Wetlands - County Functional Assessment

In the summer of 2013, Blue Earth County worked with Stantec to evaluate a sample of 75 wetlands throughout the County. The wetland assessment included both a MnRAM Assessment and Rapid FQA for each wetland. The results showed a range of wetland functions and vegetation classes. A summary of the results of the Rapid FQA can be found in this table.


The table below contains links to PDF document of wetland assessments conducted by Stantec in 2013 on publicly owned sites:


County/CityStateFederal
Bray ParkButternut Valley SNACobb River WPA (ID #89)
Duck Lake Park (ID #49)Cambria WMACobb River WPA (ID #90)
Duck Lake Park (ID #50)Evan's Slough WMA (ID #19)Evan's Slough WPA (ID #66)
Duck Lake Park (ID #106)Gilfillan WMAEvans Slough WPA (ID #67)
Indian Lake Conservation AreaIda Lake (ID #21)Evans Slough WPA (ID #68)
Kiwanis Recreation AreaIda Lake (ID #22)Lincoln WPA (ID #71)
Land of Memories ParkIda Lake (ID #106)Lincoln WPA (ID #72)
Rasmussen WoodsIndian Lake WMALincoln WPA (ID #101)
Wings Over White Oak ParkLembke WMAPerch Lake WPA

Lost Marsh WMARoberts WPA

Maple River WMAWatonwan WPA (ID #18)

Minneopa State Park (ID #5)Watonwan WPA (ID #64)

Minneopa State Park (ID #6)Watonwan WPA (ID #102)

Minneopa State Park (ID #7)

Schoolhouse Lake


Assessment Methods

The Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) directs the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) to determine the methods that must be used to evaluate wetland functions. These methods provide a systematic way for those with experience and training in wetland science to document observations based on best professional judgment.


For developing the Comprehensive Wetland Protection and Management Plan, wetland functions must be assessed using methods approved by the local Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP) and the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR).


The BWSR-approved wetland assessment methods used for this evaluation include:

  • Minnesota Routine Assessment Method (MnRAM), Version 3.4 Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources:
    Link to MnRAM
  • A Regional Guidebook for Applying the Hydrogeomorphic Approach to Assessing Wetland Functions of Prairie Potholes (HGM) Army Corps of Engineers:
    Link to HGM Guidebook
  • Rapid Floristic Qualitative Assessment (Rapid FQA) method
    Minnesota Pollution Control Agency:
    Link to MPCA RFQA Information