AB917,60,2418 2f. `Groundwater function.' Groundwater may discharge to a wetland,
19recharge from a wetland to another area, evaporate from, and/or flow through a
20wetland. The direction and rate of groundwater flow in a given wetland may change.
21The criteria that should be considered for their influence on the recharge potential
22include the total areal extent of wetlands and other waters in the particular drainage
23basin, and the hydrologic characteristics of the associated aquifer or aquifers
24including porosity, permeability and transmissivity.
AB917,61,13
12i. `Storm and flood water storage.' Some wetlands may be important for
2storing water and retarding flow during periods of flood or storm discharge. Even
3wetlands without surface water connections to other water bodies may serve this
4function. Such wetlands can reduce or at least modify the potentially damaging
5effects of floods by intercepting and retaining water which might otherwise be
6channelled through open flow systems. The importance of a given wetland for storm
7and flood water storage may be modified by the cumulative effects of the proposed
8activities and previous activities within the watershed. The flood storage capacity
9of a particular wetland is primarily a function of its area, basin shape, substrate
10texture and previous degree of saturation. In general, the greater the area of the
11wetland and the coarser the texture of the substrate, the greater the potential for
12flood water storage, given unsaturated field conditions. Similarly, wetland
13vegetation is an important factor in reducing the energy of flood or storm water.
AB917,62,214 2m. `Shoreline protection.' Wetlands also function to dissipate the energy of
15wave motion and runoff surges from storms and snowmelt, and thus lessen the
16effects of shoreline erosion. Wave action shielding by wetlands is not only important
17in preserving shorelines and channels, but also in protecting valuable residential,
18commercial and industrial acreage located adjacent to the aquatic ecosystems. The
19capacity of a particular wetland to act as an erosional buffer for a shoreline depends
20on such factors as the vegetation characteristics, the shape and size of the wetland
21and the adjacent shoreline morphology. The protection of shorelines by wetlands
22depends primarily on the floristic composition, structure and density of the plant
23community. Shoreline morphology along with fetch, adjacent bottom topography
24and wetland vegetation are important considerations in evaluating a wetland for its
25shoreline protection functions. Wetlands along shorelines with long fetches are

1likely to be associated with major waters of the state and shall not be considered for
2use.
AB917,62,123 2p. `Other watershed functions.' A wetland may perform a variety of other
4important functions within a watershed. Wetlands may degrade, inactivate, or store
5materials such as heavy metals, sediments, nutrients, and organic compounds that
6would otherwise drain into waterways. However, wetlands may subsequently
7release potentially harmful materials if the wetland soil is disturbed or its
8oxidation-reduction conditions altered. Potential alterations of these processes
9must be considered in the analysis, especially with regard to impacts on wetlands
10outside the proposed area of use. In assessing the importance of a particular wetland
11to the performance of watershed functions which influence the physical, chemical
12and biological properties of related waters, the following shall be considered:
AB917,62,1313 a. Density and distribution of plants;
AB917,62,1414 b. Area, depth and basin shape;
AB917,62,1515 c. Hydrologic regime;
AB917,62,1616 d. Physical, chemical and biological properties of the water and soil;
AB917,62,1717 e. Relationship of wetland size to watershed size;
AB917,62,1818 f. The number and size of other wetlands remaining in that watershed;
AB917,62,1919 g. Topography of the watershed;
AB917,62,2120 h. Position of the wetland within the watershed relative to springs, lakes, rivers
21and other waters;
AB917,62,2322 i. Land use practices and trends within the watershed, or the likelihood of
23nutrient, sediment or toxin loads increasing.
AB917,63,624 3. `Recreational, cultural and economic value.' Some wetlands are particularly
25valuable in meeting the demand for recreational areas, directly or indirectly, by

1helping to maintain water quality and providing wildlife habitat. Examples of
2recreational uses include: hunting, canoeing, hiking, snowshoeing, and nature
3study. To some people and cultures certain wetlands provide an important part of
4their economic base and/or contribute to their cultural heritage. In assessing the
5recreational, cultural and economic potential of a particular wetland, the following
6should be considered:
AB917,63,77 a. Wetland type;
AB917,63,88 b. Size;
AB917,63,99 c. Suitability and compatibility for the different types of recreational uses;
AB917,63,1010 d. Legal access.
AB917,63,1111 e. Accessibility without damage to other wetland values or functions;
AB917,63,1212 f. Proximity to users;
AB917,63,1313 g. Position in relation to lakes, rivers and other waters;
AB917,63,1514 h. Whether it provides habitat for or produces species of recreational, cultural
15or economic interest; and
AB917,63,1816 i. Whether the products of some wetlands species (e.g., wild rice, furbearers,
17fish) have special cultural value and/or provide a significant portion of the economic
18base for the people of a region.
AB917,64,219 4. `Scarcity of wetland type.' Certain wetland types (e.g., fens, wild rice lakes)
20which are statewide or regionally scarce possess special resource significance.
21Scarcity or rareness depends on the frequency of occurrence of the type, the area of
22the type in existence prior to settlement, the historical conversion of the type and its
23resultant degree of destruction, and the amount of similar habitat in the present
24landscape of the region. In assessing the scarcity of a particular wetland, a

1comparative measure of the commonness among all wetland types and the degree to
2which wetlands of all types occur in the surrounding landscape should be considered.
AB917,64,113 5. `Aquatic study areas, sanctuaries and refuges.' Through various local, state
4and federal actions, large areas of the nation's wetlands have been designated and
5preserved by public agencies for scientific study, and the protection of aquatic and
6terrestrial habitats. Many public and private groups have also established
7sanctuaries and refuges in wetlands. Wetland areas that are legally and/or
8administratively controlled as such, or that are included or nominated for inclusion
9in the national register of natural landmarks, could be comparatively important.
10Wetland areas of significant social, cultural, or historic value, such as known
11landmarks, are considered important.
AB917,64,1912 6. `The ecosystem concept in a regional context.' The previous subsections
13suggest that wetlands may not only have important functions within their
14boundaries, but may also interact with ecosystems of the surrounding region. The
15potential impact of wetland modification may influence distant wetlands if they are
16structurally and functionally related in the region. Similarly, the functions and
17values of any wetland may be affected by other existing and potential water resource
18activities in the region. Therefore, consideration should be given to those impacts
19which are shown to be of regional concern.
AB917,64,2320 (h) All wetlands which are to be used by the proposed activity shall be
21inventoried and analyzed pursuant to this chapter. The use of such wetlands shall
22be de minimis and, therefore, exempt from further application of this section, if the
23applicant demonstrates the following by a preponderance of evidence:
AB917,65,3
11. The wetlands to be used are or can be made to be sufficiently hydrologically
2isolated from the surface and underground waters of the state so that no violations
3of applicable laws and regulations would result;
AB917,65,54 2. The wetlands are not special or unique utilizing the result of the analysis
5made pursuant to this chapter; and