UMAM and WRAP Scoring Guidance

UMAM and WRAP Scoring Guidance

What are the determining factors to find out the quality of a wetland?

UMAM SCORING GUIDANCE: THE SCORING OF EACH INDICATOR IS BASED ON WHAT WOULD BE SUITABLE FOR THE TYPE OF WETLAND OR SURFACE WATER ASSESSED

Optimal (10)

Condition is optimal and fully supports wetland/surface water functions

Moderate (7)

Condition is less than optimal, but sufficient to maintain most wetland/surface water functions

Minimal (4)

Minimal level of support of wetland/surface water functions

Not Present (0)

Condition is insufficient to provide wetland/surface water functions

The Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method (UMAM) determines the amount of mitigation needed to offset adverse impacts to wetlands and other surface waters and to award and deduct mitigation bank credits.

 

UMAM provides a standardized procedure for assessing the ecological functions provided by wetlands and other surface waters, the amount that those functions are reduced by a proposed impact, and the amount of mitigation necessary to offset that loss.

This standardized methodology is also used to determine the degree of improvement in ecological value of proposed mitigation bank activities.

The UMAM evaluates functions through consideration of an ecological community’s current condition, hydrologic connection, uniqueness, location, fish and wildlife utilization, time lag and mitigation risk.

 

Criteria that are considered in obtaining a UMAM score:

  1. Location & Landscape Support
  2. Water Environment
  3. Community Structure
  1. Vegetation
  2. Soils
  3. Hydrology

 

Depending on the quality of the wetland impact will determine how many credits needed.

 

Converting UMAM to WRAP/RATIO:

 

0-4 = 1:1

4-7 = 1.5:1

7-10 = 2:1

 

If you are trying to figure out a WRAP/RATIO score; apply the following to a low-quality wetland, you will need 1 credit for every acre of impact. If it is an average quality wetland, you will need 1.5 credits for every acre of impact. If it is a high-quality wetland, you will need 2 credits for every acre of impact.