TECHNICAL VALIDITY OF ACCEPTABLE INDICATORS OF WETLAND 

 HYDROLOGY 



1989 MANUAL: 



The list of wetland hydrology indicators included both strong and weak 

 indicators, each of which alone could be used to meet the wetland hydrology 

 criterion. 



Hydric soil characteristics alone also could be used to meet the hydrology 

 criterion. 



PROPOSED REVISED MANUAL: 



Eliminates hydric soil characteristics as hydrology indicators. 



Separates list of hydrology indicators into primary and secondary indicators. 



Primary indicators are more reliable and can be used alone to meet hydrology 

 criterion. 



Secondary indicators are weaker and can only be used with corroborative 

 information. This corroborative information must be of sufficient quality and 

 extent that when taken together with secondary indicators clearly supports the 

 presence of wetland hydrology for the necessary time, duration, and frequency. 



Requests public comment on the validity of secondary indicators. 



Removes water-stained leaves, trunks, or stems and requests public comment on 

 including this as indicators of hydrology, their reliability as indicators of hydrology 

 and whether they should be primary or secondary indicators. 



Solicits comments on the data requirements for hydrologic records (e.g., cutoff 

 for "normal rainfall" years) to document that the wetland hydrology criterion has 

 been met. 



