional

guidebooks using the HGM Approach for their own regulatory programs and

other purposes. It is also anticipated that the private sector may take

the lead in regional guidebook development for use in Federal programs.

Regional guidebooks developed by State agencies and the private sector

may be accepted for use within Federal programs if the standard

guidance for developing regional guidebooks, ``Guidelines for

Developing Hydrogeomorphic Approach Regional Guidebooks'', is followed.

For this reason, States and others are encouraged to coordinate with

WES at the initiation of the project to ensure consistency with Federal

efforts. The Federal agencies will work to establish collaborative

efforts with States in the development of regional guidebooks to ensure

maximum efficiency of both efforts and the broadest possible

application.

Many States have on-going research supporting the development of

monitoring programs to characterize and assess the condition of their

wetland resources. The HGM Approach provides a useful framework for

targeting States' data collection and research efforts. Many States

have increased their efforts to classify, monitor, and/or document the

ecological condition of their wetlands in recent years. Much of the

data from these activities can support the development of regional

guidebooks for the HGM Approach. Federal and State agencies undertaking

the development of regional guidebooks are encouraged to coordinate

with these State research and monitoring programs to facilitate an

exchange of technical information.

5. Public Involvement

It is the intent of the Federal agencies that the public be aware

of the overall development of the HGM Approach and have ample

opportunity to review and provide comments on all draft documents. To

this end, information will be provided on the Internet at the WES

homepage (www.wes.army.mil/el/wetlands/wetlands.hmtl/). The agencies

will also provide additional forums (e.g., public workshops) to

facilitate public awareness of the implementation of the HGM Approach,

development of regional guidebooks, and other related publications.

E. Quality Control for Regional Guidebook Development

The Implementation Team will maintain oversight to ensure that

regional guidebook development focuses on priority wetland types and

meets agency needs. The agencies recognize that the steps needed to

develop each regional guidebook will vary based on the unique

circumstances of each effort. However, certain minimum requirements

must be met to ensure consistency, technical accuracy, and interagency

support for use of the regional guidebooks within the Federal

regulatory framework and other programs. Draft guidance from WES for

developing regional guidebooks, ``Guidelines for Developing

Hydrogeomorphic Approach Regional Guidebooks'', is outlined in Table 2.

Table 2.--Guidelines for Developing Hydrogeomorphic Approach Regional

Guidebooks

Chapter 1. Introduction and Overview

Chapter 2. Identifying and Characterizing Regional Subclasses

--Identify and define functional profile of regional subclass

Chapter 3. Constructing Conceptual Assessment Model

Chapter 4. Reference Wetlands

--Define reference

--Identify reference wetlands

--Explain purpose of reference wetlands

--Importance to HGM

Chapter 5. Collection and Management of Data

--Sampling methods and data collection

--Standardized approach to managing data

Chapter 6. Data Analysis and Model Calibration

--How data is used

--How is data used to calibrate models

Chapter 7. Verification and Validation of HGM Assessment Models

--Model logic

--Testing model application in the field

--Relationship between FCI and an independent measure of function

Chapter 8. Applications of HGM

These chapters contain information necessary for the

characterization of regional subclasses, data collection and management

from reference wetland

[[Page 33613]]

sites, model construction, data analysis, and model calibration,

verification, and validation. Figure 1 depicts the HGM regional

guidebook development process that follows the information contained

within the ``Guidelines for Developing Hydrogeomorphic Regional

Guidebooks''.

BILLING CODE 3710-92-P

[[Page 33614]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20JN97.001

BILLING CODE 3710-92-C

[[Page 33615]]

At a minimum, regional guidebooks must contain the following

information to be complete:

Purpose and format of the regional guidebook

An introduction to the HGM Approach

A functional profile of the regional wetland subclass

Guidance for selecting reference wetland sample locations

Guidance for selecting and sampling of reference standard

wetlands

Documentation of the functions of the regional wetland

subclass

Guidance on the application of the regional guidebook

models in the field including the materials needed to take to the

field.

Any appendices addressing reference data sites and the

field sheets used to collect the data, any raw/summarized information

needed to support the model or calibration of the model, and any other

information that may be specific to the regional guidebook.

