vvEPA
             United States
             Environmental Protection
             Agency
             Environmental Monitoring
             Systems Laboratory
             P.O. Box 93478
             Las Vegas NV 89193-3478
EPA/600/4-89/044A
November 1989
             Research and Development
Proximity of Connecticut
Sanitary Landfills
to Wetlands and
Deepwater  Habitats
             Statewide  Results

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                                                       EPA 600/4-89/044A
                                                       November 1989
PROXIMITY OF CONNECTICUT  SANITARY  LANDFILLS  TO  WETLANDS  AND
                     DEEPWATER HABITATS
                     Statewide Results
                             by

                      Victor W. Lambou
        Environmental Monitoring  Systems  Laboratory
            U.S.  Environmental Protection Agency
                Las Vegas,  Nevada 89193-3478

            Roy C. Herndon  and John E. Moerlins
    Center for Biomedical and Toxicological Research and
                 Hazardous Waste Management
                  Florida State University
              Tallahassee,  Florida 32306-4016

                             and

                      Robin L. Gebhard
                National Wetlands Inventory
               U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
               St. Petersburg,  Florida 33702
        ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING  SYSTEMS  LABORATORY
             OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
            U.S.  ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
                  LAS VEGAS, NEVADA  89114

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                           NOTICE
The information  in  this document has been  funded  wholly or
in part  by the  U.S.  Environmental Protection Agency  under
Grant No. CR-815139010  to  the  Florida  State University.   It
has been subject to  the  Agency's  peer and  administrative
review and  it has been  approved for publication as an  EPA
document.   Mention  of  trade  names  or commercial  products
does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
                            ii

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                          ABSTRACT
     Sanitary  landfills  can  cause  considerable  harm  to
sensitive  ecosystems  if  they  are  not  properly  located,
designed,  and  managed.   The purpose of  this report  is to
summarize  the  proximity of sanitary landfills  in the state
of  Connecticut to  wetlands and  deepwater  habitats   (i.e.,
rivers,  lakes,  streams,  bays,  etc.);  a companion  report
presents data  on individual landfills.    The  source  of data
used to  determine the  locations  of the  sanitary landfills
was the computer data file developed by Development Planning
and  Research   Associates,   Inc.  for   use  by   the  U.S.
Environmental  Protection  Agency's Office  of  Solid Waste in
its RCRA Subtitle  D  program.   The  sanitary landfills were
identified  on   U.S.  Fish  and Wildlife   Service's  National
Wetlands Inventory maps.   The nearness or proximity  of the
sanitary landfills  to  wetlands  and  deepwater  habitats  was
determined  by  drawing  three  concentric   regions  around  the
point representing the location of each landfill.  The radii
of the  concentric  regions were:  1/4  mile,  1/2 mile,  and 1
mile.   All sanitary landfills  in the state  of Connecticut
are  located   close  to  wetlands,  while  more  than  three
quarters are close to  deepwater  habitats.  These facilities
have the potential to adversely affect sensitive ecosystems,
such  as wetlands  and  deepwater  habitats,   either  through
habitat alterations or through the migration of contaminants
from sanitary  landfills.
                            iii

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                       CONTENTS
                                                       Pace

Abstract	iii
Figures	v
Tables	vi
     Introduction	1
     Conclusions	1
     Materials and Methods	2
     Results and Discussion	5
Literature Cited	7
                            IV

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                       FIGURES
Number                                                  Page

1    Hypothetical sanitary landfill showing the point
         (latitude  and  longitude  coordinates)  that
        represents the  location  of the landfill,  the
        concentric  regions  used  to  determine  the
        nearness   or   proximity   of  the   sanitary
        landfill to  wetlands and deepwater habitats,
        and  the  boundary  of an  100-acre  sanitary
        landfill  distributed  approximately  evenly
        around   its  point   location   (a   100-acre
        landfill uniformly distributed around a point
        will  have  a   radius  of  approximately  1/4
        mile).                                              8

2    Proximity  of  83 Connecticut  sanitary  landfills
        to wetlands.                                       9

3    Distance of 83 Connecticut sanitary landfills to
        the closest wetland.                              10

4    Proximity  of  83 Connecticut  sanitary  landfills
        to deepwater habitats.                            11

5    Distance of 83 Connecticut sanitary landfills to
        the closest deepwater habitat-                     12

6    Proximity  of  83 Connecticut  sanitary  landfills
        to  either  the  closest  wetland  or  deepwater
        habitat.                                          13

7    Distance of 83 Connecticut sanitary landfills to
        either  the   closest wetland   or  deepwater
        habitat.                                          14

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                        TABLES
Number                                                  Page

1    Definition of wetlands used by the U.S. Fish and
        Wildlife Service                                  15

2    Definition  of deepwater  habitats  used by  the
        U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service                    17

3    Definitions of  the  five  major systems  used by
        the  U.S.   Fish  and  Wildlife   Service   in
        classifying wetlands and deepwater habitats       18

