Sxibpart D - Use and Requirements of Wetlands 



512.35(b) 



Persons may continue to farm such wetlands under natural conditions 

 as they did prior to December 23, 1985. However, no action can be 

 taken to alter the water regime beyond that which existed on or 

 before December 23, 1985. When determinations are made on wetland 

 that is being used to produce agricultural commodities, SCS will 

 document the conditions other than natural conditions (drained, 

 dredged, leveled, filled, pxomped or otherwise manipulated) under 

 which the wetlands are being farmed. 



(b) Abandoned wetlands (m . Abandoned wetlands are those that 

 have resulted from the abandonment of cropping and/or management on 

 prior converted cropland or farmed wetland. Persons may produce 

 agricultural commodities on such wetlands only if water regimes are 

 not altered or woody vegetation removed. 



(512.35 Use of farmed wetland (FW) and farmed wetland pasture 

 (FWP) . 



(a) Farmed wetlands (FW) are wetlands that were manipulated 

 and used to produce an agricultural commodity prior to 

 December 23, 1985, but had not been converted prior to that date 

 and, therefore, are not prior converted croplands. These areas 

 still meet the wetland criteria and include potholes and playas 

 that still meet the wetland criteria, or areas that are seasonally 

 ponded or flooded for an extended period of time. These areas can 

 be farmed and maintained as they were prior to December 23, 1985, 

 if they are not abandoned. 



(b) Farmed wetland pasture or hayland (FWP) are wetlands that 

 have been manipulated to make pasture or hay production possible 

 prior to December 23, 1985, but that still meet wetland criteria. 

 Such areas may have never been planted to an agricultural 

 commodity, or may have had an agricultural commodity produced, but 

 not in the preceding 5-year period, therefore not meeting the 

 criteria for farmed wetland nor prior converted cropland. These 

 areas can be farmed as they were prior to December 23, 1985, 

 including the maintenance of drainage systems, if they are not 

 abandoned. Such areas may be planted to agricultural commodities 

 only if agricultural commodities have been planted as part of a 

 previously established rotation or where production is possible 

 under natural conditions without additional drainage or 

 maintenance. 



512-53 

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



