How to Fill Out the Section 404 Wetlands Permit (Joint Application) + FAQs

The Section 404 Wetlands Permit is the federal authorization you need before you place dredged or fill material into any water of the United States, and most people apply for it using ENG Form 4345 (the “Application for Department of the Army Permit”) or a state Joint Application that combines this federal form with state and local water permits. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) runs this program under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, and the form is governed by 33 CFR 325.

If you dig, fill, grade, or build in a wetland, stream, pond, or shoreline without this permit, you risk fines that can reach tens of thousands of dollars per day, plus a federal order to rip out your work and restore the site. The Corps reviews tens of thousands of permit actions each year, and the agency reports that most projects qualify for faster general permits rather than the slower individual permit track. Getting the form right the first time is the difference between a project that moves forward and one that stalls for months.

Here is what you will learn in this guide:

• 📝 How to fill out every block of ENG Form 4345 and the joint application, line by line
• 🗂️ Which documents, drawings, and ID numbers to gather before you open the form
• 🏞️ How wetland delineation and the “avoid, minimize, mitigate” rule shape your answers
• ⚠️ The field-level mistakes that trigger holds, rejections, and enforcement actions
• 💬 Clear answers to the most common questions filers ask about Section 404

What the Form Is and Who Must File It

ENG Form 4345 is the standard application a person uses to ask the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for permission to discharge dredged or fill material into waters of the United States. The current federal version carries a June 2024 revision date, so check the bottom of your form to confirm you are using the latest edition before you start. Many states fold this federal form into a single Joint Application, such as New York’s Joint Application for Permit or Pennsylvania’s Joint Permit Application, so one packet satisfies both the Corps and the state agency at the same time.

You must file if you plan to discharge dredged or fill material into wetlands, streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, or other jurisdictional waters. Common triggers include building a home near a creek, filling part of a wetland for a subdivision, installing a culvert or stream crossing, building a boat dock, dredging a pond, or laying a utility line across a marsh. The Section 404 program covers fill for development, water projects like dams and levees, infrastructure like roads and airports, and mining.

Some activities are exempt, such as certain established farming, ranching, and forestry practices. Exempt does not mean unregulated, though. If you change the use of the land or convert a wetland to dry land, the exemption can disappear and you fall right back under the permit rule.

The Corps and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency share oversight. The Corps issues permits, verifies which waters are jurisdictional, and enforces violations, while the EPA sets the environmental criteria and holds a veto power over disposal sites under Section 404(c). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service weigh in on impacts to fish and wildlife.

Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need

Gather everything below before you open the form, because the Corps will not begin its clock until your application is complete. A missing drawing or location detail is the top reason applications sit in limbo.

• Your full legal name and mailing address. The Corps mails every notice and decision to this address, so an error here means you miss deadlines you never saw.
• The agent’s name and contact, if you use one. Many filers hire a consultant or attorney; without a signed authorization the Corps will not talk to that person about your file.
• The waterbody name and location. You need the name of the stream, wetland, or water, plus the county, state, and nearest road or town. Vague locations stall the public notice.
• Latitude and longitude or a legal description. The Corps uses these to map your site. A wrong coordinate sends reviewers to the wrong parcel and delays the jurisdictional check.
• A wetland delineation. A field survey that marks the limits of waters and wetlands on your property. Without it, the Corps cannot judge your impact and will return the form.
• Project drawings. A surveyed site plan with existing contours, a plan view, and cross-sections showing the fill footprint. Sloppy or missing drawings are an automatic incompleteness notice.
• Type and amount of fill material. The kind of material (clean fill, riprap, concrete) and the cubic yards and acreage of impact. The Corps sizes the review around these numbers.
• A purpose statement. A plain description of why you need to do the work. The Corps uses this to test whether a less damaging alternative exists.
• Names and addresses of adjoining property owners. The Corps notifies your neighbors, and a missing name can void the public notice step.
• Any related permits or prior file numbers. List state, local, or past Corps actions so reviewers can connect your project to its history.

The single most important item is the wetland delineation. The Corps encourages applicants to contact it early so a regulator can verify your jurisdictional limits before you finalize the fill footprint.

