· S· DEPARTMENT OF THE 

2. Sunmgy. 

'l:t!roughout :rJI.ldl of the nation's historical develcj:merrt, looletl.arx:is had been 

regarded as w"desi=ble am useless. Tcrlay, hc:Mever, scientific discoveries 

have led to a new illX:l. pEitive attitude ~ wetlams. Most people rnoo 

re<XXjn.ize that wetl.arx:is provide benefits such as illproved water quality, reduction -in storm an::l flood damages, aesthetic and recreational 

q:portunities, biolo;:rical diversity, ani wildlife habitat. 

SUrface minin;J activities provide an q::portunity for the cxmstruction of 

wetJ.arDs '<~here they did not previously exist. nre =nstruction of new 

wet.l.an1s is already al~e where practicable unier Title N (Abandoned Mine 

Reclamatioo) arx:l. has been done with great sumess W'rler the experimerrtal 

practice pr:o:Jiam. However, wetlarxi construction has not been widely acoepteci 

l.ll'Der normal pennittirg procedures because of a peroeption that regulatory 

barriers prohibit sudl activities. 

'!his pezception is inconsistent with the Faleral ~Lions at 30 CFR 

701.5, 780.25, 816.46, and 816.49 {~); 816.84(b)(1) (Qoal Mine 

Waste ~ structures); 816,97 (Protection of Fish ani Wildlife); 

816.102 (Backfillin:;r ani. Gradin;J); 816.111 arxi 816.116 (ReVegetation); ard 

816.133 {Post:n\inin;J Land Use), 'Ihese regulations allOW" for the construction 

of \ol9tl.arDs that S~Wlamerrt ani enhMc:e fish ani wildlife habitat. 

3. Definitions 

a. Wetlan;ls. '!hose areas that are inmdated or saturated 1::¥ surface or 

gromd water at a frequency arx:l. duration sufficient to SUR;lOrt., ani that urxier 

normal ciJ:cunstanoes, do support a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted 

for li£e in saturated corrlitions. Wetlarrls generally include swanps, marshes, 

bags, an:l. similar areas. 

b. Rjplmical Trea'bns!lt Systems. Passive aquatic systens constructed 

to treat pollutants (e.g., iron, marqanese, alurnirn.nn, sulfates) and/= to 

b.lffer receivin;J streams and water bo:iies fran the toxic irrpacts of mine 

discharges an aquatic biota. 

c. 

thot= 

wildlife, 

~;";~:1;;'!; c=struct:ed l<:M lyin;J areas within a :minesite · l!Disture, miniJnize erosion, =eate and enhan.:a 

= assist revegetation. 

! 
f. Fi,sh and Wildlife. H!jbi;tat. A~ l.arx:l. use cab;;gary dedicated 

.molly or partially to the protection, prOOuction, or management of species of 

fish or wildlife. 

= ·d~·~ :-,eA;;,;~;l:ter, sedinxmt or other liquid holdi.n;J structure 

"' or artificially built. 

e. Drpaurrlirs §trurrtm:p, A dam, embarikloont, or other structure used to 

1JJp::o.In::l water, slurry, or ather liquid or semi-liquid material. 

4. '!his directive ~lies to the construction of 

that suwlement an1 enhan::e fish an1 wildlife 

habitat as a~ l.arx:l. use. Specifically, this directive refers to diverse, high quality wetlai'Ds, which are not to l:e confused with biological 

treatment systems (TSR-10) constructed for the purpose of treati.n;J acid mine 

drainage (MID) • Wetlai'Ds constructed in accordance with this directive do not 

supersede mitigation requirements umer section 404 of the Clean water Act, or 

those wetlai'Ds which existed in the pre-mi.n.irq larxiscape and are bei.n;J 

:replaced in acccm'lanoe with a required mitigation plan. 

