The Clean Water Act is a federal statute established to maintain and restore the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the waters of the United States. Section 404 of the Clean Water Act authorizes the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to regulate all issues pertaining to the discharge of dredged or fill material into the waters of the United States, including wetlands, streams, and other waters. In order to define the location, size, and quality of waters of the United States the USACE has established a delineation protocol with their 1987 Manual and subsequent regional supplements. A delineation is required for all projects that involve potential impact to natural resources or when a proposed project area contains water features. The delineation is coordinated with the USACE to determine the amount of United States water that occurs on the project site, thereby allowing project planning, resource avoidance, and permitting.
EnviroScience has a full time staff of nine highly accredited delineation biologists that have over 70 years of combined experience. Our expertise spans the country and includes most projects and industries. Included in a delineation study is an initial review of secondary resource mapping to identify potential resource areas on the site. Biologists then visit the site and identify all water resources within the site boundaries. Wetlands that are found on-site are flagged and their boundaries are recorded using survey-grade Global Positioning System (GPS). The quality and type of each wetland is documented and photographed. Streams and openwater features are also delineated and documented. The result of the survey is a full delineation report in accordance with USACE reporting requirements. A digital map is produced in either AutoCAD or GIS (based on client preference) that accurately shows the resource boundaries and location. The report also includes all documentation and summaries required for submittal to the USACE.
ES Delineation Biologist
