Delineation Site Example (Hickory Mound Impoundment)

Question 1

Region Characterization

Answer 1

• large expanses of salt marsh punctuated by “tree islands” of low coastal hammocks
• adjacent to a tidal marsh and a manmade brackish water marsh

Question 2

Community Characterization

Answer 2

• area of extensive salt marshes, brackish marshes, coastal hammocks, and hydric hammocks
• salt marsh is dominated by cordgrass
• brackish marsh has a diverse mixture of emergent herbaceous perennials (mostly grasses and sedges)
• land ward of the brackish marsh is dominated by sawgrass and sabal palm
• coastal hammock vegetation dominated by live oak and slash pine with ground cover of saw palmetto

Question 3

Delineation Procedure

Answer 3

• site is an ecotone between the brackish marsh and coastal hammock
• wetland boundary occurs at the point where the mucky texture in the soil is less than 2”

Question 4

Vegetation Immediately Waterward of the Wetland Boundary

Answer 4

Canopy: live oak (UPL)
Sub-canopy: yaupon holly (FAC)
cabbage palm (FAC)
Ground Cover: tooth-cup (OBL)
water-hyssop (OBL)
flat-sedge (FACW)
seashore salt-grass (OBL)
spike-rush (OBL)
needle-rush (OBL)
bearded sprangle-top (FACW)
Christmas berry (OBL)
three square bulrush sword-grass (OBL)
saltmarsh cordgrass (OBL)

Question 5

Vegetation Immediately Landward of the Wetland Boundary

Answer 5

Canopy: slash pine (UPL)
live oak (UPL)
cabbage palm (FAC)
Ground Cover: bushy bluestem (FACW)
trumpet creeper (VINE)
beauty-berry (UPL)
crabgrass (UPL)
coral-bean (UPL)
switchgrass (FACW)
bracken fern (UPL)
catbrier green-brier (VINE)
winged sumac (UPL)
southern dewberry (FAC)
seaside goldenrod (FACW)
sand cordgrass (FACW)
poison ivy (UPL)

Question 6

Soil Descriptions

Answer 6

USDA-NRCS Taylor Co. Soil Survey - Sheet 38

• wetland soil is mapped as Clara, Meadowbrook, and Bodiford soils, frequently flooded (mapping unit #34)
• upland soil is mapped as Leon fine sand, rarely flooded (mapping unit #7)

Question 7

Soil Profile Descriptions

Answer 7

Point 1. twenty feet waterward of the wetland boundary line
Horizon: Oa; depth 0-4”; black (10YR 2/1) muck
A1; depth 4-5”; black (10YR 2/1) mucky fine
sand
A2; depth 5-7”; very dark gray (10YR 3/1) fine
sand
E; depth 7-16”; gray (10YR 5/1) fine sand;
oxidized rhizospheres present
Bh; depth 16-24”; very dark brown (10YR 2/2)
fine sand
C; 24+”; light brown gray (10YR 6/2) fine sand
Hydric soil: Yes
Hydric soil field indicators: four inches of much (horizon Oa)