Regional guidebooks developed by A-teams other than those formed by

the Federal agencies are required to follow the guidance developed by

WES for developing regional guidebooks if these regional guidebooks are

to be used within Federal programs. Entities undertaking separate

efforts to develop HGM functional assessment models are encouraged to

inform the Corps promptly of their intent and provide timely

opportunities for agency participation and review. Any regional

guidebook developed by an entity other than the Federal agencies must

be reviewed and approved by the Federal agencies prior to application

under Federal programs to ensure consistency with quality assurance

steps outlined in this document, including agency and private sector

peer review.

F. Training and Outreach

1. Training

Training in the HGM Approach will be necessary to ensure consistent

development and application of regional assessment models. Different

training courses, ranging from an introductory course to familiarize

program administrators and field personnel with the HGM Approach to

technical training in regional subclass model development and the

application of the HGM Approach are proposed as follows:

A. ``Introductory Course to the HGM Approach to Wetland

Assessment''--This course will be designed for executive and management

personnel who need to understand the basics of the HGM Approach. The

course will be approximately three days in length and provide

background on the HGM Approach, including the conceptual basis of HGM

regional guidebook development and application.

B. ``HGM Application Course''--A second course will be offered to

those individuals directly responsible for assessing wetland functions

in the field using a regional guidebook. The course objective will be

to ensure students are as proficient as possible in applying regional

subclass models and in evaluating their results. The course will focus

on the application of models under different scenarios such as project

impact assessment, alternative analysis, and mitigation design/

monitoring. It will require a full five days to complete with

considerable emphasis on field work. This course will be offered

through the Corps regulatory training curriculum. (Under development.)

C. ``HGM Regional Guidebook Development''--This course will be

designed for personnel responsible for drafting and testing new

regional guidebook models. Students will be provided information on the

sequence of steps necessary to develop models and the lessons learned

from prior development efforts. The course will be approximately three

days long and include field exercises on identifying and collecting

data from reference wetlands. (Under development.)

D. ``Train the Trainers''--A fourth course will be offered to train

those individuals who will be responsible for local training. The

course objective will be to enable students who are proficient in the

HGM Approach and regional guidebook development to train others in the

HGM Approach, regional guidebook development, and application. This

course will be two days in length with a prerequisite of having

extensive experience in the HGM Approach.

2. Outreach

In addition to this Action Plan and the training courses the

Federal agencies are proposing, additional outreach efforts are planned

to ensure that State, Tribal, local agencies and the general public are

informed on the HGM Approach, including the direction the Federal

agencies will follow in developing and implementing the HGM Approach.

The following efforts will be made over the next few years to meet that

objective.

All technical publications included under the HGM Approach (e.g.,

national and regional guidebooks, and supporting technical documents)

will be published by WES under an interagency logo. Once published,

these documents may be obtained by interested parties through an

appropriate Federal publications office, including the National

Technical Information Service (NTIS). In addition, WES has developed a

homepage on the Internet dedicated to the HGM Approach to make

pertinent documents available electronically. The homepage will include

a quarterly publication to update interested readers on the status of

efforts to develop and implement the HGM Approach. Among the

information included in this publication will be a current listing of

completed national and regional guidebooks (including both operational

and final drafts), as well as information concerning the status of

other models under development. The homepage can be accessed by the

following address: http://www.wes.army.mil/el/wetlands/wetlands.html.

WES will also serve as the Federal lead for keeping the scientific

community informed about the HGM Approach through the presentation of

information at appropriate professional meetings and through technical

publications. Similarly, the Federal agencies will make information

available to professional trade organizations and journals to ensure

that the regulated community and others are informed on the development

of the HGM Approach. EPA's Wetlands Information Hotline (1-800-832-

7828) will also serve as a distribution center for HGM materials. In

addition to the Federal agency training programs described above, it is

anticipated that private wetland training institutes will begin to

provide additional training opportunities for both the public and

private sectors. In addition to these formal training programs, the

agencies anticipate sponsoring short seminars on the HGM Approach to

respond to local interests or needs.