Where to Get the Form and How to Access It

You can download the official federal form, ENG Form 4345, directly from the USACE publications library. The form is free, comes as a fillable PDF, and is the same nationwide, although your local Corps district may add a cover sheet or instructions specific to your region.

If your state uses a combined packet, get the Joint Application from your state environmental agency instead, since it captures the federal Section 404 fields and the state permits in one filing. New York applicants use the state’s Joint Application for Permit, Minnesota applicants use the Minnesota Joint Application Form, and Pennsylvania applicants use the Joint Permit Application 3150-PM-BWEW0036. The joint form routes copies to both the Corps and the state at once.

The fastest way to file is the Corps’ new Regulatory Request System, an online portal where you create an account, fill in the application fields, upload your drawings, and submit straight to the right district. The portal also lets you track status and respond to requests for more information without mailing paper. You can still file a paper ENG Form 4345 by mail or in person at your local district regulatory office if you prefer.

To find your district, look up your project’s county on the USACE regulatory program page, since the Corps splits the country into districts and your site’s location decides who reviews it. Filing with the wrong district only adds weeks while the office reroutes your packet.

Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out ENG Form 4345 and the Joint Application Line by Line

The federal form is short on boxes but heavy on consequences. Fill it out in the exact order the blocks appear, and attach extra sheets where a block runs out of room. Below is each block with plain instructions, an example, an edge case, the most common mistake, and a myth to drop.

Block 1: Application Number

This block asks for the Corps file number assigned to your project. You leave it blank when you first file, because the Corps creates the number after it receives your application. To answer it, simply skip the box on a brand-new application and write nothing.

For example, Maria Lopez files her first dock application and leaves Block 1 empty, and three weeks later the Corps mails her a notice listing file number SPK-2026-00457, which she then writes on all later correspondence. The edge case comes up if you are resubmitting or amending an existing project; in that case you do enter the number the Corps gave you so reviewers tie the new paper to the old file.

The common mistake is inventing a number or copying one from another project, which makes the Corps think the file already exists and creates a confusing duplicate. A frequent misconception is that you must request a number before filing, but the Corps generates it for you, so there is nothing to chase down up front.

Block 2: Applicant’s Name

This block asks who is legally responsible for the project and the permit. You answer with your full legal name, exactly as it appears on your property deed or business registration, in plain text. If a company owns the project, you enter the company’s legal name, not a nickname or a “doing business as” label alone.

For example, Marcus Reed writes Marcus A. Reed because that matches the deed for the lot where he plans to fill a quarter-acre of wetland. The edge case appears with co-owners or partnerships; you list all responsible parties or the entity name and attach a sheet if there are several. A common mistake is naming the consultant here instead of the owner, which puts permit liability on the wrong party and confuses enforcement later.

The misconception to drop is that the applicant and the agent are the same. The applicant owns the permit and the legal duty; the agent only helps process it.

Block 3: Applicant’s Address and Contact

This block asks for the applicant’s mailing address, phone, and email so the Corps can reach you. You write the full address where you reliably receive mail, with a working phone number and an email you check often. Use a street address, but a P.O. Box is allowed if that is where your mail truly lands.

For example, Marcus Reed enters his home address, his cell number, and a personal email, because every public notice and decision will route to those points. The edge case is a project address that differs from your mailing address, which is fine; the Corps separates where you live from where the work happens. The common mistake is listing an email you rarely open, since a missed request for information can stall the file for months.

People often believe the Corps will call before mailing, but the agency relies on written notice, so an outdated address means you may never learn your permit was denied or conditioned.

Block 4 and 5: Authorized Agent’s Name and Address

These blocks ask for the name, address, and contact details of the consultant, engineer, or attorney you authorize to handle the application. You fill them only if you hire help, entering the agent’s legal name and business contact information. Leave them blank if you file on your own.

For example, Janet Coleman, a developer, lists her wetland consultant Bayside Environmental, LLC with the firm’s address and the lead scientist’s email. The edge case is switching agents mid-review; you must send the Corps a new authorization so the old consultant loses access. The common mistake is naming an agent here but forgetting to sign the agent authorization in the signature area, which means the Corps will not legally talk to that person.

A myth worth dropping is that hiring an agent shifts blame for errors. You, the applicant, remain responsible for everything on the form, even work your consultant prepared.

