Inland Wetlands Act Glossary: Key Terms & Definitions for Developers and Consultants

Inland Wetlands Act Key Terms & Definitions

Alluvial Soil: A soil type designated by the National Cooperative Soils Survey as a wetland soil, characterized by its formation from sediments deposited by flowing water (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-38).

Best Management Practices (BMPs): Methods, measures, or practices designed to minimize the impacts of development activities on wetlands and watercourses, such as erosion and sediment control, stormwater management, and other performance standards.

Buffer Zone: A designated area surrounding a wetland or watercourse where development activities are restricted or prohibited to protect the resource from adverse impacts.

Clear-cutting: The significant removal of vegetation in or adjacent to wetlands or watercourses, which is regulated under the Connecticut Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Act (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-40).

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP): The state agency responsible for administering and enforcing the Connecticut Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Act at the state level.

Dredging: The removal of soil, mud, sand, gravel, peat, or other material from wetlands or watercourses, which is regulated under the Connecticut Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Act (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-40).

Dumping: The deposition of material into wetlands or watercourses, including but not limited to soil, stones, sand, gravel, mud, debris, or waste materials, which is prohibited under the Connecticut Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Act (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-40).

Excavation: The removal of soil, mud, sand, gravel, peat, or other material from wetlands or watercourses, which is regulated under the Connecticut Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Act (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-40).

Filling: The deposition of material into wetlands or watercourses, including but not limited to soil, stones, sand, gravel, mud, debris, or waste materials, which is prohibited under the Connecticut Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Act (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-40).

Floodplain Soil: A soil type designated by the National Cooperative Soils Survey as a wetland soil, characterized by its formation in areas subject to periodic flooding (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-38).

Inland Wetlands Agency: A municipal body established under the Connecticut Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Act to regulate activities affecting wetlands and watercourses within its jurisdiction (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-42).

Mitigation: The restoration, enhancement, or creation of wetlands to compensate for unavoidable impacts from development activities, as required under the Connecticut Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Act.

Municipality: Any town, consolidated town and city, consolidated town and borough, city, or borough (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-38).

Person: Any individual, firm, partnership, association, syndicate, company, trust, corporation, limited liability company, municipality, agency, political or administrative subdivision of the state, or other legal entity of any kind (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-38).

Pollution: The harmful thermal effect or the contamination or rendering unclean or impure of any waters of the state by reason of any waste or other materials discharged or deposited therein by any public or private sewer or otherwise so as directly or indirectly to come in contact with any waters (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-38).

Poorly Drained Soil: A soil type designated by the National Cooperative Soils Survey as a wetland soil, characterized by its poor drainage properties (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-38).

Regulated Activity: Any operation within or use of a wetland or watercourse involving removal or deposition of material, or any obstruction, construction, alteration, or pollution of such wetlands or watercourses, subject to certain exceptions (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-38).

Removal: The removal of soil, mud, sand, gravel, peat, or other material from wetlands or watercourses, which is regulated under the Connecticut Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Act (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-40).

Significant Impact: A major effect which may result from a proposed regulated activity on the inland wetland and watercourse values identified in Section 22a-36, and serves as a basis for the Inland Wetlands Agency's decision on a permit application (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-41).

Very Poorly Drained Soil: A soil type designated by the National Cooperative Soils Survey as a wetland soil, characterized by its very poor drainage properties (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-38).

Water Diversion: The alteration of the natural flow of water within a wetland or watercourse, including changes in velocity, volume, or course, which is regulated under the Connecticut Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Act (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-40).

Watercourses: Definition #1: Rivers, streams, brooks, waterways, lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps, bogs, and all other bodies of water, natural or artificial, vernal or intermittent, public or private, which are contained within, flow through or border upon this state or any portion thereof (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-38). Definition #2: Rivers, streams, brooks, waterways, lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps, bogs, and all other bodies of water, natural or artificial, public or private, which are contained within, flow through or border upon the municipality or any portion thereof (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-38).

Wetlands: Definition #1: Land, including submerged land, which consists of any of the soil types designated as poorly drained, very poorly drained, alluvial, or floodplain by the National Cooperative Soils Survey (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-38). Definition #2: Watercourses and inland wetlands (Connecticut General Statutes, Title 22a, Chapter 440, Section 22a-38).