The document summarizes wetlands planning and projects in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. It discusses the borough's definition of wetlands, reasons for focusing on wetlands work including population growth, and completed and ongoing wetlands projects like mapping, education, assessments, and management planning. These projects aim to increase awareness and protection of wetlands in the rapidly developing borough.

1. Wetlands Planning and
Projects in the Mat-Su
Frankie Barker, Environmental Planner
Matanuska-Susitna Borough
frankie.barker@matsugov.us

4. “Those areas that are inundated and
saturated by surface or groundwater at a
frequency at a frequency and duration
sufficient to support, and that under
normal circumstances do support, a
prevalence of vegetation typically adapted
for life in saturated soil conditions,
including swamps, marshes, bogs and
similar areas. “
MSB Wetlands Definition
(17.125.10)

5. WHY IS MSB DOING
WETLANDS WORK?
Rapid population growth and land use
development (50% growth in 10 years)
Concern about loss of wetlands and benefits
they provide
Desire to earn revenue from Borough owned
property with large wetlands areas
Funding and technical assistance offered from
federal agencies to do wetlands projects
Lack of public information about wetlands

6. Population Growth in Alaska--Grew By
95,258 Between 2000-2011
Population growth 2000-2011
Alaska 15% 722,190
Fairbanks 15% 18% 97,615
Southeast 0% 1%
Anchorage 33% 14% 296,197
Matsu 34% 55%
Gulf Coast 7% 8% 91,697
Southwest 2% 6%
Northern 3% 13%
America 10%
Sources: AKDOWL, R&A and U.S. Census Bureau

7. MSB Wetlands Projects
Wetlands Mitigation Bank
(Big Lake South )
Wetlands Mapping (Greater core area)
Public Education (atlases, web page
& wetlands viewer)
Wetlands Functional Assessment
(Greater core area 2010 -2012)
Wetlands Management Plan
(2010- 2012)
Increase awareness and protection of wetlands

8. MSB Wetlands Mitigation Bank
Su-Knik Mitigation Bank was created in
partnership with Sustainable Environments, LLC
and Great Land Trust to manage the wetlands
mitigation bank.
Purpose of the Su-Knik Mitigation Bank is to
provide mitigation opportunities to permit
applicants, when the Army Corps of Engineers
(ACOE) determines that compensatory mitigation
is required for impacts to wetlands that are
within ACOE’s jurisdiction.

10. MSB Wetlands Mitigation Bank
Adopted by MSB in 2005 to protect wetlands areas,
provide mitigation options for development and
generate revenue for MSB.
Total 12,700 acres
Big Lake South 2279 acres, Fish Creek Watershed
Big Lake West 4,923 acres, Little Susitna Watershed
Fish Creek West 5,554 acres, Lower Susitna Watershed
December 4, 2009 – Approval by ACOE
to release credits

12. Su-Knik Mitigation Bank
South-Central Alaska
There are three different service areas for the
properties that comprise the Su-Knik Mitigation
Bank : Fish Creek Watershed, Little Susitna
Watershed and the Lower Susitna Watershed.
At this time, the bank only has credits for sale in the
"Fish Creek Watershed". However, for projects outside
this service area, credits may be able to be utilized from
the Big Lake Watershed. This is determined on a case by
case basis by the Army Corps.
For more information:
www.su-knikmitigationbank.com
or MSB Land Management Division

13. Wetlands Technical Group
December 5 & 6, 2007: An interagency group of 15- 20 people
met to review the purpose and scope of the wetlands mapping
and assessment work planned for the Mat-Su Watershed study.
Participants discussed the status of past and ongoing wetlands
studies in the Mat-Su. Mapping work and results from 2007 field
season were reported and suggestions were made to form a
technical group for wetlands assessment work.
March, April & May 2008: A technical wetlands assessment
group was assembled to discuss methodology for Mat-Su
wetlands assessment. Various existing wetlands assessment
guidebooks were suggested as models for the Mat-Su. Wetlands
mapping plans, methods and staffing were planned for the 2008
field season.
Organizations participating in the technical group were ACOE,
EPA, USFWS, Aquatic Research and Restoration Institute (ARRI),
Kenai Watershed Forum, Mat-Su Borough, USGS, and NRCS.

15. Mike Gracz, Kenai Watershed Forum,
mike@kenaiwatershed.org

16. Army Corps Mat-Su Watershed Study
Purpose: To provide resources to produce
comprehensive watershed assessments for the
Susitna and Matanuska watersheds.
Dates : October 2007 –present.
Funding: Mat-Su Borough is matching ACOE
funds 1:1 through related in-kind work. Phase I
cost was approximately $600,000.
Projects: The initial priority (Phase I) identified
for the study was wetlands mapping, functional
assessment and data gap analysis.

