Teresa Opolka has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Seattle University. She has worked as a wetland ecologist or botanist since 1998 and has specialized in wetlands since 2000. Her experience includes wetland and stream delineations, wetland/stream studies, wetland mitigation plans, technical writing, local and federal permitting, and botanical studies and surveys in wetlands and forests in Washington, Oregon, and Southeast Alaska. She founded Aquatica Environmental Consulting, LLC in 2006. Prior to her consulting experience, Teresa worked for Weyerhaeuser, the U.S. Forest Service, and the University of Washington, College of Forest Resources.
Relevant Experience
Wetland and Stream Delineations
- Assessed thousands of acres of land in the Puget Sound Region for the presence/absence of wetlands, streams, and sensitive wildlife. Conducted hundreds of wetland and stream delineations in support of private development and public infrastructure projects.
Varied Project Experience
- Work experience assisting with private development in the Puget Sound Region including commercial projects, planned residential subdivisions, and single family residential projects. Extensive experience facilitating single family residential development in the unincorporated areas of King and Snohomish Counties.
- Experience working in Western and Eastern Washington and experienced in utilizing the Corps supplements for the Western, Mountains and Valleys and Arid West Regions. Trained in the 2004 Washington Department of Ecology’s Wetland Rating System including the 2014 update.
- Experienced in backcountry travel and route finding in wilderness areas and remote regions including western Canada, southeast Alaska, and in the mountains of Washington and Oregon. Technical skills include use of GPS units, map and compass navigation, technical rock climbing and glacier travel.
- Experienced working on linear projects; past project experience includes a transmission line surveys along a 60-mile transmission line rebuild northwest of Spokane, and a proposed transmission line between Kupreanof and Mitkoff Islands in southeast Alaska.
- Prepared hundreds of technical documents in 20 jurisdictions for permit submittal in western Washington. This includes preparation of Critical Area Reports, Mitigation Reports and Plans, Functional Value Assessments, Biological Evaluations, JARPA applications Forest Practices Permits and Wildlife Assessments. Has familiarity with the wetland process and City and County staff in many jurisdictions in King and Snohomish Counties. On Preferred consultant lists in King, Whatcom, Pierce and Clallam Counties.
- Monitored over 50 implemented mitigation projects in 20 jurisdictions within Washington State.
Kupreanof Island from helicopter