WETLAND INVESTIGATION

Do I need a wetland delineation for my project?

The interaction of hydrology, vegetation, and soil results in the development of characteristics unique to wetlands. Therefore wetland determinations are based on these three parameters. The first step in determining if you will need a wetland delineation performed for your project is getting to know your property. There are several websites that provide maps displaying the boundaries of known federal and state regulated wetlands. These can be used to access wetland data for your land.

*** If wetland locations and/or boundaries are found on or adjacent to your land, you may request a delineation from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DEC, or the Adirondack Park Agency. Given the time frames in which the respective offices can respond to delineation requests, property owners generally obtain a quicker delineation through consulting services. ***

The Wetlands Mapper created by The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service represents the latest, most accurate information available for the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI). Most NWI maps were produced using aerial photography from the 1980's. Maps for less than 5% of the Nation were made using more recent photography.

In New York State the  Environmental Resource Mapper  is an interactive mapping application that can be used to identify known NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) regulated wetlands. The DEC has mapped the approximate boundaries of all wetlands of 12.4 acres or more in New York. In some cases, these maps include smaller wetlands of unusual local importance, and within the Adirondack Park the maps include wetlands down to one acre and all wetlands adjacent to open water. These maps are used to determine the presence of wetlands on particular properties.