Sample records for wetlands research program

  1. A Framework for Wetlands Research: Development of a Wetlands Data Base

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1983-01-01

    Issues related to the assembly of a comprehensive global wetlands data base are presented. A strategy to collect relevant data for wetland ecosystems through remote sensing inventories of wetland distribution was discussed. Elements of a research program on biogenic gas fluxes were identified. The major wetland parameters and their functional importance to material exchange mechanisms are summarized.

  2. Multipurpose Wetlands Phase II/III: final design and ongoing research investigations

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Babbitt, Bruce; Beard, Daniel P.; Hancock, Lawrence F.

    1994-01-01

    The Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD), the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), and the National Biological Survey (NBS), in consultation with other governmental agencies, the academic community, and environmental groups, are involved in a cooperative wetlands research and demonstration effort. This report reflects progress through the first 3 years of a 5-year program. The goal of the Multipurpose Wetlands Research and Demonstration Project is to evaluate and expand the use of reclaimed water and contaminated ground water through the incorporation of multipurpose constructed wetlands into EMWD's total water resources management program. The focus of the wetlands is the development of design, construction, and operation criteria that will provide a cost-effective and innovative alternative for managing water resources and provide other public benefits in arid areas. The program also recognizes the fact that naturally-occurring wetlands, both coastal and inland, have been disappearing at an alarming rate.

  3. Global Biology Research Program: Biogeochemical Processes in Wetlands

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bartlett, D. S. (Editor)

    1984-01-01

    The results of a workshop examining potential NASA contributions to research on wetland processes as they relate to global biogeochemical cycles are summarized. A wetlands data base utilizing remotely sensed inventories, studies of wetland/atmosphere exchange processes, and the extrapolation of local measurements to global biogeochemical cycling processes were identified as possible areas for NASA support.

  4. North Dakota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ,

    1999-01-01

    North Dakota prairies contain numerous wetlands. The complex functions of these prairie wetlands have been of interest for decades. The hydrology, water chemistry, and biological characteristics of these wetlands are highly variable because of extreme warm/cold and wet/dry conditions. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been conducting studies (fig. 1) to gain insight into the functions of the prairie wetlands. The USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center in Jamestown has maintained an active wetland research program since the mid-1960’s. Current work in North Dakota began in 1978, and focuses on the response of biological communities to climate-induced variations in hydrology and chemistry, and on evaluating the success of previously drained wetlands restored under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and on similar lands. The information provided from this long-term study has provided the bulk of our knowledge about prairie wetlands, and has provided land managers with valuable information to manage the Nation’s prairie wetland resource.

  5. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kolka, R., K.; Trettin, C., C.; Nelson, E., A.

    Kolka, R.K., C.C. Trettin, E.A. Nelson, C.D. Barton, and D.E. Fletcher. 2002. Application of the EPA Wetland Research Program Approach to a floodplain wetland restoration assessment. J. Env. Monitoring & Restoration 1(1):37-51. Forested wetland restoration assessment is difficult because of the timeframe necessary for the development of a forest ecosystem. The development of a forested wetland ecosystem includes the recovery of hydrology, soils, vegetation, and faunal communities. To assess forested wetland restoration projects, measures need to be developed that are sensitive to early changes in community development and are predictive of future conditions. In this study we apply the EPS'smore » Wetland Research Program's (WRP) approach to assess the recovery of two thermally altered riparian wetland systems in South Carolina. In one of the altered wetland systems, approximately 75% of the wetland was planted with bottomland tree seedlings in an effort to hasten recovery. Individual studies addressing hydrology, soils, vegetation, and faunal communities indicate variable recovery responses.« less

  6. Application of the EPA Wetland Research Program Approach to a floodplain wetland restoration assessment

    Treesearch

    R. K. Kolka; C. C. Trettin; E. A. Nelson; C. D. Barton; D. E. Fletcher

    2002-01-01

    Forested wetland restoration assessment is difficult because of the timeframe necessary for the development of a forest ecosystem. The development of a forested wetland ecosystem includes the recovery of hydrology, soils, vegetation, and faunal communities. To assess forested wetland restoration projects, measures need to be developed that are sensitive to early...

  7. Application of the EPA wetland research program approach to a floodplain wetland restoration assessment

    Treesearch

    R.K. Kolka; Carl C. Trettin; E.A. Nelson; C.D. Barton; D.E. Fletcher

    2002-01-01

    Forested wetland restoration assessment is difficult because of the timeframe necessary for the development of a forest ecosystem. The development of a forested wetland ecosystem includes the recovery of hydrology, soils, vegetation, and faunal communities. To assess forested wetland restoration projects, measures need to be developed that are sensitive to early...

