18E.30.070 – Appendix F Width of Buffers by Category of Wetland
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Table 1. Width of Buffers Needed to Protect Category IV Wetlands |
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Wetland Characteristics |
Buffer Width Adjustment to 25 feet base width (based on impact of land use) |
Other Protection |
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Score for functions < 30 points |
Low – No change Moderate – No change High – Increase by 25 feet |
N/A |
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Table 2: Width of Buffers Needed to Protect Category III Wetlands |
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Wetland Characteristics |
Buffer Widths Adjustments to 50 feet base width (by impact of land use) |
Other Protection |
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Moderate level of function for habitat (score for habitat is 20 – 28 pts.) |
Low – Increase by 25 feet Moderate – Increase by 60 feet High – Increase by 100 feet |
N/A |
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Not meeting above criteria |
Low – Decrease by 10 feet Moderate – No change High – Increase by 30 feet |
N/A |
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Table 3: Width of Buffers Needed to Protect Category II Wetlands |
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Wetland Characteristics |
Buffer Widths Adjustments to 100 feet base width (by impact of land use/apply most protective) |
Other Protection |
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High level of function for habitat (score for habitat is 29-36 pts.) |
Low – Increase by 50 feet Moderate – Increase by 125 feet High – Increase by 200 feet |
Maintain connectivity to fish and wildlife species and ha 18E.40 areas |
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Moderate level of function for habitat (score for habitat is 20 – 28 pts.) |
Low – Decrease by 25 feet Moderate – Increase by10 feet High – Increase by 50 feet |
N/A |
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High level of function for water quality improvement and low for habitat (score water quality is 24-32 pts and habitat is less than 20) |
Low – Decrease by 50 feet Moderate – Decrease by 25 feet High – No change |
No additional discharges of untreated runoff |
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Estuarine |
Low – Decrease by 25 feet Moderate – Increase by 10 feet High – Increase by 50 feet |
N/A |
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Category II not meeting above criteria |
Low – Decrease by 50 feet Moderate – Decrease by 25 feet High – No Change |
N/A |
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Table 4: Width of Buffers Needed to Protect Category I Wetlands |
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Wetland Characteristics |
Buffer Widths Adjustments to 150 feet base width (by impacts of land use/apply most protective) |
Other Protection |
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Natural Heritage Wetlands |
Low – Decrease by 25 feet Moderate – Increase by 40 feet High – Increase by 100 feet |
No additional discharges of surface water. No septic systems within 300 feet Restore degraded parts of buffer |
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Bogs |
Low – Decrease by 25 feet Moderate – Increase by 40 feet High – Increase by 100 feet |
No additional surface discharges Restore degraded parts of buffer |
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Forested |
Buffer size to be based on score for habitat functions or water quality functions |
If forested wetland scores high for habitat need to maintain connectivity to other natural areas |
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Restore degraded parts of buffer |
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Estuarine |
Low – Decrease by 50 feet Moderate – No Change High – Increase by 50 feet |
N/A |
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Wetlands in Coastal Lagoons |
Low – Decrease by 50 feet Moderate – No Change High – Increase by 50 feet |
N/A |
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High level of function for habitat (score for habitat is 29-36 pts.) |
Low – No Change Moderate – Increase by 75 feet High – Increase by 150 feet |
Maintain connectivity to other natural areas Restore degraded parts of buffer |
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Moderate level of function for habitat (score for habitat is 20-28 pts.) |
Low – Decrease by 75 feet Moderate – Decrease by 40 feet High – No change |
N/A |
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High level of function for water quality improvement (score for WQI is 24-32) and low for habitat (score for habitat is less than 20 points) |
Low – Decrease by 100 feet Moderate – Decrease by 75 feet High – Decrease by 50 feet |
No additional discharges of untreated runoff |
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Category I wetlands not meeting any of the above criteria |
Low – Decrease by 100 feet Moderate – Decrease by 75 feet High – Decrease by 50 feet |
N/A |
NOTE: If the wetland meets more than one of the criteria listed in each table, the buffer needed to protect the wetland is the widest one.