ESTUARIES

Where a freshwater stream meets the sea & the water level changes with the tides

Also includes where a river or stream meets a large body of water

Example: Old Woman Creek Estuary

WETLANDS

Areas that range from permanently flooded to periodically saturated soil

Support water-loving plants

Types of Wetlands

Marshes

Swamps

Mangrove forests

Salt marshes

Importance of Wetlands

Recharge groundwaterReduce flooding & flood damageFilter water - purify waterProvide habitat & breeding groundsProvide recreationSource of peat & timberBiodiversity

Wetland loss

More that 50% of wetlands in the continental US have been drained

70% lost in Great Lakes Basin

More than 80% lost in Ohio

Why Wetland Loss?

Public perception – swamps or wastelands

Economic incentives to develop land

Urban sprawl

Causes of Wetland Loss & Degradation

Biological Alteration

Remove wetland or riparian vegetation – change to farmland

Introduce non-native (exotic) species

Causes of Wetland Loss & Degradation

Chemical Alteration

Pollutants & toxic chemicals released – landfills, storage tanks, etc.

Agricultural runoff – pesticides, fertilizers, manure

Causes of Wetland Loss & Degradation

Physical destructionFilling and draining wetlandsDredging wetlands & stream

channelization (straightening)Constructing dams & reservoirsPeat miningATV recreational use

Wetlands & Flooding

When we try to control flooding we destroy wetlands.

The Solution

EDUCATION IS ESSENTIAL