These documents are part of a series of Regional Supplements to the 1987 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual (hereafter called the Corps Manual). The Corps Manual provides technical guidance and procedures, from a national perspective, for identifying and delineating wetlands that may be subject to regulatory jurisdiction under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) or Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (33 U.S.C. 403). According to the Corps Manual, identification of wetlands is based on a three-factor approach involving indicators of hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soil, and wetland hydrology. This Regional Supplement presents wetland indicators, delineation guidance, and other information that is specific to the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain Region.
These Regional Supplements are part of a nationwide effort to address regional wetland characteristics and improve the accuracy and efficiency of wetland-delineation procedures. Regional differences in climate, geology, soils, hydrology, plant and animal communities, and other factors are important to the identification and functioning of wetlands. These differences cannot be considered adequately in a single national manual. The development of this supplement follows National Academy of Sciences recommendations to increase the regional sensitivity of wetland-delineation methods (National Research Council 1995).
The intent of these supplements is to bring the Corps Manual up to date with current knowledge and practice in regions and not to change the way wetlands are defined or identified. The procedures given in the Corps Manual, in combination with wetland indicators and guidance provided in these supplements, can be used to identify wetlands for a number of purposes, including resource inventories, management plans, and regulatory programs. The determination that a wetland is subject to regulatory jurisdiction under Section 404 or Section 10 must be made independently of procedures described in this supplement.
These Regional Supplements are designed for use with the current version of the Corps Manual (Environmental Laboratory 1987) and all subsequent versions. Where differences in the two documents occur, the Regional Supplement takes precedence over the Corps Manual for applications in the applicable region.
All Regional Supplements have been issued as Version 2.0. All wetland delineations must be done in accordance with the applicable Regional Supplements.