Northampton 196 Cooke Avenue Wetland Report.pdfWendell Wetland Services
105 Montague Road Wendell, MA 01379 (978) 544-5607 ward.ves@gmail.com June 30, 2022
Ms. Sarah LaValley
Conservation/Preservation Planner
City Hall
210 Main Street
Northampton, MA 01060
Via electronic mail Re: Wetland Delineation, 196 Cooke Avenue, Northampton Dear Ms. LaValley:
As requested, Wendell Wetland Services (WWS) visited the above referenced site today
in order to delineate all wetlands on the property. All wetlands that are protectable
under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (M.G.L. chapter 131, section 40) and
Regulations (310 CMR 10.00), as well as the Northampton Wetlands Protection
Ordinance, have been marked in the field with consecutively numbered pink “wetland
delineation” flagging tape. While the wetland boundaries have been accurately identified, only the Northampton Conservation Commission, or the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on appeal under State law, can make the final determination of the extent of the wetland resource areas on the site. Delineation Methodology
The methodology employed in my delineation utilized both vegetation and hydrology
as outlined in the Regulations at 310 CMR 10.55 and in the DEP handbook Delineating
Bordering Vegetated Wetlands under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (1995).
Hydrophytic Vegetation was based upon the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s National List of Plant Species that Occur in Wetlands (1988), as well as all plant species listed in the
Act. Wetland hydrology includes a high water table, water-stained leaves, and hydric soils. Hydric soils were determined based upon the interagency document Field
Indicators for Identifying Hydric Soils in New England, Version 4 (2019).
Site Description
The site is located at the end of Cooke Avenue, and contains an existing building and parking lot. To the east of Cooke Avenue is a wooded swamp wetland that is vegetated by red maple (Acer rubrum), winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata), sensitive fern
(Onoclea sensibilis), and jewel weed (Impatiens spp.). There is a small intermittent stream
within the wetland that drains into a culvert beneath Cooke Avenue. Flags A-1 to A-18
mark the boundary of this wetland near the site.
2
The property itself contains the downgradient portion of the intermittent stream, and a wooded and shrub swamp wetland that is bordered by an old fill slope. Plant species are similar to those found in the “A” wetland, with the addition of fowl meadow grass (Glyceria spp.). Flags B-1 to B-30 mark the wetland boundary in this area.
Wetland Resource Areas
Under the state Regulations (310 CMR 10.00), wetlands are broken up into different
resource areas, each of which is regulated in a slightly different manner. The
delineated wetlands contain the following resource areas, to which there is a 100 foot
buffer zone:
* Bank (10.54); * Bordering Vegetated Wetland (10.55); * Land Under a Waterway (10.56). The site does not fall within the Estimated Habitats of Rare Wildlife or Priority Habitats of Rare Species according to the most recent online mapping. Therefore, unless new
information becomes available, you should not have to make any filing with the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding my delineation. Sincerely, Wendell Wetland Services
Ward Smith, SPWS
Senior Professional Wetland Scientist
Attachments: MA DEP data forms