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INTENT AND PURPOSE Wetlands restoration is an integral part of an Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) plan. Restoration of degraded wetland areas consists of
selectively clearing brush and removing debris from drainage systems to
restore historical flow patterns. This can be accomplished with hand tools
such as rakes, clippers and chain saws or may require more extensive
restoration using a specially designed, low ground pressure (3 psi or less)
excavator or other mechanized equipment. Restoration of wetland areas reduces or often eliminates the
need for periodic applications of pesticides to control the larval mosquito.
Data collection during larval applications and other field observations help
to determine the scope of a restoration project. The Project becomes aware of
potential restoration projects through resident or town official requests,
CMMCP field technician observations and data collections, or follow up on
past restoration projects. The Wetlands Project Coordinator will investigate
the site to see if the area will benefit from restoration, and if so, will
determine the scope of the project. It is our goal to reduce the amount of stagnant water in the
restoration area, reducing the area to soil saturation, with less than 5,000
sq. ft. of impact to bordering vegetated wetland (BVW). . Maintaining the
area at soil saturation will encourage the present vegetation to remain, but
will eliminate mosquito breeding. Wetlands restoration work focuses on those areas that have
historic flow patterns and were maintained by local farmers or municipal
personnel in the past. Limited wetland restoration work may be done by hand
only in natural areas where debris blockage creates a significant health
problem. Restoration work is not typically conducted in true or
established wetlands, defined as wetland habitat forming through natural
means (natural streams, rivers, ponds, swamps), or existing for several years
and providing flood control, water quality improvements or valuable habitat. Any flooding or creation of wetlands by beavers will only be
considered on a limited case-by-case basis and will require a significant
level of support and cooperation from the town. Mechanized equipment used by CMMCP in wetlands use a special
hydraulic fluid (Chevron Clarity® Hydraulic Oil AW ISO 46) that is zinc-free
and formulated to meet or exceed the performance requirements of conventional
anti-wear fluids, while providing an additional level of environmental
safety. This hydraulic fluid is inherently biodegradable and passes the EPA's
acute aquatic toxicity (LC-50) test, and has substantially better oxidation
stability than other conventional hydraulic fluids. HAND CLEANING A DITCH:
SITE PLAN EXAMPLE: (Littleton, Job #309 –
King St.)
RESTORATION GUIDELINES SITE SELECTION – Sites will be investigated upon
receipt of request. The source of each site selected will be recorded with
the site plan.
SITE HISTORY - A history of the ditch and any past maintenance
work should be gathered from one or more of the sources listed. Any history of change in use of the area should be
noted (i.e. from agricultural to residential).
BREEDING HISTORY OR
POTENTIAL - A history
of mosquito breeding or significant potential of mosquito breeding which may
impact a human population must be evident from one or more of the sources
listed.
SITE PLAN - A survey to establish preexisting
site conditions and plan of proposed ditch maintenance activities.
PROPERTY OWNERS
PERMISSION - Secure
written permission from property owners or persons legally in control of
property prior to starting work on site. Standard permission form will
provide purpose and brief description of project and any mutually agreed upon
conditions. NOTIFICATION - Notify property owners, abutters
(where applicable), appropriate authorities and/or agencies and post site
thirty days in advance of starting work and supply with the following:
AGENCIES TO NOTIFY (if
using mechanized equipment):
SITE WORK - All on site work will conform to the
following criteria:
CMMCP will work with the US Army Corps of Engineers where
appropriate in order to establish the proper set of guidelines for ditch maintenance
work. In addition to the above guidelines, we have the following input from
the Army Corps of Engineers:
If CMMCP needs a determination on a particular site, we will
notify the Corps, send them an 8 ˝" X 11" site plan, and they will
provide a verification of maintenance upon visitation and approval. Information on mosquito control in ¨ Mosquito
Ditching Guidance Letter (.pdf
213kb) – this letter, dated July 14, 2004, is from Christine Godfrey,
Chief, Regulatory Division to Lealdon Langley,
Wetlands Protection Program, Mass. Dept. of Environmental Protection. ¨ Initial Public Notice
(.pdf 146kb) – the reissuance Public Notice of the Department of the Army
Massachusetts Programmatic General Permit (PGP), dated January 24, 2005 ¨ Programmatic General Permit (.pdf 2.65mb) – this document expedites
review of minimal impact work in coastal and inland waters and wetlands
within the POST MONITORING – Post-Monitoring of restoration
sites is an integral part of our water management program. The photographic
records aid in the development of future ditch restoration and maintenance
procedures, and provide a means to track the recovery time of a particular
site. All sites are databased, and information includes dates of site visits,
all information pertaining to hand cleaning work, and mosquito breeding data.
Such information enables CMMCP to track the efficacy of our restoration
projects and allows for improvement of prevention methods for mosquito
breeding sites. All completed ditch maintenance projects will be inspected
immediately upon completion and randomly monitored for a period at least two
(2) years to ensure that desired results are attained and no significant
adverse impact occurs as a direct result of ditch maintenance
activities. Any problems that may
occur will be immediately rectified.
