CCP 11-13-1995 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS . . There are a number of areas of potential environmental concern in the corridor that may be critical to the development and design of the alternatives. These include wetlands, water quality, threatened I and endangered species, cultural resources and noise. In order to minimize the impacts of alternatives in these areas the resources and potential impacts were identified early in the process. Each of these environmental areas are discussed in the following sections. I WETLANDS I A preliminary analysis of potential wetlands located adjacent to Highway 96 was completed using the United States Fish and Wildlife National Wetland Inventory (NWI) maps, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MnDNR) Protected Waters and Wetlands map, Ramsey County I soil survey and aerial photography. I The NWI maps identified 35 wetlands in close proximity to the Highway 96 alignment. Twelve of these wetlands are listed as protected waters by the MnDNR. Several additional areas were identified as potential wetlands based on information from the Soil Conservation Service soil survey I and recent aerial photography. The field inventory was conducted on June 16, 1995. The approximate location and size of wetlands .- within the 150 foot wide corridor were noted, as well as the wetland'type and general vegetative characteristics of each basin. The wetland edge was ;;'01 delineated at this time, but was estimated ba,ed on aerial photography. I Foity~two potential wetlands were identified within the Highway 96 corridor during the field inventory (Table I). Due to the urban land use along much of the corridor, many of the wetlands I in the corridor have been previously disturbed. Ten of the Jlotential wetlands identified appear to have been excavated to facilitate roadside drainage. . Most of the wetlands could be classified as tempory or seasonally flooded, Types 1,2, and 3 (PEMA or PEMC) with reed canary grass, cattails and/or sedges as the dominant vegetation. Five wetlands I within the 150 foot corridor are DNR Protected Wetlands, three of which are classified as semi- permanently flooded PEMF wetlands. A few of the wetlands contain shrub or forest vegetation. I The typical right-of-way in this corridor is 150 feet. There are areas where the right-of-way is wider and a couple of areas where the right-of-way is na~ower. An estimate was made of the potential right-of-way impacts assuming the improvements used the entire 150 foot right-of-way. The . estimated impacts are also shown in Table I. Based on this assumption the estimated worst case wetland impact in the corridor is roughly 9 acres. Approximately 2.5 acres of this impact would be in DNR protected waters. It is possible that additional temporilry impacst could also be incurred I outside the construction zone. This impact estimate, does not include temporary impacts or areas I- 0 39 - .