Opinion ID: 741847
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Adjacent Wetlands

Text: 17 The district court concluded that Banks' lands were wetlands adjacent to navigable, tidal waters and therefore subject to the Corp's regulatory jurisdiction. See 33 C.F.R. § 328.3(a)(1), (7) (1995). Banks disputes, however, that his lands are adjacent 9 wetlands. 18 Sitting as trier of fact, the district court found that the Lots are part of a meandering wetland slough traversing Big Pine Key to Pine Channel on the west and Bogie Channel on the east. Banks contests this finding, arguing that his lots--if wetlands at all--are isolated ones, because they are all at least one half mile from either of the navigable channels and have no hydrological relationship with these waters. Banks also contends that Watson Boulevard, a paved road, blocks water flow between Banks' lots and Bogie Channel. 19 We find that the district court's determination that Banks' lands were adjacent wetlands is not clearly erroneous. Experts testified that a hydrological connection exists between Banks' lands and Pine and Bogie Channels. This connection was primarily through groundwater, but also occurred through surface water during storms. The court also found ecological adjacency based on the water connections and the fact that the lots serve as habitat for birds, fish, turtles, snakes and other wildlife. 20 In United States v. Tilton, 705 F.2d 429 (11th Cir.1983), we addressed the issue of adjacency under similar facts. Finding the defendant's swamp was an adjacent wetland, we relied on similar evidence to establish hydrological and ecological links with the nearby river. Also, in Tilton--as here--the hydrological connection flowed mainly through ground water; the surface water only connected at extreme high tides, such as in hurricanes. Id. at 431 n. 1. In the light of Tilton, the district court committed no clear error in finding Banks' lands have the hydrological connection needed to qualify as adjacent wetlands. 10 21 With regard to Watson Boulevard, man-made dikes or barriers separating wetlands from other waters of the United States do not defeat adjacency. 33 C.F.R. § 328.3(c). The district court therefore properly rejected Banks' argument to the contrary.