Block 8: Project Name or Title

This block asks for a short name that identifies your project. You answer with a simple descriptive title, in a few words, that a stranger could understand. Keep it specific to the work and the place.

For example, Marcus Reed writes Reed Residential Subdivision Wetland Fill, which tells the reviewer the use and the impact at a glance. The edge case is a multi-phase project; name the phase you are permitting now so future phases get their own clear files. The common mistake is a vague title like My Project, which makes your public notice hard to track and easy to overlook.

Some filers think the title is just a label with no weight, but the Corps uses it on the public notice and in its decision documents, so a clear name helps your neighbors and agencies respond on time.

Block 9: Name and Address of Adjoining Property Owners

This block asks you to list everyone whose land touches your project site. You answer with each neighbor’s full name and mailing address, attaching a separate sheet when there are many. Pull these names from current county tax records so they are accurate.

For example, Maria Lopez lists the three lakefront neighbors on either side of her dock with their addresses straight from the county assessor. The edge case is an absentee or corporate owner; you still must find and list the legal mailing address, even if no one lives there. The common mistake is leaving out a neighbor, which can void the public notice and force the Corps to restart that step.

People often assume the Corps finds the neighbors itself, but the duty is yours, and a missing adjoining owner is one of the most common reasons a file gets delayed.

Block 10 and 11: Location of the Project

These blocks ask where the work will happen: the waterbody name, the county and state, and the latitude and longitude or legal description. You answer with the exact name of the stream, wetland, or lake, the road or address nearest the site, and precise coordinates. Pull coordinates from a GPS reading or a surveyed plan, not a rough guess.

For example, Carlos Mendez, a farmer, writes Unnamed Tributary to Willow Creek, lists the county and state, and gives coordinates down to the decimal for his proposed culvert crossing. The edge case is a site with no named water; you describe it as an unnamed tributary or isolated wetland and lean on the coordinates. The common mistake is a swapped or rounded latitude and longitude, which drops reviewers onto the wrong parcel and stalls the jurisdictional check.

A myth here is that a street address is enough. The Corps maps by coordinates, so vague location data is a leading cause of incompleteness notices.

Block 18: Nature of Activity

This block asks what you actually plan to do at the site, described in plain words. You answer with a clear, factual summary of the construction or dredging, including the size, the method, and the sequence of work. Write enough that a reviewer pictures the whole job without guessing.

For example, Janet Coleman writes that she will place 3,200 cubic yards of clean fill across 0.25 acre of palustrine emergent wetland to create building pads, using imported soil trucked in and graded. The edge case is temporary impacts, like a construction access pad you will remove; describe both the temporary and permanent work so the Corps scopes the review right. The common mistake is a thin description such as grading, which forces a request for information and burns weeks.

Filers often think more detail invites more scrutiny, but the opposite is true. A clear, complete description speeds review, because the Corps does not have to stop and ask what you mean.

Block 19: Project Purpose

This block asks why you need to do the work, framed as the basic and overall project purpose. You answer with the goal behind the project, stated honestly and specifically. The Corps uses this to test whether a less damaging alternative could meet the same need.

For example, Marcus Reed writes that the purpose is to construct single-family housing on the buildable portion of the parcel to meet local housing demand. The edge case is a water-dependent purpose, like a dock or marina, which legitimately needs to be in or near the water; say so plainly because it strengthens your case. The common mistake is writing a purpose so narrow it names your exact site, which can make the Corps reject reasonable off-site alternatives you never considered.

A misconception is that a vague purpose gives you flexibility. In fact, a fuzzy purpose invites the Corps to find alternatives that avoid the wetland entirely, which can sink your project.

Block 20: Reason(s) for Discharge

This block asks why the fill or dredging must go into the water at all. You answer by explaining what the discharge accomplishes, tying it to the project purpose in Block 19. Show that you considered staying out of the water and could not.

For example, Carlos Mendez explains the fill is needed to support a stable culvert and roadbed so equipment can cross the tributary year-round. The edge case is partial avoidance; if you shrank the footprint to dodge most of the wetland, say so, because it shows good faith under the rules. The common mistake is skipping the avoidance story, which signals you did not try the “avoid and minimize” steps the Corps requires.

Many filers believe this box is a formality, but it feeds directly into the Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines test, and a weak answer can be the reason a permit is denied.

