Disappearing Wetlands of the United

Disappearing Wetlands of the United States

Wetlands, they are not the most attractive of natural resources and few have attained anything like the status of the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls, but they are some of the most crucial environments for both the humans that surround them and the life that inhabits them. Most people generally regard wetlands as wastelands, a source of unpleasant odors, flies and mosquitoes and a breeding ground for diseases. In short, something that should be eliminated according to most human sanitary codes and standards. (Yuhas 3) This attitude has led to the elimination of over fifty percent of all wetlands in the United States, by either direct or indirect means. Consequently we have discovered that wetlands are the habitat not only of rare and unique species of beneficial life forms, but they also act as an important part of the natural flood plain and their growing absence is greatly responsible for much of the flooding disasters in the country.

What are wetlands? Wetlands are typically areas that lie at or near the local water level and are saturated with water for most of the year if not all of it. On would think that this would be ideal environments for vegetation but in fact very specific plants have developed in adapting to this stresses of this environment. For one, the water soaked soil allows little respiration of oxygen by plant root.

To cope with this stressful environmental condition, some plants have evolved specific adaptations to supply oxygen to their roots. Many herbaceous plants, such as cattails and bulrushes, have spongy, air-filled stem and root tissues, called aerenchyma, which helps to facilitate the transport of oxygen to underwater tissues. (Gale 3)

It is theorized that most wetlands began life as low lying ponds which have gradually filled with organic materials. The less waterlogged surroundings are usually inhabited by the familiar high bush blueberry and sheep laurel. Occasionally some unique species of grasses can also be found there as well as the beautiful orchid. (Grant 1)

The distance of water from the soil to the surface of a wetland is often a widely misunderstood aspect of this ecosystem. Complete saturation of the surface of the wetland is not necessarily the prime environment for many.

Inundation is neither necessary nor sufficient for a wetland. Recurrent and prolonged saturation of soil near the surface is sufficient to create and maintain a wetland, even if water never actually stands on the surface. The exact distance within which saturation must approach the surface varies from one region or one wetland type to another but by rule of thumb is about one foot or, scientifically speaking, 3-30 cm. (Lewis 66)

Wetlands fall primarily into two distinct categories:

Coastal wetlands are closely linked with estuaries, where sea water and fresh water mix. Because of the salt water and the fluctuating water levels caused by the tides, this is a difficult environment for most plants. However, mangrove swamps are examples of species that have adapted to tropical, saltwater environments.

Inland wetlands are commonly found on river floodplains (riparian zones), in isolated depressions (playas, basins, and "potholes"), along margins of lakes and ponds, and other low-lying areas where groundwater intercepts the soil surface, or precipitation allows for soil saturation. (Yuhas 2)

They are then further subdivided into marshes, swamps, potholes (Figure 1), bogs, fens, and pocosins (Pocosins are unusual wetlands being often higher than their surroundings and extremely acidic. Pocosin is an Algonquin word which translates to "Swamps on a Hill." (Salvesen, and Porter 22)

As mentioned previously, wetlands are a very biodiverse and unique ecosystem which may house not only unique as well as endangered species, but also contribute to the overall health of the planet's biosphere. Quite often they are destroyed during the construction of dams which alter the frequency of water flows and can change the overall landscape of an area in an instant. The literal "trickle down" effect happens as this change ripple through the environment down to the deltas and costal wetlands far downstream. Conversely when wetlands are drained this action can often causes a fall in the water table, increase the salt and mineral content of the surrounding soils, cause water shortage and can be responsible for the increased likelihood of flooding. (Johnson 6)

An example of this struck the lower Illinois Valley when the Golden Age of Agriculture hit the area. Thousands of acres of Wetlands were drained and lost as the bulldozers resurfaced the area for farms in the late 1800's early 1900's. This lower valley system was an enormous section of lakes and wetlands that harbored large populations of diverse species, of land and water dwelling, all in a quite perfect harmony with each other, even with humans for a time. Hundreds of minks roamed free in the area and were a source of income for trappers and hunters, as well as thousands of ducks, and of freshwater fish. Even mussels were used to manufacture pearl buttons. Fisheries were the largest employers in the valley also earning their workers the highest incomes. Then the exploitation of these species caused their populations to dwindle, that couple with pollution brought to an end this abundant ecosystem.

