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Mounds View City Council regular Meeting Page Eight July 13, 1992 Sabee stated that a 10 year dry cycle may have an effect. Sabee stated that he couldn't tell what the weather was like in 1987. The wetlands were drier in drought years. One could walk in some wetlands where one wouldn't get their feet wet and since that time those wetlands may have come back. Some are wetter now. According to the lines the Corps of Engineers uses, this wetland has not changed. Communities of vegetation are very slow to respond. Markings on the soil are there forever until someone disturbs them. These types of features are not quick to disappear. If conditions have been changed it makes delineation difficult. Kay Weseman asked if a 10 year major ditch cleaning and a 10 year drought cycle of weather patterns would have an effect. Sabee stated that if ditch cleaning were done one year previous, in his opinion, it would have not effect. Mayor Linke stated that the boundaries in the past were decided by aerial photography and not by walking the site. Kay Weseman stated that if these boundaries are being cast in cement, she wants to know if the consultant feels at ease casting them in cement. ~ayor Linke responded that Peter Sabee had answered that question. Duane McCarty stated that the Rice Creek Soil and Water Conservation District had walked that site and used USGA MAPS. Councilmember Rickaby stated that the size of the wetland has changed since 1987. Molly Shodeen, field inspector, had written a letter stating that in 1979 - 1980 she had conducted the Ramsey County Wetland Inventory which involved field inspection and typing of all potential wetland areas meeting certain criteria. When Ms. Shodeen field checked the wetland in 1980 she found that the vegetation type was accurate and the wetland was Type 2. In August, 1987, Ms. Shodeen stated that the wetland had changed character. There had been a wetter period and there is now more development in the area. Shodeen further stated that when there is more impervious surface from roofs, driveways and streets, storm sewers direct more runoff into wetland areas. Shodeen also states that in her opinion the increased development has added significantly more water to this basin to cause the vegetation to become, over time, predominantly cattail. Cattails require a wetter moisture regime than grasses and shrubs. Instead of being seasonally flooded as is characteristic of a Type 2, Shodeen stated in her letter, it now appears to be at least waterlogged throughout the growing season in order to support the cattail growth. Shodeen stated if she were to type the wetland at the time the letter was written she would have called it a good Type 3. r~ LJ