What is the Southeast Alaska Mitigation Fund?

An In-Lieu Fee ProgramOf Course!

Clean Water Act(Compensation for

impacts to waters of the U.S.)

• What is a water of the U.S.

Wetlands

Rivers and Streams

Tidal

• Impacts regulated by the USACE

Generally over a tenth of acre requires mitigation

MitigationIf you impact a water of the U.S. you

have to make up for that(In relation to the Clean Water Act)

Fill a 1 Acre Wetland (Debits)

Restore, Enhance, Create, Preserve (Credits)

Three Mitigation Methods

• Mitigation Bank

• In-Lieu Fee

• Permitee Responsible (can be difficult)

– USACE approved mitigation plan (12 required components)

– Maintain in perpetuity (forever)

USACE 12 Fundamental Components: objectives; site selection criteria; site protection instruments (e.g., conservation easements); baseline information (for impact and compensation sites); credit determination methodology; a mitigation work plan; a maintenance plan; ecological performance standards; monitoring requirements; a long-term management plan; an adaptive management plan; and financial assurances

What is the Southeast Alaska Mitigation Fund?

An In-Lieu Fee ProgramBased on Restoration

Southeast Alaska Mitigation Fund (SAMF)

March 21, 2012: Draft ProspectusMay 29, 2012; COE Approves Draft ProspectusSept 10, 2102: ProspectusFeb 23, 2013: COE requests additional contentMarch 21, 2013: Meeting with COE and USFWSApril 10, 2013: Revised ProspectusJune 21, 2013: COE approves ProspectusSept. 2013: Final Instrument SubmittedAug. 2014: Final Instrument SubmittedNov. 2014: COE IRT reviewDec. 23, 2014: Additional changes requestedFeb. 2014: Meeting with IRT (Anchorage)March 2015: Final Instrument resubmitted

Why?

• Community Desire to keep mitigation funds in their community

• No active restoration ILF program in Southeast Alaska

• Provide developers the opportunity for quality restoration mitigation

SAMFFreshwater and Marine Credits

• Keep mitigation $$$ in community

• Help reduce development costs

• Protect valued community resources

• THE CATCH! can’t impact

mitigation sites

Pat Creek

West Fork Assessment(160 meter reach)

Project Name

Assessment Area Name

Assessment Area: acreage: 2.47 stream channel length (ft.): 500

average channel width (ft.): 15 total buffer width excluding channel (ft.): 200

rating FPU rating FPU rating FPU

Bank Height Ratio 1 3.00 7.40 3.00 7.40 0.00 0.00 0.0%

Entrenchment Ratio 1 4.00 9.86 4.00 9.86 0.00 0.00 0.0%

Percent Pool 1 4.00 9.86 4.00 9.86 0.00 0.00 0.0%

Pool Max Depth Ratio 1 2.00 4.93 3.00 7.40 1.00 2.47 50.0%

Width to Depth Ratio 1 2.00 4.93 4.00 9.86 2.00 4.93 100.0%

Bank Erosion Hazard Index 1 3.00 7.40 3.00 7.40 0.00 0.00 0.0%

Large Woody Debris (LWD) Density 1 6.00 14.79 6.00 14.79 0.00 0.00 0.0%

Key LWD Pieces Density 1.5 2.00 4.93 6.00 14.79 4.00 9.86 200.0%

Riparian Index 1 3.00 7.40 3.00 7.40 0.00 0.00 0.0%

Fish Species Diversity 1 4.00 9.86 5.00 12.33 1.00 2.47 25.0%

Public use & recognition 1 5.00 12.33 5.00 12.33 0.00 0.00 0.0%

Subsistence & provisioning 1 3.00 7.40 3.00 7.40 0.00 0.00 0.0%

41.00 101.09 49.00 120.81 8.00 19.72

3.42 8.42 4.08 10.07 0.67 1.64

Longitude 6-digit HUC #

Name(s) of Evaluator(s) Date

Stream Assessment DateLatitude

Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition

USACE Project #

POA-

MetricsWeight

(1x-1.5x)

Existing Projected Net Gain % Gain

FPU

total score

average score

Freshwater-Stream CreditPat Creek

rating FPU rating* FPU rating FPU

Floodplain Connectivity 3.50 8.63 3.50 8.63 0.00 0.00 0.0%

Bed Form Diversity 3.00 7.40 3.50 8.63 0.50 1.23 16.7%

Incision/Erosivity 2.50 6.16 3.50 8.63 1.00 2.47 40.0%

Large Woody Debris 4.00 9.86 7.50 18.49 3.50 8.63 87.5%

Biotic Integrity 3.50 8.63 4.00 9.86 0.50 1.23 14.3%

Societal Value 4.00 5.48 4.00 5.48 0.00 0.00 0.0%

Sum of avgs 20.50 46.16 26.00 59.72 5.50 13.56 29.4%

8.31 10.75 2.44 29.4%

Parameters

Weighted avg of avg FPU

Credit Calculation-Stream MethodExisting Projected Net gain % Gain

FPU

* The rating is equal to the average of the grouped parameters including any adjustment for Weighting of

priority metrics.

Final Credit Calculation($130,000 to $150,000)

Final Credit Calculation