What is a wetland determination? Wetland determinations assess if and where wetlands are present on a property. The presence and location of wetlands can have many implications when evaluating land for development.

The Florida Administrative Code defines a wetland as

” ‘Wetlands’ means those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface water or ground water at a frequency and a duration sufficient to support, and under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soils. “

The following are the three main criteria used to determine a wetland:

1. Signs of Hydrology – Water may only be present on a property a few weeks out of the year, making some wetlands not so obvious in the dry season. When water is present on a property, it generally leaves signs or traces of its’ presence. Things like water marks, sediment deposits, adventitious rooting, and buttressing at the base of trees are all indicators of hydrology.

2. Hydric Soil Indicators – Characteristically, wetland soils contain no oxygen (anoxic conditions). This lack of oxygen allows for indicative chemical reactions and tell-tale signs to occur in the soil. During a wetland determination, soil plugs are taken and assessed for these hydric soil indicators. Things like muck presence, certain colors of soil, and patterns in the soil can indicate constant water saturation.

3. The Vegetative Community – The vegetation present on a property can indicate the wetland status of a property throughout the year, even in the dry season. Some plants require standing water to survive and others can not tolerate much water at all. However, most plants fall in between these extremes. Each plant is assigned a status that indicates it’s water tolerance. Plants like bald cypress and cattails are given wetland status while saw palmetto and running oak are given upland status.

If a property contains wetlands and wetland impacts can not be avoided, an Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) may be obtained.

Wetland determinations are usually required by potential buyers during their due diligence period since mitigation for wetland impacts impose additional fees. 

More information regarding wetlands can be found on Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s website.