Stevenson’s Property Wetland Delineation Report

Rutland Township, Tioga County,

Pennsylvania

Patrick Ross and Katie Blose

Mansfield University
 Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary

2. Introduction

2.1 Land Use

3. Wetland Delineation Procedures

3.1 Hydrophytic Vegetation

3.2 Hydric Soils

3.3 Wetland Hydrology

4. Background Information

5. National Wetland Inventory Statistics

6. Wetland Delineation Results

6.1 Wetland A

6.2 Upland

7. Conclusion

8. Appendices
 1. Executive Summary

The Stevenson’s property is located at 5775 Route 549, Millerton, Pennsylvania. This is in the

Rutland township in Tioga County. The project site is being investigated because the

Stevenson’s need a new barn on their property that interferes with the wetland location. We

found that the area in question is PSS1/EM5E; a freshwater forested/shrub wetland. The area

also consists of two freshwater ponds that covers about 0.3 acres within the wetland. The total

area of the wetland is 11.30 acres.

Wetland Size Type

A 11.30 acres Freshwater Forested/Shrub Wetland
B 0.15 acres Freshwater Pond
C 0.18 acres Freshwater Pond

2. Introduction

The Stevenson family has lived on this plot of land for more than half a decade and have recently

inquired about building a barn within the wetland area. The site is located within a valley and is

part of the headwaters for Bear Creek. The wetland area is 11.30 acres with 0.3 acres of that

being freshwater ponds. The wetland is classified as a PSS1/EM5E; a freshwater forested/shrub

wetland. The wetland is in Rutland township in Tioga county. The area investigated is about 1.4

acres and the area to be disturbed will be about 0.21 acres. The latitude and longitude are

41.89731°, -76.91687°.
 2.1 Land Use

The Stevenson family used to have cattle in the wetland area but since 2005 the area has been

desolated except for the Pennsylvania Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program planting

trees.
 3. Wetland Delineation Procedures

Patrick Ross and Katie Blose went out to investigate the wetland area on September 23, 29,

October 6, 13, 2018. The three-criteria methodology used for this wetland delineation was the

U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Regional, Wetland Delineation Manual 2012. The three criteria

need to be met for this plot to be considered a wetland. The land was disturbed by farming,

cattle, and CREP throughout the last 40+ years.

3.1 Hydrophytic Vegetation

The Army Corps of Engineers defines hydrophytic vegetation as plants that are capable of living

in saturated soil for most of the year or during growing season. Climate, weather patterns,

topography, soil, and other vegetation within the area are all factors that can determine if the

vegetation is hydrophytic. Vegetation can also be affected by the seasonal changes that take

place in the Northeast. Different species also can be categorized as being FACW, FAC, FACU,

and OBL. Wetlands can be predominately dominated by FACW, OBL, and FAC. There are

instances where a wetland will have FACU species and can’t be identified by vegetation alone.

3.2 Hydric Soils

The National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils defines hydric soils as soil that is saturated

throughout the growing season and develops anaerobic conditions. When soil is saturated

repeatedly for long periods of time, oxygen is depleted from the soil and results in an

accumulation of organic matter, iron, and biogeochemical processes.

3.3 Wetland Hydrology

Wetland hydrology is used in combination with hydrophytic vegetation and hydric soils. Having

more than one of these characteristics can help reflect the long-term wetland history. There must

be indicators of hydrology throughout the growing season and repeatedly throughout the years.
This in turn will provide a wetland habitat in the surrounding area. The individual investigating

hydrology for a wetland must also understand the seasons in the Northeast and how different

seasons effect the hydrology. Monitoring well data, runoff estimates, and groundwater modeling

tools will help determine if the plot of land is wetland with hydrology.

4. Background Information

The dominant soil in this wetland is a Chippewa silt loam which covered 10.2 acres of the area

of interest as well as Mardin channery silt loam which covered 0.6 acres and Volusia channery

silt loam which covered 1.0 acres of land.

We tested both Chippewa silt loam and Mardin channery silt loam soils due to the location of the

expected barn. We had hydrogen sulfide at two of our sites and our third, upland, did not. At

sampling point 1, there were iron deposits found in the soil. At sampling point 2 there was a high

water table which allowed for a gleied layer at about 4 inches to about 10 inches. There was also

a thin layer of organic material at the top of all site locations.

