March 31, PENNDOT District Geerdes Road King of Prussia, PA Attn: Mr. Lawrence J. Link, P.E. Dear Mr. Link:

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1 March 31, 2002 PENNDOT District Geerdes Road King of Prussia, PA Attn: Mr. Lawrence J. Link, P.E. Re: S.R and 4007, Sections 15P & 15B Germantown Avenue Reconstruction Project Letter of No Wetland Finding City of Philadelphia Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania Dear Mr. Link: On March 5, 2003, A.D. Marble evaluated the above study area for the presence of wetland habitat, in accordance with 1987 Army Corps of Engineers wetland delineation methodology (ACOE 1997). The proposed project will improve Germantown Avenue and the bridge over Cresheim Creek. One waterway, Cresheim Creek is located within the project area. The primary land use within the entire study corridor is commercial and residential, with limited areas of natural land. Preliminary review of available National Wetland Inventory (NWI) mapping for the project study area showed no wetland within the project area, including the floodplain along Cresheim Creek. According to the Soil Survey of Bucks and Philadelphia Counties (USDA 1975), a majority of the project area is mapped as Urban Land (UdB) and significantly disturbed. The floodplain of Cresheim Creek is underlain by Hatboro silt loam (Ha), a hydric soil of both Philadelphia County and the United States. Cresheim Creek flows northeast to southwest through the project area. Upstream of the Germantown Avenue culvert, Cresheim Creek has very steep forested banks to the northwest, and a vertical retaining wall to the northeast. Downstream of the culvert, Cresheim Creek has banks with planted trees and shrubs adjacent to Germantown Avenue to the southwest. To the southeast between the railroad bridge and the intersection is a wide forested floodplain. Soils in this floodplain have a very dark brown (7.5YR 2.5/2) to very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) and dark brown (10YR 3/3) matrix, with no mottling. Soil texture ranges from a sandy silt loam to a silty loam, and is typical of alluvial floodplains. Dominant vegetation included Acer negundo (ashleaf maple, FAC+), Juglans nigra (black walnut, FACU-), Ligustrum vulgare (privet, FACU), and Vitis labrusca (fox grape, FAC-). The vegetation is typical of occasionally inundated floodplains. Table 1 lists all vegetation identified within the project area. Due to the season and snow cover, herbaceous vegetation was minimal at the time of observation. In conclusion, the floodplain supports a mix of hydrophytic and upland vegetation, but lacks hydric soils and sources of wetland hydrology. No jurisdictional wetland is present within the project limits at this time. 1

2 Photographs of the Cresheim Creek floodplain within the project area and a location map have been included (see enclosures). Please feel free to contact me at (484) or Jason Vendetti at (484) with any questions or concerns regarding this project. Sincerely, A.D. Marble & Company Susan Lyons-Joell Environmental Scientist Enclosures cc: Harry E. Laspee, P.E., Pennoni Associates 2

3 Table 1. Vegetation Identified in Floodplain Scientific Name Common Name Indicator Status Dominant Species* Acer negundo ashleaf maple (box-elder) FAC+ Acer sp. UnID maple - Celastrus scandens bittersweet FACU- Fraxinus pennsylvanica green ash FACW Juglans nigra black walnut FACU- Ligustrum vulgare privet FACU Lonicera japonica Japanese honeysuckle Platanus occidentalis American sycamore FACW Quercus sp. UnID oak - Toxicodendron radicans poison ivy FAC Vitis labrusca fox grape FAC- * indicates dominant species 3

4 Photograph 1: View of upstream banks of Cresheim Creek, from the Germantown Avenue culvert facing northeast (March 2003). Photograph 2: View of downstream banks of Cresheim Creek, from the southeastern quadrant of the project area facing north (March 2003).

5 Photograph 3: View of forested floodplain of Cresheim Creek facing north towards Germantown Avenue and the toe-of-slope (March 2003). Photograph 4: View of upland bank and between Germantown Avenue and Cresheim Creek, from the southeastern quadrant facing west towards Cresheim Valley Drive (March 2003).