Part 512 - Wetland Conservation 

 512.13(2) 



(2) If it cannot be determined by visual observation 

 whether hydrophytic vegetation is prevalent, use prescribed 

 transect techniques to calculate a prevalence index value as 

 described in Section 516.11. A prevalence index value of less than 

 3.0 indicates a prevalence of hydrophytic vegetation. 



(3) If human activity has altered the natural plant 

 community in an area that meets hydric soil criteria, prevalence 

 can be determined by comparison to a nearby area that contains the 

 same hydric soil under similar hydrological conditions and the 

 natural plant community typically found on that soil map unit. 



(4) An area such as hemlock swamp, pothole, playa, or 

 vernal pool is also considered to have a prevalence of hydrophytic 

 vegetation if it meets the criteria for hydric soil and wetland 

 hydrology. 



(b) Vegetation transects . Transect determinations of 

 vegetation for hydric soil areas are based on a 200-foot line 

 transect as described in Exhibit 516.11. 



{512.14 Criteria for identifying Converted Wetland (CW) after 

 December 23, 1985. 



(a) A wetland is converted if: 



(1) Excess water has been removed with dams, subsurface 

 drains, ditches, terraces, diversions, dikes, or other physical 

 manipulation to make production of an agricultural commodity 

 possible. These measures may cause a conversion even if they are 

 installed off site from the affected wetlands. Off site is any 

 measure that is installed on land other than the wetland being 

 evaluated and that has some effect on the subject wetland. 



(2) Woody vegetation (stems and stumps) has been removed 

 from a wetland after December 23, 1985, permitting the production 

 of an agricultural commodity or forage crop. If hydrology is 

 manipulated, the area is considered CW even if it still meets 

 wetland criteria. On land where the natural vegetation is woody, 

 and crop history for the area cannot be documented, the following 

 exceptions apply: 



(i) If the stems and stumps were not removed prior 

 to December 23, 1985, the area is wetland, and cannot be farmed 

 under natural conditions, 



512-14 



(180-v-NFSAM, Second Ed., Amend. 6, May 1991) 