IV. HGM Documents

The following documents have been or are expected to be published

by WES as part of the development strategy. Published documents are

available through the NTIS at (703) 487-4650.

A. ``HGM Classification of Wetlands'' (Brinson 1993)--This document

lays out an approach for classifying wetlands into similar functional

types (classes and subclasses) based on their hydrogeomorphic

characteristics. Wetlands are initially classified based on three major

characteristics: (1) geomorphic setting, (2) water source, and (3)

hydrodynamics. The seven major wetland classes are depression, slope,

flats, fringe, and riverine. The classification is not intended to

supersede or replace other wetland

[[Page 33616]]

classification methods designed for purposes other than functional

assessment.

B. ``Procedural Document'' (Smith et al 1995)--This document

establishes the guiding rules for model development and application of

the HGM Approach. Included is standard guidance for wetland bounding,

characterization and assessment using a regional assessment model, as

well as guidance for development of A-teams and assessment models.

C. ``Guidelines for Developing Hydrogeomorphic Approach Regional

Guidebooks'' (Clairain ed. In Prep)--This document, currently under

development, establishes guidelines for developing regional guidebooks

and addresses the information necessary for the characterization of

regional wetland subclasses, data collection and management from

reference wetland sites, model construction, data analysis, and model

calibration, verification, and validation. These guidelines must be

followed if the regional guidebook is to be used within the Section 404

regulatory program and other Federal programs.

D. ``National Guidebooks''--These documents will provide the basis

for applying the HGM Approach for wetland functional assessment to one

of the seven major classes of wetlands:

Riverine Wetlands (Brinson et al 1995)

Depressional Wetlands (In Prep)

Estuarine Fringe Wetlands (In Prep)

Lacustrine Fringe Wetlands

Slope Wetlands (In Prep)

Mineral Soil Flats

Organic Soil Flats

Each national guidebook will serve as a template from which

regional guidebooks can be developed. Each document will identify and

describe the wetland class, description of selected functions,

variables, and rationale, including supporting literature. The document

will lack field calibration and specifics on reference standards.

National guidebooks will be published initially as operational drafts

for a two-year period, to allow the public to provide comments on the

information contained within. Revisions will be made in response to

field review and public comment and a final guidebook will be

published.

E. ``Regional Guidebooks''--Regional Guidebooks represent a

regionalization for wetland subclasses, of the National Guidebooks,

through modification, calibration, and testing to determine

effectiveness under local and regional conditions. Regional guidebooks

will contain an introduction to the HGM Approach, a functional profile

of the regional wetland subclass, guidance for selecting reference

wetland sample locations, guidance for selecting and sampling of

reference standards, purpose and format of the regional guidebook,

documentation of the functions of the regional wetland subclass,

guidance on the application of the regional guidebook models in the

field including the materials needed to take to the field. This

document will also contain appendices addressing reference data sites

and the field sheets used to collect the data, any raw/summarized

information needed to support the model or calibration of the model,

and any other information that may be specific to the regional

guidebook.

The regional guidebook, having been reviewed by an interagency

panel and an interdisciplinary team of experts familiar with the region

and wetland subclass, will be published by WES as an Operational Draft

of the regional guidebook for that wetland subclass, for a two-year

period. The preface in each operational draft will contain a statement

and address for soliciting review comments. Each operational draft will

be made available for public use for a two year period, during which

time comments and recommendations for revisions will be accepted. The

operational draft will be revised to reflect recommended changes in the

models and the revised models will then be published as a Final

Regional Guidebook.

Each final regional guidebook will remain in use for a period not

to exceed five years before any revisions are made. During this five

year period, it will be reviewed by an interdisciplinary team and an

interagency panel to assess changes in the state of wetland science,

including the applicability of new data and research on the particular

wetland subclass. It will then be determined if the regional models

need revising. If revisions are required, the final regional guidebooks

will be revised and republished.

