WETLANDS: A KEYLINK IN WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

A GUIDE FOR WATERSHED PARTNERSHIPS

Wetlands are a key link in watershedmanagement. The role that they play in ourwatersheds is critical to protecting waterquality and moderating water quantity.Wetland habitat serves as home for many

plants and animals. Even thenational—and in many areasthe local—economy has asignificant connection towetlands.

Essentially wetlands are thetransition between dry landand water (streams, rivers,lakes, and coastlines),wetlands take many formsincluding the familiarmarshes, swamps and bogs.Yet, not all wetlands are“wet” year round. These“drier end” wetlands alsoperform significant wetlandfunctions. Yet, these areoften the target for manyuses including agriculturaland urban/suburban uses.

WHY CONSIDER

WETLANDS IN

YOUR WATER-SHED?Without wetlands, we canexpect an increase inflooding, decrease ofanimal, plant and birdspecies, increase in

erosion, decrease in water quality, and lostrevenue.

Vegetated riparian wetlands in agriculturalareas have proven to remove high percent-ages of phosphorus and nitrogen fromrunoff water. Without these wetlands,

increased nutrient loading to rivers,streams and lakes could result in algalblooms and over-abundant aquatic plantgrowth. When these algae and plants die,oxygen in the water is used during thedecomposition process. This can result inoxygen deprivation which may lead to fishkills.

When agriculture and development prac-tices impact wetlands, the water storageand flood control capacity of the landdecreases, increasing the likelihood ofcostly flood damage downstream.

WETLAND BENEFITS.Wetlands are valuable systems thatprovide many benefits to your watershedincluding:

Reduced water treatment costsWetlands can help improve water qualityby removing or retaining nutrients, organ-ics, and sediment carried by runoff. Theflow of water slows as it enters a wetland,which causes sediment in the water tosettle out. Many chemicals — fertilizers,human and household wastes, toxiccompounds —are tied to sediment andtrapped in wetlands. Plants and thebiological processes present in a wetlandbreakdown and convert these pollutantsinto less harmful substances. By restoringand utilizing wetland functions, we canreduce the costs of constructing, operatingand maintaining drinking water treatmentplants.

Increased groundwater availabilityWetlands “soak up” water during and aftera rainy spell. While wetlands “hold” mostof the water, some water makes its way tothe groundwater supply. Thus wetlandsoften fill the vital job of recharginggroundwater so it’s available for use at alater date.

HOW YOUR WATERSHED CAN BENEFIT WITH WETLANDS.

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7 WAYS YOUR

WATERSHED CAN BENEFIT

1. Improve water quality by breakingdown, removing, using or retainingnutrients, organic waste andsediment carried to the wetlandwith runoff from the watershed.

2. Reduce severity of floodsdownstream by retaining waterand releasing it during drierperiods.

3. Protect stream banks and shorelines from erosion.

4. Recharge groundwater, potentiallyreducing water shortages duringdry spells.

5. Provide food and other products—such as commercial fish andshellfish—for human use.

6. Provide fish and wildlife—including numerous rare andendangered species—food habitat,breeding grounds, and restingareas.

7. Increase opportunities forrecreation—bird watching,waterfowl hunting, photography—and outdoor education.

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Reduced flood damageAnother way wetlands are valuable tohumans is their influence on the flow andquality of water. Wetlands often act likegiant sponges, soaking up water that runsoff the land. This feature can help slowfloodwaters, lower flood heights andreduce shoreline and stream bank erosion.Preserving natural wetlands can reduce oreliminate the need for expensive floodcontrol structures.

Food and related industriesThe vast majority of our nation’s fishingand shellfishing industries harvest wet-land-dependent species. This catch isvalued at $15 billion a year. Commercialfishermen harvested nearly ten billionpounds of fish in 1996.

EPA estimates suggest that 98% of theGulf of Mexico fishing industry harvestcomes from fish and shellfish that aredependent on in-shore wetlands. The USDepartment of Commerce reports that 438million pounds of brown, white and pinkshrimp were harvested in 1995 and 1996(combined). This was worth more than$838 million dockside.

Other wetland-reliant products includecranberries, blueberries, wild rice, medi-cines, pelts and timber.

Diverse plants & animalsWetlands contribute to diversity byproviding food and habitat that supports awide variety of plants and animals.Detritus—enriched organic materialformed by the decay of plant and animalmaterial in water—is food for insects,shellfish and forage fish. In turn, fish(such as striped bass and bluefish),mammals, reptiles and amphibians feedoff of the insects and forage fish. Thegrowth of wetland plants and algae is alsonourished by nutrients the provided in thedetritus.

