2500
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FOREST SERVICE MANUAL
CHIPPEWA NF (REGION 9)
CASS LAKE, MN
FSM 2500 – WATERSHED AND AIR MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 2520 – WATERSHED PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT
Supplement No.: R9 Chippewa 2500-2003-2
Effective Date: May 8, 2003
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: DUANE D. KICK
Acting Forest Supervisor
Date Approved: 4/24/2003
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by Handbook number and
calendar year. Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it with this
supplement. Retain this transmittal as the first page(s) of this document unless this is a zero (0)
page supplement; simply remove documents affected by zero page supplements. The last
supplement to this Handbook was R9 Chippewa 2500-2003-1, a zero (0) page supplement.
New Document
R9 Chippewa 2500-2003-2
3 Pages
Superseded Document(s)
(Supplement Number and
Effective Date)
R9 Chippewa 2500-1996-1
3 Pages
Digest: In order by code, summarize the main additions, revisions, or removal of direction
incorporated in this supplement.
2527.03 – Reissues Chippewa National Forest Supplement in MS Word format without any
change in content. Direction has not been changed; some minor typographical and technical
errors were corrected.
R9 CHIPPEWA SUPPLEMENT
EFFECTIVE DATE:
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
2500
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FSM 2500 – WATERSHED AND AIR MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 2520 – WATERSHED PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT
2527 – FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT AND WETLAND PROTECTION
2527.03 – Policy
It is the policy of the Chippewa National Forest to protect wetland resources and functions from adverse
impacts. Forest activities should strive to maintain non-degradation of wetland resources and functions
and/or to restore resources and functions. Wetland mitigation principles will be used to guide activities
that have the potential to adversely impact wetlands administered by the Chippewa National Forest.
Incorporate the following principles in descending order of priority.
1. Wetland mitigation principles:
a. Avoid the impact altogether by not taking a certain action or parts of an action.
b. Minimize the impact by limiting the degree or magnitude of the action and its
implementation.
c. Take affirmative actions to rectify impacts and reduce or eliminate impacts over time.
d. Mitigate the unavoidable impacts to wetland resources and values by compensation.
Compensatory mitigation shall be accomplished in the following descending order of priority:
(1) Restoration of a previously diminished wetland, and
(2) Creation of a wetland
2. Determination of wetland dependency. A project is wetland dependent if wetland resources
and functions are essential to fulfill the purpose of the project. For example: 1- a boat ramp and parking
lot are not wetland dependent because wetlands are not needed in order to launch a boat or to provide
parking space, 2-wetland interpretative trail highlighting real world, hands-on plant identification would
require the site to be in a wetland. Where the proposed project is not wetland dependent, the wetland
mitigation principles described above and below will be followed. A wetland-dependent project is
exempt from impact avoidance procedures but will follow the remainder of the mitigation principles.
3. Impact avoidance. Physical alteration which has the potential for an adverse impact on one or
more resources or functions of a wetland is not allowed unless there is not a prudent and feasible
alternative that would avoid impacts to wetland resources and functions.
a. Alternatives that do not involve wetlands are presumed to be available unless clearly
demonstrated otherwise by the project proponent.
b. If no alternative is available for avoidance, potential adverse impacts to the wetland shall
be minimized in accordance with the following provisions.
4. Impact minimization.
R9 CHIPPEWA SUPPLEMENT
EFFECTIVE DATE:
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
2500
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FSM 2500 – WATERSHED AND AIR MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 2520 – WATERSHED PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT
a. The project proponent will implement actions to minimize potential adverse impacts of
physical alteration by using the applicable minimization activities in Code of Federal
Regulations, Title 40, Section 230, subpart H, as amended. The regulations will be available
at each District office. Minimization activities fall under these seven broad categories:
Locating the site to minimize discharge materials, selecting the types of materials to be
discharged, controlling the movement of materials after discharge, minimizing dispersion of
discharged materials, using appropriate equipment to minimize adverse impacts, minimizing
adverse effects to plant and animal populations, and minimizing the effect on human use.
b. If the potential for adverse impacts on wetlands remains after all actions to minimize the
impacts have been incorporated in the proposed project, unavoidable impacts shall be
compensated for according to the following guidance.
5. Impact compensation.
a. Compensatory mitigation plans must be prepared, implemented and monitored. Plans will
describe the impacts to wetlands and the desired condition of the restored or created wetlands.
The plan should also include implementation timeframes and monitoring items. Monitoring
will assess the degree to which replacement of diminished or lost wetland resources was
accomplished.
b. Compensatory mitigation shall be accomplished through restoration or creation.
c. If compensatory mitigation is accomplished by restoration or creation, the replacement
wetland shall be of the same acreage, type, and within the same watershed (fourth code) as
the impacted wetland to the extent feasible.
d. Compensatory mitigation shall be completed before or concurrent with the actual physical
alteration of the wetland affected by the proposed project. Project proponents may request a
time extension for compensation not to exceed 1 year from the date of the physical alteration.
e. Forest mitigation banking, whereby restoration, creation, and destruction will be tracked
will be permitted as long as the conditions specified in 3 and 4 above are followed. Wetlands
that have been restored or created since 1993 will be considered for the bank.