Wetland Management

Wetland Management

Wetlands • Premier, underrated, overlooked natural resource • Provide habitat to numerous species of plants and animals

Ecological Role • Controlling flood • Act as a filter for pollutants • Add to underground water sources • Provide habitat for many species – especially waterfowl and amphibians

Ecological Role • Provide recreational use

According to the EPA • More than one third of all threatened and endangered species live only in wetlands • One half of threatened and endangered species use wetlands at some point in their lives

What are Wetlands? • Many types can be found in a variety of habitats across the US • Definitions are unclear, it all depends on what group you ask • Governmental agencies use several differing definitions

Wetlands • Individuals’ and groups’ perspectives and agenda drive what they perceive to be a wetland

Characteristics • Three characteristics • 1 -Prolonged presence of water – an area whose hydrology includes frequent saturation • 2 -Affects how the soil develops and what plants will grow

Plant types that are attracted to these growing conditions are generally called hydrophytes • Third – because the soil is subjected to frequent saturation and may have a permanent water table close to the surface, it develops into hydric soils

Hydric soils • Tend to be saturated with water most of the time • Usually low in air content • Colored differently than other soils in the same region • Completely different soil structure

Mottled with white or gray coloring • May be very yellow • Structure may be sticky and wet rather than granular

Definitions • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers defines a jurisdictional wetland: • An area that has frequent flooding or saturation, is covered by hydrophytes, and includes hydric soils • The Corps is responsible for jurisdictional wetlands

Ecological Definition • US Fish and Wildlife Service defines a wetland: • Lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water.

Ecological Definition • The USFWS definition is much broader than the legal definition used by the Corps of Engineers • Ecological Wetlands may not have all three characteristics of the jurisdictional wetland

The Corps would not consider a mudflat or a coral reef as a wetland but the USFWS would

History of Wetlands in the US • Since the beginning of government in the US wetlands have been perceived as harsh, disgusting places everyone should avoid • Considered a problem rather than an asset until the last half of the 1900’s

In the 1770’s the District of Columbia was partially covered by swampland • The land was drained and filled in to build the capital

Southern Louisiana is designated as wetlands • Citizens felt that building a city on a water crossroads site was important • New Orleans is that city

Still surrounded by various types of wetlands • Leads to constant problems with flooding • Hurricane Katrina

Americans of 1700’s would never consider the Everglades a national treasure • Social values change over time

Prior to the 1970’s • Government authorized and subsidized draining of wetlands • Practice began in 1849 with passage of the Swamp Lands Act for the state of Louisiana • Later broadened to cover the entire US

Act gave states permission to fill in and change areas that were “unfit for cultivation” • In 1972 the government changed their policy about wetlands • Took steps to protect and restore

Requiring permits with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act • Protected wetlands and allowed for restoration of degraded wetlands

Farm bill of 1985 and 1990 • “Swampbuster Provision” • Required farmers to protect wetlands on their farm or ranch to be eligible for USDA farm program benefits

Wetland Identification • Two most common techniques • Off-site identification • On-Site identification

Off-Site Identification • Checking maps and wetland inventories • Used as a screening device to find possible wetland locations • Three principal resources for the landownder

1. USFWS • Produces National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) • Maps wetlands every ten years • NWI is concerned with wetlands and open water in the US

2. National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Survey List • Maintains list of hydric soils • County by county maps

3. US Geological Topography Maps • Look at vegetative cover, surface characteristics, bogs, and marshes • Uses specific terminologies • What is growing on the land, standing water

On-Site Identification • Location will determine what agency is responsible • Dredging, filling or discharge – US Army Corps of Engineers • Close to a lake or inland water - USFWS

Agricultural lands and non ag lands that border ag lands – NRCS division of USDA • On site inspection includes study of plants, soils and water supply

Types of Wetlands • Marshes • Throughout the US • Freshwater, saltwater and tidal • Florida Everglades – well known marsh

Floodplains • Areas that border rivers, lakes and streams • Are flooded periodically • Mississippi River floodplain - most well known • Last serious flood of MS floodplain was in 1993 – 500 year flood

Ponds • May have wetlands around their edges • May turn to marsh in times of drought • Permanent body of water • Not all lakes and ponds are wetlands

Rivers and Streams • Not all rivers and streams are wetlands • Some may move slow enough to allow certain types of vegetation to take over • Slower and warmer water – more prolific plant life becomes

Swamps • Types – Cypress, southern bottomland, hardwood, shrub, northern • Differs on type of vegetation • Same general characteristics of standing water with trees or shrubs growing in the water

Swamps • Stagnant water tends to be dark and non translucent • Great Dismal and Big Cypress – well known swamps

Bog • Very damp, usually with evergreens present, floor covered with moss or peat • Spongy walk • Most located in the northeast and MI, WI and MN • Acid loving plants • Cranberries

Prairie Potholes • Rely on periodic rainfall • ND, SD, MN and NE • Critical to water fowl habitat and migration

Vernal Pools • May last for only a few months each year • Rely on periodic rainfall • Haven for amphibian species as they lack predators • About 1/3 of all amphibians in the eastern US rely on vernal ponds as breeding sites

Status in the U.S. • Estimated that there were over 200 million Acres of wetlands in the US in the 1600’s • About half that area remains today

Major Causes-Loss of Wetland • Urbanization • Industry • Agriculture • Timber harvest • Mining operations

Urbanization • Construction of roads, parking lots, and buildings changes runoff patterns • Materials carried by the runoff change water quality

Industry • Increased water demands • Discharge of warm water (thermal pollution) • Change pH • Pollutants from abandoned industry

Agriculture • Draining wetland • Encouraged producers not to graze wetlands • Wastes contaminate the water

Timber Harvest • Loss is only temporary • Destruction usually lasts 3-5 years • Use of heavy equipment effects the soil structure

Mining • Mining of peat moss • Used in horticulture industry as a planting medium • Removal of vegetation and draining of water

Preservation • Annual loss of wetlands 70,000-90,000 acres on non federal lands • Amphibian habitat • Early indicators of environmental problems

Natural Wetland Protection • Most regulations are to prevent destruction of natural wetlands • Regulate building of roads bridges and buildings

Construction • Natural structures to treat all forms of water pollution • Most municipalities use a wetland as a secondary treatment after primary removal of solid waste • Wetland construction is less than water treatment facility

Wetland Management