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Wetlands Inventory

Wetlands Inventory Index Map

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT LOCAL WETLAND INVENTORY

The City of Damascus inventoried its wetlands as part of the Natural Features project.  The Oregon Department of State Lands accepted the City’s Local Wetlands Inventory in December 2009. 

What is a Local Wetlands Inventory (LWI)?
A LWI is a systematic survey of an area (usually a city) to locate, map and describe the wetlands. The inventory is prepared using information sources such as aerial photos and soils maps and by conducting field observations. Where needed and where property access is permitted, the wetland scientists collect data on the vegetation and soils to confirm that an area is or is not a wetland. The final LWI consists of a set of maps that show the location of wetlands and streams, and descriptive information about the wetlands and the main functions they provide. Functions that are evaluated include wildlife habitat quality, contribution to fish habitat or water quality improvement, and floodwater retention capability.

Why did the City of Damascus conduct a LWI?
The main reason is that cities are required by the statewide land use planning law to include protection for “significant wetlands” in their comprehensive plan. The LWI and functional assessment of wetlands is the information-gathering step needed as the foundation for the remaining wetland planning steps.  Now that the LWI is completed, the City will work to develop appropriate ordinances that apply to those wetlands.

How will the community benefit from the LWI?
The LWI provides the information the City needs to incorporate wetlands and streams into the comprehensive plan for the community.   For example, the LWI helps the City incorporate wetlands into planning for parks and greenbelts. It also provides information on each wetland’s ability to improve water quality or reduce flooding—both of which are important to stormwater management planning. These wetland functions would be difficult and expensive to replace by other means. Also, advance knowledge about wetland locations helps reduce costs and conflicts when planning new infrastructure such as streets and water and sewer lines.

What about landowners? Is there any benefit for them?
Problems frequently occur when a landowner or developer is unaware that a parcel contains wetlands.  Information about the presence of wetlands reduces the uncertainty that can slow down real estate transactions and development plans. A person wishing to develop a site that contains a mapped wetland will know in advance to design the project to avoid the wetland and to allow sufficient time to obtain any necessary wetland fill permits.

If I didn’t allow property access, will my land be left off the wetlands map?
The entire planning area was covered by the LWI. For those areas where access was denied, the wetland information was compiled from the aerial photos, soils maps and observations from nearby roads. This information is generally adequate, but may be less accurate than for field-verified sites.

If a wetland is missed by the LWI is it still regulated?
Yes, the state and federal regulations apply to all wetlands regardless of whether or not they are mapped on the LWI. The LWI attempts to include all wetlands that are at least ½ acre in size within the City.

How accurate is the LWI map?
The LWI is developed according to standards adopted by the Department of State Lands. The standards help to ensure accurate and complete maps, but perfection is not possible. Every attempt is made to map wetlands correctly on parcels and to map wetland boundaries to an accuracy of at least 25 feet. There may be areas where the boundary is less accurate, especially on large tracts with few geographic reference points, and areas where property access was denied. Keep in mind that the primary purposes of the LWI are to provide information for long-range planning by the City and to alert landowners to the probable wetlands on their property.

I heard that I might still need to hire a wetland consultant to delineate the wetland on my property before I can develop the site. Why?
Because the LWI maps the approximate wetland boundary and may miss small wetlands, much more detailed field work is usually needed prior to site development. It’s important to know and mark on the ground the precise wetland boundary of areas subject to state and federal permit requirements prior to site alteration. The wetland consultant will not only provide the detailed delineation, but can assist in preparing a fill permit application and mitigation plan for any wetland impacts that cannot be avoided.

What exactly is a wetland?
Wetlands mapped on the LWI meet state and federal wetland criteria. In general terms, wetlands are areas that are subject to long periods of inundation or saturation that create an oxygen deficit in the soil. As a result, they are characterized by plant species called “hydrophytes” that are adapted to these saturated soil conditions.

Most wetlands are seasonal—they are very wet for several months but dry out in the summer and fall. Also, some wetlands are disturbed in a way that obscures one or more of the wetland criteria. For example, some wetlands are regularly farmed or grazed and may be planted to species that tolerate wet conditions (like ryegrass) or “worked” later in the spring than adjacent non-wetland fields. If not maintained, wetland vegetation will return.

Are wetlands the same as floodplains?
No. Many wetlands do occur in floodplains but they are not the same. A floodplain can be expected to flood following heavy rains and snowmelt. However, many floodplain areas are not flooded long enough or often enough to meet the wetland criteria described above.

NATURAL FEATURES PROJECT OVERVIEW
The first phase of the Natural Features Inventory project is complete.  The consultant team led by Winterbrook Planning provided the inventory analysis for State Land Use Goal 5, Open Spaces, Scenic and Historic Areas, and Natural Resources and Goal 7, Areas Subject to Natural Disasters and Hazards.  The inventory will provide an important base of information including recommendations that will be used in the next steps of the Comprehensive Planning process as well as future land use decisions.

The City and consultant team led by Winterbrook Planning developed a work plan and public involvement strategy which began with a review of the best available data for Damascus.  The consultants collected existing maps and other data from State and local agencies including the Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Clackamas County, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department of Forestry, Metro, the Department of State Lands (DSL) and other public agencies to assemble into a series of base maps.  The City of Damascus asked its land owners for help in making the natural features inventory as accurate as possible by granting access to their property and attending inventory verification meetings.  The City sent letters to 1,500 property owners and asked permission to access their land for fieldwork.  These letters were sent to land owners where initial research suggested that natural features may be located on or near their property.

The fieldwork component involved documenting the natural features from public land, roads, and private property where the owner granted access permission.  Onsite, the consultants marked up the maps, took GPS readings to get an accurate location, and filled out forms to describe the characteristics such as vegetation, water levels, and any birds or wildlife observed.

The City Council appointed a Natural Features Topic Specific Team (TST) that was comprised of citizens in the community who worked with the consultants and City staff to provide their recommendations, suggestions and comments on the inventory.

The second phase of the project requires the City to develop a natural features protection program to achieve State Planning Goal 5 requirements.  This is an analysis of the potential Economic, Social, Environmental, and Energy (ESEE) consequences of prohibiting, limiting, or permitting conflicting uses to occur on resources that have been determined to be significant under Statewide Land Use Goal 5.  The City will also develop a natural hazards plan to achieve State Planning Goal 7 requirements.  The maps are working documents which allows for future refinement in the future as more data becomes available.

What is the Natural Features Phase II TST?
The Natural Features Phase II TST (Topic Specific Team) is an advisory committee to the City Council.  Their role is to examine specific topics in greater depth.  Their role is more analytical and technical, designed to help give wise direction to the city.  This TST will focus on developing a program for balancing development and conservation of natural features in Damascus.

The mayor has appointed the following members to the Natural Features Phase II TST:  Bruce Adams, Diana Bradshaw, John Ferguson, Greg Jordan, and Keith Marshall. 

Copies of the reports and maps can be inspected at City Hall, Monday-Friday, from 8 AM to 5 PM.

If you have additional questions, please contact Erika Palmer, Associate Planner, at 503-658-8545.  

Natural Resources & Hazards Reports