Iowa Wetland Mitigation Bank, Inc.

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Iowa Wetland Mitigation Bank, Inc.

• Bank Operation
• Site Plan
• Management Plan
• June 2005

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Definition of Wetlands

• Prior converted wetland
• Farmed wetland
• Highly functional wetland

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Prior Converted Wetland
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Farmed Wetland
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Highly Functional Wetland
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Federal Wetland Regulations

• Clean Water Act
• USEPA.
• U.S. Corps of Engineers.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Food Security Act of 1985 (Swampbuster)
• NRCS.

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Federal Wetland Regulations

• Mitigation Opportunities
• Pre 1995
• Avoidance
• Minimization (minimal effect)
• On-site mitigation.
• Off-site mitigation.
• Post 1995
• Wetland banking.

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Wetland Banking

• Bank Types
• Commercial.
• Agricultural.
• Success of Banks
• Commercial banks have limited success.
• Agriculture
• Typically not economically viable at 11 (acre
  for acre) replacement ratio or higher

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Wetland Banking

• Key Element of Success
• Iowa Functional assessment
• IA used hydrogeomorphic approach
• Development began in 1995 approved in 1998
• Designed for ease of use by trained NRCS field
  staff
• Based on reference wetlands (relatively natural
  and unspoiled wetland exhibiting high degree of
  functions)

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Midwest Depressional Functional Assessment Model

• Development began in January 1995
• Purpose to measure changes in wetland Functions
  and Values
• Model is based on use of reference wetlands
  (model compares wetlands to relatively natural
  and unspoiled wetlands exhibiting a high degree
  of functionality)
• Team of NRCS, Iowa DNR, USFWS

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Midwest Depressional Functional Assessment Model

• Model used to determine amount of replacement
  values that were available at the mitigation site
• Process to apply the model was refined and final
  draft was presented to Iowa State Technical
  Committee in 1998
• Sate Technical Committee recommended adopting the
  model as an interim HGM model use for USDA
  wetland compliance use in Iowa

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Midwest Depressional Functional Assessment Model

• EPA still expressed some reservations
• ACE and IDNR granted 404 and 401 approval based
  on the models computation of mitigation
• Mitigation was 11 for Functions but only about
  0.61 for acres

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Midwest Depressional Functional Assessment Model

• Most users agreed that Iowa model was quicker and
  easier to employ than NPP HGM model
• The Iowa model was recommended and released to
  the NRCS Midwest region for use as the interim
  regional pothole model
• Model is still being used for all USDA wetland
  minimal effect and mitigation in Iowa

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Wetland Banking

• Midwest Depressional Functional Assessment Model
• Evaluates the current and future condition of the
  impacted site and the mitigation site
• Gives objective assessment of the functions and
  values of wetlands in terms of vegetation,
  hydrology, habitat water quality
• Provides currency to measure and compare
  functional gains and losses of wetland credits.

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Wetland Banking

• Iowa Model Variables
• Upland land use
• Wetland source area flow interception
• Wetland land use
• Buffer zone adjacent to wetland
• Tile outlet for wetland
• Wetland surface outlet

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Wetland Banking

• Iowa Model 12 Variables (contd.)
• Sediment delivery to wetland
• Soil conditions in wetland
• Organic residue (detritus) within wetland
• Plant abundance within the wetland
• Ratio of native to non-native plant species
• Maintenance of wildlife populations

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Wetland Banking

• Iowa Model Tile Variable
• No tile lines are present in the wetland NOR is
  the wetland within the drainage zone of any tile
  located outside the boundary. 1
• No tile within wetland BUT wetland is within the
  drainage zone of nearby tile OR there is tile
  within the wetland but it is not
  functioning. 0.75
• Some tile within the wetland but it affects lt50
  of the basin 0.5
• Some tile within wetland, affects gt 50 of
  wetland, but not pattern tiled.
  0.25
• Extensive pattern tile within the wetland.
  0.1

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Wetland Banking

• Iowa Model 6 Functions
• Maintenance of Characteristic Hydrological Regime
  
• Fhydro (VupVsourceVwetVtileVsuroutVsedVsoi
  l)/7
• Maintenance of Faunal Habitat
• Fhabitat ((VupVbuff)/2VwetVsedVpabunVpratio
  )/5
•  
• Retention of particulates and removal of
  dissolved elements and compounds
• Fremove (VwetVbuff)/2VtileVsuroutVsed(Vsoil
  Vdetritus)/2)/5
•  

