ENCAP, Inc. is ready to help our clients, municipal and county staff members, Forest Preserve and Park Districts, and other land development professionals meet their needs by offering workshops at their offices or at our Sycamore, Illinois location during January, February, and March of 2009. 
 
Work Shop Topics include but are not limited to:
 
Practical Approaches to Sediment and Erosion Control
NPDES permitting and Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans
Sustainable Landscape Design and Implementation  
Stormwater Best Management Practices
Wetland Delineation
Federal Jurisdiction and Permitting of Wetlands
Municipal and County Stormwater Ordinances 
 
 

Supplements to the 1987 Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual
Effective November 1, 2008-November 1, 2009
 
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineers Research and Development Center (ERDC) has recently issued supplements to the standard 1987 Wetlands Delineation Manual.  Use of the 1987 manual has been mandatory for wetland delineation since 1991.   Since then, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has published newer versions of the "Hydric Soils in the United States" and wetland science has advanced in the understanding of wetland identification and function.
 
Instead of creating a new wetland delineation manual to be applied nationwide, the ERDC has developed supplements to the 1987 manual that are based on regions of the United States.  The regions were determined by areas defined on the basis of physiography, climate, vegetation and prevailing land use.  The Midwest Region Supplement covers all or portions of 14 states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. 
 
This supplement will go into effect in November for a period of 1 year.  Modifications may be made to cover situations that may arise through practical application of the revised data forms, and modified field techniques.  Michael Machalek is the point of contact for the Chicago District regarding the Midwest Supplement.   The staff at ENCAP, Inc. have studied the supplement, revised our reports, and are ready to implement the new program for future wetland delineation projects.  We are prepared to perform work anywhere in the Midwest region.  Please forward this email to any of your contacts in the states listed above.

 

The Midwest Region Supplement is available on the web at:
USACE Interim Midwest Regional Delineation Supplement
 
If you would like us to come to your organization to present the changes in the supplement please email cpeterson@encapinc.net.

 

 

With the leaves on the trees starting to fall it won't be all that long before snowflakes are in the air and this year's construction season will be over. With an uncertain economy in the coming year, it is important to consider that a significant amount to time may pass before those outlots or building pads will be built on. It's a requirement of every NPDES permit that stabilization efforts be implemented within 7 days of an area being graded and remaining inactive.

 

"But it's too late in the season to get seed to germinate, right?"

 

That's correct, but as long as you act quickly a site can still be stabilized for the winter and early spring. Dormant seeding can be covered with straw mulch, hydromulch or compost blanket to temporary stabilize areas at final grade for the winter months. With seed in the ground this fall and soils protected from erosion for the winter, the seed will be ready to grow as soon as soil temperatures rise in the spring.

 

More temporary stabilization can be implemented through the use of polymer soil stabilization. Polyacrylamide specifically formulated for soil stabilization can be spread to temporarily bind soil surfaces over the coming weeks and months. While only a temporary application, PAM can be an effective stabilization practice for up to 90 days or longer if applied with a mulch. Polymer application is also a great practice for clay building pads where vegetation is not necessarily desireable and building construction may be scheduled in the near future.