Block 21: Type(s) of Material Being Discharged and Amount

This block asks what you will place in the water and how much, in cubic yards, plus the acreage of impact. You answer with the material type and exact volumes and areas, separating permanent from temporary impacts. Round to the same units the Corps uses so the numbers compare cleanly.

For example, Janet Coleman enters clean imported fill, 3,200 cubic yards, 0.25 acre permanent wetland impact, with a separate line for a temporary access pad. The edge case is mixed material, such as fill plus riprap; list each type and its amount on its own line. The common mistake is underreporting the volume to seem minor, which is detected at inspection and can convert a clerical fix into an enforcement case.

People often think a small number always means a fast permit, but the threshold matters, and many nationwide permits cap impacts near half an acre, so your honest number decides which track you ride.

Block 22 through 24: Surface Areas, Adjacent Waters, and Use

These blocks ask for the surface area of waters or wetlands directly affected, a description of nearby waters, and the present and proposed use of the project area. You answer with acreage figures, a short description of the surrounding aquatic resources, and how the land is used now versus after the work. Match these numbers to your delineation and drawings.

For example, Carlos Mendez lists 0.04 acre of stream channel impacted, notes the tributary flows to Willow Creek, and states the present use as agricultural field and proposed use as agricultural field with all-weather crossing. The edge case is a site that drains to a larger river or estuary; describe that connection because downstream effects shape the review. The common mistake is figures that do not match the site plan, which signals carelessness and triggers a request to reconcile them.

A myth is that “isolated” wetlands escape review. Jurisdiction is broad, and the Corps decides what counts as a water of the United States, not the applicant.

Block 25: Adjoining State and Federal Permits

This block asks you to list other permits the project needs or already has. You answer by naming each related state, local, or federal authorization, with file numbers if known. This lets the Corps coordinate, especially on a joint application.

For example, Janet Coleman lists her state water quality certification under Section 401 and a local grading permit, with their reference numbers. The edge case is a permit still pending; list it as applied for with the date so the Corps knows it is in motion. The common mistake is leaving the block blank when other permits exist, which can stall the federal decision while the Corps waits on the state.

Filers often assume the Corps handles all permits at once, but each agency acts on its own, and the joint application simply mails copies; it does not merge the decisions.

Signature Block: Application Is Hereby Made

This block is the certification and signature, where you swear the information is true and complete. You answer by signing and dating it yourself as the applicant, and signing the separate agent authorization line if a consultant filed for you. The form states that application is hereby made for permit or permits to authorize the work described, and you certify the facts.

For example, Maria Lopez signs her own name, writes the date as 06/03/2026, and because she hired no agent, leaves the authorization line blank. The edge case is a corporate applicant; an officer with authority must sign, and the title goes next to the name. The common mistake is an unsigned form, which is treated as no application at all and is returned without review.

A widespread myth is that an electronic submission needs no signature. The certification still binds you, and a false statement here can carry penalties, because you signed under threat of law.

Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios

Below are three common filers walking through the form from start to finish. Each table shows the major blocks and what the person enters.

Scenario 1: Maria Lopez Builds a Boat Dock

Form Section	What Maria Enters
Block 1 (Application Number)	Left blank on first filing
Block 2 (Applicant’s Name)	Maria Lopez
Block 3 (Address)	Her lakefront home address, cell, and email
Block 8 (Project Name)	Lopez Private Boat Dock
Block 9 (Adjoining Owners)	Three neighbors from county tax records
Block 10-11 (Location)	Lake name, county, and GPS coordinates
Block 18 (Nature of Activity)	Install a 4-foot by 60-foot pile-supported dock
Block 21 (Material and Amount)	Minimal fill, 2 cubic yards around pilings
Signature	Signs and dates 06/03/2026, no agent

Scenario 2: Marcus Reed Fills Wetland for a Subdivision

Form Section	What Marcus Enters
Block 2 (Applicant’s Name)	Marcus A. Reed
Block 4-5 (Agent)	Bayside Environmental, LLC with contact
Block 8 (Project Name)	Reed Residential Subdivision Wetland Fill
Block 10-11 (Location)	Tributary name, county, and coordinates
Block 18 (Nature of Activity)	Place clean fill to build housing pads
Block 19 (Purpose)	Construct single-family housing for local demand
Block 21 (Material and Amount)	3,200 cubic yards clean fill, 0.25 acre impact
Block 25 (Other Permits)	State 401 certification and local grading permit
Signature	Signs as applicant; agent authorization signed

