ASWM
NEWS |
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Photos
by Jeanne Christie, ASWM
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Wetland
Assessment: Measuring the Quality of the Nation's Wetlands, by Leah
Stetson |
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A
commonly accepted principle among architects and designers is that
'form ever follows function,' which means that the shape or appearance
of a structure should be predicated by its intended purpose--whatever
it does. But when wetland scientists talk about function, condition
and values--there are different views on what these things mean
and what they say about the quality of a wetland. [Full
Article] |
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Checklist
of Suggested Considerations in Developing Wetland Assessment Methods |
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RESOURCES
& PUBLICATIONS |
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“Recommendations
for Reconciling Wetland Assessment Techniques” Jon Kusler, Esq.,
Ph.D. Association of State Wetland Managers, Inc. http://www.aswm.org/propub/reconciling.pdf
Wetland Assessment Report Series: Jon Kusler, Esq., Ph.D. Association
of State Wetland Managers, Inc. |
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Common
Questions: Wetland Assessment by Jon A. Kusler, Association
of State Wetland Managers, Inc. (06/26/06) (PDF) |
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“Application
of Elements of a State Water Monitoring and Assessment Program for
Wetlands” EPA, April 2006 This document includes the recommended
elements of a state water monitoring and assessment program.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/monitor/#elements
“A Practical Guide for the Development of a Wetland Assessment:
the California Experience” Martha A. Sutula, Eric D. Stein, Joshua
N. Collins, A. Elizabeth Fetscher, and Ross Clark
http://www.wrmp.org/docs/cram4/WREB4201_157-175.pdf
“An evaluation of wetland assessment techniques and their applications
to decision making” MA Thiesing, EPA
http://www.environment.gov.au/ssd/publications/ssr/pubs/
techniques-ssr161.pdf |
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A
Rapid Assessment System for Riparian and Stream Corridors for California:
A Discussion on How Can We Improve a Rapid Assessment System for
Streams? A. L. Riley, Ph.D., Watershed Division and Jill Marshall,
P.G., TMDL and Planning Division of the San Francisco Bay Region
Water Quality Control Board
http://www.aswm.org/fwp/assessment/cram_6-01-07_final.pdf
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Rapid
Permit Process for Stream Protection. San Francisco Bay Region Water
Quality Control Board, California, February 2008
http://www.aswm.org/fwp/assessment/rapid_permit_process_
for_stream_protection_0208.pdf |
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Rapid
Permit Checklis. San Francisco Bay Region Water
Quality Control Board http://www.aswm.org/fwp/assessment/rapid_
permit_checklilst_outline_0208pdf |
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Application
of Watershed Ecological Risk Assessment Methods to Watershed Management
EPA – Federal Register April 14, 2008 EPA is announcing the availability
of a final report titled, ``Application of Watershed Ecological
Risk Assessment Methods to Watershed Management'' (EPA/600/R-06/037F),
which was prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment
(NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD). Ecological
risk assessment (ERA) is a process for analyzing environmental problems
and is intended to increase the use of ecological science in decision
making in order to evaluate the likelihood that adverse ecological
effects may occur or are occurring as a result of exposure to one
or more stressors. Applying ERA principles to watershed management
makes scientific information more relevant to the needs of environmental
managers. The document will be available electronically through
the NCEA website at: http://www.epa.gov/ncea
A limited number of paper copies will be available from the EPA's
National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP),
P.O. Box 42419, Cincinnati, OH 45242; telephone: 1-800-490-9198;
facsimile: 301-604-3408; e-mail: nscep@bps-lmit.com
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ASSESSMENT
IN THE NEWS |
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Florida
Study: Estero Bay Watershed Lost 6.5 Percent of Wetlands in a Year |
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By
Charlie Whitehead – Naples Daily News – January 26, 2008
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A new Estero Bay watershed study shows a dismal environmental future if the way development permits are reviewed isn't changed. An assessment of the 345-square-mile watershed by Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council planner and former state biologist Jim Beever says more than 25 percent of the watershed is already developed, and a recent 12-month period saw a decrease in wetlands within the watershed of 6.4 percent. That's 3,755 acres of wetlands in 2006 that agencies like the South Florida Water Management District, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Corps of Engineers allowed to be destroyed. For the article, go to: http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/jan/26/study-
estero-bay-watershed-lost-65-pecent-wetlands/ |
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ASSESSMENT
EVENTS & TRAINING |
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Events will be added soon, please check back. |
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FEDERAL
WETLAND ASSESSMENT LINKS |
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For
direct access to the available EPA water quality and assessment
reports, including wadeable streams, National Coastal Condition
reports, updated information on the progress of the lakes assessment,
as well as preliminary information about the rivers and streams
assessment progress, visit: http://www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/reporting.html
The National
Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Work Group is open to new participants.
Interested wetland managers may contact Mike Scozzafava by email
at Scozzafava.MichaelE@epamail.epa.gov
to be included on the email list or to gain access to the password-protected
website for the work group. Also visit, http://epa.gov/owow/wetlands/survey/
for specific information on the National Wetland Condition Assessment.
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USGS’s
New Ecological Assessment Methods (Searchable) Database
http://assessmentmethods.nbii.gov/
EPA’s fact sheet on Wetland Monitoring and Assessment http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/pdf/techfram.pdf
USGS Wetland Assessment History
http://water.usgs.gov/nwsum/WSP2425/functions.html
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Wetland Assessment Alternatives
Dennis Durbin, FHWA
http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/conference/
presentations/Durbin_Dennis.ppt
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Rapid Assessment Procedures
Brian Smith, FHWA
http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/conference/
presentations/Smith_Brian.ppt
Army Corps of Engineers Reports on Hydrogeomorphic Wetland Assessment
http://el.erdc.usace.army.mil/wetlands/guidebooks.html
STATE WETLAND ASSESSMENT LINKS
MA: Coastal Zone Management Wetland Assessment http://www.mass.gov/czm/wastart.htm
and http://www.mass.gov/czm/wetlandassessment.htm
University of Massachusetts’ (Amherst) Conservation Assessment and
Prioritization System (CAPS)
http://www.umass.edu/landeco/research/caps/caps.html
Developing Metrics of an Ecological Integrity Assessment
Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Joe Rocchio
www.natureserve.org/.../CL-7B-Developing%20Metrics%20
of%20Ecological%20Integrity-Joe%20Rocchio.ppt
California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM)
http://www.cramwetlands.org/
Montana’s Rapid Assessment Method http://www.deq.state.mt.us/wqinfo/Wetlands/WetlandRA
Form.asp
Oregon Wetland Assessment Manual http://www.oregon.gov/OWEB/docs/pubs/wa_manual99/05
_rip_wet_print.pdf
Maine Wetland Assessment Bioassessment http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/docmonitoring/
biomonitoring/index.htm
ME: Beginning with Habitat
http://www.beginningwithhabitat.org/index.html
Maine Natural Areas Program
http://www.mainenaturalareas.org/docs/program_activities/
Ohio EPA’s Assessment reports http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dsw/wetlands/WetlandEcology
Section_reports.html
Ohio EPA’s An Ecological and Functional Assessment of Urban Wetlands
in Central Ohio Vol. 1: Condition of Urban Wetlands using Rapid
& Intensive Assessment Methods by John Mack and Mick Micacchion
http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dsw/wetlands/L919Report
Vol_1_EcologAssessUrbanWTLDs.pdf
Louisiana Wetland Monitoring and Assessment of Restoration http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08130.pdf |
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