4    Number and  percentage of sanitary  landfills in
        Connecticut that are proximate to wetlands        23

5    Number and  percentage of sanitary  landfills in
        Connecticut that  are proximate  to  deepwater
        habitats                                          24

6    Number and  percentage of sanitary  landfills in
        Connecticut  that  are  proximate  to  either
        wetlands or deepwater habitats                    25
                           VI

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                        INTRODUCTION

     Sanitary  landfills,   as  typically  defined,   are  waste
management  facilities  regulated under  Subtitle  D of  the
Resource  Conservation  and  Recovery  Act   (RCRA).    These
facilities  are  commonly  referred  to   as  municipal  waste
landfills and  they are primarily used  to  receive household
refuse and nonhazardous commercial waste.  However, sanitary
landfills also receive other types of Subtitle D waste, such
as sewage sludge  and  industrial wastes.   Sanitary landfills
typically  receive  some  hazardous  waste  in  the form  of
household hazardous  waste, and hazardous  waste  from  small
quantity  generators  as  defined  in  40  CFR  Part  261.10
(Definitions).  Depending  upon  the  definition  of a sanitary
landfill used  by  the  individual states, there  are between
6,500 and 9,300 of these  facilities permitted  in the United
States (U.S. EPA,   1987).

     Sanitary  landfills  can   cause  considerable  harm  to
sensitive  ecosystems  if  they   are not properly  located,
designed, and managed.   These  facilities have  the potential
to adversely  affect sensitive  ecosystems,  such  as wetlands
and  deepwater  habitats,  either  through  habitat  alterations
or  through  the  migration of   contaminants  from  sanitary
landfills.   In order to  evaluate  the   seriousness  of this
problem,  information  is  needed  on  the  nearness  of sanitary
landfills to wetlands and surface water bodies.  The purpose
of  this  study  is  to document the  proximity of sanitary
landfills  in  the  state  of  Connecticut  to  wetlands  and
deepwater  habitats  (i.e., rivers,  lakes,  streams,  bays,
etc.).    This  report  gives  statewide   summary   results;  a
companion   report,   "Proximity  of  Connecticut  Sanitary
Landfills  to  Wetlands  and  Deepwater  Habitats,  Data  on
Individual  Landfills,"  presents  data  on  the  individual
landfills.
                           CONCLUSIONS
1.   All sanitary  landfills  in  the state  of Connecticut are
     located  close  to  wetlands,  while  more  than  three
     quarters are close to deepwater habitats.

2.   These facilities have the potential to adversely affect
     sensitive  ecosystems,  such  as  wetlands  and  deepwater
     habitats, either through habitat alterations or through
     the migration of contaminants from sanitary landfills.

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                    MATERIALS AND METHODS
     The  source  of data used to  determine  the locations of
the sanitary  landfills  was  the computer data file developed
by Development Planning and Research Associates, Inc.  (DPRA)
for use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office
of Solid  Waste  in its RCRA Subtitle D program  (DPRA, 1986).
The DPRA  data file  includes information on  7,683 sanitary
landfills, and  6,849 of these  facilities  have latitude and
longitude  coordinates  in  degrees,  minutes,  and  seconds
specified in  the  data file.  Each set of coordinates defines
a  point  which  represents  the  geographic  location  of  a
sanitary  landfill (Figure 1) .   In addition,  the  data file
contains  the  names of the landfills  and data on the cities
or  counties  in  which  the  landfills  reside.    Individual
states  are  responsible for  permitting sanitary  landfills
under  Subtitle  D  of  RCRA  and,  since DPRA  obtained  the
information  for  the data file  from state  sources,  the site
location  information varies  in terms  of   accuracy  and  the
point chosen  to represent the location  of  each facility.

     Four  types  of errors  or  omissions were  identified in
the DPRA  data  file.    These  errors  and  omissions include:
missing latitude and longitude,  missing state  code,  wrong
state code, and erroneous latitude/longitude.  The first two
items  relate to  data  that were  omitted  in  the  facility
record.  Facilities that did not have latitude and longitude
coordinates  were not used in  this study  while  facilities
that did  not  have a state code were assigned an appropriate
state   code   by   comparing   the   latitude  and  longitude
coordinates  for  the  facilities  with maps  of the  various
states.   The last  two  items  relate  to . errors in  the data
file.    Facilities with  the wrong state code  were corrected
and  included  in  the  study.    The  last   item relates  to
erroneous   latitude  and/or   longitude  records.     Where
discovered,  the  erroneous coordinate(s) were  corrected,  if
possible.    Errors may  still exist in  the DPRA  data  file;
however,  it  is  believed  that  the  overall  results  and
conclusions   contained   in   this   report   will   not   be
significantly affected,  since  the  number  of  errors  is
probably small.