a.<:M's nqulati=s provide three opticns to leave wetlarrls oo <:xxrpl.eted 

mine sites. '!he qJt.ions =e small depl: ions, flilh and wildlife habitat, and 

.trrpoun::bDent and differ in nature and extent with respect to mnstructioo 

specifications and b:ni release requirements. 'Ihe small depression optioo 

includes wetJ.arx:is =nstructa1 in dug-outs and basins. 'lhe fish and wildlile 

habitat option alla.-5 wetlan:ls to be =eated as part of the postJninjnJ land 

use of fish and wildlife habitat. 'Ihe iltpourx:lmerrt option applies to large 

wetlands whidl may utilize existin;J :irrq:loun:ln'e. In all cases, b:ni release 

for the =eated wetland =eas will be based upon a finiin;J that the site meets 

the Federal wetland definition. 

a. Small 'X'?D¥;sicns. 30 em 816.102(h) alla.os small depressions to be 

ccnstructed on backfill areas for p.n:poses of creatin;J or enharx;ing wildlife 

habitat. Urxier this provision, wetlan:is may be created and retained on 

recl.a:irne:i larrls witha.!t ra;ard. to the permanent inp::wDment requirements. 'lhe 

depressions must be "small." 'Ihe surface area or depth of water 111hid1 wculd 

qualify as "small" are not de:fine::i in the Federal rules. Depressions nay J:e 

of any size carpatible with the postlnini.n;J land use and lDUSt not pose a safety 

risk associated with potential failure of an 1Jtpourx:imerrt. 

Small depressions lDUSt l:e a ciu;Jalt or basin as crposed to an embankmenttype oonstruction. Sides or shores of depressicns shoo.ld be gently slcpirq to 

allow for zonation of vegetatioo cctnn'l.1llities. Deep pits with steep slcpirq 

sides are not suitable small depressions for the p.np:>ses of wetland wildlife 

habitat, Small depL scions also must not be located so as to cause 

instability of an excess spoil fill {30 CFR 816,71 (e) (4)) . 

Design =iteria for small depl: scion wetlarrls shm1d follow 

recamendatioos in =rent literature for creatin;J wetl.arx:l. wildlife habitat. 

Optinurn size, shape, depth, and number may vary depenting on location, 

~iographic features, and habitat objectives. M:lxinurn benefit is often 

' 
• 

achieved looben more than cne such wetlan:i is a.:nstructed in the same vicinity. 

Small dept sion wetlanis may ==r as wildlife ertlarmnent features within 

any post:mining l.an:i use if awroveci by the Regulatory Aut:h=ity am the 

~-

b. , l'41en fish ani wildlife habitat is the 

aJ;PrOVed establishment is an excellent neans for 

creating a diverse form. Both the flora arxi fauna associated with 

wetland ecosystems should have proven nutritional ani cover values for 

wildlife as required by 30 CFR 816,97(g). Naturally oocurrin;J wetlarrl systans 

(marine, estuarine, lacustrine, riverine, ani palustrine) as defined by 

CCMa:rdin et sJ., 1979, =ntain varioos canbinatioos of trees, shrubs, 

mergents, JJI')f!Ses, and lichens deperding on clllnate, hyarology, arrl 

tcpc:grapUc location. 

30 CFR 816.116{b) (3) states that "for &:eas being develcped for fish arxi 

wildlife habitat, . . . SIY'Cess of vegetation shall be determined on the basis 

of tree and shrub st.oddn;r an:i va;etative groord cover. SUch paraneters are descriJ::ed as foll<::MS: (i) Minin1um stockin;J arxl planting arrangements shall l:e 

specified by the Regulatory Auth=i"ty on the basis o£ local con:litions ani 

after consultation arrl apptO\Ial by the state agencies responsible far 

administration of fOLesl:ty arrl wildlife programs." QSIIII reoogni.lles that the 

local ani regional nature of wetland systems may not include woody plants in 

all cases and, therefore, will raquire the applicable standards as necessary. 

nmretore, the state Regulatory Authorities may establish specific 

reve;Jeta,tion st:andards provided that all lan:i must Jreet. the general 

revegetation SO ICC st:andards at 30 CFR 816.111 (a) (1) 1 (2) and 

(b), (1), (3), (4) and (5), in addition to the specific requirements of 816.116 

and that the wetland area meet the Fe::J.eral definition at: a wetlan:l as defined 

by the u.s. Army Corps of Engineers (CDE} 1987 Dalineation Marrual. 