After an excavation is complete, CMMCP field crews routinely
hand clean the ditch in order to prevent any blockages from causing flooding
or breeding problems. This also allows the ditch to remain functional for
longer periods of time without having to re-excavate. CMMCP will continually
improve upon its restoration practices and guidelines in order to provide an
efficient service with low-level environmental impacts. INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL CMMCP recognizes the threat of invasive species and the
deterioration they cause to wetlands. We strive to minimize the impacts we
have in the spread of these species types. All mechanized equipment is
sanitized after completion of a project and prior to the arrival of this
equipment to the site of another restoration area. Sanitization will include
but is not limited to:
If work occurs in an area with small patches of invasive
species, the excavator will make every attempt not to go through the patches
to prevent spreading seeds and plant material to the rest of the site. Also,
manageable patches may be hand pulled before excavation to ensure that they
do not spread and to benefit the health of the wetland. If necessary, we may
also employ techniques such as mulching the embankment where the spoil has
been spread and seeding with native grass species. Invasive
species control is not a program that is undertaken by CMMCP at this time;
however we are willing to coordinate with local and state officials to curb
the spread of these wetland species if it falls under the scope of the
restoration guidelines contained herein. INVASIVE SPECIES EXAMPLE #1 –
PHRAGMITES, THE COMMON REED Phragmites australis –
click for more information
INVASIVE SPECIES EXAMPLE #2 –
PURPLE LOOSTRIFE Lythrum salicaria
– click for more information
FINAL PROJECT SUMMARY A
full project summary will be drafted upon completion of all mechanized
maintenance work, and at least six (6) months of post monitoring. The
project summary will include all pertinent information on the completed
project including reasons for maintenance, the specifications of the
completed work, and any other special conditions that may have been
incorporated as part of the project. In addition to the project
summary, attachments will include: ·
DEP and
Conservation Commission Notification Letters ·
Project Site
Plan and Topographic Maps ·
Project Master
and Permission Slips from Property Owners ·
Assessor’s
Map of Project ·
Before and
After Photographs of Project ·
Dig Safe
Ticket ·
Any
Correspondence Related to the Project ·
Survey Information
(including stream profiles, soil and water analysis, site history, breeding
history, etc.) ·
Back-up
Materials In
addition, all jobs completed after January 1, 2005 will have a project
completion form that will outline technical field staff who worked on the
project, total footages of work completed, and a brief explanation of the
project. Information
on each project completed by CMMCP can be found in the Water Management
central file, located at the main office at WORK NOT INCLUDED IN SCOPE OF
MAINTENANCE WORK
CMMCP will not be responsible for construction of mitigation
measures (BMP’s) to treat nonpoint source run-off. CMMCP supports the use of BMP’s for
water quality, and will be willing to assist in determination of need for
stormwater BMP’s, but will not be solely responsible for construction
or implementation. CMMCP can refuse to do restoration work if the presence of the
beaver dam renders maintenance in the area infeasible or imprudent. CMMCP
will work with local and state departments to determine adverse impacts to
property or public health concerns caused by beavers. CMMCP may remove beaver
dams on a limited case by case basis. However, the town will be responsible
for obtaining BOH and Conservation Commission permits, removing the excavated
material from site, and arranging any trapping or beaver control structures
for ongoing control. Other features of the site will also be taken into
consideration before CMMCP agrees to remove a beaver dam. CMMCP will not be responsible for identification of water
quality issues. CMMCP will notify the DEP and local conservation agencies of
all water management work to be performed. It will be the responsibility of
the local commissions and DEP to notify CMMCP of any issues with hazardous
materials or otherwise sensitive properties that should not be altered. In
addition, CMMCP will notify the National Heritage and endangered species
program to ensure protection of endangered species habitat. CMMCP will be
happy to accompany any representative of an external agency to a maintenance
site; however it will be the responsibility of the external agency to notify
CMMCP of any outstanding issues that may affect maintenance work prior to
commencement of work. CMMCP will not be liable for any work performed in a
sensitive area if an external organization was properly informed of the work,
with 30 days notice prior to initiation, and the external organization failed to provide relevant information in regards
to the existing site condition. CMMCP
will not perform any “special interest work”, where it appears
that an owner or agency is using the CMMCP to perform ditch work beyond the
scope of CMMCP’s guidelines.
Issues that CMMCP will not be responsible for alleviating include
flooding issues or undersized culverts.
CMMCP will not perform work where site features are not conducive to
the long-term success of the project. Work
will not be performed in areas where construction is proposed or proceeding,
where litigation is pending, or where there appears to be conflicting
interests between property owners or between property owners and
authorities. CMMCP will also postpone
a restoration project if a property is for sale to allow the new owners the
opportunity to decide if they will grant permission for this project. CMMCP
will not engage in any work that is not able to be conducted within its legal
guidelines. CMMCP is subject to US
Army Corps regulation and certain state laws.
CMMCP is exempt from the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act, but
still attempts to work with and respect the wishes of Conservation
Commissions. The ditch restoration work performed by CMMCP is
exempt from the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act, as outlined in the
following regulations (click on the links for the full text): 1. MGL, Chapter 131,
Section 40 of the Wetland Protection Act,
2. MGL, Chapter 131,
Section 40A. Protection of Inland Wetlands
Although
the ditch restoration work performed by CMMCP is exempt from the Mass.
Wetland Protection Act and Conservation Commission review, CMMCP understands
and supports the environmental, ecological, and socioeconomic benefits of the
state’s wetlands. The CMMCP
notifies DEP and the local conservation commission at least 30 days prior to
commencement of every project to allow the agencies the opportunity to survey
the sites and provide comment. The
CMMCP is committed to working with DEP and the local conservation commissions,
and is willing to postpone, alter, or even cancel ditch restoration work if
the agencies have justification for doing so. A Best Management Practices Manual (BMP) is in
development and may alter, change or modify the scope of these guidelines. |