19. Wetlands Mapping 2007-2009
Wasilla & Cottonwood Creek Watersheds
2007 – 101,113 acres, 134 sites visited
Little Su, Big Lake, Knik-Fairview
2008 – 189,183 acres, 110 sites visited
Big Lake SW, Butte
2009 – 102,268 acres, 207 sites visited
(32,195 acres of wetlands, 31.5% of area – wettest area)
Total: 374,184 acres mapped
Includes 105,485 acres of wetlands in 6646 wetlands
polygons (28.2% of the land surface), 13,800 acres of
lakes and 2500 acres of wetland birch forests.

20. Jan. 15, 2007 PRESS RELEASE
First Borough atlas on wetlands adds
tool to planning
The Matanuska-Susitna Borough has produced a “Big Lake
Watershed Atlas” covering about ninety square miles of
watershed. The 138-page document is the first Borough
atlas of wetlands. The atlas provides an important
planning tool within one of the Borough’s fastest growing
areas.
The atlas contains 134 photographs overlaid with wetlands,
culverts, roads, and parcel boundaries. Each of the map
pages is a square mile. The atlas lays out where wetlands
and waterbodies are in relation to existing parcels and
undeveloped lots.

21. WETLANDS WEB RESOURCES
Wetlands Viewer: MSB GIS has developed a
wetlands viewer that shows MSB and NWI
mapped wetlands. Viewer is used by planners,
contractors, surveyors and general public to
locate wetlands.
http://maps.matsugov.us/Wetlands/
Wetlands Website: MSB has created a
website for public access to wetlands information
and maps and is soliciting services to redesign
and update.
http://wetlands.matsugov.us

22. Wetlands Functional Assessment
Function/Value
1. Streamflow Moderation
2. Contribution to Groundwater
3. Anadromous Fish Habitat
4. Transmission of Groundwater
5. Floodflow Alteration
6. Sediment/Toxicant/Pathogen Retention
7. Sediment Shoreline Stabilization
8. Foodchain Support
9. Recreation
10. Education
11. Nutrient Removal/Retention/Transformation
12. Consumptive Uses
13. Uniqueness
14. Habitat and Maintenance of Biodiversity
15. Habitat for Species of Interest
16. Visual Quality/Aesthetics
17. Culture/History

24. Wetlands Functional Assessment
Status: Sections under review by technical
committee. Due for completion summer 2012
For more information contact:
Robin Reich
Solstice Alaska Consulting, Inc
2607 Fairbanks Street, Suite B
Anchorage, AK 99503
907.929.5960

25. Wetlands Management Plan
Why develop a wetlands plan?
Bring together wetlands information in one place
Build awareness of wetlands characteristics,
benefits, and functions
Provide information about wetlands regulatory
process for development
Provide information about mitigation and
conservation options
Develop recommendations for future wetlands
management

26. Wetlands Management Plan
Timeline:
EPA awarded MSB a Wetlands Development
Grant of $117,788, June 2009
EPA approved MSB Work Plan, September 2009
EPA Grant & MSB match ($50,481) approved by
Assembly, November 2009
RFP issued, contract awarded to HDR, Inc.,
August 2010

27. Wetlands Management Plan
Wetlands Advisory Group
Agencies - USFWS, ACOE, EPA, NRCS
Businesses – Developers, Real Estate, Science
Technology, Mining
Conservation Organizations (NGO’s)– GLT,
WSWCD, KWF, ARRI, FOMS
Recreation groups – Willow Trails
WAG Meetings – December 2010, February
2011, May 2011

28. Wetlands Management Plan
Public Review Draft
Plan Contents
Importance of Wetlands
Definitions, Functions, Values
Regulations - USACOE
Issues
Goals and Actions
Coordination, Education, Conservation,
Science, Implementation

29. PUBLIC NOTICE
MSB PROPERTY OWNERS AND RESIDENTS
The DRAFT Matanuska-Susitna Borough Wetlands Management Plan
is now available for public review. The draft plan can be found on the
MSB web site at http://www.matsugov.us/planning/prd. Hard
copies are available at the MSB Permit Center or can be mailed by calling
MSB Planning Office at 745-9833.
Please review the draft and submit your comments,
suggestions or corrections by Friday, November 18, 2011.
Comments can be mailed to the Planning Department at 350 E. Dahlia Avenue, Palmer,
Alaska 99645 or by email to planning@matsugov.us.
For further information, please contact the Planning Department at 907-745-9833.

30. MSB Wetlands Projects
Wetlands Mitigation Bank
(in business – selling credits)
Wetlands Mapping (north of Willow 2012)
Public Education (web page &
& wetlands viewer - ongoing)
Wetlands Functional Assessment
(Completion summer 2012)
Wetlands Management Plan
(To MSB Assembly summer 2012)
Increase awareness and protection of wetlands

31. Thanks to our partners:
US Army Corps of Engineers
Kenai Watershed Forum
Environmental Protection Agency
US Fish and Wildlife Service
Sustainable Environments LLC
Great Land Trust
Frankie Barker, Environmental Planner
Matanuska-Susitna Borough
907-746-7439
frankie.barker@matsugov.us