MWA - Protecting Wetlands

Of the original 215 million acres of wetlands that existed 200 years ago in the continental United States, less than 100 million acres remain.[i] The U.S.A. has lost more than 50% of its original wetlands, and, in some areas of our country, 99 percent of all the wetlands have been dredged, filled in, or built over for human use. Traditionally wetlands have been thought of as useless, muck-filled breeding grounds for mosquitoes, rats, and dangerous diseases. However, wetlands truly are important to the health of our waterways and planet. Bill Mitsch of Ohio State University said, "Wetlands act as the earth's kidneys, purifying the water that flows through them." [ii] We need to understand wetlands, and how to protect them so that they can continue to do what they do naturally, clean our water.

The first step towards protection of wetlands is to define and recognize a wetland. Not all wetlands are covered with water. Some wetlands are covered or saturated with water and functioning for as little as 2-3 months of the year, while others are full of water and support the surrounding environments year round. In the Northwest, it is easy to recognize wetlands. They are visible along the sloughs and rivers full of cattails, ducks, and the croaking of frogs.

There are actually many different kinds of wetlands: salt water estuaries affected by tides, wooded area swamps, marshes with bushy plants and grasses found along many of our rivers and streams, and flood plains. From I-5 and Hwy. 9 the floodplains, appear as shallow lakes in the Snohomish Valley. To better understand and be familiar with our local wetlands visit these local Snohomish County wetland reserves. Narbeck Wetlands, is an intercity sanctuary and interpretive center. Narbeck is a re-creation of previously destroyed fresh water wetland. This rebuilding effort has minimized the further diminishing of these wetlands due to human activities. The untouched original marshes were destroyed to make room for the expansion of Paine Field. [iii] Spencer Island Wetlands, is also a reclaimed wetland, formerly farmed, where the waters of the Snohomish River meet the salt water of Possession Sound. This is an estuary of 412 acres of grassy marsh and sloughs, provides home to hundreds of different kinds of birds and mammals.[iv] Other local wetlands of note include Jetty Island, a municipal marine/estuarine park on a 2-mile long island, and Langus Riverfront Park and Nature Trail, reclaimed from former farmland. The Langus properties wind along Union Slough and the lower Snohomish River, one of Puget Sound's largest estuaries.

Secondly, we need to understand how pollution affects wetlands and how they function. The Puget Sound area is rife with wetlands, and they all need protection from toxins and destruction as more landfill and building sites because they serve as an important barrier between the health of an area and unhealthy area. Obviously to preserve a wetland is best, but to rebuild a wetland is also important, returning the natural balance and function of natures “kidneys.” Continuing with Bill Mitsch analogy, wetlands clean the water that feeds our world. Without this cleaning action, the waters are poisoned, and unfit for consumption by people or animals. For these reasons, wetlands in our state should be protected to benefit environmental health and a natural clean water supply that prospers everyone. Without wetlands we not only would have more flooding, and landslides, but also polluted water, allowing pathogens, heavy metals, and poisons to continue their journey uninhibited into our rivers, lakes, and oceans.

Wetlands function to receive water from a variety of sources. They accept and hold excess rain and spring melt from snow packs. The rain waters that wash our roads and land carry excess fertilizers, pesticides, detergents, animal and human feces, and organic products such as grass clippings, harmful bacteria, and litter. The natural water cleansing systems of nature, trap, this influx of saturated runoff. If the influx of nutrients and pollutants are more than a wetland can process, it’s akin to pouring a thick liquid into a fine mesh strainer. If the flow is too fast or more than the strainer can hold, the thick, unfiltered liquid overflows, contaminating the previously strained liquid. If there is a balance of influx, equal to the wetlands potential, all is well; however, if there is an excess it become contaminated, passing beyond the wetlands and downstream randomly polluting.

Within the wetlands there are three identifiable sections: the uplands, the riparian, and the aquatic. The highest elevation level is the uplands; these contain the trees, woody vegetation, bushes, and grasses. The vegetation slows the force of the water flowing into the wetlands beginning the filtration process. The roots and grasses trap the heavier particles of the sediment, soil, rock, and toxic heavy metals. These metals willingly attach themselves to clay; consequently, they settle to the ground as inert material. The second level of the wetland is the riparian marsh. This waterlogged level is covered heavily with the vegetation of water loving grasses.