Scenario 3: Carlos Mendez Installs a Farm Stream Crossing

Form Section	What Carlos Enters
Block 2 (Applicant’s Name)	Carlos Mendez
Block 8 (Project Name)	Mendez Farm Culvert Crossing
Block 10-11 (Location)	Unnamed Tributary to Willow Creek and coordinates
Block 18 (Nature of Activity)	Install culvert and stabilized roadbed across tributary
Block 19 (Purpose)	All-weather equipment crossing for the farm
Block 20 (Reason for Discharge)	Fill needed to support a stable crossing
Block 21 (Material and Amount)	Riprap and fill, 0.04 acre stream impact
Block 22-24 (Use)	Present and proposed use is agricultural field
Signature	Signs and dates as applicant

How to File the Completed Form

You can file the Section 404 application through three channels, and your choice mainly affects speed and tracking, not the outcome.

• Online through the Regulatory Request System. Create an account at the Regulatory Request System portal, enter the fields, upload your drawings and delineation, and submit to your district. There is no fee to apply, the portal confirms receipt, and you keep that confirmation as your proof of filing. This is the fastest channel and lets you respond to requests online.
• By mail to your Corps district. Print and sign ENG Form 4345, attach all drawings, and mail the packet to the regulatory office for the district that covers your county, which you can find on the USACE regulatory page. Send it certified mail with return receipt and keep that receipt as proof.
• In person at the district office. You may hand-deliver the signed packet to the district regulatory office and ask for a date-stamped copy as your proof of filing.

There is no fee to submit the application. The permit fee comes only after the Corps decides to issue an individual permit, and it is $10 for noncommercial work and $100 for commercial work, paid by check to the Corps when the permit is ready. General permits, including nationwide permits, carry no fee.

Processing time varies widely. A nationwide permit verification often takes a few weeks to a few months, while a standard individual permit, which requires a public notice and comment period, commonly takes several months to over a year for complex projects. Keep your proof of filing and your assigned file number, because you will need them for every follow-up call and document.

What Happens After You File

Once the Corps receives a complete application, it acknowledges receipt and assigns your project a unique file number, which becomes the reference for everything that follows. If the file is missing information, the Corps sends a written request, and the review clock pauses until you respond.

For a standard individual permit, the Corps issues a public notice within about 15 days of receiving a complete application, inviting comments from neighbors, agencies, and the public, usually over a 30-day comment period. During this time, the EPA, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and state agencies may weigh in, and you get a chance to respond to comments. The Corps then runs its Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines analysis and a public interest review that balances factors like conservation, economics, navigation, and recreation.

The Corps may ask for more information, hold a public hearing if needed, and require compensatory mitigation to offset unavoidable wetland loss. In the end, the agency issues the permit, issues it with conditions, or denies it. For a general or nationwide permit, the path is shorter; the Corps simply verifies your activity fits the category and confirms it in writing, often without a public notice.

Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form

• Filling before you apply. Placing fill first and applying later is an unpermitted discharge that can bring fines and a restoration order.
• Skipping the wetland delineation. Without it the Corps cannot judge impact and returns the application as incomplete.
• Wrong latitude and longitude. Bad coordinates send reviewers to the wrong parcel and stall the jurisdictional check.
• Leaving out an adjoining owner in Block 9. A missing neighbor can void the public notice and force the Corps to restart it.
• A vague Block 18 description. Thin detail triggers a request for information that adds weeks to your timeline.
• A narrow Block 19 purpose. An overly specific purpose lets the Corps reject reasonable alternatives and can sink the project.
• Underreporting fill volume in Block 21. Low numbers are caught at inspection and can turn a clerical issue into enforcement.
• Naming the agent as the applicant. This puts permit liability on the wrong party and confuses later enforcement.
• Forgetting the agent authorization signature. Without it the Corps will not legally communicate with your consultant.
• Submitting an unsigned form. An unsigned application is treated as no application and is returned without review.
• Ignoring related permits in Block 25. Leaving out a state 401 certification can stall the federal decision.
• Filing with the wrong district. A misrouted packet adds weeks while the office forwards it to the correct district.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do:

