HGM-RAPid
The Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) Approach is a collection of concepts and methods for developing functional indices and subsequently using them to assess the capacity of a wetland to perform functions relative to similar wetlands in a region.
The Approach was initially designed to be used in the context of the Clean Water Act Section 404 Regulatory Program permit review sequence to consider alternatives, minimize impacts, assess unavoidable project impacts, determine mitigation requirements, and monitor the success of the mitigation projects. However, various other potential applications for the Approach have been identified, including; determining minimal effects under the Food Security Act, designing mitigation projects, and managing wetlands.
Most recently Hauer Environmental LLC in conjunction with the US Army Corp of Engineers has started the development of a Level 2 RAPID deployment of the HGM assessment approach to measurement of Functional Capacity.
Upper Clark Fork River
The Upper Clark Fork River, after over a century of mining at its headwaters near Butte, MT, has become the centerpiece of the nation’s largest Superfund site — and one of the most remarkable restoration stories in the world.
As part of the Montana NSF’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Consortium for Research in Environmental Sciences (CREWS) project, Andrew Hauer helped develop the Upper Clark Fork Working Group (UCFWG).
The mission of the UCFWG is to enhance collaboration among state and federal agencies, NGOs, research institutions, and private industry. This collaboration aims to generate essential knowledge for informed decision-making regarding the Upper Clark Fork River and its floodplain, facilitated by Hauer Environmental.
Wetland Assessment Training
Since the early 2000s, Dr. Richard Hauer has trained professionals from the US Army Corps of Engineers in Basic Stream Ecology and River Assessment. In 2024, he introduced a course in Riparian Ecology, Management, and Restoration.
This course, which combines classroom and field-based learning, teaches students to describe and understand principles of stream ecology and conduct river assessments.
