Table Of Content

Wetlands © Gates Tam dalcaeh fehelelatcl mage] a4 “ =) a / | _ FA 2 ee a MN, Re PiteNe Bw meme ally Mecntone proeimnie (ee eee — “me £ vergiamoe Waternm Cat ©) e~s°|? Wetiands are transitional areas between land and water bodies. where water periodically floods the land or saturates the soil ve! efimineted HM wae accepted practice to Grain or fill Cr mage - Ghat Give Steugt ¢ vergiadoe Waters Can 6. ton we. = “lafonr otdhers us es or to use them as Gumping grounds 2 reeult more than halt of America = original wetlands have a vehed Today wetlands are known to serve @ variety of important functions They provide critica! habitats for fieh and wildlife purify pottvted wetere and chect the destrucptoiwevr eo f feode and storme Wettande sieo provide recreational opportunities such ac fiehing hunting photography and wildlife observation ‘hey are fast becoming recognizedas productive end vatuable public resources QUOC ing growing wate A cortaec i’rat te prtery fra’ merely extend: atowe fhe > Sace of the wate fo erarnipite caeftal tisirivet Petuary *° a es wheners ewa te mewirlt b ent wate floodplain + ~ear) Na pier ateng a ve oy stream tha! fe sustyen’ POTION art rican y wetiand:s mdyacjery tc Crees sitremrne te Needing or were where "he vewertatier © stronigh mfiuernc§ed t) the presence tide! wetlande Werte: «— wht the wate lever Muctuates with miigete wi O-ee eaerenehe © verginde: “ahem Man & a Comme or werter tre tite a Py AVAILABLE COMPLETED Types of Wetlands a _~ _ te ee & ¥ q } or | ” or ~~ — — . ae _— ’ 5) COPY AVAL Ams Tlaledlelalcmelale Msc litlclomel Mm Lolnlalsio ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PLANTS, F\SH, AND WILDLIFE SOCIO-ECONOMIC FUNCTIONS AND VALUES WATER QUALITY Wetlands act ae Sawa! hWaHbKiOaLl IFEto r mmaanmyi aslp ecies Wetolfa ndasm onpmrao.r td e MEDYUCTION OF COABTAL srormm waic: pret bees e fate ong sedirmen| ard DAMAGE | Cacia! wetlhealp nto dbiuns! t he abeorteng Many pulilente evilace waters repites bude and Namnale thal are uo. of " sOrhe wetland eyetene ive clearverig adapied to wel en. conments Veptend « . force Gf majo: storms §M angrove wetlands _ ture hen enhances ihe quatty of gi oundweate: evch ae dee ef aw bea comme: such a8 those SRSIEINSS Siesayne meppes ac wel wetland: lo land and ehetic Wets Nations! Perk in Fonds reduce mOOSING PO Viately wae lo Many mgrato ’ COGS’ GISTION, ENE Hrepery Comage BMOMEL INE AND SIME AMBRANA speces For ceanple wood Gucte “aie oe BTABNIZATION ©) abeorteng the energy of and =s endht cranes wits © hooded sore weve and slowing weter owrrerie bottioeand fereete and erehee « ihe welland vegeiation serves at a in/Me: aga ne! sovihern UB afd pare potholes seve a shorehne and owerbant ercoen: breeding Sounds tw Over SON of Neh Anmoerwar waterton FLOOD CONTROL AND STREAMFLOW MAINTENANCE Wetlands aiong vere and ¢ one et prenee Yew rp ete @ eat ee WHE Oren. ON aaa eTtHcea mn(e@ duGCieoree dcrocw ncseet rewaatme : fOowoidn g da'maangeeti omaend @V.O Smeer mecsar e Ser* e ewre erPmoen « — oy MweEtClaRnEdsA conlaiant & GiversilTyU NIofT IEplSa nts Maarnyd eeseere | ry o' Sa@er . Th arwnats thal prowde beauty! aces tw, - . 1 yer > ia SPECIALIZED PLANT HABITAT § Neary SIghiseen g Hiking fering hunt 4 ' uae OWS COGS WH! 1 fwErs One 7000 wan epenes we UR wetands - "J mg wring boalng ‘ seams etpe seep them for Gryng bw walcting and photography ' "ary Of whet Caf Offy Gulwwe © hese we a stot 0 per‘ ade o' »! dr: ovgm™ 4 erwranments WATER SUPPLY ome wetlands help EROBION CONTROL Wetland vegetatar provide clean plenty’ water supphes = Fo: terde the GO) and slowe the Gownetl am eramnple wetlands « Flondas Evergiades movement of sedener Wetene vegriaie preview. —_ wage help recharge the Brecayne Aguile the sole Si @ar rare atari) source of drinking water for the Mam metropollian area EDUCATION Ecologia! cultural and hestoric ; resources fun abundant ow nehone wetlands and provide countiess opportunites Bah, sigan ferme thre © vecgiatoe —- Cor to enwronmental education and pubin PIeH AND GHELLFIGNM MABITAT awareness prograrns Preehwate: and manne ite nchuding tro sirnped baee pte eyutier crappe crab anc shromp rely of