Wetland plants provide food and shelterfor fish and animals. Wetland-dependentmammals include: muskrat, beaver,moose, raccoon, bobcat, swamp rabbit,and white-tailed deer. Bald eagles,ospreys, hawks, egrets, herons and king-fishers are just a few of the birds thatthrive in wetlands. The high biologicalproductivity of wetlands makes them vitalecosystems not only to the plants andanimals that directly depend on them forfood and shelter, but to humans as well.

RecreationRevenue is also generated from waterfowlhunters in search of wetland-dependentbirds. The 1996 National Survey ofFishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-AssociatedRecreation reported 3.1 million adultAmericans hunt migratory birds. Thisincludes hunting for geese, ducks, doves,and other game birds. They spend about$1.3 billion on travel, equipment andother associated expenses.

Another recreationaloutlet is trapping. AnEPA report puts thenation’s harvest of muskratpelts worth over $70 millionannually. This, of course, doesnot include the value of beaver,mink or reptiles such as alligators.

The natural beauty and solitude foundin wetland areas provides opportunitiesfor bird watching, wildlife photography,painters, hikers and simply relaxing whileappreciating the wonders of nature. Formany people, wetlands are a vital part oftheir lives providing a peaceful place toreflect while escaping from the everydaystress and strains.

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UNDERSTANDING WETLANDS.HOW WETLANDS FORM.The formation and role of a wetland isdriven by its location in the watershed, thepresence of water during significantperiods, soil quality and, ultimately, plants

and animals. In fact, soils and plants actas “identifiers” for each wetland.

As sediment is deposited along rivercorridors, opportunistic plants andanimals seek out the new habitat andflourish. As these areas mature, thesoils change which impact the varietyof plant and animal species. Thus newspecies may colonize. This process iscalled succession.

At the mouths of rivers (where ariver meets the ocean) sediments areoften deposited forming alluvialplains. Marsh grasses find theseareas desirable. In addition, otherplants and many animals are thenattracted to these deltas.

Other wetlands are formed by aging lakesthat fill-in with sediments. This areasupports shrubs and trees adaptable to lifein a wet environment.

TYPES OF WETLANDS.The diversity of wetland habitat makes theidentification and classification of wetlandschallenging. Wetlands are identified andclassified according to the types of plants,soils, hydrology or patterns of water, andfish and/or wildlife communities present.

Swamps, marshes and bogs are easilyrecognizable types of wetlands. Othertypes of wetlands may be less well knownbecause the amount of water present willvary seasonally, with specific rainfallevents or with snowmelt.

The plants that live in wetlands are par-ticularly adapted to soils that are saturatedwith water and, at times, contain littleoxygen. These plants, such as marshgrasses, are called hydrophytes (literallywater plants) and the soils where theythrive are referred to as “hydric soils.”Some basic types of wetlands are:

Riverine Bottomlands/Hardwood Forests:Found along the river corridors, theseprovide water storage during times of peakprecipitation, reducing flood water andthen slowly releasing the stored water.Silver maple and cottonwood are commonin northern regions. Bald cypress andtupelo dominate southern regions.

Northern Bogs: Saturated areas withmossy carpets and shrubs, grasses andstunted spruce trees. These cool wetlandareas produce wild cranberries, harvestedin autumn. Bogs effect the climate bystoring carbon dioxide in decaying plantmaterials (peat), thereby reducing itsrelease into the air.

Cypress Swamps: Also known as domes,these are characterized by tall cypresstrees growing in the center of the swamp.The trees filter pollutants like nitrates andphosphates that reach the swamp viawater runoff.

Coastal Marshes: Influenced by the tides,these highly productive ecosystemssupport the majority of fish and shellfishharvested. These wetlands provide feed-ing, spawning and nursing areas for amultitude of invertebrates, birds and fish.

Prairie Potholes: Formed by recedingglaciers that produced shallow depressionswhich seasonally fill with water, these area favorite breeding and feeding area forNorth American ducks. These wetlandsalso play an important role in rechargingfreshwater aquifers.

SUSTAINABLE WET-LANDS DEPEND ON...

Understanding how theparts integrate into thewhole system.Treating the root of existing

problems, not just manifes-

tations.Understanding nature’sboundaries.Learning to live in balance

with natural systems.You!!

