Benefits of a Wetland
 |
Reduce
water treatment costs |
Wetlands
can help improve water quality by removing or retaining nutrients, organics, and
sediment carried by runoff. The
flow of water slows as it enters a wetland, which causes sediment in the water
to settle out. Many chemicals,
fertilizers, human and household wastes and toxic compounds are all tied to
sediment and trapped in wetlands. Plants
and the biological processes present in a wetland breakdown and convert these
pollutants into less harmful substances. By
restoring and utilizing wetland functions, we can reduce the costs of
constructing, operating and maintaining drinking water treatment plants.
|
Increased
groundwater availability |
Wetlands
act as a sponge and "soak up" water during and after a rain spell.
Even though wetlands typically "hold" most of the water, some
water makes its way to the groundwater supply.
Thus wetlands often fill the vital job of recharging groundwater so it's
available for use at a later date.
|
Reduced
Flood Damage |
Another
way wetlands are valuable to humans is their influence on the flow and quality
of water. Wetlands often act like gain
sponges, soaking up water that runs off the land. This feature can help slow floodwaters, lower flood heights
and reduce shoreline and stream bank erosion.
Preserving natural wetlands can reduce or eliminate the need for
expensive flood control structures.
|
Food
and related industries |
The
vast majority of our nation's fishing and shell fishing industries harvest
wetland-dependent species. This
catch is valued at $15 billion a year.
Commercial fishermen harvested nearly ten billion pounds of fish in 1996.
EPA
estimates suggest that 98% of the Gulf of Mexico fishing industry harvest comes
from fish and shellfish that are dependent on in-shore
wetlands. The US Department
of Commerce reports that 438 million pounds of brown, white and pink shrimp were
harvested in 1995 and 1996 (combined). This
was worth more than $838 million dockside.
Other wetland-reliant products include cranberries, blueberries, wild
rice, medicines, pelts and timber.
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Diverse
Plants & Animals |
Wetlands
contribute to diversity by providing food and habitat that supports a wide
variety of plants and animals. Detritus
- enriched organic material formed by the decay of plant and animal material in
water - is food for insects, shellfish and forage fish.
In turn, fish (such as striped bass and bluefish), mammals, reptiles and
amphibians feed off of the insects and forage fish.
The growth of wetland plants and algae is also nourished by nutrients the
provided in detritus.
Wetland
plants provide food and shelter for fish and animals.
Wetland-dependent mammals 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 that thrive in wetlands. The high biological productivity of wetlands makes them vital
ecosystems not only to the plants and animals that directly depend on them for
food and shelter, but to humans as well.
|
Recreation |
Revenue
is generated from waterfowl hunters in search of wetland-dependent birds.
The 1996 national Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated
recreation reported 3.1 million adult Americans hunt migratory birds.
This includes hunting for geese, ducks, doves, and other game birds.
They spend about $1.3 billion on travel, equipment and other associated
expenses.
Source: Wetlands: A Key Link in Watershed Management; A Guide for Watershed Partnerships; Know Your Watershed Campaign and the Conservation Technology Informatino Center (CTIC); p. 2-3.