wetlands to food cove ° ne) ame "2 Oyereee owaernry — wae , epeewnng aw wreery g’ ounde Metwee , “ , , 640% anc @O% of US commerce’ fehere: FCOSYSTiw PRODUCTIVITY Some | . ane : -. ; ; Gepend on wetlands wetland 'ypet are among fhe moe! produrtrve ecoeyetem™e or earth A etand of commor o - «4 MAGITAT FOR THREATENED AND oregraee « @ Gal maereh C@n OroducE More .. « . ; ENDANGERED SPECIES Abou 98% o' @ an ~*e@tera’ and stored energy oe acre a + Clarte and @f sale heted a: ‘weatened « a” a% agrovltura’ Crop excep! Ovliwated ' endangered aepecnes © the Undted Gistes oa care Nyutrente and plant matere Gepend on wetlands to surwwa moludern > "ec "Om Some WETeNG SySiems Guring . whoapng crane bald eagic ame oe "et Crowde eseernte toed to olarte "he \Se-re ly GnGengeet bale Gage Gapense or wotenm to wWes_i ng grow » tHe =e) c6hrlparceiete@ ceT ingeGdw e"o rclsat e «re arc the ea © ‘ wheatneca ™ wie@ciodes yste- ms@ etuenee and othe Pigmnges tens * te Mende Gay eos a WEKENs provide environ mom @ hn aher re e&e BE OCreRHONe ape. iiwe Forethone Cove Velinwetone Natoma Pan vy: ie Ragne COPY AVAILABLE pwater Swamp €1) ) op ha iF y > ¥ ~ ety \ a s BEST COPY avan ARLE VVZecrely ar em@lale liar Although somofe o ur wetlands have been createdi n as short a span as a human lifetime, many others took thousands of years to develop. FLOODING OF COASTAL LOWLANDS trom gradually rising sea levels has created broad coastal marshes in areas BEAVERS once piayed a more significant role in forming smatier iniand wetiands by damming rivers and streams Though protected from wave action by barrier islands, harbors. or reefs Coastal wetiands also form when silt 1s Carried down-river and trapping has greatly reduced the number of beavers in the U S . recent wildife protection measures have resulted in recovery deposited as it reaches the sea Plants then take root and hold the soil deposits firm against the force of the tide of beaver populations Beaver dams may last in excess of 100 years. though many are shorter-lived RIVER FLOODPLAINS develop through erosion processes and through deposition of sediment on adjacent lands during OTHER FORCES OF NATURE can create wetlands Wind action in the sand hills of Nebraska formed depressions floods. Wetlands form on floodplains where periodic flooding or high water tables provide sufficient moisture These ‘riparian’ many of which have become wetlands Wetlands may also form in “sik holes’ and other areas where percolating water has wetlands may undergo constant change as rivers and streams form new channels and when floods scour the floodplain or aissolved bedrock § Earthquakes can create wetiands by damming rivers or causing land to drop down near the water table deposit new materia! or shoreline Waterfalis often have iush wetiand vegetation under and around them. sustained by the spray GLACIERS heipec to create wetiands in the northern states 9.000-12.000 years ago Large wetiands formed when glaciers PEOPLE create wetiancs Some incidental! wetiands are formed when highway and cam construction ingation prorects dammed rivers. scoured valleys. and reworked floodplains Countiess smaller wetlands were created when large blocks or other human activites alter drainage patterns or impound water in recent years. more and more government agencies 1c@ left behind by receding glaciers formed pits and depressions in the land Many of these Gepressions later filled with wa CONservalion groups. and individuals have been mientonally creating and restonng wetiands Research « continuing to if they had poor drainage or intersected the water table Mprove methods for replacing los! wetlands and the important functions and vaives associated with them The Role of the National Park Service aesT COPY AVAILABLE the NFS wees we te Gate ee) ee wetervd tvRehene @f0 valves ror examete © Lake Mead Naetonel Recreation Area «\ Nevada ‘emoval of NON alive pianis allows Nalive welland speces to founeh in Everglades Nationa! Park i Flonda preacnibed burfing i Cerna wetlang Sreas Mmrnes Aalutal We regimes susiaiwng the wetlands Natural processes wiiie mainianung welo sately The amount of water needed to preserve wellands