 5. National Wetland Inventory Statistics

This site is recognized as an 11.30 acre Freshwater Forested/ Shrub Wetland according to the

National Wetland Inventory. It is classified as a PSS1/EM5E. This classification defines the

different characteristics that separates this wetland from others. It is included in the Palustrine

System of wetlands, is mainly a scrub-shrub class that is dominated by wooded vegetation and is

also emergent, where vegetation is present for most of the growing season. This classification

also defines this area as seasonally flooded/ saturated meaning surface water is present for long

periods of time and is still saturated when surface water is gone.

.
 6. Wetland Delineation Results

During the wetland delineation, we identified that two of our sampling points were in Wetland

A, and our last sampling point was identified as Upland. The description of these areas is

detailed below.

6.1 Wetland A

This wetland is the part of the headwaters for Bear Creek at the southernmost side. This wetland

has two freshwater ponds located in the central region of the wetland. The total area of the

wetland is 11.30 acres. Due to previous years of farming, atypical conditions exist.

Vegetation

Throughout Wetland A, the following wetland species are dominant: cherry-bark oak (Quercus

pagoda – FACW), broad-leaf cattail (Typha latifolia – OBL), late goldenrod (Solidagio gigantea

– FACW), and Virginia wild rye (Elymus virginicus – FACW). The non- wetland species that

can be found throughout and on the border of the wetland are as follows: sugar maple (Acer

saccharum – FACU), orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata- FACU), and slender wild rye (Elymus

trachycaulus – FACU).

Soils

The soils in the wetland were classified as Chippewa silt loam. The first sampling point had from

0-4 inches a 10YR3/1 with a thin layer of organic matter, from 4-5 inches there is 10YR7/4 with

roots present and from 5-12 inches 10YR2/2 was a dark color horizon. This sampling point also

had a histic epipedon, hydrogen sulfide, a loamy gleied matrix, and a thin dark surface. The

second sampling point had from 0-2 inches 10YR4/1 silt loam with vegetation and organic

material, from 2-4 10YR5/1 at 50% and 10YR7/4 at 50% with silt loam, from 4-10 inches

10YR8/1 at 90% and 10YR7/4 at 10% with very light gray horizon that app
 Hydrology

The land was very wet while investigating due to a large amount of rainfall during the months of

August through October. We found that the soil was saturated starting at 4 inches below the

surface, and the water table became apparent between 6 to 8 inches deep. There was also signs of

iron deposits throughout the core sample, and a hydrogen sulfide order was notices while

investigating the site.

6.2 Upland

The Upland area that surrounds Wetland A is a part of old framing land that slopes downward

until it flattens around Wetland A. On the top of the hill, resides Route 549 and the Stevenson’s

old cattle barn. This area of land was used for farming, so atypical conditions exist here as well.

Vegetation

The dominant wetland species that reside here is Virginia wild rye (Elymus virginicus – FACW).

The following are dominant non-wetland species: sugar maple (Acer saccharum – FACU),

orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata- FACU), and slender wild rye (Elymus trachycaulus – FACU).

Soils

The soil located in the upland consisted of Mardin channery silt loam. While investigating we

found three different horizons in our soil sample which we classified as 0-2 inches being a

10YR4/2 with organic matter at this layer, 2-7 inches is 10YR6/1 with more geology found in

this area compared to our wetland soil samples, and lastly from 7-12 inches is 10YR3/1. There

was also a loamy gleied matrix throughout this sample.

 Hydrology

There was no inundation of water or saturated soil at our upland sampling site. There was

also no evidence of the surrounding area of the soil having hydric conditions, which

helped us define the boundary of upland versus wetland.

Wetland Size Type

A 11.30 acres Freshwater Forested/Shrub Wetland
 7. Conclusion

Based on the results of this delineation it is apparent that the Stevenson’s property has a

PSS1/EM5E wetland that covers about 11.30 acres of land. The land is an atypical site

that was used for farming, cattle, and in recent years has been desolate of human impact.

Mitigation for this area would be a 2:1 due to having a forested wetland. Permits needed

for the project are chapter 93- water quality standards, zoning permit from Mansfield

Borough, environmental impact assessment, and general permits.

Wetland Size Type

A 11.30 acres Freshwater Forested/Shrub Wetland
B 0.15 acres Freshwater Pond
C 0.18 acres Freshwater Pond
Appendix A

Data Forms
 Appendix B

Sampling Point 1
Sampling Point 2
Sampling Point 3 (Upland)

Photographer: Patrick