Army-Corps-of-Engineers

Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation / Regional Supplement / Waters of the United States Training

This training covers the protocol of the Regional Supplements in concert with the mandated 1987 Wetland Delineation Manual to identify the presence and boundaries of Waters of the United States. This training incorporates the rulings of the SWANCC, Rapanos and Sackett Supreme Court decisions.

This 38-Hour Course

Covers, in detail, the knowledges necessary for one to delineate wetlands per the accepted protocols of the Army Corps of Engineers and many state and local agencies
Covers in detail the applicable Regional Supplemental Methodology
Covers the current protocol for the presence and boundaries of Waters of the United States.
Covers current events including the SWANCC, Rapanos and Sackett Supreme Court Decisions.
Satisfies the training requirements of the state Departments of Transportation that require their contractors who perform wetland delineation services to have completed a Wetland Delinator Certification Program or Regulatory IV Interagency Wetland Delineation Training Course
Provides approximately 2.6 semester hours toward the specialized wetland training required to become a Professional Wetland Scientist from the Society of Wetland Scientists
Richard Chinn Environmental Training covers all the materials designated in the Army Corps of Engineers' Wetland Delineator Certification Program plus additional wetland management topics of interest to environmental consultants, engineers, land developers, land managers and regulatory staff

Satisfies the training requirements or recommendations to be listed by the Corps of Engineers districts as a competent wetland delineator and/or consultant on their mailing list and/or web page
Is designed for the novice, the wetland manager with limited experience and the seasoned wetland manager seeking refresher re-training
Is 50% (2 days) Classroom material and 50% (2 days) Field training
Allows you to access our alumni page.
Click here to download a sample certificate of completion

Skills & Knowledges you will gain

Upon completion of this course, you will:

Be able to determine if a site satisfies the hydrophytic vegetation requirements, once the dominant plants have been identified
Be able to determine if a site satisfies the hydrology requirement based on in-situ field indicators of hydrology
Be able to determine if a site has hydric soils, based on in-situ field indicators
Be able to understand the biological, chemical, and physical features at work in wetlands
Be able to apply your knowledge of wetlands to other parts of the country / world
Be able to determine if a site is within a wetland
Be able to determine the boundaries of a wetland
Be able to determine if a water is a Waters of the US based on the current protocols

Topics

Introduction to the 1987 Manual
Wetland and Waters of the US events, including the SWANCC, Rapanos and Sackett Supreme Court decisions.
History of wetland regulations in the US
History of the ACOE's Wetland Delineation Manuals (1987, 1989 and proposed 1991)
Section 404 authorization
Definitions of Waters of the US (and how it has changed over time)
Rapid test for vegetation
Dominance test for vegetation
Introduction to the Cowardin System
Introduction to wetland hydrology
Definition of prior converted croplands
Definition of farmed wetlands
Growing season determination
Primary field wetland hydrology indicators
Secondary field wetland hydrology indicators
Introduction to hydrophytic vegetation
Morphological, physiological, & reproductive adaptations to hydrology
Vegetation strata
Measuring and comparing species within strata
National Wetlands Inventory classifications
Selection of dominant species
50 / 20 test
Determination of prevalent vegetation
Prevalence index

Rapid test for vegetation
Introduction to hydric soils
Development of hydric soils
Anaerobic and aerobic microbes
Utilizing your Soil Survey and Websoil
Soil taxonomy
Soil hydrogeochemistry processes
Oxidation / Reduction processes
Redox depletions, redox concentrations, reduced matrix, coated sand grains
Detailed application, criteria and use of each of the A, S, and F hydric soil indicators
Determination of faint, distinct and prominent redox concentrations
Soil colors
Routine determination vs Comprehensive determination
Atypical situations
Problem areas and Problematic areas
Field delineation using the Regional Supplement
Field delineation of Atypical situation (if available locally)

Logistics

All courses are four days long, either Monday through Thursday, or Tuesday through Friday. Courses start at 7:30 am and end at 6:00 pm daily, with an hour-long lunch and frequent short breaks.
You will be confirmed within 2 days of registering by telephone, email, or fax.
Your cancelled check or credit card statement is generally accepted by the IRS; however, we give you a receipt at the end of a course. if you need a receipt from RCET before the course, please let us know and we will mail, email, or fax you a receipt before the course.
Your comprehensive workbook will be provided on the first day of class. You only need to bring pens, although they are often provided by the hotel.
We generally provide coffee in the morning and soft drinks after lunch.
Lunch is on your own; on field days we may bring our lunches into the field or go to a restaurant..
Dress appropriately for the weather; our classes range from cold weather (<20 F) to very hot (>90 F). If you are not sure what the expected weather is, please see The Weather Channel. For cold climates, we recommend Sorel or Lacrosse (or equivalent) insulated, waterproof boots; multiple socks; multiple layered clothing; head covering and mittens (preferred) or gloves. For hot weather, we recommend full skin covering (i.e., long sleeves and long pants), and leather Gore-Tex or rubber mid-calf (preferably white) boots. Snake chaps or snake boots may be appropriate. All persons should carry drinking water and a snack, and, if appropriate, sunscreen and / or insect repellant.
If you are allergic or may be allergic to bee or wasp stings or ant bites, contact your physician and the instructor before the field trip.

Now, a note from our legal counsel: Because of the field nature of this course, there are hazards that we cannot foresee, including, but not limited to, slips, trips, falls, sharp objects, uneven terrain, venomous snakes, bees, wasps, ants, cold and heat stress, lyme disease, chiggers, large mammals, alligators, & poison ivy.

That said, the field trip portion of this course carries no more health and safety risk than what the typical wetland scientist would expect in a day’s assignment. And after 700+ field trips, we have never experienced anything more severe than athlete’s feet.

Links of Interest

Covers current events including the SWANCC, Rapanos and Sackett Supreme Court Decisions.
Covers the changes imposed by the Rapanos vs. US Supreme Court decision
Is designed for the novice, the wetland manager with limited experience and the seasoned wetland manager seeking refresher re-training
Is 50% (2 days) Classroom material and 50% (2 days) Field training
Allows you to access our alumni page.
Click here to download a sample certificate of completion