Excavation

Excavation refers to activities that remove soil and/or rock often increasing wetland extent and/or depth and water persistence.

Quick links

• Wetland classification scheme
• Wetlands mapping data fields - Hydrological modifications (habitat scale)
• Wetlands mapping data fields - Hydrological modifications (landscape scale)
• Wetlands mapping attributes - Hydrological modifications (habitat scale)
• Wetlands mapping attributes - Hydrological modifications (landscape scale)
• Wetlands mapping classification table - Hydrological modifications

Excavation – Excavation outside a channel

Select from the tabs below

• Excavation creating an artificial wetland
• Excavation in a channel
• Excavation outside a channel

Excavation in a palustrine or lacustrine wetland

Excavation in a palustrine or lacustrine wetland increases the extent and/or depth and may increase the persistence of water in the wetland. In some cases, excavation in a palustrine wetland may increase wetland extent and depth to such a degree that the wetland is converted to a lacustrine wetland system.

Applicable Wetland Habitat Hydrological Modification:

• 'Modified – excavation outside a channel – freshwater wetland with no system change' (H2-M11-a)
• 'Modified – excavation outside a channel – freshwater wetland with system change' (H2-M11-b)

Excavation causing conversion to an intertidal wetland

Excavation in a palustrine or lacustrine wetland increases the extent and/or depth of the wetland but also enables tidal inundation. The wetland is converted to an intertidal wetland.

Applicable Wetland Habitat Hydrological Modification:

• 'Modified – excavation outside a channel – freshwater wetland with system change to intertidal' (H2-M11-c)

Excavation in an intertidal wetland

Excavation in an intertidal wetland increases the extent and/or depth of the wetland but does not restrict tidal inundation.

Applicable Wetland Habitat Hydrological Modification:

• 'Modified – excavation outside a channel – intertidal wetland with no system change' (H2-M11-d)

Last updated: 7 June 2023