eLearning Tool for FEMA Grant Applicants
Section D: Waters of the U.S. and Wetlands
D-1 - Determining if your project will affect "waters of the U.S."
D-2 - Agency Coordination, Permitting, and Evaluation of Alternatives
D-3 - How to Address Adverse Effects
D-4 - How to Provide Relevant and Helpful Support Documentation
D-3: How to Address Adverse Effects
Adverse effects to waters of the U.S. include dredging or filling of waters, and impacts to water quantity or quality such as sediment or pollutant releases. If you anticipate that your project will have an adverse effect to wetlands or other waters of the U.S., then you should consider ways to avoid those effects, minimize the effects, and if necessary, compensate for the effects. When possible, all projects should be designed to avoid adverse effects to waters of the U.S. If adverse effects cannot be avoided, develop appropriate treatment measures into the scope of work so adverse effects are reduced and minimized. Listed below are some of the possible adverse effects that your project may have, together with possible treatment measures that you may include in your project to avoid, reduce or minimize, or compensate for adverse effects. The list is illustrative, and does not include all adverse effects that a project may have or all of the ways to potentially treat those effects.
A. Adverse Effects
- Operate equipment in or dredge a waterway or wetland
Treatment Measures
- Acquire a U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Nationwide or Individual Permit.
- If applicable, acquire a State or local permit for operating equipment in or dredging a waterway or wetland.
- Utilize silt barriers, screen fences, and sediment traps.
- Construct sediment basins to treat runoff before discharging to waterways or wetlands
- Use equipment that would minimize the need to enter a waterway or wetland
- Use Best Management Practices to minimize effects to the waterway or wetland
B. Adverse Effects
- Increase sediment flow into a waterway or wetland
Treatment Measures
- If applicable, acquire a State or local regulatory agency permit (i.e., Department of Environmental Protection)
- If applicable, obtain a National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System Permit
- Basis to minimize potential deposition and runoff contamination.
- Utilize silt barriers, screen fences, and sediment traps.
- Construct sediment basins to treat runoff before discharging to waterways or wetlands
- Cover excavated material to prevent erosion and runoff.
- Seed bare ground with grasses
C. Adverse Effects
- Removal of vegetation in or near a body of water
Treatment Measures
- Acquire a U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Nationwide or Individual Permit.
- If applicable, acquire a State or local regulatory agency permit (i.e., Department of Environmental Protection)
- Seed bare ground with grasses
- Replace trees and shrubs with live plantings
D. Adverse Effects
- Placement of fill in a waterway or a wetland
Treatment Measures
- Acquire a U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Nationwide or Individual Permit.
- If applicable, acquire a State or local regulatory agency permit (i.e., Department of Environmental Protection)
- Utilize silt barriers, screen fences, sediment traps, and in-water sediment control devices.
- Time project to coincide with seasonal low waters.
E. Adverse Effects
- Diminishing the quantity, quality, or function of a wetland
Treatment Measures
- Acquire a U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Nationwide or Individual Permit.
- If applicable, acquire a State or local regulatory agency permit (i.e., Department of Environmental Protection)
- Create wetlands elsewhere via “wetland banking”.
- Typically, mitigation involves the creation of 1 acre of wetland for every 1 acre of wetland destroyed.
- Fence the perimeter of wetlands to prevent heavy equipment from inadvertently entering them
Last Modified: Friday, 30-Jun-2006 16:07:57 EDT