V. Application of HGM Approach

One of the primary benefits of the HGM Approach is that it provides

a method to rapidly and consistently assess the level of environmental

impact of a proposed project. This information is particularly valuable

within the review of Section 404 permit applications where the HGM

Approach can assess the ability of a wetland to perform a specific

function before and after the proposed discharge of dredged or fill

material. As such, the evaluation can be useful in identifying the

least damaging project alternative as required by the Section 404

program. Moreover, the method provides regulators with a more

predictable tool to gauge the level of environmental impact and,

therefore, to more consistently determine the appropriate regulatory

response, i.e., ensure that the level of review is commensurate with

the degree of environmental impact and based upon the best available

scientific information.

NRCS, in its administration of the Food Security Act of 1985, as

amended, is tasked with determining impacts to wetland functions due to

conversions or proposed conversions on agricultural lands. Such

determinations must be made in order to implement the ``minimal

effects'' and mitigation exemptions which are provided in the Food

Security Act. Under the minimal effects exemption, NRCS will identify

thresholds to determine whether a conversion activity is minimal. The

information provided from an HGM assessment can be compared to the

thresholds and provide the basis for making a minimal effect

determination. HGM assessment information will also provide the needed

data to determine mitigation requirements when granting a mitigation

exemption.

The HGM Approach also provides important information to determine

the nature and level of compensatory mitigation that is needed to

effectively offset impacts to wetlands. Identifying the degree to which

a project may adversely affect the hydrologic, biogeochemical, and

habitat functions of a particular wetland enables regulators to more

accurately determine the amount and type of compensatory mitigation

required to offset the adverse impacts. In addition, the indicators and

variables used to establish the assessment model may provide

performance standards with which mitigation projects can be monitored

to determine compliance.

In addition, the HGM Approach may also be applied to mitigation

banking (the creation, restoration, or enhancement of wetlands

expressly for the purpose of providing compensatory mitigation for

multiple projects.) The HGM approach can be used to determine the

appropriate number of credits available at a mitigation bank and also

to establish performance standards to measure the success of the

project in meeting stated goals.

The HGM Approach can be applied to determine the relative

functional capacity index of wetlands in a particular geographic area

within a watershed planning or wetland restoration effort, which

typically involves the collection and distribution of data on the

functions of wetlands in

[[Page 33617]]

the area. The information gathered can be used to make management

decisions on the location of future development within the watershed

and the protection of its aquatic resources. Where existing regional

subclass models are not available, a watershed planning effort may

provide the basis from which a regional assessment model can be

developed. In such cases, the model can be tailored to meet the

specific application of the planning effort.

The HGM Approach may also be used in the context of a State's

wetland water quality standards program. The HGM Approach provides a

useful framework for targeting States' data collection and research

efforts. Many States have increased their efforts to monitor and

document the ecological condition of their wetlands. This information

is then used to define more appropriate and specific wetland water

quality standards, to report on the health of States' aquatic systems,

and to set performance standards for wetland restoration and mitigation

projects. The indicators and variables identified in a regional

guidebook can serve as the basis for establishing narrative or numeric

criteria used to assess whether an established standard has been met.

The above list of potential applications of the HGM Approach will

be more fully addressed in the ``Guidelines for Developing

Hydrogeomorphic Approach Regional Guidebooks'.

VI. Schedule

The HGM Approach is being implemented in three phases. Phase I,

initiated in 1995, focused on developing functional assessment models

and regional guidebooks for priority regional wetland subclasses

including: (a) South-Central Florida flats and depressions and flats of

the Everglades; (b) Western Kentucky and Tennessee riverine (low

gradient, low order); (c) Vernal pools in California; (d) Prairie

potholes of the northern plains states; (e) Southeast Pine Flatwoods,

and (f) Coastal Fringe of the Texas Gulf Coast. Phase II, initiated in

1996, consists of an expanded nationwide effort to develop functional

assessment models and regional guidebooks in approximately 15-20

additional regional wetland subclasses in order to achieve the goal of

having a sufficient number of assessment models to address 80 percent

of the priority Section 404 permit workload requiring functional

assessments. (See Table 3) Under Phase III, functional assessment

models and regional guidebooks will be developed for all remaining

regional wetland subclasses identified.

A. Phase I--Pilot Projects--1995

Phase I of the Action Plan was initiated in 1995 and is focused on

developing regional guidebooks for regional wetland subclasses of

national priority as identified by a survey sent to Corps Districts.

