The following are the values under the Southwick Wetlands Bylaw:
A. Protection of public and private water supply.
B. Protection of groundwater.
D. Erosion and sedimentation control.
F. Prevention of water pollution.
H. Protection of wildlife habitat.
The definitions applicable to the Southwick Wetlands Bylaw shall be the same as set forth in 310 CMR 10.00 et seq. except for the following modifications to those definitions and additional definitions:
ALTER To change the condition of any area subject to jurisdiction under the bylaw. Examples of alterations include, but are not limited to, the following:
A. Removal, excavation or dredging of soil, sand, gravel or aggregate materials of any kind;
B. Changing of pre-existing drainage characteristics, flushing characteristics, salinity distribution, sedimentation patterns, flow patterns or flood retention characteristics;
C. Drainage or other disturbance of water level or water table;
D. Dumping, discharging or filling with any material which may degrade water quality;
E. Placing of fill, or removal of material, which would alter elevations;
F. Driving of piles, erection or repair of buildings, or structures of any kind;
G. Placing of obstructions or objects in water;
H. Destruction of plant life, including cutting of trees;
I. Changing water temperature, biochemical oxygen demand or other physical, chemical or biological characteristics of surface and groundwater;
J. Excavation for the purpose of percolation or deep hole testing or the crossing of a resource area with heavy equipment for this purpose; or
K. Any activities, changes or work which may cause or tend to contribute to pollution of surface or groundwater.
BUFFER ZONE An area of land extending 100 feet horizontally outward from the boundary of any resource area (areas subject to protection under the bylaw) described in SWR 10.02 of the bylaw.
EPHEMERAL POND/VERNAL POOL An isolated depression or closed basin which temporarily confines water during periods of high water table or high input from spring runoff, snowmelt or heavy precipitation, and is used by obligate amphibian species for breeding purposes.
ISOLATED WETLAND An area of at least 500 square feet where groundwater, flowing or standing surface water supports a vegetative community composed of at least 50% wetland plant species as included or identified in generally accepted scientific technical publications.
ISOLATED POND Any open body of fresh water, either naturally occurring or man-made, with a surface area observed or recorded within the last 10 years of at least 5,000 square feet and which is never without standing water due to natural causes, except during periods of extended drought. For the purposes of this definition, "extended drought" shall mean any period of four or more months during which the average rainfall for each month is 50% or less of the ten-year average for that same month. Basins or lagoons which are part of waste-water treatment plants shall not be considered ponds, nor shall swimming pools or other impervious man-made retention basins.
PERENNIAL STREAM A watercourse that flows all year during non-drought conditions, or flows at least 361 consecutive days during a normal non-drought year.
POND Any body of water, regardless of size, that is hydrologically connected to a brook or stream (intermittent or continuous), or wetland.
PRACTICABLE ALTERNATIVE A measure that is available and capable of being done after taking into consideration cost, existing technology and logistics in light of overall project purposes.
RIPARIAN ZONE An area of land extending 200 feet horizontally outward from the Mean Annual High Water Line of a perennial stream.
STREAM Any body of running water moving in a channel in the ground, including intermittent streams and headwaters of streams above or below the point where there are wetlands adjoining them.