     Wetlands typically form part of a continuous transition
zone  between uplands  and  open  water.    Therefore,  the
delineation of the upper and lower boundaries in any wetland
definition  is somewhat  arbitrary.    There  are a  number of
definitions of wetlands  that  have been developed for use in
classifying natural environments or for regulatory purposes.
While  these   definitions  are not  identical,  .they  are very
similar.   The selection of a specific definition for use in

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this  study was  determined  by the availability  of national
wetlands and deepwater habitats geographic data.

     The most  extensive,  consistent source  of  wetlands and
deepwater  habitats  geographic  data  is  the  U.S.  Fish and
Wildlife Service's National Wetlands Inventory  (NWI).   The
NWI   has   developed   detailed,   large-scale  maps   for  a
significant portion  of the  United States.   To date, wetland
maps have been developed for approximately 40 percent of the
contiguous  48  states,  10  percent  of  Alaska,   and  all  of
Hawaii.  Large-scale  NWI  maps typically  are either 1:24,000
scale  or  1:63,360  scale  U.S. Geological  Survey quadrangle
maps;  however,  most  are  1:24,000  scale.    Wetlands  and
deepwater  habitats are  delineated  on the NWI  maps.   The
delineation of wetlands and deepwater habitats was developed
using  remote  sensing  techniques  and field investigations.
The NWI maps  are developed in accordance  with  the National
Map  Accuracy  Standard  (NMAS)  (U.S. GS,  1979).   The NWI
1:24,000  scale  maps  used  in  this  study  are  accurate,
according  to   the  NMAS,   to  within   40  feet  of  ground
measurements.    These  maps  are  particularly  useful  for
plotting   the   location  of  sanitary   landfills  and  for
determining  the proximity  of these facilities  to wetlands
and deepwater habitats.

     The NWI maps  use  the definitions (contained in Tables 1
and 2) and the classification system (contained in Table 3)
for wetlands  and  deepwater  habitats developed  by  the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife  Service  (Cowardin  et al., 1979).  Wetlands
are  defined  as  lands transitional  between  terrestrial and
aquatic systems  where the  water  table  is usually at or near
the  surface,   or  the  land  is  covered   by shallow  water.
Deepwater habitats are defined  as permanently flooded  lands
lying  below  the deepwater  boundary  of  wetlands.   For more
expansive definitions  and an explanation of the definitions,
as well  as the boundary  limits,  see Tables  1 and  2; for
further details  see Cowardin et al.  (1979).   The U.S. Fish
and  Wildlife   Service's   classification  of  wetlands  and
deepwater habitats is  hierarchical in nature proceeding from
general to  specific  (Cowardin et  al.,  1979).    There  are 5
systems,  10 subsystems,  and 55  classes.   In this study only
the  "system",  i.e,  the complex  of  wetlands and deepwater
habitats that  share  the influence  of   similar  hydrologic,
geomorphologic,  chemical,  or  biological factors,  was used
for classification purposes.  The definitions as well as the
boundary   limits  of   the   five   systems,   i.e.,   Marine,
Estuarine,  Riverine,  Lacustrine,  and Palustrine,  are given
in Table 3; for  further details  see  Cowardin et al.  (1979).
The first  four systems, i.e., Marine, Estuarine,  Riverine,
and Lacustrine, include both wetlands and deepwater habitats
whereas the Palustrine System includes only wetlands.

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     In order  to  link the location of sanitary landfills in
the DPRA  data  file to the appropriate NWI maps, we used the
information on the T-70 computer tape obtained  from the U.S.
Geological Survey  (National Cartographic Information Center,
1987) .   The  NWI large-scale maps  were  developed using U.S.
Geological Survey's  quadrangle  maps  as  base maps.  The T-70
computer  tape  contains  67  fields of  information including
latitude  and longitude that  can be used for identifying the
1:24,000  scale maps,  the map  names,   and  the  state  codes
assigned  to  the maps.   Sanitary  landfill  location  data on
the  DPRA  computer  file  tape  were  matched  by  a computer
program against location data on the US Geological Survey T-
70 computer tape in  order to identify the specific maps that
contain  sanitary  landfills and/or that would  be needed to
evaluate  the wetlands  and deepwater habitats that are within
1 mile  of each sanitary landfill.   Sanitary landfills that
were located on the  edge  or  in  the corner of a map required
more than one  map (i.e., two to  four maps)  to complete the
interpretation.  The  map  names  obtained  from  the computer
matching  were  sorted by state and compared with  inventories
of available NWI maps.

     Each sanitary  landfill  included   in   this   study  was
located on NWI  large-scale maps using standard cartographic
techniques.  Nearness  or  proximity of sanitary landfills to
wetlands  and deepwater habitats  was determined  by  drawing
three concentric  regions around the point  representing the
location  of  each  landfill.    The radii  of the  concentric
regions were:  1/4 mile,  1/2  mile,  and 1 mile (Figure 1)  .
The occurrence or nonoccurrence of the wetland  and deepwater
habitat systems in each concentric region was then recorded.

