A Regional Guidebook for Conducting Functional Assessments of Forested Wetlands and Riparian Areas in the Ozark Mountains Region of Arkansas

Section 404 of the Clean Water Act directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to administer a regulatory program for permitting the discharge of dredged or fill material in waters of the United States. As part of the permit review process, the impact of discharging dredged or fill material on wetland functions must be assessed. In 1996, a National Action Plan to Implement the Hydrogeomorphic Approach for developing Regional Guidebooks to assess wetland functions was published. The Hydrogeomorphic Approach is a collection of concepts and methods for developing functional indices and subsequently using them to assess the capacity of a wetland to perform functions relative to similar wetlands in a region. This report, one of a series of Regional Guidebooks that will be published in accordance with the National Action Plan, applies the Hydrogeomorphic Approach to forested wetlands and riparian areas in the Ozark Mountains Region of Arkansas in a planning and ecosystem restoration context. Prepared in collaboration with Charles Klimas and Associates, Inc., Seattle, WA; Arkansas Multi-Agency Wetland Planning Team, Little Rock, AR; Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Dept., Little Rock, AR; and Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Little Rock, AR.