National priorities were determined and pilot Corps Districts selected

by surveying field offices and identifying those types of wetlands

which are experiencing the most development pressure, are threatened

due to scarcity, and/or are complex and difficult to assess. A-teams

were established to identify reference wetlands and develop functional

indices for these priority regional wetland subclasses. The number of

A-teams formed was dependent upon the availability of personnel, time,

and financial resources, consistent with established national

priorities. A training workshop was held for A-team members to ensure

consistency in the efforts to develop regional subclass models. The A-

teams initiated technical meetings to accomplish tasks such as: the

identification of functions relevant to the particular wetland

subclass, the review of existing assessment models, the selection of

reference wetlands, the identification of variables, and the

development and testing of functional indices. The objective of Phase I

was to develop functional indices for priority regional wetland

subclasses, and establish protocol for identifying reference wetlands

and developing assessment models for additional regional subclasses

during Phase II and Phase III in a consistent, systematic, and accurate

manner.

Table 3.--Status of Development of Regional Guidebooks

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Component Contributing agency(ies) * Product Projected completion Current status

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

National Documents:

National Action Plan....... COE/WES...................... Technical Report............ Apr. 97..................... Draft Complete.

Procedural Document........ COE/WES...................... Technical Report............ Apr. 96..................... Published.

Guidelines for Developing COE/WES...................... Technical Report............ Dec. 97..................... Initiated Jan. 97.

Hydro-geomorphic Approach

Regional Guidebooks.

Classification Report...... COE/WES...................... Technical Report............ Jun. 93..................... Published.

National Guidebooks:

Riverine Wetlands.......... COE/WES...................... Operational Draft........... May 96...................... Completed.

Depressional Wetlands...... COE/WES/FWS.................. Operational Draft........... Dec. 97..................... Initiated Oct. 96.

Slope Wetlands............. COE/WES...................... Operational Draft........... Dec. 97..................... Workshop held Oct. 96.

Fringe: Estuarine.......... COE/WES...................... Operational Draft........... Oct. 97..................... Workshop held Sep. 96, Draft

complete.

Fringe: Lacustrine......... COE/WES...................... Operational Draft........... ............................ Pending Funding.

Flats...................... COE/WES...................... Operational Draft........... ............................ Pending Funding.

Regional Slope Guidebooks:

Forested Slope Wetlands of COE/WES...................... Operational Draft........... May 98...................... Workshop Jul. 96.

New England--

Massachusetts, New

Hampshire, Vermont.

Regional Riverine Guidebooks:

Low gradient 2nd or 3rd COE/WES/TN DEC............... Operational Draft........... Jul. 97..................... Workshop May 96, Draft

order streams in Western Complete.

Kentucky and Tennessee.

Low gradient 2nd or 3rd COE/WES/EPA/States/Private/ Operational Draft........... Dec. 97..................... Workshop held in Apr. 96.

order streams in the FHWA.

Northern Rockies--Montana.

[[Page 33618]]

Regional Depressional

Guidebooks:

Prairie Potholes--North NRCS/COE/WES................. Operational Draft........... Dec. 97..................... Workshop Jun. 95, Draft

Dakota. completed.

Depressions in South and COE/WES...................... Operational Draft........... Oct. 97..................... Workshop held Feb. 96.

Central Florida.

Vernal Pools of the Central COE/WES...................... Operational Draft........... Sep. 98..................... Workshop held May 96.

Valley of California.

Herbaceous Depressions of COE/WES/EPA/States/Private/ Operational Draft........... Oct. 97..................... Workshop held Apr. 96.

the Northern Rockies-- FHWA.

Montana.

Regional Fringe: Coastal

Guidebooks:

Coastal Wetlands of the COE/WES/EPA.................. Operational Draft........... Oct. 98..................... Initiated Jan. 97, Workshop

Texas Coast. scheduled for Nov. 97.

Regional Fringe: Lacustrine

Guidebooks:

Tulsa...................... COE/WES/EPA.................. Operational Draft........... Oct. 98..................... Initiated Jan. 97.