     Many sanitary landfills  are  typically  of  the order of
100  acres in size.   For example,  in the  state  of  Florida
about  35  percent  of  the  active  sanitary  landfills  are
between  50 and  150  acres in size, with the  average  size
being   110   acres   (Florida  Department   of   Environmental
Regulation, 1987).  A  landfill that is 100 acres in size and
uniformly distributed  about  its  latitude/longitude  point
designation  will  have  a  radius  of approximately 1/4  mile
and,  therefore,  will approximate  the boundary  of the first
concentric 1/4-mile  radius region  (Figure 1) .   Undoubtedly,
most of the  landfills  located  in a  1/4-mile  radius region
containing either  wetlands  or deepwater  habitats should be
considered to be  located  in  wetlands or deepwater habitats.
Since landfills vary considerably  in size and shape,  some of
the  landfills   located in the  1/2-mile  radius  and  1-mile
radius  regions containing  wetlands  or  deepwater habitats
will  probably  also   be located  in  wetlands   or deepwater
habitats.  The  exact geographic boundary of the landfill is
not  the  critical   consideration  for  determining  adverse
impacts associated with these facilities, since contaminants

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can  migrate  off-site  to  affect  wetlands  and  deepwater
habitats.
                   RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
     We  obtained  data  on  the  proximity   of  83  sanitary
landfills  in  the  state  of  Connecticut  to  wetlands  and
deepwater habitats.   There are 91 sanitary landfills in the
DPRA  data  file  for  the  state  of  Connecticut  and  83   (91
percent)  of these  facilities have  NWI maps  available  for
site  interpretation.   As  a  result,  8  (9  percent)  of the 91
sanitary  landfills  in  the   state  of  Connecticut  are  not
included in this study.

     Approximately  96  percent of the sanitary landfills are
located in  or  within 1/4 mile of wetlands,  while 99 and 100
percent are located  in or  within  1/2 and 1 mile of wetlands,
respectively  (Table  4  and Figure 2).  None of the landfills
are located more than  a  mile from any type of wetland.  All
sanitary  landfills   are  located either in  or are  close to
Palustrine  wetlands  (approximately 95, 99,  and  100 percent
are located in or within  1/4,  1/2, and  1 mile, respectively,
of a  Palustrine  wetland).   Very  few sanitary landfills  are
located more than  1/4  mile from a wetland (Figure 3) .  Only
2, 1,  and 0 percent are  located 1/4 to 1/2 mile,  1/2  to 1
mile,  and more than 1 mile,  respectively,  from  the closest
wetland.

     Approximately 30  percent of the sanitary landfills  are
located in  or  within 1/4  mile  of deepwater  habitats,  while
54 and 77 percent are located in or within 1/2 and 1 mile of
deepwater habitats,  respectively  (Table  5  and Figure  4) .
Nineteen  (23 percent) of the  landfills are located more than
a mile from any  type of deepwater habitat.   Most  of  the
facilities  that  are  located  in  or  that  are  close  to
deepwater  habitats  are  in  the  vicinity   of  Riverine  or
Lacustrine deepwater habitats (i.e.,  57 percent  are located
in or  within  1 mile of a  Riverine deepwater habitat  and 30
percent are located  in  or  within 1  mile  of a  Lacustrine
deepwater  habitat).    Approximately   23   percent   of  the
sanitary  landfills  are  located more  than  1 mile  from  the
closest  deepwater  habitat   (Figure  5),  while  23  and  24
percent are located  1/2  to 1  mile  and 1/4  to 1/2  mile,
respectively,  from the closest deepwater habitat.

     Approximately 99  percent of the sanitary landfills  are
located  in  or  within  1/4  mile  of  either  wetlands  or
deepwater habitats,  while all are located in  or  within  1/2
mile of either wetlands  or  deepwater  habitats  (Table  6  and
Figure  6) .   None of the  landfills are located more  than a

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mile from either wetlands or deepwater habitats.  All of the
sanitary  landfills are  located  either in  or are  close  to
Palustrine  habitats  (approximately 95, 99,  and  100 percent
are located in or  within 1/4, 1/2, and 1 mile, respectively,
of  a  Palustrine  habitat)   while more  than  half  of  the
sanitary  landfills are  located  either in  or are  close  to
Riverine habitats,  (approximately 23, 39,  and 57 percent are
located in  or  within  1/4,  1/2,  and 1 mile,  respectively,  of
a  Riverine  habitat).   Very  few  sanitary  landfills  are
located  more  than  1/4  mile  from  either  a  wetland  or
deepwater  habitat  (Figure  7) .   Only 1 percent  are located
further than  1/4  mile  from either  the closest  wetland  or
deepwater habitat.

