United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water Office of Environmental Information Washington, DC EPA 843-R-10-001

National Wetland Condition Assessment

Field Operations Manual

EPA-843-R-10-001

2011 National Wetland Condition Assessment

Field Operations Manual

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water

Office of Environmental Information Washington, DC

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2011 NWCA Field Operations Manual

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NOTICE

Methods described in the National Wetland Condition Assessment: Field Operations Manual are to be used specifically in work relating to the National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA). Mention of trade names or commercial products in the document does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. The suggested citation for this document is:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2011. National Wetland Condition Assessment: Field Operations Manual. EPA-843-R-10-001. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.

Companion documents for the NWCA are:

National Wetland Condition Assessment: Quality Assurance Project Plan (EPA-843-R-10-003) National Wetland Condition Assessment: Site Evaluation Guidelines (EPA-843-R-10-004) National Wetland Condition Assessment: Laboratory Methods Manual (EPA-843-R-10-002)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Notice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Table of Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 1. Overview of NWCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 2. Base Site Activities and Summary of Field Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 3. Establishing the Assessment Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 4. Characterizing the Buffer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 5. Vegetation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 6: Soils. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 7. Hydrology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 8. Water Quality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 9. Algae. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Appendix A. Shipping and Tracking

Appendix B. Target Invasive and Alien Plant Species

Appendix C. Vegetation Supplementary Material – Lists of Floristic Resources

Appendix D. Photography

Appendix E. Example Oil Decontamination Procedures

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many collaborators contributed to the development of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) National Wetland Condition Assessment Field Operations Manual (NWCA FOM). These committed partners improved the technical quality of the field sampling approach described in this document. In particular, state, tribal, and federal members of the National Wetlands Monitoring and Assessment Work Group provided tireless effort in reviewing protocols, attending and planning workshops, challenging our thinking, and committing to the goal of improved national data describing wetland quality. In addition, participants in the NWCA Indicators Workshop (2008) contributed to the scientific foundation for the manual and participants in the NWCA FOM Technical Review Panel (2010) provided the final scientific review of the field sampling approach. While it is not possible to list every person who provided input along the way, some of the key contributors are acknowledged below. Mary E. Kentula and Teresa Magee from the USEPA Office of Research and Development are the lead authors of this document and worked with the other members of the NWCA FOM writing team which included Gregg Lomnicky, Sandy Bryce and Howard Bruner from Dynamac Corporation, Inc. The writing team was responsible for writing, revising, and finalizing the document. This involved technical research on indicators, field protocol development and testing, and resolution of partner comments. They also organized the 2010 Technical Review at the USEPA National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory’s Western Ecology Division in Corvallis, OR. Elizabeth Riley, an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Fellow with USEPA Office of Water, provided invaluable technical support to almost every component of the NWCA FOM. In particular, Elizabeth wrote text for the appendices and competently led demonstrations of the protocols for the 2010 Technical Review and other NWCA meetings. Lenore Vasilas*, Phil King*, and other soil scientists with the US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service provided input that was key to development of the soils chapter. Joanna Lemly* from the Colorado Natural Heritage Program and Michael Bourdaghs* from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency provided detailed reviews of all the chapters of the FOM and served as co-chairs of the NWCA FOM Technical Review Panel. The NWCA builds on the work of the other National Aquatic Resource Surveys conducted by the USEPA and the states and tribes (see http://water.epa.gov/type/watersheds/monitoring/nationalsurveys.cfm). Other key contributors are noted below. While space limitations prevent listing of all the people who contributed to the Field Operations Manual, we gratefully acknowledge their input and extend our most sincere thanks to them as well. - Michael Scozzafava, USEPA Office of Water

State and Tribal Programs

Beth Connors, Maine Department of Environmental Protection

Jeanne DiFranco, Maine Department. of Environmental Protection Jan Smith, Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Program Marc Carullo, Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management

Lisa Rhodes, Massachusetts Department Environmental Protection Alan Quackenbush, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources

Kathleen Walz, New Jersey Natural Heritage Program Kerry Strout, New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission

Amy Jacobs, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control

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Alison Rogerson, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Danielle Kreeger, Delaware Estuary National Estuary Program

David Davis, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Michelle Henicheck, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Walt Kordek, West Virginia Department of Natural Resources Virginia Baker, North Carolina Department of the Environment and Natural Resources *Rick Savage, North Carolina Department of the Environment and Natural Resources