Regional Flats Guidebooks:

Herbaceous Flats in South COE/WES...................... Operational Draft........... Oct. 97..................... Workshop held Feb. 96.

and Central Florida.

Flats in the East COE/WES...................... Operational Draft........... Oct. 97..................... Workshop held Apr. 96.

Everglades of Florida.

Pine Flatwoods of the FHWA/EPA..................... Operational Draft........... Dec. 97..................... Initiated May 96.

Southeastern US.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: *=Agency abbreviations are listed below.

COE--U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters and Districts.

WES--U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station.

EPA--U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters and/or regional offices.

NRCS--U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service.

FHWA--Federal Highway Administration.

FWS--U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

TN DEC--Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation,

Five regional guidebooks are currently under development

representing depressional wetlands (prairie potholes in the northern

plains states and vernal pools in the Central Valley of California),

riverine wetlands (low gradient streams in western Kentucky/Tennessee),

flats (flats in the East Everglades of Florida), and flat/depressional

mosaics in Florida. Table 3 identifies the current status of these

regional guidebooks and their anticipated completion dates.

B. Phase II--Expanded Nationwide Effort

Phase II, initiated during 1996, consists of an expanded nationwide

effort to develop regional guidelines in approximately 15-20 additional

regional wetland subclasses. Regional guidebooks developed in Phase II

will use the same protocol as described for Phase I. As identified in

Table 3, efforts currently underway as part of Phase II include the

development of assessment models for riparian systems, herbaceous

depressional and slope wetlands in the northern Rocky Mountains,

forested slope wetlands in New England, and coastal fringe wetlands of

the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to the efforts being led by the Federal

agencies, there are also efforts in regional guidebook development

being led by various states under EPA's State Grant Program. These

efforts to date are listed in Table 4. However, it should be recognized

that expanded efforts in this Phase will not address all regional

wetland subclasses. The number of efforts initiated is dependent upon

the availability of personnel, time, and financial resources.

Table 4.--Status of Other HGM Efforts, Funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (including EPA State/Tribal Wetland Grant Program)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Component Contributing agency(ies) Product Projected completion Current status

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Regional Riverine Guidebooks:

Low gradient riverine EPA/COE-WES.................. Operational Draft........... Sep. 98..................... Initiated Apr 97.

wetlands in the lower

Mississippi River Valley.

Riverine Wetlands of the EPA.......................... Operational Draft........... Oct. 98..................... Draft complete, undergoing

Santa Margarita Watershed peer review prior to

in Southern California. workshop review.

Riverine/slope wetlands of Alaska DEC/SGP............... Operational Draft........... Oct. 97..................... Draft undergoing peer

southeast Alaska. review.

Riverine wetlands in 1st-- EPA.......................... Operational Draft........... Mar. 99..................... Initiated May 94.

2nd order headwater

reaches in Pennsylvania

and Maryland.

Riverine wetlands along EPA.......................... Operational Draft........... Mar. 99..................... Initiated May 94.

broad floodplains

associated with streams

greater than 2nd order in

Pennsylvania and Maryland.

[[Page 33619]]

Flow through and impounded Washington Dept of Ecology/ Operational Draft........... Jan. 98..................... Workshop held May 97.

riverine wetlands in SGP.

Washington.

Low gradient riverine Utah Governor's Office of Operational Draft........... Mar. 98..................... Data collection.

wetlands of the Great Planning/SGP.

Colorado Plateau and Rocky

Mt. region.

Riverine wetlands of Kenai AK DEC/FWS/ Kenai Peninsula Operational Draft........... Sep. 98..................... Fieldwork Jul 97.

watershed Alaska. Borough/SGP.

Regional Slope Guidebooks:

Slope wetlands in EPA.......................... Operational Draft........... Dec. 98..................... Initiated May 94.

Pennsylvania.

Regional Depression Guidebooks:

Flowthrough and closed Washington Dept of Ecology/ Operational Draft........... Jan. 98..................... Workshop held May 97.

depression wetlands in SGP.

Washington.

Depression wetlands in EPA.......................... Operational Draft........... Dec. 98..................... Initiated May 94.

Pennsylvania.