     All  sanitary  landfills included  in  this study  in the
state of  Connecticut  are located either in  or  are close  to
wetlands.  From this, we conclude that these facilities have
the potential to adversely affect sensitive ecosystems, such
as wetlands,  either through habitat  alterations  or through
the migration  of contaminants from  sanitary  landfills.   In
addition,  more than three quarters of the sanitary landfills
included  in this  study  in the  state of Connecticut  are
located either  in or close  to  deepwater habitats  and they
also  have  the  potential  for  adversely  affecting  these
sensitive ecosystems.

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                      LITERATURE CITED

Cowardin,  L.M.,   V.   Carter,  F.C.  Golet,   and E.T.  LaRoe.
     1979.     Classification  of  wetlands   and  deepwater
     habitats of the United States.  FWS/OBS-79/31.  103 pp.

Development  Planning and  Research Associates, Inc.   1.986.
     U.S. Environmental  Protection Agency  list of municipal
     waste   landfills.       Computer    data   file,    U.S.
     Environmental Protection Agency.

Florida Department of Environmental  Regulation.   1987.   CMS
     25 data  file.   Computer data file,  Florida Department
     of Environmental Regulation.

Langbein, W.B. and K.T.  Iseri.   1960.   General introduction
     and  hydrologic  definitions  manual of  hydrology.   Part
     I.   General  surface-water techniques.   US  Geol.  Surv.
     Water-Supply Paper  1541-A.  29 pp.

National  Cartographic  Information  Center.    1987.    T-70
     computer  tape.   Computer  data file,  National  Mapping
     Division, U.S. Geological Survey.

U.S. EPA.   1987.    Resource  Conservation and Recovery Act
     Subtitle D report to Congress.  Final Draft Report, May
     28,  1987.

U.S. GS.    1979.   Maps  for America,  First Edition.   U.S.
     Geological Survey.

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        Point Representing
        Location of the
        Landfill
Hypothetical
Landfill
Boundaries
                                Lacustrine Deepwater Habitat
                                           (lake)
                  Palustrine Wetland
                        (marsh)
Rgure 1.  Hypothetical sanitary landfill showing the point (latitude and longitude coor-
          dinates) that represents the location of the landfill, the concentric regions used
          to determine the nearness or proximity of the sanitary landfill to wetlands and
          deepwater habitats, and the boundary of a 100-acre sanitary landfill distrib-
          uted approximately evenly around its point location (a 100-acre sanitary land-
          fill uniformly distriubted around a point will have a radius of approximately
          1/4 mile).                    0
                                      o

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  Palustrine
 Lacustrine  fl2
             1
   Riverine   0
             0
  Estuarine
    Marine
All Systems
                                                                     95
In or within 1 mile


In or within 1/2 mile


In or within 1/4 mile
                                                                      100
       Figure 2. Proximity of 83 Connecticut sanitary landfills to wetlands.

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 1/2 -1 mile
1/4 -1/2 mile
    1/4 mile
  Figure 3.  Distance of 83 Connecticut sanitary landfills to the closest wetland,

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     Marine
 All Systems
                                                        In or within 1 mile




                                                        In or within 1/2 mile




                                                        In or within 1/4 mile
                                                                         100
Figure 4.  Proximity of 83 Connecticut sanitary landfills to deepwater habitats.

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               mile
23
         1/2 • 1 mile
        1/4 -1/2 mile
            1/4 mile
                   0          20          40          60         80         100



                                              Percent
Figure 5. Distance of 83 Connecticut sanitary landfills to the closest deepwater habitat .

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            Palustrine
            Estuarine B888 7
                         5
              Marine
          All Systems
                               20
40         60
    Percent
                                                                   In or within 1 mile
                                                                   In or within 1/2 mile

                                                                   In or within 1/4 mile
                                    100
                                    100
                                   99
80
100
Figure 6. Proximity of 83 Connecticut sanitary landfills to either closest wetland or deepwater habitat.

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 1/2 -1 mile
1/4 -1/2 mile
  <. 1/4 mile
                     20         40         60         80        100

                                   Percent
       Figure 7. Distance of 83 Connecticut sanitary landfills to either the
                  closest wetland or deepwater habitat.

