Wetlands

Facts

Identification

Observations

Did you know?

In the 1600s, an estimated 200 M acres of wetland existed in 48 states, by the mid 1970s only 99 M acres remain

Two states in EPA Region 7 have lost more than 80% of their wetlands

About 96% of commercially important species of fish depend on wetlands to live

About 80% of America's breeding birds rely on wetlands

Did you know? (continued)

About 50% of the federal endangered animal species depend on wetlands for survival

Many species of frogs, toads and salamanders depend entirely on seasonal wetlands for survival

A study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found that protection of 8,400 acres of wetlands would prevent $17,000,000 of flooding damages

Between one-half and two-thirds of America's wild ducks are hatched in prairie pothole marshes

A Wetland walk-about at the Jacobsburg’sEnvironmental Education Center

Bill SweeneyEnvironmental Educator

Bill prepares the class for a wetland walk-about.

Wetlands is the collective term for marshes, swamps, bogs, and similar areas. Wetlands are found in flat vegetated areas, in depressions on the landscape, and between water and dry land along the edges of streams, rivers, lakes, and coastlines. Wetland areas can be found in nearly every county and climatic zone in the United States. Inland wetlands receive water from precipitation, ground water and/or surface water. Coastal and estuarine wetlands receive water from precipitation, surface water, tides, and/or ground water. Surface water sources include runoff and stormwater.

“WETLANDS”?

Vernal Pool

Wetlands “Values”:

may derive outputs that can be consumed directly, such as food, recreation, or timber;

indirect uses which arise from the functions occurring within the ecosystem, such as water quality, and flood control;

possible future direct outputs or indirect uses such as biodiversity or conserved habitats;

and from the knowledge that such habitats or species exist (known as existence value) (Serageldin 1993).

General Definition of Wetlands

In general, wetlands are defined as lands on which water covers the soil or is present either at or near the surface of the soil or within the root zone, all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including during the growing season. The recurrent or prolonged presence of water (hydrology) at or near the soil surface is the dominant factor determining the nature of soil development and the types of plant and animal communities living in the soil and on its surface. Wetlands can be identified by the presence of those plants (hydrophytes) that are adapted to life in the soils that form under flooded or saturated conditions (hydric soils) characteristic of wetlands (NAS 1995; Mitsch and Gosselink 1993). There also are wetlands that lack hydric soils and hydrophytic vegetation, but support other organisms indicative of recurrent saturation (NAS 1995).

The federal regulations implementing Section 404 of the Clean Water Act define wetlands as:

Those areas that are:a) inundated or saturated by surface or ground

water (hydrology) at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support,

b) a prevalence of vegetation (hydrophytes) typically adapted for life in

c) saturated soil conditions (hydric soils).

Plants commonly found in Wetlands

Skunk Cabbage

Cattails

Sphagnum Moss

Horsetail

Referred to as “Obligate” wetland plants

Plants commonly found in Wetlands (Continued)

Swamp ButtercupJewel weed

Plants sometime found in WetlandsReferred to as “facultative” wetland plants

Jack in the Pulpit May Apple

Invasive Wetland Plants

Garlic Mustard

(i.e. occurring after settlement of Europeans)

Purple Loosestrife(late spring)

Purple Loosestrife(early spring)

Trees commonly found in Wetlands

Sycamore

Black Willow Red Maple

Green Ash

Shrubs commonly found in Wetlands

Dogwood BushesSpice Bushes

Visual Indicators of Wetlands

b) Hydrophytes Presenta) Standing Water

c) Hydric Soil (clay like)

Benefits of Wetlands are:

their ability to cleanse both surface and groundwater, either by filtering surface water as it percolates through wetland soils or by removing particulate material;

Processes include:i) the movement of water through the wetland into streams

or the ocean;

ii) the decay of organic matter; the release of nitrogen, sulfur, and carbon into the atmosphere;

iii)the removal of nutrients, sediment and organic matter from water moving into the wetland;

iv)and the growth and development of all the organisms that require wetlands for life.

Contaminated surface-water runoff can pollute groundwater and surface-water

1) Oil and gas in water from a parking lot

4) Concentrated organics from feedlots

2) Silt and clays from building projects

5) Excess nutrients from lawns

3) Acid mine drainage

Engineering SolutionsIncorporating Wetlands

Wetlands bordering highways and large parking areas can help to breakdown contaminates before they enter a surface water or groundwater system.

Establishing vegetative buffers on surrounding uplands can reduce the movement of sediment and soluble and sediment-attached substances carried by runoff.

(1)

(2)

Engineering Solutions Incorporating Wetlands (Continued)

Wetlands can act to buffer (neutralize) acid

present in mine drainage

Stalactite and stalagmites of melanterite, an iron sulfate mineral, containing zinc and copper. pH of drip water was -0.7. Beaker is 2 liters.

beaker

(3)

Engineering Solutions Incorporating Wetlands (Continued)

Wetlands, properly placed can serve as a natural wastewater treatment plant

(4)

(5)Heavy nutrient laden runoff can be easily assimilated into a wetland environment

Other Benefits of Wetlands

1) reducing the effects of flooding by storing stormwater and gradually returning it to the surface flow, and reducing the effects of erosion by stabilizing soils and dampening the effects of wave action;

2) Serve as critical feeding grounds and nurseries for a variety of fish, wildfowl, and other wildlife.

3) Other values may be of equal importance, such as recreation and esthetics.

Other Benefits of Wetlands (continued)