Wash. Admin. Code § 173-183-710

Current through Register Vol. 24-23, December 1, 2024

Section 173-183-710 - Wetlands vulnerability classification

(1) Freshwater wetland environments and portions thereof, are classified into 4 types based on the identification system set forth below.

(a) Category I wetlands. The following types of wetlands are classed as category I wetlands:

(i) Documented habitat for threatened or endangered plant, animal, or fish species recognized by federal or state agencies; or

(ii) Documented Natural Heritage wetland sites or high quality native wetland communities which qualify as Natural Heritage wetland sites; or

(iii) Documented habitat of regional (Pacific Coast) or national significance for migratory birds; or

(iv) Regionally rare wetland communities; or

(v) Wetlands with irreplaceable ecological functions; or

(vi) Documented wetlands of local significance.

(b) Category II wetlands. The following types of wetlands are classed as category II wetlands:

(i) Documented habitat recognized by federal and state agencies for sensitive plant, animal, or fish species; or

(ii) Documented priority habitats and species recognized by state agencies; or

(iii) Wetlands with significant functions which may not be adequately replicated through creation or restoration; or

(iv) Wetlands with significant habitat value; or

(v) Documented wetlands of local significance.

(c) Category III wetlands. The following types of wetlands are classed as category III when they satisfy no category I, II, or IV criteria.

(d) Category IV wetlands. The following types of wetlands are classed as category IV wetlands:

(i) Wetlands less than one acre in size and hydrologically isolated and comprised of one vegetated class that is dominated (more than eighty percent areal cover) by one species from the list in Table 21; or

(ii) Wetlands less than two acres and hydrologically isolated with one vegetative class and more than ninety percent of the areal cover is any combination of species from the list in Table 22.

Table 21. List of invasive/exotic plant species for rating Category IV wetlands.

Common name	Scientific name
Soft Rush	Juncus effusus
Reed	Phragmites communis
Buttercup	Ranunculus repens
Reed Canary Grass	Phalaris arundinaceae
Purple loosestrife	Lythrum salicarla
Townsend's cordgrass	Spartina townsendii
Nonnative blackberry	Rubus discolor, laciniatus, vestitus, macrophyllus
Velvet grass	Holyus lanarus, mollis
Fescue	Festuca arundinaceae, pratensis
Quackgrass	Agropyron repena
Meadow foxtail	Alopercurus pratensis, aequalis
Orchardgrass	Dactylis glomerata
Ryegrass	Loliom parenne, multiflorum, temulentum
Timothy	Phleum pratense
Bluegrass	Poa compressa, palustris, pratensia
Bromes	Bromus tectorum, rigidus, brizaformis, geoalinus, japonicus, mollis, commutatus, inarmis, cractus
Sandbur	Cauchrus longispinus
Crab Grass	Digitarisa sanguinalis
Barnyard grass	Echinochloa crusgalli
Green Bristlegrass	Setaria viridius
Foxtail Barley	Hordeum jubatum
Dogtail	Cynosurus cristatus, achinatus
Russian Thistle	Salsola kali
Knotweeds	Polygonium aviculare, concoloculus, cuspidatum, lapathifolium, persicaria
Tumblemustards	Sisymbrium altissimum, loesclii, officinale
Scotch broom	Cytisus scoparius
Sweet clover	Melilotus alba, officinalis
Bird's foot trefoil	Lotus corniculatus
Alfalfa	Medicago sativa
Clover	Trifolium dubium, pratense, repens, aryense, subterraneum, hybridum
Spurge	Euphorbia pepius, caula
St. John's wort	Hyparicum parfoliatum
Teasel	Dipsacus sylvestris
Pineapple weed	Marricaria matricartioides
Tansy	Tanacetum vulgare
Thistles	Cirsium vulgare, arvense
Burdock	Arctium minus
Knapweeds	Centauras solstitialis, repens, cyanus, maculosa
Cultivated species; wheat, corn, barley, triticum, rye

Table 22. List of native species for rating of Category IV wetlands.

Common name	Scientific name
Hard hack	Spirea douglasii
Cattail	Typha latifolia
Soft rush	Juncus effusus

(2) Freshwater wetland environment vulnerability score (WVS). The vulnerability of freshwater wetland environments is based on the stream typing system established in WAC 222-16-030 incorporated by reference. The rating of the freshwater wetland environment vulnerability ranges from 1 to 5, where 5 represents the most sensitive category and 1 represents the least sensitive category as follows:

Table 23. Freshwater Wetlands Vulnerability Score (WVS).

WVS		QUALIFICATION
5		Category I wetlands
4		Category II wetlands
3		Category III wetlands
1		Category IV wetlands

Wash. Admin. Code § 173-183-710

Statutory Authority: Chapter 90.48 RCW. 92-10-005 (Order 91-13), § 173-183-710, filed 4/23/92, effective 5/24/92.