Hydric Soils: Soils that have developed in wet, flooded, moist, or saturated conditions. Hydric soils tend to have a heavy clay content.

Hvdrophytic or Hydrophytes: Plants adapted to live in wetland conditions.

Hydrology: The branch of physical geography that treats of the waters of the earth, their distribution, characteristics and effects.

Metro Plan: The Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area plan, the overall framework plan for development in our area.

Mitigation: (1) The actual enhancement, restoration, or creation of wetlands to compensate for permitted wetland losses in terms of area and wetlands functions and values.
(2) Protection of wetlands by avoiding damage to them by altering the design or timing of development to minimize negative impacts on wetlands, or by reducing external negative impacts.

Mitigation Bank: Wetland enhancement, restoration, or creation undertaken to provide mitigation (compensation) for wetlands losses from future development activities undertaken in advance of development as part of a credit program.

Mitigation Credits: Credits purchased from a mitigation bank to compensate for permitted wetland development.

Regional Permit: A general permit issued to a governmental entity by the CE to be developed and administered in accordance with an adopted plan. Authorizes the governmental entity to issue individual wetland impact permits to those areas identified for development by the plan, with appropriate mitigation. CE and EPA continue oversight.

Riparian Area: The land bordering a stream, pond or river; also pertaining to the vegetation typical of those borders (grasses, shrubs, and trees such as reed canary grass, spiriea, willows, ash and cottonwoods.

Substrate: An underlying layer, as of earth or rock; that which forms the foundation or groundwork. The substance in which something takes root, as vegetable or animal tissue.

Upland Area: Inland areas above the riparian areas.