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  TABLE  1.  DEFINITION OF WETLANDS USED BY THE U.S. FISH AND
        WILDLIFE SERVICE FROM COWARDIN  ET AL.  (1979)
Definition:
Explanation:
               Wetlands   are   lands   transitional  between
               terrestrial  and  aquatic  systems  where  the
               water table  is  usually  at  or  near the surface
               or the  land  is  covered  by  shallow water.  For
               purposes  of  this  classification  wetlands must
               have  one  or  more  of  the  following  three
               attributes:  (1)  at least  periodically,  the
               land  supports  predominantly  hydrophytes;  (2)
               the   substrate   is  predominantly  undrained
               hydric  soil; and  (3) the substrate  is nonsoil
               and  is saturated with  water or covered by
               shallow water at  some time during the growing
               season  of each  year.
               The  term wetland includes a variety of  areas
               that  fall into  one of  five categories:  (1)
               areas with hydrophytes  and hydric  soils,  such
               as  those commonly  known as marshes,  swamps,
               and  bogs; (2) areas  without hydrophytes but
               with  hydric  soils-for  example,  flats  where
               drastic   fluctuation   in  water  level,   wave
               action,  turbidity,  or  high concentration of
               salts may prevent the growth of hydrophytes;
                (3)  areas  with hydrophytes  but   nonhydric
               soils,  such  as   margins of  impoundments or
               excavations   where  hydrophytes  have  become
               established  but  hydric  soils  have  not yet
               developed;  (4)  areas without  soils but  with
               hydrophytes   such  as   the  seaweed-covered
               portion  of  rocky  shores;  and  (5)  wetlands
               without  soil  and without hydrophytes,  such as
               gravel   beaches   or   rocky  shores   without
               vegetation.
                            15

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                     TABLE  1.  (continued)
Limits:
               The  upland limit  of wetland is designated as
                (I)    the   boundary   between   land   with
               predominantly hydrophytic cover and  land with
               predominantly mesophytic or xerophytic  cover;
                (2)   the  boundary  between   soil   that  is
               predominantly   hydric   and  soil   that  is
               predominantly  nonhydric;  or  (3)  in  the case
               of  wetlands without vegetation  or  soil, the
               boundary  between  land  that   is  flooded  or
               saturated at some  time each year  and land
               that is  not.   The  boundary  between wetland
               and   deepwater  habitat  in  the  Marine  and
               Estuarine   systems   coincides   with   the
               elevation of the  extreme low  water of  spring
               tide;    permanently   flooded    areas    are
               considered  deepwater   habitats  in   these
               systems.    The  boundary between  wetland and
               deepwater   habitat    in     the    Riverine,
               Lacustrine,  and Palustrine  systems  lies at a
               depth of  2 m  (6.6 feet)  below low   water;
               however,  if emergents,  shrubs,  or trees grow
               beyond  this   depth   at  any   time,   their
               deepwater edge  is the boundary.
                            16

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 TABLE 2. DEFINITION OF DEEPWATER HABITATS USED BY THE U.S.
    FISH  AND WILDLIFE  SERVICE FROM COWARDIN ET AL.  (1979)
Definition:
               Deepwater  Habitats  are  permanently  flooded
               lands  lying  below the  deepwater boundary of
               wetlands.      Deepwater   habitats   include
               environments where surface water is permanent
               and  often  deep,  so  that water,  rather than
               air, is the principal medium within which the
               dominant organisms live,  whether or not they
               are  attached   to the   substrate.     As  in
               wetlands,    the    dominant    plants    are
              . hydrophytes;  however,   the   substrates  are
               considered nonsoil  because the  water  is too
               deep to support emergent vegetation.

Explanation:
               Wetlands and  Deepwater Habitats  are  defined
               separately  because  traditionally  the  term
               wetland  has  not  included   deep  permanent
               water; however,  both must be considered in an
               ecological approach to  classification.

Limits:
               The  boundary between  wetland  and  deepwater
               habitat  in  the  Marine  and  Estuarine  systems
               coincides with  the elevation  of the  extreme
               low water of spring tide; permanently flooded
               areas  are  considered  deepwater  habitats  in
               these  systems.   The  boundary between wetland
               and  deepwater   habitat  in   the  Riverine,
               Lacustrine,  and  Palustrine systems  lies at a
               depth  of 2  m  (6.6  feet)  below low  water;
               however, if ernergents,  shrubs,  or trees grow
               beyond   this   depth   at  any   time,   their
               deepwater edge is the boundary.
                            17

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  TABLE 3. DEFINITIONS OF THE FIVE MAJOR SYSTEMS*  (MARINE,
 ESTUARINE, RIVERINE, LACUSTRINE, AND PALUSTRINE**) USED BY
 THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE  SERVICE  IN CLASSIFYING WETLANDS
     AND DEEPWATER HABITATS  FROM COWARDIN ET AL.  (1979)
Marine:
   Definition:
   Limits:
               The Marine  System consists of the open ocean
               overlying   the   continental  shelf  and  its
               associated  high-energy  coastline.    Marine
               habitats   are  exposed  to   the  waves  and
               currents  of  the  open  ocean  and the  water
               regimes  are determined primarily  by the ebb
               and flow of oceanic tides.  Salinities exceed
               30 °/00  with  little  or  no  dilution  except
               outside  the  mouths  of  estuaries.   Shallow
               coastal    indentations    or   bays   without
               appreciable   freshwater  inflow,   and  coasts
               with  exposed  rocky islands that provide the
               mainland with little or  no shelter from wind
               and waves,  are  also  considered part  of the
               Marine  System because  they  support typical
               marine biota.
               The Marine System extends from the outer edge
               of the  continental  shelf .shoreward to one of
               three lines:  (1)  the landward limit of tidal
               inundation   (extreme  high  water  of  spring
               tides),   including   the  splash   zone  from
               breaking  waves;  (2)  the  seaward  limit  of
               wetland emergents/  trees, or  shrubs;  or  (3)
               the  seaward limit  of the  Estuarine  System,
               where  this  limit  is  determined  by  factors
               other than vegetation.
     The  term system  refers to  a  complex of  wetlands and
     deepwater habitats that shares the influence of similar
     hydrologic,  geomorphologic,  chemical,  or  biological
     factors.