Ribbons of forest covering natural levees of the river and tributaries were cut for building, fencing, and fuel. By 1918, timber resources had been exhausted. Prairies on terraces were gradually brought into cultivation. (Prince 142)

Without the natural levees and the flood plains provide by the wetlands, disastrous floods higher than any on record inundated the valley in 1922, 1926, and 1927. This hurled the agricultural system of the valley into chaos and plunged farmers. It also brought to light the folly of the current system of artificial drainage.

If floods do not seem to be a big priority, than we must reconsider the effect on the human population. The data for the following pie chart was retrieved from Johnson's article, "Wetlands: Going, Goings. Gone?" And shows that floods account for almost half of the human deaths as a result of global natural disasters. "Without the protection afforded by functioning wetlands, the impact of floods on societies throughout the world would be even more severe.:" (Johnson 6)

It is also useful to note here that theses figures are derived from the local disaster of Hurricane Katrina and are derived from data prior to 2001. Hurricane Katrina and the creation of the water management system in New Orleans is another example of humans trying to outguess nature.

New Orleans itself should really a complete coastal wetland. If humans had not constructed the levee system there to drain the area, it would be nothing but marsh grasses and mosquitoes, for the most part. However it is these manmade systems that were put in place to prevent floods, that have caused the natural system of the wetlands to by destroyed. (Stromberg 42)

Even where the obvious failure of these systems is apparent and the need to restore wetlands appears obvious, there is still little progress to bring them back, or even slow down their disappearance:

Since the 1930s, coastal Louisiana has lost about 1,900 square miles of wetlands, an area the size of Delaware. Today, they are disappearing at a rate of 10.3 square miles a year. The report acknowledged that the conflicting interests of stakeholders "represent one of the greatest barriers to robust coastal restoration efforts in Louisiana." It recommended that the Corps present to the public an explicit map of the areas that can and should be restored. (Stromberg 44)

Louisiana is not alone and there are various other reasons for the losses of wetlands throughout the United States. Paving, crating roads and parking lots often directly destroys wetlands by filling and using them for highway systems and asphalt lots. The loss of the natural drainage system the leads to greater water run off that has to be "managed" and usually inundates previously dry areas, creating manmade wetlands in someone else's backyard.

And it seems that the more humans try to control water and even create new or reclaimed old wetlands, the more problematic the whole issue becomes.

Despite federal flood-control spending of over $40 billion since 1960, flood losses top $4 billion annually

Over half the wetlands in the continental United States have been lost -- decreasing the natural capacity to filter water and prevent flooding.

Some 40% of the nation's lakes, rivers, and streams are polluted and unfit for drinking, swimming, or supporting aquatic life.

Agricultural runoff contaminates 60% of the nation's rivers and streams.

America's cities, towns, and villages face an estimated $20 billion annual funding gap for water and sewer systems over the next 20 years. (Blumenauer 82)

If the power of the United States Federal government cannot seem, to solve the problem, where does one go?

Local governments and research has yielded some more positive results. By blending the need to restore wetlands with other human necessities, like golf. Research was conducting beginning 1998 using a newly renovated golf course and the introduction of "wetland cells" or ponds into the eighteen hole environment. The study revealed that pollution in the are run off water was measurably reduced after running through the ecosystem. Ron Turco, a soil microbiologist and senior researcher of the project had this to say, "Golf courses are a perfect place for constructed wetlands used as part of a water management system, because wetlands can filter chemicals out of surface water, and they can also store excess water during storms," ("Cleaning Water and Controlling Flooding with Wetlands" 53) So there may be some hope on the back nine for some wetlands after all. But all kidding aside, this is the type of project, smaller and more immediate, that needs to be funded along with the philosophy of co-habitation of wetlands and human beings kept in mind. This kind of thinking helps to counter the "manifest destiny" concept that the American culture has in regarding land and their possession of it. It is this arrogance than American's can conquer and subdue any environment that has put many flood victims into their situations.

There are a number of difficulties that wetlands face, most certainly on more local levels as well. Some of the most difficult and stringent protections for people and their own habitats. The legislation refereed to as PPRA, or the Private Property Rights Act, has hampered many local environmental groups from being able to work on the state level. This act requires that all alternative means are exhausted before the private property of any individual is seized by the state, and for wetlands the figures are dire:

The number of wetland acres in states subject to any kind of PPRA is approximately 60 million acres. These represent 21% of the total wetland acres in the United States (52% excluding Alaska). The number of acres subject to generally applicable PPRAs is approximately 40 million acres. These represent approximately 14% of wetlands in the United States (34% excluding Alaska). (Hecht)