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Wetland Banking

• Iowa Model Functions (contd)
• Maintenance of Characteristic Plant Communities
• Fplant ((VtileVsurout)/2VwetVsedVdetritusVp
  ratio)/5
•  Maintenance of Food Webs
• Fweb ((VpabunVdetritus)/2VwetVbuffVsedVprat
  io)/5
•  
• Maint. of Characteristic Vertebrate
  Invertebrate Populations
• Fwl ((VupVbuff)/2VwetVwlVpratio)/4

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Wetland Banking

• Iowa Model
• Site visit
• Assign values to the variables
• Apply formulas
• Results Functional Index Values

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Comparison of Functional Units for Wetland Types
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Iowa Wetland Mitigation Bank

• IFBF effort started in 1997.
• Feasibility study 1998
• Attractive option for mitigation for farmers.
• If credits priced reasonably, then feasible.
• Best if form partnership to lessen cost
• Conservation boards.
• Wildlife conservation organizations.
• IDNR.

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Iowa Wetland Mitigation Bank

• Searched for bank sites.
• IFBF tried on own.
• Farm realty companies.
• IDNR.
• Relationship with IDNR
• Work with IA Mitigation Bank Review Team

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Iowa Wetland Mitigation Bank

• Coulter Marsh site
• IDNR found site and purchased land.
• 28E Agreement between IFBF and IDNR
• IFBF to reimburse IDNR or pay for
• Land cost.
• Restoration cost.

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Iowa Wetland Mitigation Bank
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Iowa Wetland Mitigation Bank
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Iowa Wetland Mitigation Bank
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Iowa Wetland Mitigation Bank
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Iowa Wetland Mitigation Bank

• MBRT
• Establishes oversight for bank.
• Enforces state and federal regulations for bank.
• Prospectus/Instrument
• Prospectus
• Rationale of need for bank.
• Instrument
• Details of bank development and operation.

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Design

• Objective Maximize restoration of functional
  values/minimize cost.
• Maximize amount of prior converted or non-wetland
  to be converted.
• Intercept and redirect tile flow.
• Outlet main and lateral tiles to the wetland
  impoundment.
• Provide controlled outlet back into DD tile.

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Design

• Objectives (continued)
• Continue to provide adequate tile outlets to
  neighboring landowners
• Allow nature to revegetate wetland.
• Plant native grass buffer around wetland and rest
  of 186-acre site.

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Design

• Result
• Create 93 acres of restored enhanced wetland
  and buffer.
• Provide better drainage for DD 58.
• Improve water quality wildlife habitat.
• Provide new educational and recreational
  opportunities.
• Create functional credits for sale.

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Functional Credits Createdfor Sale

• F hydro 57.49
• F habitat .. 55.73
• F remove . 59.38
• F plant 41.26
• F web . 54.70
• F wildlife . 55.28

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Bank Operation

• Fall 2002 began restoration construction.
• Fall 2003 restoration complete.
• Schedule of credits
• 15 upon bank approval.
• 15 upon restoration of hydrology.
• 70 available thereafter on annual basis based on
  results of functional assessment

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Bank Operation

• Credit Cost
• 3,362 for one hydrology credit for farmers
• Or, with NRCS replacement ratio applied, cost to
  mitigate 1 acre of FW 1,849
• On average, 1 acre of FW represents 0.55
  functional units or credits
• 100 application fee (non-refundable)
• Balance due on bank release of credits to farmer
• Cost of credit for commercial customers 15,000

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Bank Operation

• Monitoring
• Required for 5 years.
• Model functions are the monitoring system
• Bank closure
• After credits are sold.
• IDNR becomes long-term manager.

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Iowa Wetland Mitigation Bank

• Bank Cost
• Land 131,898 (53)
• Restoration/monitoring 116,463 (47)
• Other Internal/Matching Costs 60,000 (est.)
• Management
• Legal
• Accounting
• Information Technology (database maintenance)
• Reporting Monitoring

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Iowa Wetland Mitigation Bank

• 2005 Net Assests
• (End of April 30 Quarter) 73,166
• Still have 40 percent of credits for sale

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Future Needs of Wetland Mitigation Banking

• Adoption of functional assessment for all wetland
  regulatory needs
• Streamlining of banking process
• In-lieu banking options
• Think broader pollution credit trading

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Future Needs of Wetland Mitigation Banking

• USDA facilitate bank partnership development
• USDA accelerate technical assistance
• Develop functional assessment needs analysis for
  possible bank sites
• Pilot use of federal revolving fund for Wetland
  Mitigation Banking Program (initial restoration,
  land cost)

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WIN/WIN/WIN

• FARMERS
• PUBLIC
• ENVIRONMENT

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For More Information

• Rick Robinson [phone]
• Environmental Policy Advisor
• Iowa Farm Bureau
• rrobinson_at_ifbf.org
• www.iowafarmbureau.com
• Select News Issues
• Select Environment