The City shall conduct a wetland monitoring program applicable to all wetlands and wetland mosaics located within the City that are one thousand square feet (1,000 SF) or greater in area to which the City or its designee can acquire legal site access. The City shall pursue state and/or federal funding for the monitoring program in coordination with applicable local, state and federal agencies.
A. Purpose. The primary purpose of the wetland monitoring program is to maintain a science-based understanding of the City’s wetland resources. This information will serve as a source of best available science considered when the City makes decisions regarding wetlands regulations and policies in accordance with RCW 36.70A.172 and WAC 365-195-900 through WAC 365-195-925, and when considering adaptive management options.
B. Program Elements. The City shall gather baseline data regarding the presence, type, and condition of wetlands, and shall evaluate wetland condition data over time. The City shall assess the values and functions of wetlands and mosaics including and not limited to water quality, flood and storm water storage, conveyance and attenuation, groundwater recharge and discharge, and fish and wildlife habitat conditions; assess baseline wetland conditions; assess changes to wetland and mosaic conditions over time; evaluate effectiveness of City regulations; and enact adaptive management measures or actions (such as revisions to City regulations and requirements) as the wetland monitoring program may demonstrate are advisable. Basic elements of the wetland monitoring program are as follows, subject to modification over time:
1. Collect Baseline Data:
a. Delineate and designate the category of identified wetlands and mosaics and their buffer widths;
b. Survey and document baseline water quality conditions;
c. Survey and document baseline vegetation of wetlands and buffers;
d. Survey and document baseline wildlife presence and wetland use as habitat;
e. Survey and document wetland and buffer functions; and
f. Survey and document baseline surface water flow, groundwater recharge /discharge and flood attenuation conditions, as applicable.
2. Collect Periodic Data:
a. After baseline data are collected, the City shall monitor identified wetlands and mosaics on a minimum five (5) year basis. This will allow evaluation of wetland functions and values over time.
b. The City shall document data, results, and trends, and shall make any recommendations for adaptive management in a wetlands evaluation report, to be made publicly available, upon conclusion of each five (5) year wetland evaluation period interval as identified in 2.a., above.
3. Assess Wetland Conditions; City Response:
a. Should data indicate the condition of a wetland or mosaic is satisfactory and that adequate wetland functions and values consistent with the identified wetland category are being maintained, no additional action is required until the next monitoring and evaluation period.
b. Should data indicate the condition of a wetland or mosaic is threatened, or that wetland condition is declining over time, the City shall take the following steps:
(1) Compliance Assessment. The City will first determine whether there is compliance with relevant critical areas regulations.
(A) If the City determines compliance with critical areas regulations does not exist, the City shall undertake educational efforts to gain compliance.
(B) If education fails to achieve compliance, the City shall undertake regulatory code enforcement to gain compliance.
(2) Source Identification. If the City determines compliance with critical areas regulations does exist, the City shall strive to identify the source of the threat and take appropriate action to reverse or mitigate its effects.
(3) Adaptive Management. If the City determines compliance with critical areas regulations does exist, and there is no identifiable source of a threat to a degraded wetland, the City shall assess its critical areas regulations and practices, and shall modify them as necessary to achieve desired wetland functions and values consistent with the applicable wetland category. The City shall consider best available science when adaptively modifying its regulations and practices. (Ord. 985, 10-5-2020)