OK, item 19 is checked off. "Location of wetland areas as delineated by appropriate authorities". I do not delineate wetlands, I am not qualified to make the determination. Is there a wetlands map or a community wetlands coordinator or what? Not sure where to resolve this item. In the past, we've followed the pin flags set in the field be a biologist or botanist or someone. Any thoughts?
> OK, item 19 is checked off. "Location of wetland areas as delineated by appropriate authorities". I do not delineate wetlands, I am not qualified to make the determination. Is there a wetlands map or a community wetlands coordinator or what? Not sure where to resolve this item. In the past, we've followed the pin flags set in the field be a biologist or botanist or someone. Any thoughts?
I hope you had a copy of their report in hand when you "followed the pin flags" so you knew how to connect the dots and whether the line had been accepted.
Yes, there are persons who are certified to locate wetlands. You will need to find one in your area and subcontract the work to them. They'll coordinate the determination with the Corp of Engineers which includes a report an pin flags on the ground. You can map the pin flags and provide a copy of your survey to the wetlands coordinator to include in the report and you can show the delineation on your survey (but not until the report has been accepted by the Corp.
When did they say they needed this done? ;o)
JBS
Wetlands delineation is a process that could end with a "Delineated Wetland", this is different than just an area that is wet in that it has been determined to be wetlands in fact and jurisdictional to the US.
From the TNRIS website you can download an inventory of "Delineated Wetlands", you should contact TNRIS to see how current it is. After you know which area you are looking for you can contact the Corps of Engineers for the actual delineation.
http://www.tnris.state.tx.us/datadownload/download.jsp
This maybe the extent of Item 19 because I can't imagine ACSM agreeing to an item that requires surveyors to do something they are not qualified to do. Before I do an ALTA with Item 19 I will have to satisfy myself with what it means. A wetland delineation in Galveston County can take two years from start to finish and depending on the size of the tract and the complexity of the wetland area can cost $50K plus
By the way anyone can call themself a wetland expert you just have to follow the manual, the trick is getting the COE to accept your delineation.
Be careful if Item 20 is checked, I did an ALTA that had a 200 acre regional detention pond as a servitude benefiting the property surveyed.
I would look here first. If there are none shown I would list this as the appropriate athority.
Matt
That's a good idea, I just read the disclaimer on the Midland Wetland Inventory Map and it makes the map sound useless.
> I would look here first. If there are none shown I would list this as the appropriate authority.
>
> National Wetlands Mapping
YIKES - I'd think twice (or even thrice) before I did that.
Wetlands Geodatabase User Caution
These spatial data are not designed to stand alone. They form topical overlays to the U.S. Geological Survey 1:24,000 or 1:25,000 scale topographic quadrangles or digital imagery. Note that coastline delineations were drawn to follow the extent of wetland or deepwater features as described by this project and may not match the coastline shown in other base maps. The map products were neither designed nor intended to represent legal or regulatory products.
Data Limitations and Uses
The Service's objective of mapping wetlands and deepwater habitats is to produce reconnaissance level information on the location, type and size of these resources. The maps are prepared from the analysis of high altitude imagery. Wetlands are identified based on vegetation, visible hydrology and geography. A margin of error is inherent in the use of imagery; thus, detailed on-the-ground inspection of any particular site may result in revision of the wetland boundaries or classification established through image analysis.
The accuracy of image interpretation depends on the quality of the imagery, the experience of the image analysts, the amount and quality of the collateral data and the amount of ground truth verification work conducted. Metadata should be consulted to determine the date of the source imagery used and any mapping problems.
Wetlands or other mapped features may have changed since the date of the imagery and/or field work. There may be occasional differences in polygon boundaries or classifications between the information depicted on the map and the actual conditions on site.
Exclusions - Certain wetland habitats are excluded from the National mapping program because of the limitations of aerial imagery as the primary data source used to detect wetlands. These habitats include seagrasses or submerged aquatic vegetation that are found in the intertidal and subtidal zones of estuaries and nearshore coastal waters. Some deepwater reef communities (coral or tuberficid worm reefs) have also been excluded from the inventory. These habitats, because of their depth, go undetected by aerial imagery.
By policy, the Service also excludes certain types of "farmed wetlands" as may be defined by the Food Security Act or that do not coincide with the Cowardin et al. definition. Contact the Service's Regional Wetland Coordinator for additional information on what types of farmed wetlands are included on wetland maps.
Precautions - Federal, state, and local regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over wetlands may define and describe wetlands in a different manner than that used in this inventory. There is no attempt, in either the design or products of this inventory, to define the limits of proprietary jurisdiction of any Federal, state, or local government or to establish the geographical scope of the regulatory programs of government agencies. Persons intending to engage in activities involving modifications within or adjacent to wetland areas should seek the advice of appropriate federal, state, or local agencies concerning specified agency regulatory programs and proprietary jurisdictions that may affect such activities.
I just zoomed in on an area we mapped a few years back and the wetland match the shape files we furnished with our survey map. By the way the map I was calling useless is the link I suggested not the one Matt gave.
That last paragraph of precautions is the scary part of showing wetlands. What if you show them according to a certain "authority" or even hire a biologist to delineate them and the local jurisdiction doesn't accept that delineation when the property owner goes for a grading or building permit. It could happen. I had a client recently that wanted to build on a lot that has some floodplain issues and what looked a lot like wetlands to me. The County said they wouldn't do a determination unless a permit was applied for so we should get a wetlands consultant to determine the wetlands, if any, but the County would not consider their report binding. The clients decided to move the proposed house to higher ground.
Well, in my contract (you do have a contract, right?), I'd state that I'd "locate the wetlands as defined, designated and marked out in the field by others, at no expense to the surveyor".
Some might say this is a good opportunity to offer additional services to your client....that's all well and good if you want to start offering this service, but it entails training and certification.
Otherwise, it should be up to the client to have someone do the mark out, unless you are going to be compensated for getting it done by either a subcontractor or a public official.
Wetland companies are everywhere. Do your client a favor by helping them facilitate their needs. Get a cost from the wetland folks, relay that to the client, either modify your contract to be paid directly with wetland folks as sub, or more preferably have client hire them directly.
Just went through this . The Attorney wanted me to state there were no wetlands on the property I said how did he know ? He said I was holding up the closing . I said four weeks ago in my proposal to my client about our services that we do not determine wetlands and they would have to be provided to us. . Anyway short version is a environmental company is going to the site to flag the wetlands . He also wanted my to state their were no burial grounds on the property, I said provide me the Archeology report and I will reference the info on the survey , pause .
Please certify that there are no relict filler tubes or any hazardous elements emanating from the site...
fee: $16.5 million...USD...cash...small, unmarked bills.
product: 12 mylar plats...signed and sealed; one surveyor's seal; one signing pen; one letter of resignation to the Board of Registration...signed and sealed...
DDSM;-)
:good: