Wetland inventory and mapping report, Valley Forge National Historical Park
Sharpe PJ, Smith SC, Schreffler AM, White CT. 2012. Wetland inventory and mapping report, Valley Forge National Historical Park. Natural Resource Technical Report. NPS/MIDN/NRTR—2012/634. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
The objective of this investigation was to delineate and map all wetlands and associated waterways subject to jurisdiction under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and all wetlands subject to National Park Service (NPS) procedures for implementing Director’s Order #77–1: Wetland Protection within Valley Forge National Historical Park (Valley Forge NHP). Due to the presence of adequate vegetation and soil characteristics throughout the park, this investigation adhered to the U.S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Interim Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Eastern Mountains and Piedmont Region as the primary methodology for making wetland determinations in the field. Under D.O. #77.1 the National Park Service (NPS) must also assess any potential wetland habitats that fall within the broader Cowardin et al. (1979) definition of wetlands and deepwater habitats. A total of 51 palustrine wetlands encompassing 63.96 acres (25.89 ha) of land were identified and delineated from 2 May – 28 July 2011. Of those 51 wetland ecosystems, 17 wetlands met the PA Title 25, Chapter 105 Exceptional Value (EV) wetland designation due to their location in or along the floodplain of a designated EV waterway and wild reproducing trout stream that runs through the park (Valley Creek). All of the identified and mapped palustrine wetland systems meet both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers criteria and the Cowardin et al. (1979) definitions. No new riverine systems were identified and mapped over the course of this investigation within the park boundary. The majority of the larger wetland systems were located in areas previously identified by park staff, however, a significant number of previously smaller unmapped wetland areas were identified over the course of this investigation. The improved boundary information and revised wetland mapping will significantly improve the park’s ability to effectively manage, protect, and monitor these unique resources.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Sharpe, Peter; Smith, Steven; Schreffler, Angela; White, Caitlin
- Date of Issue
- 2012-10
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- NRSS , VAFO
- Keywords
- Cowardin, delineation, non-tidal, Wetland