Functional Assessment of Colorado Wetlands (FACWet) Method – User Manual Version 1.0

The Functional Assessment of Colorado Wetlands (FACWet) Method is a stressor-based, rapid assessment method developed to address key aspects of the Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT’s) Clean Water Act permitting needs. FACWet is a collaborative effort involving the Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado State University, EcoMetrics, LLC, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This new mode of wetland assessment is designed to address the regulatory community’s need for functional assessment in administration of the Clean Water Act in Colorado, including pre-project assessment, mitigation planning, and post-project evaluation This document includes the user guide and data sheets for Version 1.0 of the FACWet. This is the current working version of the methodology, but FACWet development is ongoing and the method will be iteratively updated and revised. Updates will be posted on the FACWet website: http://rydberg.biology.colostate.edu/FACWet/. FACWet should be used during the planning stage of projects that may impact wetlands or riparian habitats. Application of the FACWet Method may be required by federal regulatory agencies as part of the Clean Water Act permitting process. It is recommended that staff involved in environmental permitting attend a training course.