*Barbara Scott, Kentucky Department of Water Brian Gara, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency

*Mick Miccachion, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency John Mack, Cleveland Metroparks

Peg Bostwick, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tracy Collin, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment Todd Lossee, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment

Tom Bernthal, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Gina LaLiberte, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

John Genet, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Ted LaGrange, Nebraska Game and Parks

Debra Baker, Kansas Water Office Vince Evelsizer, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Cat McIntyre, Montana Natural Heritage Program Karen Newlon, Montana Natural Heritage Program Linda Vance, Montana Natural Heritage Program

Jason Jones, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality *Betty Fetcher, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project

Chris Solek, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Eric Stein, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project

Martha Sutula, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Josh Collins, San Francisco Estuary Institute

Aaron Borisenko, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Janet Morlan, Oregon Division of State Lands Kathy Verble, Oregon Division of State Lands

Renee Davis-Borne, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Tom Hruby, Washington Department of Ecology

Joe Rocchio, Washington Department of Natural Resources *Jason Pappani, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality Terri Lomax, Alaska Department of Environmental Control

Academia, Non-Profit and Private Organizations

Rick Rheinhardt, East Carolina University Dennis McCauley, Great Lakes Environmental Center

Jamie Saxton, Great Lakes Environmental Center Chris Turner, Great Lakes Environmental Center

Siobhan Fennessy, Kenyon College Jan Stevenson, Michigan State University

Cara Clark, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Kevin O’Connor, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

Don Faber-Langendoen, NatureServe Robert Peet, North Carolina State University

*Shawn DeKeyser, North Dakota State University Christine Hargiss, North Dakota State University

Paul Adamus, Oregon State University Rob Brooks, Penn State University

Sarah (Miller) Chamberlain, Penn State University Hannah Ingram, Penn State University Denice Wardrop, Penn State University

*Kelly Reiss, University of Florida John Galbraith, Virginia Tech University

Kirk Havens, Virginia Institute of Marine Science

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Federal Agencies

Tom Dahl, US Fish and Wildlife Service Keith Loftin, US Geologic Survey

Tom Heitmuller, US Geologic Survey Martin Stapanian, US Geologic Survey Keith Langdon, National Park Service

Kate Miller, National Park Service *Brian Mitchell, National Park Service Billy Schweiger, National Park Service

Larry West, US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service Chris Smith, US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service

Rich Ferguson, US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service Dan Shurtliff, US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service

Cameron Loerch, US Deparment of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service Chris Carlson, US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service

Gregg Serenbetz USEPA Chris Faulkner, USEPA HQ

Sarah Lehmann, USEPA HQ Ellen Tarquinio, USEPA HQ Timothy Taylor, USEPA HQ

Jeanne Voorhees, USEPA Region 1 Tom Faber, USEPA Region 1

Kathleen Drake, USEPA Region 2 *Regina Poeske, USEPA Region 3

Peter Kalla, USEPA Region 4 David Melgaard, USEPA Region 4

Bill Ainslie, US EPA Region 4 Diana Woods, US EPA Region 4 *Peter Jackson, USEPA Region 5

Sue Elston, USEPA Region 5 Mark Stead, USEPA Region 6

Richard Prather, USEPA Region 6 Laura Hunt, USEPA Region 6

Eliodora Chamberlain, USEPA Region 7 Leah Medley, USEPA Region 7

Jill Minter, USEPA Region 8 Karl Hermann, USEPA Region 8

Paul Jones, USEPA Region 9 *Mary Anne Theising, USEPA Region 10

Virginia Engle, USEPA Office of Research and Development Michael Osland, USEPA Office of Research and Development

*Janet Nestlerode, USEPA Office of Research and Development *Anett Trebitz, USEPA Office of Research and Development Mary Moffet, USEPA Office of Research and Development

Amanda Nahlik, USEPA Office of Research and Development Walt Nelson, USEPA Office of Research and Development

Christine Weilhoefer, USEPA Office of Research and Development David Peck, USEPA Office of Research and Development

Debra Taylor, USEPA Office of Research and Development Alex Amario, USEPA Office of Research and Development

Cathleen Wigand, USEPA Office of Research and Development Charles Lane, USEPA Office of Research and Development

* Member of the 2010 Technical Review Panel

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