For all wetland creation projects, the most iirportant concept is the 

estabJ.i.sllrrent of a :fiJncti.cnal hydrologic regilne that is aR?lq:u:iate for the 

develq::xtoeut of the desired wetl.arxi syste:m (O'Avanzo 1989). 'Ihe plans an:l 

specifications for construction of a wetland will most likely Qetennine the 

success of the project. 'lherefore, OSM will encourage irxiustry and the state 

Rsgul.atory Authorities to cansult with the u.s. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

OOE, the state wildlife nanageDEnt agency, or the local agency most familiar 

with wetlan:l reclamation tedmiques for the region, durin:] the pl.annin;J and 

permittirg of created wetlanis an:l detenninirg sno= . 1he ~tory 

Authority shall ensure that its success =iteria results in reclaimed areas 

that meet the definition of a wetlarxi, the ultimate measure of success. 

c. T!rp'1!p"(lment. large wetlan:ls an:l tlKlse associated with 

s<rlinvmtation pol'rls must carply with the construction of i.npoun:lment 

regulations at 30 CFR 780.25, 816.46, and 816.49 if they remain unaltered to 

address safety concerns an:l water retention levels. Sedimsntation ponds lohidl 

contain sediment which would rerde:r them unsuitable for other p.nposes as 

pennanent ~ may be acceptable as wetlands for wildlife enhanoeloont. 

After such structures have served their intsn:led ~ and would otherwise 

be awroved for rem:JVal, continuation of pericrlic s<rlilnent rem:::IV'a1 is not 

necessary if the porxl is awrovect for retention as a wetland. 

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Wetl.arxis may be created in pords or ernbanknents provided that the crest of the dam is reduced to the elevation necessary only to saturate the refUse 

or sedii!'Prrt to the exterrt necessary to sustain a diverse wetland ecosystem. 

Also, any p?Ssihle safety CXliXlerllS must be eliminate:l. After such an 

iltpourrlment: is m:Jdll:ied to address the above, (lSI! ~d then consider it a 

wetlarx:l. oa1Structed for the purpose of wildlife enhancement rather than an 

.i.Jqx.o.Jrding structure. otherwise, iJrpoumments involving ooal refUse may cnl.y 

be converted to wetlands as part of a postminin;r land use with an experimental practice variance in =darr:e with 30 CFR 785.13. 

d. In order m be consistent with the procedures of the 

OJE and method for determinirg the srnressful creation 

of a time of bard release, OSM requires that all wetlams llllS't 

treet the COE definition of a wetlarx:l. (1987 Corps of ErJ;Jineers Wetlams 

Delineation Manual) • 'lhls determi.nation llllS't be made by qualified personnel 

fran iirlustry, or a oognizant state or Federal agency. '!he awlirant is 

responsible for ensuri.n;! that this determination is made, subject to 

Regulatory Authority verification. 

s. Rfflnrt1.m Rec!tllmrents. None 

6. Effect oo other !"lr'pi!OO!!b!. None 

7. Refergnsm 

a. 30 CFR 

b. Environmerrta.l Protecticn h]ency (EPA), Wetland creatirn and 

Restoraticn: 'Ihe status of the Science; Vol. 1 

c. u.s. Army Corps of ErJ;Jineers, 1987 Wetland Delineation Manual 

d. O'Avanzo; IDng Ter!n Evaluation of Wetl.arxi Creation Projects, 1989. 

e. car.m:tin, et.a1, Classification of Wetlams, 1987. 

8. Effective Date. Upoo Issuance 

9. C'r?ntactA· Branch of state Program SUpport, (412)937-2858 

10. Keywords. Wetlan:is, Depression, IltpJunjments, Habitat 

11. IJ5t of l!rrJerrlices. None 

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