Depression wetlands in Guam EPA.......................... Operational Draft........... Dec. 99..................... Initiate in Aug 97.

Regional Flats Guidebooks:

Flats wetlands on AK DEC/NRCS/DOA/SGP.......... Operational Draft........... Jul. 97..................... Workshop held Apr 97.

discontinuous permafrost

in interior Alaska.

Regional Fringe Guidebooks:

Tidal freshwater marshes of NY DEC/COE/Hudson River Operational Draft........... Dec. 98..................... Pre-draft guidebook

the Hudson River, New York. Improvement Fund/SGP. completed.

Other:

Characterization and Colorado Geological Survey/ Grant Report................ Jun. 98..................... Initiated Aug 96.

functional assessment of SGP.

reference wetlands of the

southern and central Rocky

Mountains.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: * =Agency abbreviations are listed below:

COE-WES--U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

EPA--U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

SGP--EPA's State/Tribal Wetland Grant Program.

NRCS--U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service.

AK DEC--Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.

NY DEC--New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

DOA--Department of the Army.

In addition to the development of regional guidebooks, the Corps

and the other Federal agencies, will work together during Phase II, to

develop necessary guidance on how the HGM Approach may be applied in

the review of Section 404 permit applications. The intent of the

guidance is to clarify how information from an assessment can be used

to determine the level of environmental impacts a proposed project may

cause and the appropriate regulatory response.

C. Phase III

Based on the needs of the Federal agencies and work conducted to

date by others, the agencies will establish a priority listing of

additional models to be developed.

VII. Funding

Primary funding for the Federal effort to develop the HGM Approach

has been and will continue to be provided through the Corps, with

additional support being provided by other federal agencies, including

EPA, NRCS, FWS, NMFS, and FHWA. As development of the approach

continues, limited Federal funds will be available for the development

of each regional guidebook to support tasks such as the collection of

data, training, and technical workshops. The cost for developing

regional guidebooks is expected to vary depending on the scope of the

effort and the level and nature of participation by Federal, State,

Tribal and local agencies and the private sector. For State, Tribal and

certain local efforts, EPA's State Wetlands Grant Program has made

funding available for those agencies wishing to pursue an HGM Approach

within their wetlands program. Interested State, Tribal and local

agencies should contact the local EPA office for further information.

References

Brinson, M.M. 1993. A Hydrogeomorphic Classification for Wetlands.

Wetland Research Program Technical Report WRP-DE-4. U.S. Army Engineer

Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS.

Brinson, M.M., F.R. Hauer, L.C. Lee, W.L. Nutter, R.D. Smith, D.

Whigham, 1995. Guidebook for Application of Hydrogeomorphic Assessments

to Riverine Wetlands (Operational Draft). Wetland Research Program

Technical Report WRP-DE-11. U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment

Station, Vicksburg, MS.

Davis, M.M., E.J. Clairain, Jr, W. Ainslie, M. Gilbert, M.A. Schwinn,

M. Sheehan, G. Sparks, K. Trott, and M. Whited. May 1996 (Draft).

Development of Regional Wetland Subclass HGM Functional Assessment

Model Guidebooks.

Smith, R.D. 1993. A Conceptual Framework for Assessing the Functions of

Wetlands. Wetland Research Program Technical Report WRP-DE-3. U.S. Army

Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS.

Smith, R.D., A. Ammann, C. Bartoldus, and M.M. Brinson. 1995. An

Approach for Assessing Wetland Functions Using Hydrogeomorphic

Classification, Reference Wetlands, and Functional Indices. Wetland

Research Program Technical Report WRP-DE-9. U.S. Army Engineer

Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS.

[[Page 33620]]

Clairain, E.J., Jr. (ed). In prep. Guidelines for Developing

Hydrogeomorphic Approach Regional Guidebooks. Wetland Research Program

Technical Report WRP-DE-__. U.S. Army Waterways Experiment Station,

Vicksburg, MS.

Appendix A

Definition of Terms

Assessment Model: A simple model that defines the relationship

between ecosystem and landscape scale attributes and processes and

functional capacity of a wetland. The model is developed and calibrated

using reference wetlands from a reference domain.