if parks May be Manianed through protection of acquisition Of water rights For example a! Great Sand Dunes National Monument » Colorado. the NPS claned and was awarded 4 water right to ine MATIONAIL PF. flow ola spring The spring supporis nparan resources used by park wildiile The NPG playe key roles 9 other local, slate. and tederai — wetlands relaied programe including the Aivers ana Sviveyirg wetland topag aphy © FEv ergiedes Natona Par F\ OR Ome tale Conservation Assistance Program the Wild and Scenic Rivers Program and ithe preparavon of Siate Comprehensive Outdoo: Riparian wetlands disturbed by gold place: mrng are being Shape Care Quod wae © Gare, Mavnae” Sai ore Car we he Recreation Piane restored in Denali National Pack and Preserve in Alasha Tras @n@ boardwalke 1 wetland areas a! Assateague isiand - National Seashore Veliowstone Nationa! Park Olympic Nationa! Other NPS wetlands restoration projects include restonng the Turner Park Death Valley National Monument Gateway Nationa! A ver wetland system in the Big Cypress National Preserve re Recreation Area and many other parks Drowde Unique Opportunies . establishing tidal freshwater marsh vegetation al Kenworth Maresh for visors 10 gel @ Close-up 'O0k al wetland wiidiile and vegetation Washington OC and restoring water levels in the Great Maresh Many parks also have formal wetiand inierpretation programs where indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Nalvralets offer insights into the complies Sul fascinating world of wetland ecology Since the Natona! Part Service (NPS) was estadierec © 1016 Congress "as ncivded maihons of acres Of wetlands " ‘"e Natona Some parks have even broader public eGucation ovuireach programs Park System These wetlands are provided the specia’ protection Everglades Nationa! Park offers a community outreach program inherent in the NPS& mission Untorunately many wetland areas thal brings schoo! groups from south Florida to viet the park and learn fist-hand about wetlands Cape Cod Nationa! Seashore in ente: the Sys.em a non -pristne slate or are adversely aecied by activities ihe sewage treatmen! or drainage operations As a4 resull Massachusetts conducts both schoo! and public wetland programs i Ol @iways enough to simply ‘lel Nature take iis Course’ The They include canoe and wading trips that explore the effects of water NPS must offen play an active role in wetlands Nanagemeni Presbucrnirng iin Tbayleor dBiou gh FEv ergiages Nanona Pan F) aye Quality on aquatic life and how individuals can help protect our restoration. and public awareness nation s wetlands RESEARCH AND RESTORATION The NPS conducts research to determine how to protect and ‘es ‘ore PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT wetlands For example The NPS has a mult-faceted program for protecting anc managing * Al Evergiades National Park results of wide hydrology c¢ ant te wetland resources ecology. and marine science research suppo" 4 Maserve Drovect NPS Wetlands Protecton Guidelines require the centficaton tO protect and restore over 500 000 acres of critical hal and non mapping protection management and restoration of wetlands in da! wetlands the parks * Pesearchers a! Dinosaur Netions! Monument on the Utah Colorado border are restoring a valuable npanan wetland habitat Park wetlands are protected from pollution through 0’ oper design O' park facies and by working with states to se! ‘re hohes! thal had been diiched for irrigation INTERPRETATION AND EDUCATION possebie water Quality siandards for park waters Rewmtroduchon of natural tdal flows at Cape Cod National The NPS plays an imporian role in boOsTIING OUblC awareness about Tre NPS Water Resources Division has establahec 4 wetlands Seashore — Massachusetts will restore an omporan! salt mars” wetlands by providing recreational opportunites. imierpretive protechon program providing technical expertise anc funding to ecosysiem and perm the return of feh sheliieh and shored 4 programs (nature walks and other natural history presentations) and parks for wetland inventory and restoration prorecis populatons public Outreach programs BEST COPY AVAILABLE DATE FILMED 11-18-92