• Do contact the Corps early for a pre-application meeting, because it flags problems before you spend money on a doomed design.
• Do delineate wetlands first so your fill footprint and impact numbers rest on verified jurisdictional limits.
• Do match every number to your drawings, since inconsistencies between the form and the site plan invite requests for information.
• Do describe both temporary and permanent impacts, because the Corps scopes the review around the full set of effects.
• Do keep your proof of filing and file number, as you need them for every follow-up.
• Do show your avoidance and minimization steps, because they satisfy the core test the Corps applies.

Don’t:

• Don’t start work before the permit issues, since an unpermitted discharge carries steep daily penalties.
• Don’t guess your coordinates, because a wrong location is a leading cause of delay.
• Don’t leave required blocks blank, as gaps trigger an incompleteness notice that pauses the clock.
• Don’t understate your impacts, because false figures can convert a fixable error into an enforcement case.
• Don’t assume an exemption applies, since changing land use often pulls the project back under the permit rule.
• Don’t ignore the comment period, because failing to respond to public comments weakens your application.

Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help

Filing on Your Own	Filing With a Consultant or Attorney
Saves money on professional fees, which helps small projects	Costs more, but the fee often prevents costly delays and denials
Works well for simple, low-impact projects like a small dock	Best for complex fills, subdivisions, and disputed jurisdiction
Gives you direct control over every answer on the form	Brings expertise in delineation and the 404(b)(1) alternatives test
Can be slower if you misjudge wetland limits or impacts	Speeds review because the packet arrives complete and accurate
Risks errors that trigger holds or enforcement	Reduces the chance of an incompleteness notice or denial

For a small, clearly minor project, filing on your own is reasonable and inexpensive. For larger fills, contested jurisdiction, or any project facing public opposition, a qualified consultant or attorney usually pays for itself by avoiding the delays and rejections that come from a flawed application.

FAQs

Do I need a Section 404 permit to build a dock?

Yes. If pilings or fill go into a jurisdictional water, you need authorization, though a small private dock often qualifies for a faster nationwide permit rather than an individual permit.

Do I leave Block 1, the application number, blank on a new filing?

Yes. The Corps assigns the file number after it receives your application, so you leave Block 1 empty unless you are amending an existing, already-numbered project.

Do I enter my name or my consultant’s name in Block 2?

No. Block 2 is for the applicant, the owner who holds the permit and the legal duty. Your consultant’s name goes in the agent blocks instead.

Do I need to list my neighbors in Block 9?

Yes. You must list all adjoining property owners from current tax records, because the Corps notifies them, and a missing neighbor can void the public notice.

Do I report fill in cubic yards or acres in Block 21?

Yes. You report both: the volume of material in cubic yards and the area of impact in acres, separating permanent impacts from temporary ones.

Do I have to pay a fee to file the application?

No. There is no fee to apply. An individual permit costs $10 for noncommercial or $100 for commercial work only after the Corps decides to issue it.

Do farming activities ever need a Section 404 permit?

Yes. Established farming is often exempt, but converting a wetland to dry land or changing the land use can remove the exemption and require a permit.

Do I need a wetland delineation before I apply?

Yes. The Corps needs the verified limits of waters and wetlands to judge your impact, and applications without a delineation are returned as incomplete.

Do I have to sign the form if I file online?

Yes. The certification binds you whether you file on paper or through the portal, and a false statement can carry penalties because you signed under threat of law.

Do nationwide permits move faster than individual permits?

Yes. Nationwide permits skip the individual public notice for minimal-impact activities, so verification often takes weeks to months instead of many months to over a year.

Do I list other permits in Block 25 if they are still pending?

Yes. You list pending permits as applied for with the date, so the Corps can coordinate the joint review instead of waiting in the dark.

Do I need to describe temporary impacts in Block 18?

Yes. You describe both temporary and permanent work, because the Corps scopes its review around the full set of effects, including access pads you later remove.

Do isolated wetlands escape Section 404 review?

No. Jurisdiction is broad, and the Corps, not the applicant, decides what counts as a water of the United States, so do not assume your wetland is exempt.