How do I know what is a wetland?

Sometimes wetlands are easy to identify.  A pond is not land, but it is wet, and so is a wetland.  So is a vernal pool – a low place that fills with water in the Spring but is dry at the surface throughout the remainder of the seasons.  So is land overgrown with the kind of plants we commonly find on wet ground – cattails, for instance.  Sometimes wetlands are defined by their hydrology (degree of water) or soils.  More often, they are defined by their plant communities: where species that commonly occur in wetlands are in the majority, that place is most likely a wetland.  Red Maple is one indicator.  Other common wetland plants are: skunk cabbage, highbush blueberry, purple loosestrife, sensitive fern, sweet pepperbush.

To find out whether a particular site is classified as a wetland, you can ask for help from the Conservation Commission.  However, for a formal wetland delineation, you may need to hire an expert such as a Wetland Scientist or Botanist.

Sometimes the identification of affected land becomes technical.  Land that may appear to be dry may, in fact, be in a floodplain.  When a peak storm arrives, that land may be under water.  Floodplains are identified by their elevation.  The Commission maintains a set of floodplain maps; these can help you locate places on your property that may be subject to flooding.  For an exact determination, a survey prepared by a licensed land surveyor is required.