CITY OF CLEARWATER
WETLAND EVALUATION DATA
DATE: 9/28/2002 WETLAND NO. 31-28-16-1 FLUCCS. NO.__621__PHOTOS: _8_
VEGETATION
DOMINANT SPECIES
HABITAT
% COVER
OBL
90
FACW
10
FAC
<5
UPLAND
<5
Bald cypress
Taxodium distichum
Laurel oak
Quercus laurifolia
Wax myrtle
Myrica cerifera
Cat briar
Smilax sp.
Virginia chain fern
Woodwardia virginica
FACW
<5
Swamp fern
Blechnum serrulatum
FACW
<5
Wild grape
Vitis sp.
UPLAND
<5
Brazilian pepper
Schinus terebinthifolius
FAC
<5
T & E SPECIES (state/federal)
None observed.
NUISANCE EXOTICS: TOTAL % COVER ___<5%__Around the perimeter__________
Schinus terebinthifolius
HYDROLOGY - SURFACE INUNDATED? Y N
FIELD INDICATORS OF SHW/NP
SURFACE WATER DEPTH: _<4-6”
lichen lines and moss collars on cypress trees.
STRUCTURES? _none observed. ____________________________________________
WATER QUALITY\CLARITY COMMENTS
.Tannin
stained.
_____________
DISTURBANCE: Totally built up around the wetland; surface water runoff patterns altered
by the excavation of a rim ditch around the perimeter of the wetland.__________________
SOILS: SERIES: ____Astor soils_________________ HYDRIC Y N DISTURBED Y N
TYPE OF DISTURBANCE: _Disturbances typical of commercial and residential
development in surrounding area._____________________________________________
WILDLIFE:
None observed.
HABITAT EVALUATION: ADJACENT HABITAT: High density residential development on
west and north sides, golf course on south and east sides. __________________
DEGREE OF DISTURBANCE (1 – 10 highest) __6_______________________________
TYPE OF DISTURBANCE: Isolation and fragmentation of habitat, invasion of nuisance
species around perimeter, alteration of surface water flows impacting hydrology, all have
impacted wetland._________________________________________________________
RESTORATION POTENTIAL/COMMENTS: Purchasing the golf course and restoring it to
upland habitat would be the only thing that would save this wetland from eventual decline.
Wetland description (Cowardin, 1983):
Cypress Swamp
System:
Palustrine
Class:
Forested Wetland
Subclass:
Needle-leaved deciduous
Dominance Type:
Taxodium distichum
Water Regime:
Permanently flooded
Located in the SW ¼ of the NE ¼, and the NW ¼ of the SE ¼ of STR 31-28-15. this
cypress strand appears to be in relatively good condition despite its isolation from other
habitat and the infestation of nuisance vegetation around the perimeter.
PHOTOS
This photo
was taken
from the
southwest
corner of the
wetland.
Much of it is
inaccessible.
The Brazilian
pepper around
the perimeter
is easy to
observe in this
photo.