Assessment Objective: The reason why an assessment of wetland

functions is being conducted. Assessment objectives normally fall into

one of three categories. These include: documenting existing

conditions, comparing different wetlands at the same point in time

(e.g., alternatives analysis, and comparing the same wetland at

different points in time (e.g., impact analysis or mitigation success).

Assessment Team (A-Team): An interdisciplinary group of regional

and local scientists responsible for identifying regional wetland

subclasses, identification of reference wetlands, construction of

assessment models, definition of reference standards, and calibration

of assessment models.

Functional Assessment: The process by which the capacity of a

wetland to perform a function is measured or estimated. The

Hydrogeomorphic Approach measures capacity using an assessment model to

determine a functional capacity index.

Functional Capacity: The rate or magnitude at which a wetland

ecosystem performs a function. Functional capacity is dictated by

characteristics of the wetland ecosystem and the surrounding landscape,

and interaction between the two.

Functional Capacity Index (FCI): An index of the capacity of a

wetland to perform a function relative to other wetlands within a

regional wetland subclass in a reference domain. Functional capacity

indices are by definition scaled from 0.0 to 1.0. An index of 1.0

indicates the wetland performs a function at the highest sustainable

functional capacity, the level equivalent to a wetland under reference

standard conditions in a reference domain. An index of 0.0 indicates

the wetland does not perform the function at a measurable level, and

will not recover the capacity to perform the function through natural

processes.

Highest Sustainable Functional Capacity: The level of functional

capacity achieved across the suite of functions by a wetland under

reference standard conditions in a reference domain. This approach

assumes that the highest sustainable functional capacity is achieved

when a wetland ecosystem and the surrounding landscape are undisturbed.

Hydrogeomorphic Wetland Class: The highest level in the

hydrogeomorphic wetland classification. There are seven basic

hydrogeomorphic wetland classes including depressional, fringe--

lacustrine and coastal, slope, riverine, and flat--mineral and organic.

Project Target: The level of functioning identified for a

restoration or creation project. Conditions specified for the

functioning are used to judge whether a project reaches the target and

is developing toward site capacity.

Project Standards: Performance criteria and/or specifications used

to guide the restoration or creation activities toward the project

target. Project standards should include and specify reasonable

contingency measures if the project target is not being achieved.

Red Flag Features: Features of a wetland or the surrounding

landscape to which special recognition or protection is assigned on the

basis of objective criteria. The recognition or protection may occur at

a federal, state, regional, or local level, and may be official or

unofficial.

Reference: Standard for measuring, reckoning, or constructing.

Reference Domain: The geographic area from which reference wetlands

are selected. A reference domain may or may not include the entire

geographic area in which a regional wetland subclass occurs.

Reference Standard Wetlands: The sites within a reference wetland

data set from which reference standards are developed. Among all

reference wetlands, reference standard sites are judged by an

interdisciplinary team to have the highest level of functioning.

Reference Standards: Conditions exhibited by a group of reference

wetlands that correspond to the highest level of functioning (highest,

sustainable level of functioning) across the suite of functions

performed by the regional wetland subclass. The highest level of

functional capacity is assigned an index score of 1.0 by definition.

Reference Wetlands: Wetland sites that encompass the variability of

a regional wetland subclass in a reference domain. Reference wetlands

are used to establish the range of conditions for construction and

calibration of functional indices and establish reference standards.

Regional Wetland Subclass: Wetlands within a region that are

similar based on hydrogeomorphic classification factors. There may be

more than one regional wetland subclass identified within each

hydrogeomorphic wetland class depending on the diversity of wetlands in

a region, and assessment objectives.

Site Potential: The highest level of functioning possible, given

local constraints of disturbance history, land use, or other factors.

Site capacity may be equal to or less than levels of functioning

established by reference standards for the reference domain, and it may

be equal to or less than the functional capacity of a wetland

ecosystem.

Wetland Functions: The normal activities or actions that occur in

wetland ecosystems, or simply, the things that wetlands do. Wetland

functions result directly from the characteristics of a wetland

ecosystem and the surrounding landscape, and their interaction.

[FR Doc. 97-15959 Filed 6-19-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710-92-P