At the preliminary meeting for this project, the TCFO representative informed the project proponents that the early designs for the project would cause significantly greater wetland impacts than was described in project plans. The problem stemmed from their use of our own National Wetlands Inventory map for wetland delineation. The root problem is that our NWI maps in Northeastern Minnesota are less than 50 percent accurate in the identification of wetland resources.

The TCFO recognized the problem and promised to identify a solution as a top priority.

After four meetings and roughly six iterations of project plans, a final plan was completed and approved that now will result in a project that better suits the major tenants, more developable sites, and only 3.8 acres of wetland impacts. Further, the replacement mitigation will be provided both in-kind and on-site through the restoration of a ditched and partially drained wetland in the same watershed subunit.

In addition, the TCFO recognized the potential problems posed by an inaccurate NWI map for a rapidly developing, urban area. Working with our regional NWI Coordinator, the TCFO has initiated the complete revision of the subject NWI map, using state-of-the-art, aerial photography and delineation techniques.