Wetland Identification: Do I Have A Wetland On My Property?

wetland restorationmitigation banking process
Written By Kristin Shardlow

What exactly is a wetland? Is it that cattail pond in my neighbor’s backyard? Or is that seasonally flooded lowland on my property? Here we offer a basic overview of wetlands and ways to identify them.

A farmer's corn field with stalks of corn partially under water and a barn in the distance.

Wetland restoration experts like the team at Landbridge Ecological can help landowners identify wetlands on their properties.

What is a Wetland?

Minnesota’s wetlands come in different shapes, sizes and forms, but all provide numerous ecological services to plants, animals and humans alike. Minnesota is home to over 10 million acres of wetlands, ranking second only to Florida among the lower 48 states in terms of total wetland area. Generally speaking, wetlands can be identified by assessing three different factors; soil type(s), hydrology and vegetation present. 

Soils: Wetlands contain mostly hydric soils, or soils that developed in wet, anaerobic (little to no oxygen) conditions. Organic matter found in wetlands that are exposed to these conditions decompose very slowly and form thick layers of peat. Hydric soils of organic origin are brown to dark black in color. Because of the decomposing organic matter, wetlands can smell like sulfur, or like rotten eggs.

Hydrology: Wetlands are areas where water is normally present at or within 12 inches of the surface for at least 14 consecutive days during the growing season. The presence of water (or any sign of inundation or saturation) at a site is indicative of a wetland.

Vegetation: Wetlands have vegetation adapted to wet soil conditions and/or drought tolerant. Common wetland vegetation includes tree and shrub species (willows, alder, black ash, black spruce, white cedar, tamarack, balsam poplar), grass species (Canada bluejoint grass, reed grass, manna grass), wildflowers (blue vervain, swamp milkweed, joe-pye weed) along with numerous species of sedges, ferns, cattails, peat moss, and more.

A flower filled meadow with trees in the distance - a seasonally flooded basin is an exampl of a type 1 wetland.

It’s important to remember that wetlands evolve through the seasons and may change from year to year. Just because it is not holding water does not mean it is not a wetland!

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Wetland Identification Resources

In the Circular 39 wetland classification system, there are 8+ types of wetland that are found in Minnesota, all of which vary slightly in soil, hydrology and vegetation characteristics. Trained professionals utilize a practice known as wetland delineation to accurately identify and categorize wetlands based on these three factors. Private consultants and local government agencies are available to assist landowners with the wetland delineation process to confidently determine the presence of a wetland.

Additionally, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service oversees the National Wetland Inventory to produce and distribute maps on American wetland habitats, as well as monitor changes in these habitats through time. Using the Wetlands Mapper tool, interested parties can view approximate wetland areas and gain a general understanding of the types of wetlands present in their region. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has also published a Wetland Finder Application, which is a web-based mapping tool that provides access for all users to view modern wetland data across the state.

Two people working outdoors on a wetland restoration project

Let’s get started!

Contact MPI today with your ecological restoration and mitigation banking project needs. Our team is ready with answers and expert services to bring your vision to life.

Send us an Email
Kristin Shardlow
Previous

Credit Sales
Next

Wetland Delineations: Types, Steps, and Regional Differences