WETLANDS OF CONNECTICUT by Kenneth J. Metzler & Ralph W. Tiner State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut in Cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection in cooperation with u.s. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory WETLANDS OF CONNECTICUT by Kenneth J. Metzler State Geological & Natural History Survey of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Hartford, Connecticut &: Ralph W. Tiner U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory Newton Corner, Massachusetts 1992 Report of Investigations No. 13 State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Honorable Lowell P. Weicker, jr. Governor of Connecticut Timothy R.E. Keeney Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection State Geologist Director, Natural Resources Center Richard C. Hyde Hartford, Connecticut Additional copies may be purchased from: DEP Maps and Publications 165 Capitol Avenue, Room 555 Hartford, Connecticut 06106 (203) 566-7719 Copyright 1991 by the State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut. All rights reserved. Acknowledgments Many individuals and organizations have contributed to the completion of the wetlands imTntory in Connecticut and to the preparation of this report. The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Region '5 Office provided funds and equipment for the aerial photo interpretation phase of the inventory and the USFWS National Wet lands Inventory Grou p in St. Petersburg, Florida provided technical support for producing the wetland maps and for constructing the Connecticut Wetland data base; the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources Center provided funds for the preparation of this report, space and staff support for the photo interpretation, and draft and final map review; and the University of Massachusetts, Department of Forestry and 'Wildlife Management conducted areal measurements and prepared acreage summaries for the wetlands and deepwater habitats included in this report. Special attention and appreciation is given to Nels Barrell of the University of Connecticut who performed nearly all the photo interpretation; his dedication and hard work serves as the basis for this report. We also thank john Organ whose work as acting USFWS Region 5 National Wetlands Inventory Coordinator facilitated the phoLO interpretation. provided technical assistance and quality control, and reviewed both draft and final maps. His enthusiasm was essential for the quality and detail reflected by the maps. The perseverance and support of Richard Hyde and Dr. Hugo Thomas. Director and former Director of the Natural Resources Center respectively, are greatly appreciated, without which the completion of this report never could have occurred. Sincere gratitude is extended to the following persons for reviewing various stages of the draft manuscript and for providing additional information: Dr. William Niering, Connecticut College; Douglas Cooper, Connecticut DEP; Da\'id Emerson, City of Stamford, Connecticut; and Dr. Michael Lefor, Uniwrsity of Connecticut. AdditlOnal review and information was provided by the following: Ralph Lewis, Connecticut DEP and janet Stone, US. Geological Survey (Chapter 4); Edward Sautter and Kip Kolesinskas, USDA Soil Conservation Service (Chapter 5); Ron Rozsa and Leslie Mehrhoff, Connecticut DEP (Chapter 6); George Brys, Dawn McKay, Paul Merola, and Paul Rego, Connecticut DEP (Chapter 7); joanne Gookin, USFWS and janice Stone, University of Massachusetts (wetland acreage); Paul Fusco, Richard Hyde, Leslie Mehrhoff, and Allan Williams, Connecticut DEP, Kip Kolesinskas and Al Roberts, Soil Consen'ation Service (photographs); and jonathan Scull, Connecticut DEP (computer assistance). Credit for the cover photographs should be given to Leslie Mehrhoff (beaver pond), Steven D. Faccio, Bethel, CT (wood duck), and Kenneth Metzler (all others) We also thank joanne Gookin (USFWS) for carefully preparing the enclosed map showing the distribution of wetlands and deepwater habitats throughout the state. The work of Carollozzo and other individuals who typed portions of this report and its earlier drafts is also acknowledged. We give particular thanks to Diane Tyler who typed the final text, inserted the figures and tables, and formatted the camera-ready draft. Allan Williams of the Connecticut DEP saw the manuscript through publication, Mary Crombie provided graphiC design assistance, and the final draft was edited by Selbourne Brown. Table of Contents Acknowledgments. .. ......................... ... i List of Figures. ..................................... iv List of Tables. ...... v List of Plates ......... v Chapter 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 Need for a Wetlands Inventory in Connecticut. ... ............ ..... 1 Description of the Study Area. .. ......................... .. 2 Organization of this Report .......................... ............. ............. ................... 2 References. ....................... ............. .................. .................... 2 Chapter 2 .. U.s. Fish and Wildlife Service's Wetland Definition and Classification System ........................... 4 Introduction. ........... ...... ......... ........... ............ .4 The US Fish and Wildlife Service's Definition of Wetlands. ... ...................... 4 The US Fish and Wildlife Service's Wetlands Classification System ... .. ........................ 5 References . .. ............. .................. .................. .. ....................... 11 Chapter 3. National Wetlands Inventory Techniques and Results ................................................................. 12 Introduction. ................ .............. .......................... 12 Wetlands Inventory Techniques. .. ................. ............... .... 12 Review of Existing Wetlands Inventories. .. .................. ........................ .. ....... 12 Mapping Photography............... ................ ....................... .................... 12 Field Investigations .. ................ .. ........... 12 Photo Interpretation and Collateral Data .................. ................ .. ........................ 12 Draft Map Production. .............. .................. .................... .16 Draft Map Review. ............................ ............... 16 Final Map Production. ............................ ........................ .... 16 Wetland Acreage Compilation .................... ... .............. ........................ 16 Wetlands Inventory Results. ............. ............ 16 National Wetlands Inventory Maps. .................. ................. .. ........... 16 Wetland and Deepwater Habitat Acreage Summaries............. .................... .. ............. 18 State Totals .................. ............. ............ .............. 18 County Totals. .............................. ............. 21 Summary ..... .................. .................... .. .................................... 21 References. ............................................... .... 22 Chapter 4. Wetland Formation and Hydrology ............................................................................................... 23 Introduction. ......................... ............................. .. .............................. 23 Wetland Formation. ......................... ............... ...23 Inland Wetland Formation.. ......................... ............... ................. .. ..................... 23 Coastal Wetland Formation ... .................. .............. ................ .. 26 Wetland Hydrology. ..... ......... ................. ........... 27 Tidal Wetland Hydrology. .................. ............... 28 Nontidal Wetland Hydrology. ................... .......................... ........................ 29 References. .............................. ............... ................... ... .................. .................. 32 Chapter 5. Hydric Soils of Connecticut ........................................................................................................... 34 Introduction. ..................... ............ ................ .. 34 Definition of Hydric Soil.. .............. ....... .... ....... ................... 34 Major Categories of Hydric Soils ...... ...................... ............... .. ................... 34 National List of Hydric Soils . ................... ................. 36 Connecticut Hydric Soils. ............ .............................. 36 County Acreage of Hydric Soils. ... ........... .......................... 36 Description of Hydric Soils.............. .................................................................................. 36 References .... ................... .................. ................. .. ... .42 Chapter 6. Vegetation and Plant Communities of Connecticut's Wetlands .................................................... 44 Introduction... ... ................... ..................... ................. .. 44 Hydrophyte Definition and Concept............... ............. .. ......................... .................. .44 Connecticut Hydrophytes.. ............. ........ .44 Factors Influencing Wetland Vegetation. .. ........................................ .45 Wetland Plant Communities ..............