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RUNOFF THREATS.While wetlands can reduce the impact ofsome pollutants, too much pollution willnegatively impact the wetland. Thus, thequality of a wetland is dependent on thewater flowing into them ... and the pollut-ants that the water carries with it fromactivities in the watershed.

Runoff, originating with rain fall or snowmelt, that contains pollutants—oil, grease,fertilizers or pesticides—is called nonpointsource pollution. In addition to the potentialof runoff polluting wetlands, it also canpollute other surface waters such as lakes,rivers, and oceans. Eventually it can reachgroundwater, which is often used fordrinking water.

The best way to protect the quality ofwetlands is for every person in the water-shed to prevent potential pollutants frombeing carried by runoff or infiltration.

OTHER WETLAND THREATS.The loss of the values provided by wet-lands impacts watershed residents, plants,and animals. Filling in one acre of wetland

Twenty-two states havelost at least 50% of theiroriginal wetlands sincethe 1780s. Seven states—Indiana, Illinois,Missouri, Kentucky, Iowa,California and Ohio—have lost over 80%. Sincethe 1970s states with themost losses are Louisiana,Mississippi, Arkansas,Florida, South Carolinaand North Carolina.Wetlands drained foragricultural purposes hasbeen reduced whiledevelopment continues toaccount for a largerpercent.Source Mitch and Gosselink.Wetlands, 2nd Edition, VanNostrand Reinhold, 1993

may not seem devastating. Yet, thecumulative affect threatens the value ofremaining wetlands and impacts the entirewatershed...residents, plants, animals,water quality and quantity. Already morethan half the wetlands in the lower 48states have been destroyed. Some of thecauses are listed below:

Naturally occurring events—hurricanes,droughts, erosion, drops in groundwaterlevels—destroyed or severely threatenedsome wetlands.

Agriculture production is responsible formany drained wetlands.

Marinas, housing, roads and other urbanstructures were built on filled wetlands.

Dams and dredging nearly always affectthe flow of rivers and lakes, destroyingsome wetlands and threatening others.

There are numerous other threats, howeverthose listed above are the most common.

Percent Wetland Acreage Lost: 1780s-1980s

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MANAGING & RESTORING WETLANDS.Preservation and protection is the mosteconomical way to “manage” wetlands. Ofcourse, this isn’t an option for the millions

of altered wetland acres. In theseareas, restoration is often the bestsolution to meet a watershedpartnership’s goals.

WHAT ISRESTORATION?“Restoration” is the process ofreturning the wetland system to anapproximation of its predisturbedcondition.

This does not mean returning allaltered wetlands to their unalteredstate. It simply means replacingthe lost values with newly createdor “restored” wetlands. In otherwords, the goal is to restore thevalue rather than restore a particu-lar site with a self-sustainingsystem that requires little human“management.”

Considerable advances have beenmade in large-scale wetlandrestoration. Yet, restoring wet-lands to their original condition—replicating the complex anddiverse physical, chemical, andbiological interactions—hasn’tbeen well-documented.

THE RESTORATION GOAL.The major challenge of restoration is thereplacement of the structural and func-tional aspects of a naturally formedwetland. A “restored” wetland should looknaturally formed. It should also supportvalues—the array of biological, chemicaland physical processes and interactions—found in the naturally created wetland.

The intensity of restoration techniques willdepend on the level of disturbance to thevalues of the original wetland.

Restore water flow. The first step in theprocess is to restore the hydrology (flowof water) to support conditions favorablefor the return of wetland plant communi-ties. The approach used is dependent onwhat caused the initial disturbance.

Altered flow:- Re-establish flow of a river backinto a wetland area.- Remove dams or other structuresthat cause flooding of a wetland.

Filled or dredged:- Re-establish original landscape.

Re-establish plants. The next step isplanting appropriate native plants. If thesoil has been contaminated by toxicchemicals, it will likely need to be re-moved. If successful, a diverse andbalanced plant community will establishitself. Then wildlife will colonize.

10 GOOD REASONS

TO RESTORE

WETLANDS. 1. Re-establish native

vegetation...a sustainablefood source for wildlife.

