ALPO Summit Wetlands Geodatabase

Sharpe, Peter

The objective of this investigation was to respond to a request for regional assistance for a comprehensive delineation of 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 the summit area of Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site (ALPO). This work utilized 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. A total of 7 palustrine wetlands encompassing 4.43 acres of land were identified and delineated from 17 -20 September 2012 within the ALPO summit area (see associated geodatabase). The majority of the wetland habitats observed within the ALPO study area were palustrine, emergent, persistent, habitats (PEM1) with varying degrees of groundwater influence. None of the observed wetland ecosystems meet the PA Title 25, Chapter 105 Exceptional Value (EV) wetland designation standard. However, 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 of wetland habitat. No new riverine wetland systems were identified and mapped over the course of this investigation; however, five seeps and their associated drainages were identified in close proximity to one of the proposed PADEP borehole sites.

ALPO Summit Wetlands Geodatabase

Collections