Wetlands provide a haven for rare and endangered plants, and one-third of all endangered species depend on wetlands for survival. Many wetlands are important fish spawning and nursery areas, as well as nesting, resting and feeding areas for waterfowl. Wetlands have been called "nature's kidneys" because of their ability to filter impurities from water. Sediment settles out of runoff and dissolved contaminants bind to plant surfaces or are transformed, resulting in improved water quality. Wetlands perform other valuable functions including reducing flood flow and shoreline erosion control.

The Wetland Ecology Group performs wetland research with the goal of developing wetland biocriteria and wetland water quality standards for Ohio. Funded largely by U.S. EPA grants awarded to assist states with the development of water quality standards for wetlands, the Wetland Ecology Group's work aids and strengthens the basis for regulatory decisions made by the 401 Water Quality Certification Section.

Ohio Rapid Assessment Method (ORAM)

In an effort to be efficient in making and approving wetland category assignments, Ohio EPA has compiled a 10-page Ohio Rapid Assessment Method for Wetlands (ORAM) Version 5.0 form. If filled out completely, the ORAM form will assure we have all information needed for approving wetland category assignments.

The 10-page ORAM form below should be submitted for all wetland characterizations associated with Nationwide Permit, Isolated Wetland Permit and Section 401 Water Quality Certification applications. One form (all 10 pages) should be filled out completely for each wetland the ORAM protocols identify as an individual scoring boundary. See Section 5.0 of the ORAM Version 5.0 Users Manual and the third page of the ORAM form below for scoring boundary protocols and the Scoring Boundary Worksheet, respectively.

For applications with multiple wetlands, as determined by the ORAM protocols, it is permissible to use duplicates for the location maps or drawings and sketches required to complete the first two pages of the ORAM form. However, the first two pages of each form must include all information for the wetland being assessed.

When several wetlands on a site are uniform in size and other characteristics (wetland type, buffer widths, surrounding land uses, hydrology sources, hydrologic regime and level of intactness, habitat quality and level of intactness, plant community composition, maturity, quality and microtopographic features), it is possible to use one ORAM form and have the assessment apply to all of the similar wetlands. When this is the case, the rationale for using one ORAM form should be well documented in the 'Comments' box on the second page of the ORAM form. The appropriateness of using one ORAM form for multiple assessments will be at the sole discretion of Ohio EPA.

Applications must include submittal of the 10-page ORAM form below for each wetland, or the application will be returned as incomplete.

• Click here to view the 10-page Version 5.0 ORAM form (2-1-01)
• Version 5.0 ORAM Users Manual (2-1-01)
• Version 5.0 ORAM Score Calibration (8-15-00) Integrated Wetland Assessment System Reports Reports

Reports

Recent Reports 

 AmphIBI Reports

 Urban Wetlands 

 Mitigation Site Info

 Mitigation Project Assessments 

 FQAI Reports 

 Integrated Wetland Assessment System Reports

 Mitigation Assessment Reports 

 VIBI Reports 

 Wetland Quality 

 Other Resources 

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