wetland management
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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 - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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
Restoration
• Some industry is required to restore the land
• Provide habitat for large variety of wildlife including mammals, fish, migratory game birds and waterfowl
Wetland Management
• Concern of many government and private agencies
• Private landowners cannot be forced to manage their wetland in any particular way
• Corps is working to tighten policies regarding wetlands
Personal Management
• Ideal – Leave the wetland alone
• Provide a buffer zone around the wetland
• Restoration may involve removal of non native plants, planting native trees, shrubs and other aquatic plants
• Create walkways
Other Gov’t Programs
• Numerous legislative acts to develop and protect wetlands
• 1972 – Clean Water Act - regulates wetlands of the US