Alternatives to In-Kind Wetland Mitigation in Texas: Summary Report

From playas in the panhandle to freshwater marshes along the Trinity River, from cypress swamps near the Louisiana border to tidal salt marshes along the gulf, Texas is home to a diversity of wetland types. According to Section 404 of the 1977 Clean Water Act (CWA), all activities involving the discharge of dredged or fill material into navigable waters of the United States, including their associated wetlands, must be approved and permitted by the Army Corp of Engineers (Corps). Due in part to its large size, Texas is very diverse ecologically and has a large number of types of wetlands. An agency such as the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), which serves the entire state, must be prepared to mitigate every kind of wetland that is impacted and must process knowledge of the general characteristic of each kind of wetland. TxDOT has recognized the need for a current practice assessment of wetland mitigation alternatives across the country as well as an assessment of TxDOT's wetland mitigation program so that decisions can be made more effectively regarding the future of wetland mitigation at TxDOT.