2. Provide breeding groundsfor waterfowl.

3. Connect wildlife corridorsfor ease of movement andhealthy interactions.

4. Reduce downstreamflooding.

5. Reduce streambank andshoreline erosion.

6. Protect fish and shellfishharvests.

7. Restore natural biologicaldiversity.

8. Improve water quality.

9. Enhance threatened andendangered species.

10. Provide recreational andeducational sites.

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WHAT YOU CAN DO.IF YOU OWN A WETLAND...Before clearing, draining or manipulatingwetland areas—including areas whichyou’re unsure about—contact one of thesegovernment agencies. If the wetland areais used as cropland, contact your localUSDA Natural Resources ConservationService (NRCS) office. In non-croplandareas, check with your U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers district. (Look under U.S.Government in the Yellow Pages.)

HOW TO GET STARTED.Successful restoration of wetlands ispossible by implementing comprehensiveconservation plans along with watershedprotection strategies developed by apartnership of public and private sectors.In addition to NRCS and the Army Corpsof Engineers, the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency and the U.S. Dept. ofInterior are also involved in protecting andrestoring wetlands. Other agencies thatoften participate include state, tribal,regional, and local government agencies.

Government and watershed residents mustwork together to determine how wetlandsfit into their watershed, the values (roles)of wetlands, and how to best protect andrestore these values. Then each public andprivate partner needs to do their part inmaking it happen.

SOME ACTIVITIES.* Locate wetlands and study how they

interact with the watershed. Bring together people concerned with

wetlands in your watershed. Improve understanding of the systems

and current and future pressures. Promote values of wetlands and be

aware of potential threats.

FOR MOREINFORMATION...Wetlands Information HotlineContractor operated for EPA.Tel: 800-832-7828 between9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ETEmail: wetlands-hotline

@epamail.epa.gov

America’s Wetlands: Our VitalLink Between Land and WaterTel: 800-832-7828Email: wetlands-hotline

@epamail.epa.gov

Better Wetlands: More than adozen ideas to improve restoredwetlands for wildlife andpersonal enjoyment.Tel: 765-494-9555Email: kyw@ctic.purdue.edu

Coordinate wetland protection plansat all levels: local, state, regional, andfederal. Build nest structures to increase

nesting of Canadian geese, mallards,wood ducks, and other birds. Plant food plots to increase survival

of pheasants and other wildlife. Plant native wildflowers to add color

and habitat for songbirds, mammals,butterflies, and other insects. “Adopt A Wetland.” Call 800-832-

7828. Help local schools adopt a wetland,

maintain it and learn about it.*Source: League of Women Voters.

ABOUT THIS GUIDE...Because the characteristics of eachwatershed are unique; you may wish toselect and use the portions of this guidethat are applicable to your particularsituation.

This guide is one of a series of guides forpeople who want to organize a localpartnership to protect their watershed. Theseries is designed to provide guidance forgoing through the process of building avoluntary partnership, developing a water-shed management plan and implementingthat plan.

The series of guides will not solve all yourproblems and will not replace the collective

minds of partners who, together,represent of those with a stake in yourwatershed and the technical adviceavailable through local governmentagencies.

Although this series is written forwatershed-based planning, the ideasand process can be used for developingother types of plans (such as wildlifeareas) to match the concerns of thepartnership. Regardless of the area,remember a long-term, integratedperspective — based on a systematic,scientific assessment — can be used toaddress more than one concern at atime.

SPECIAL THANKS...

The Know Your Watershed campaign is coordinated by the ConservationTechnology Information Center (CTIC), a nonprofit public/privatepartnership dedicated to the advancement of environmentally beneficial and

economically viable natural resource systems. It providesinformation and data about agricultural and natural resourcemanagement systems, practices and technologies. The centerwas established in 1982 under the charter of the NationalAssociation of Conservation Districts.

Special thanks to Susan Kaynor, Environ-mental Scientist, and Nancy Phillips,Environmental Consultant, who dedicatedlong hours to writing this guide. Withouttheir help this guide would not be possible.

Connie CahanapU.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Tom DavenportU.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5

Doug EhornEnvironmental Planning Team

Homer GrayTennessee Valley Authority

Linda HarrisTennessee Valley Authority

Special thanks also to the followingprofessionals who carefully reviewed thisguide. Their experience and thoughtfulguidance enriched it. Their time and insightis deeply appreciated.

Marty KellySouthwest Florida Water Management District

James A. MeekEnvironmental Consultant

Kathy MinischPuget Sound Water Quality Authority

Billy TeelsUSDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Chris LewickiU.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Conserv. Tech. Info.Center1220 Potter Dr Rm 170W Lafayette IN 47906Tel: 765 494-9555Fax: 765 494-5969kyw@ctic.purdue.eduhttp://ctic.purdue.edu/kyw/kyw.html