     The   first   four   systems,   i.e.,  Marine,  Estuarine,
     Riverine,  and  Lacustrine,   include   both  wetland and
     deepwater   habitats   whereas  the   Palustrine  System
     includes only wetland habitats.
                            18

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                    TABLE 3.  (continued)
Estuarine:

   Definition:
               The  Estuarine  System consists  of deepwater
               tidal  habitats  and adjacent  tidal wetlands
               that  are  usually  semienclosed  by  land but
               have  open,  partly  obstructed,   or sporadic
               access to  the open ocean,  and in which  ocean
               water  is  at  least  occasionally  diluted by
               freshwater   runoff  from  the   land.     The
               salinity may be periodically increased  above
               that of the  open  ocean by evaporation.   Along
               some    low-energy    coastlines    there   is
               appreciable  dilution of  sea water.  Offshore
               areas  with   typical  estuarine  plants  and
               animals,  such  as red mangroves  (Rhizophora
               mangle)  and  eastern  oysters   (Crassostrea
               virginica),   are   also    included  in  the
               Estuarine  System.

   Limits:
               The Estuarine System extends  (1)  upstream and
               landward to  where ocean-derived  salts measure
               less  than   0.5 °/00  during  the   period  of
               average annual  low flow;  (2)  to  an imaginary
               line  closing the  mouth  of a  river,  bay, or
               sound;  and   (3)   to the  seaward  limit  of
               wetland  emergents,  shrubs,   or  trees   where
               they are not included in (2) .   The Estuarine
               System  also  includes   off-shore  areas  of
               continuously diluted sea water.
                            19

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                    TABLE  3.  (continued)
Riverine:

   Definition:
   Limits:
               The Riverine  System  includes all wetlands and
               deepwater   habitats   contained   within   a
               channel,  with  two exceptions:  (1)  wetlands
               dominated   by   trees,    shrubs,   persistent
               emergents,  emergent  mosses, or  lichens,  and
                (2)  habitats  with  water  containing  ocean-
               derived  salts  in  excess  of  0.5 °/00.    A
               channel is  "an open  conduit either naturally
               or artificially created which periodically or
               continuously  contains  moving water,  or which
               forms a connecting link between two bodies of
               standing water"  (Langbein and Iseri, 1960).
               The   Riverine  System  is   bounded  on  the
               landward  side by  upland,  by the channel bank
               (including  natural and man-made  levees),  or
               by   wetland  dominated   by  trees,  shrubs,
               persistent  emergents,  emergent  mosses,  or
               lichens.   In braided  streams,  the  system is
               bounded by the banks  forming the outer limits
               of  the depression within  which the braiding
               occurs.   The Riverine System  terminates  at
               the  downstream end where  the concentration of
               ocean-derived salts  in the water exceeds 0.5
               °/00 during the period of annual average low
               flow,  or  where the channel  enters a lake.  It
               terminates    at   the   upstream  end   where
               tributary streams  originate,   or   where  the
               channel  leaves a  lake.   Springs discharging
               into a channel  are  considered part  of the
               Riverine  System.
                            20

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                    TABLE 3.  (continued)
Lacustrine:

   Definition:
   Limits:
               The  Lacustrine  System includes  wetlands and
               deepwater habitats with  all of the following
               characteristics:    (1)     situated    in   a
               topographic  depression  or  a  dammed   river
               channel;    (2)    lacking    trees,    shrubs,
               persistent  emergents,   emergent  mosses  or
               lichens with greater than 30% areal coverage;
               and  (3)  total area exceeds  8  ha (20 acres) .
               Similar   wetland  and   deepwater   habitats
               totaling less than 8  ha  are also included in
               the  Lacustrine  System   if  an   active   wave-
               formed or bedrock  shoreline feature makes up
               all  or part of  the boundary, or if the  water
               depth  in  the  deepest  part  of  the   basin
               exceeds  2  m  (6.6   feet)  at   low  water.
               Lacustrine waters  may be  tidal  or nontidal,
               but  ocean-derived salinity is  always  less
               than 0.5 °/00
               The Lacustrine System is bounded by upland or
               by  wetland   dominated  by   trees,   shrubs,
               persistent  emergents,  emergent  mosses,  or
               lichens.     Lacustrine  systems   formed  by
               damming  a river  channel  are  bounded  by  a
               contour  approximating  the  normal  spillway
               elevation  or  normal  pool elevation,  except
               where Palustrine wetlands  extend lakeward of
               the boundary.   Where a river  enters  a  lake,
               the  extension  of  the  Lacustrine  shoreline
               forms the Riverine-Lacustrine boundary.
                            21

