Key Questions
The following key questions are answered in this module:
What is a water of the United States?
Waters of the United States (WOTUS) include: traditional navigable waters, interstate waters, territorial seas, impoundments, tributaries, and adjacent waters.
What is a wetland?
A wetland is an area that is inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration to support vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. If it is unclear if a wetland is a WOTUS, a wetland delineation study should be performed.
What activities require a section 404 permit?
A Section 404 permit is required for activities such as fill for development, water resource projects, mining projects, and infrastructure development.
What is compensatory mitigation?
If a project has the potential to impact waters of the United States, adverse impacts must be mitigated by avoidance, minimization, or compensation.
What is an alternatives analysis?
Alternatives to a proposed project site must be considered and an analysis is conducted to determine the least environmentally damaging alternative. A permit is only issued for the least environmentally damaging alternative.