Print this page U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Wetland Delineation Protocol
H. Wayne Harper, P.E.
Course Outline
This four hour course provides an overview of wetland plants, soils, and hydrology, and details how these characteristics are utilized to determine federally approved delineations. Established as the national standard for wetland delineations, this U.S. Army Corps of Engineers instruction manual focuses on the necessary methodologies, such as:
- Preliminary Data Gathering and Synthesis;
- Selection of Method;
- Various Routine Determinations;
- Comprehensive Determinations; and,
- Atypical Situations
After completing this course, the student will have a greater understanding of wetland delineation protocols, as well as, the indicators that characterize these unique natural resources.
This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of course materials.
Learning Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the student will:
- Learn what a wetland is and how they function;
- Be familiar with the varied characteristics of hydrophytic vegetation;
- Be familiar with the varied characteristics of hydric soils;
- Be familiar with the varied characteristics of wetland hydrology;
- Realize the available existing data sources which can be utilized to document wetlands;
- Understand the methodologies of data synthesis;
- Be familiar with factors which determine the selection of delineation method (routine vs. comprehensive);
- Understand the routine determination protocols for wetland areas equal to or less than 5-acres in size;
- Understand the routine determination protocols for wetland areas greater than 5-acres in size;
- Understand the comprehensive determination protocols for wetland areas of any size;
- Learn about atypical situations and the wetland delineation protocols related to these occurrences; and
- Learn about problematic areas – certain wetland types and/or conditions that make delineation challenging.
Intended Audience
This course is intended for civil and environmental engineers.
Benefit for Attendee
Attendee of this course will understand 1) what a wetland is and how they function, 2) the integral wetland components of hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and wetland hydrology, and 3) the methodologies associated with national standard for wetland delineations. This knowledge could prove invaluable for engineers, planners, land developers, and average citizens concerned about the environment.
Course Introduction
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with moisture either permanently or seasonally and include swamps, marshes, and bogs, among others. Wetlands are considered the most biological diverse all ecosystems, serve as natural wastewater purification systems, and also provide vital flood attenuation. The government of the United States has realized the value of these unique natural resources and regulated their protection and use. To facilitate this process, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has developed a methodology for jurisdictional wetland delineation. Utilizing this material, this course defines 1) what a wetland is and how they function, 2) the integral wetland components of hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and wetland hydrology, and 3) the methodologies associated with national standard for wetland delineations. This knowledge could prove invaluable for engineers, planners, land developers, and average citizens concerned about the environment.
Course Content
The course content is contained in the following PDF file:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Wetland Delineation Protocol
Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you still experience any difficulty in downloading or opening this file, you may need to close some applications or reboot your computer to free up some memory.
Course Summary
Wetlands are scattered throughout out much of the world. These unique natural recourses are valuable for many reasons including their biological diversity, water purification processes, and flood attenuation. The first step in their protection is their official identification and documentation. This course has provided a detailed overview of wetlands, their characteristics, and the sanctioned protocols necessary for jurisdictional delineations. This information is valuable for Engineers, planners, land developers, and average citizens; and should increase awareness of the value and functions of wetlands.
Related Links
For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites or web pages:
United States Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service – Hydric Soils via http://soils.usda.gov/use/hydric/
United States Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service – Climate Analysis for Wetlands by County via http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/climate/wetlands.html
United States Fish & Wildlife Service – National Wetlands Inventory via http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