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                    TABLE  3.  (continued)
Palustrine:

   Definition:
               The  Palustrine System  includes all  nontidal
               wetlands    dominated   by   trees,    shrubs,
               persistent   emergents,   emergent  mosses  or
               lichens,  and all  such wetlands that  occur in
               tidal  areas  where  salinity  due  to  ocean-
               derived  salts  is below  0.5 °/00-    It also
               includes  wetlands  lacking  such vegetation,
               but   with   all   of   the   following  four
               characteristics:  (1)  area less than  8  ha  (20
               acres);   (2)  active  wave-formed  or  bedrock
               shoreline  features lacking;  (3)  water  depth
               in the deepest  part of  basin  less than 2 m at
               low  water;   and  (4)  salinity  due  to  ocean-
               derived salts  less  than 0.5 °/00.

   Limits:
               The  Palustrine System  is  bounded by  uplands
               or by  any of the  other  four systems.
                            22

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   TABLE  4.  NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF SANITARY LANDFILLS IN
         CONNECTICUT THAT ARE PROXIMATE TO WETLANDS*
                Number and percentage of sanitary landfills
                  Located in
                   or within
                   1/4 mile
               Located in
               or within
                1/2  mile
                 Located in
                  or  within
                   1 mile
Wetland system
No.
No.
No.
All systems**
Marine
Estuarine
Riverine
Lacustrine
Palustrine
80
0
4
0
1
79
96.4
0.0
4.8
0.0
1.2
95.2
82
0
6
0
2
82
98.8
0.0
7.2
0.0
2.4
98.8
83
1
6
2
3
83
100.0
2.1
7.2
2.4
3.6
100.0
     There are  91  sanitary landfills in the  DPRA data file
     for the  state of Connecticut and 83  (91.2  percent)  of
     these  facilities  have  NWI   maps  available  for  site
     interpretation.  As a result, 8 (8.8 percent) of the 91
     sanitary landfills in the  state of  Connecticut  are not
     included in this study.
**
     None  of the  83  sanitary  landfills  included in  this
     study in the state of Connecticut are located more than
     a mile from any type of wetland.
                           23

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   TABLE 5.  NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF SANITARY LANDFILLS  IN
    CONNECTICUT THAT ARE PROXIMATE TO DEEPWATER HABITATS*
                Number and percentage of sanitary landfills
                  Located in
                   or within
                   1/4 mile
                            Located in
                             or  within
                             1/2 mile
Located in
 or within
  1 mile
Deepwater
habitat system
All systems**
Marine
Estuarine
Riverine
Lacustrine
No.
25
0
3
19
4
%
30.1
0.0
3.6
22.9
4.8
No.
45
0
5
32
14
%
54.2
0.0
6.0
38.6
16.9
No.
64
0
7
47
25
%
77.1
0.0
8.4
56.6
30.1
* *
There are  91  sanitary landfills in the  DPRA data file
for the  state of Connecticut  and 83  (8.8  percent)  of
these  facilities  have  NWI maps  available  for  site
interpretation.  As a result, 8  (8.8 percent) of the 91
sanitary landfills in the  state of Connecticut  are not
included in this study.

Nineteen (22.9 percent)  of the  83 sanitary landfills
included in this study in the state of Connecticut are
located more than a mile from any type of deepwater
habitats.
                            24

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   TABLE  6.  NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF SANITARY LANDFILLS IN
    CONNECTICUT THAT ARE PROXIMATE TO EITHER WETLANDS OR
                     DEEPWATER HABITATS*
                Number and percentage of sanitary landfills
                  Located in
                   or within
                   1/4 mile
Located in
 or within
 1/2 mile
Located in
 or within
  1 mile
System
All systems**
Marine
Estuarine
Riverine
Lacustrine
Palustrine***
No.
82
0
4
19
5
79
%
98.8
0.0
4.8
22.9
6.0
95.2
No.
83
0
6
32
15
82
%
100.0
0.0
7.2
38.6
18.1
98.8
No.
83
0
7
47
26
83
%
100.0
0.0
8.4
56.6
31.3
100.0
     There are  91  sanitary landfills in the  DPRA data file
     for the  state of Connecticut and 83  (91.2  percent)  of
     these  facilities  have  NWI  maps  available for  site
     interpretation.  As a result, 8 (8.8 percent) of the 91
     sanitary landfills in the  state of  Connecticut  are not
     included in this study.

     None  of  the  83  sanitary  landfills  included  in  this
     study in the state of Connecticut  are located more than
     a mile from any type of wetland or deepwater habitat.
** *
     The Palustrine system includes only wetlands.
                            25

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