Algal blooms can present problems for ecosystems and human society. It provides habitat to a great many of the aquatic birds and animals that need protection from predators and weather. In spite of the toxins, these animals are an integral part of the water cleaning process because they consume or absorb much of the nutrients carried into the wetlands. The third level of the wetlands is the aquatic zone. These are the deeper waters that have less vegetation, and more open water, providing habitat for fish and other wild life. The aquatic level is shallow at its edges rarely getting deeper than 6 feet. This is where the excess nutrients begin to cause real problems such as algae blooms. Algae are surface aquatic plants that reproduce rapidly feeding off the available nutrients in the water; this not only removes much of the nutrients carried into the wetland, but also adds a great quantity of natural nutrients back into the water. The prolific algal blooms block sunlight and oxygen from penetrating the water. As the short-lived algae rapidly die off, increasing the need for more decomposers, suffocating of plants and fish. These “dead zone” areas are unable to support aquatic life. We must limit the pollutants entering our wetlands.

Next, we can protect our wetlands and waterways, realizing how our actions contribute to their pollution. Limiting the polluting nutrients that we allow to flow into our wetlands is up to each of us. We not only have a choice of products, but also we choose to use them properly or not. We can dispose of them so they do not enter our wetlands, or we can contribute to the contamination of our communities.

Proper disposal of our household toxic wastes and garbage as well as awareness of the products that we use is important to environmental health. Wash your car at a carwash where they are required to filter water to keep harmful contaminates out of the water systems. Put car oil in a container and take it to an automotive business that will recycle the oil. Kitchen produced fats, oil, and grease need to be cooled completely then placed in a sealed non-recyclable container and discarded with your regular garbage. Use paper towels to wipe residual grease or oil off dishes, pots, and pans prior to washing them. These fats and oils need to be contained so they cannot enter the water systems because they coat the water and block the sunlight and oxygen from penetrating into the water. For pet waste scoop the poop, bag it, and place it in the trash. Composting and burial are not good ideas for pet waste. They may seem practical, but they do not kill hazardous pathogens that may be in the waste and can pollute water. There are numerous toxic household waste products. To name a very few; paint, household chemicals, herbicides used to minimize weeds, and fertilizers that encourage plant growth. For more information on safe disposal of these products refer to “Household Hazardous Waste and How to Dispose of It”: Washington State Toxic Coalition at <http://www.watoxics.org/homes-and-gardens/fastfacts/fastfacts-disposal.

The non-water soluble pollutants like grease and oil form a scum on the surface waters blocking sunlight that is needed to kill pathogenic bacteria that cause sickness and disease. Moreover, the water has to be clear and shallow for the purifying sun process to work. Algae blooms and oils together can quickly destroy the effectiveness of a wetland. Not only learn how to use non-polluting or organic products, and learn the proper way of disposing of hazardous materials such as paint, batteries, light bulbs, and cleaning supplies, but also encourage neighbors and your community to begin direct intervention.[v]

It is critical to preserve wetlands, and to minimize the use of contaminates and waste flowing into our waterways. Wetlands are the most efficient water purification system available and although there is still a reputation of breeding grounds for mosquitoes and disease, that is changing as the need to manage wastewater, and preserve our planet becomes increasingly more important. It is essential to protect what they do naturally, clean our water.

Works Cited:

[i] Wetlands Campaign - National Audubon Society, page 1 <http://www.audubon.org/campaign/wetland/destroy.html>

[ii] Bill Mitsch, professor of natural resources at The Ohio State University. <http://www.osu.edu/osu/newsrel/Archive/00-04-12_Earth_Day_Special:_Wetlands.html> Ohio State News, April 12, 2000, page 1

[iii] Narbeck Wetlands: Western Snohomish County 921 Seaway Blvd. Everett, Washington - Away.com <http://vacation.away.com/attractions/travel-ad-cid324967-everett-attid286921-narbeck-wetland-sanctuary-attraction.html>

[iv] Spencer Island Wetlands, Jetty Island, Langus River Front Park - See Washington State Tourism at <http://www.experiencewa.com/attraction.aspx?id=314>

[v] Household hazardous waste and how to dispose of it: See the Washington State Toxic Coalition at <http://www.watoxics.org/homes-and-gardens/fastfacts/fastfacts-disposal>