Freshwater Wetland Jurisdiction Starts With DEC

A wet spot on a parcel is more than a map question. DEC can issue a freshwater wetland Jurisdictional Determination, often called a JD. A parcel JD says whether the requested area contains a regulated wetland or adjacent area. It does not draw the exact wetland line.

If the answer is yes, the next step may be a delineation and then a project JD. That project review tells whether the planned work touches a regulated wetland area and needs an Article 24 permit. Before clearing, grading, building, or buying land for a project, ask DEC instead of guessing from aerial photos. Keep the parcel address, map, and DEC determination together so the answer stays tied to the right land.