  8. Carbon storage in US wetlands | Science Inventory | US EPA

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This Nature Communications article is a product of legacy work that contributes to Safe and Sustainable Water Resources research on technical support and research on the enhancement of Office of Water’s National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) (SSWR 3.01A). The research is also potentially relevant to SHC and ACE research program questions. The research was conducted under USEPA cooperative agreement number 83422601 with Michigan State University in association with Kenyon College. USEPA 2011 National Wetland Condition Assessment data used for this research are publically available from https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/data-national-aquatic-resource-surveys. ***This is article is clearing for completion ONLY*** The research and conclusions in this article highlight the role of wetland soils in storing carbon and the implications of disturbance to wetlands for climate change. Specifically, we provide unbiased estimates of soil carbon stocks for wetlands at regional and national scales using field data from the 2011 National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA). This research also describes how soil carbon stocks vary by wetland type and soil depth, and by anthropogenic disturbance to the wetland. We find that wetlands in the conterminous US store a total of 11.52 PgC – roughly equivalent to four years of annual carbon emissions by the US. Freshwater inland wetlands, in part due to their substantial areal extent, hold nearly ten-fol

  9. A SYNOPTIC APPROACH FOR ASSESSING CUMULATIVE IMPACTS TO WETLANDS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The US Environmental Protection Agency's Wetlands Research Program has developed the synoptic approach as a proposed method for assessing cumulative impacts to wetlands by providing both a general and a comprehensive view of the environment. It can also be applied more broadly to...

  10. INTRINSIC BIOREMEDIATION OF A PETROLEUM-IMPACTED WETLAND

    EPA Science Inventory

    Following the 1994 San Jacinto River flood and oil spill in southeast Texas, a petroleum-contaminated wetland was reserved for a long-term research program to evaluate bioremediation as a viable spill response tool. The first phase of this program, presented in this paper, evalua...

  11. Wetlands Research Program. Wetland Evaluation Technique (WET). Volume 2. Methodology.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-10-01

    in Zones B or C fiom wind. (b) Open water fetch is less than 100 ft (Figure 19)? 19.1B (Answer "I" if the AA/IA is mostly a riverine wetland system ...and upland .... 58 19 Examples of sheltered open water in the AA/IA .................. 59 20 Example of a wetland protected shoreline...the wetland and adjacent of the channel, as well as contiguous wetlands within open water for a distance of 300 ft. from the deep 0.5 mile. water

  12. Testing Methods for Challenging the National Wetland Plant List: Using Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr. (Eastern Hemlock) as a Case Study

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-07-01

    ESRI (Nature Conservancy and Environmental Systems Research Institute). 1994. Field Methods . In Field Methods for Vegetation Mapping: United States...ER D C/ CR RE L TR -1 7- 9 Wetlands Regulatory Assistance Program (WRAP) Testing Methods for Challenging the National Wetland Plant List...Robert W. Lichvar and Jennifer J. Goulet July 2017 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. The U.S. Army Engineer Research

  13. Wetlands Research Program. Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual. Appendix C. Sections 1 and 2. Region 4 - North Plains.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-01-01

    wetlands, are as follows: Category Symbol Definition OBLIGATE WETLAND OBL Plants that occur almost always PLANTS (estimated probability >.992) in...estimated probability 1% to 33%) in nonwetlands. FACULTATIVE PLANTS FAC Plants with a similar likelihood (estimated probability 337 to 67%) of... Symbols Symbols appearing in the list under the indicator status column are as follows: +: A "+" sign following an indicator status denotes that the

  14. Ecological genetics at the USGS National Wetlands Research Center

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Travis, Steven

    2006-01-01

    The Ecological Genetics Program at the USGS National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC) employs state-of-the-art DNA fingerprinting technologies in characterizing critical management aspects of the population biology of species of concern (fig. 1). The overarching themes of this program have been (1) the critical role that genetic diversity plays in maintaining population viability and (2) how management strategies might incorporate genetic information in preventing the decline of desirable species or in controlling the spread of invasive species.

  15. Influence of Watershed Characteristics on Wetland Hydrology (Tampa, FL)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The availability of oxygen in wetland soils is a major driver of rate changes for several important ecological functions (e.g. nutrient processing, carbon sequestration) that the Tampa Bay Ecosystem Services Research Program (TB-ESRP) is quantifying to estimate ecosystem services...

  16. A MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR GREAT LAKES COASTAL WETLANDS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Great Lakes National Program Office in conjunction with the Great Lakes Commission and other researchers is leading a large scale collaborative effort that will yield, in unprecedented detail, a management support system for Great Lakes coastal wetlands. This entails the dev...

  17. 7 CFR 1467.9 - Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program. 1467.9 Section... CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.9 Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program. (a) Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP). (1) The...

  18. Investigations on classification categories for wetlands of Chesapeake Bay using remotely sensed data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Williamson, F. S. L.

    1974-01-01

    The use of remote sensors to determine the characteristics of the wetlands of the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding areas is discussed. The objectives of the program are stated as follows: (1) to use data and remote sensing techniques developed from studies of Rhode River, West River, and South River salt marshes to develop a wetland classification scheme useful in other regions of the Chesapeake Bay and to evaluate the classification system with respect to vegetation types, marsh physiography, man-induced perturbation, and salinity; and (2) to develop a program using remote sensing techniques, for the extension of the classification to Chesapeake Bay salt marshes and to coordinate this program with the goals of the Chesapeake Research Consortium and the states of Maryland and Virginia. Maps of the Chesapeake Bay areas are developed from aerial photographs to display the wetland structure and vegetation.

  19. Mitigation bank promotes research on restoring Coastal Plain depression wetlands (South Carolina).

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Barton, Christopher D.; DeSteven, Diane; Kilgo, John C.

    Barton, Christopher, D., Diane DeSteven and John C. Kilgo. 2004. Mitigation bank promotes research on restoring Coastal Plain depression wetlands (South Carolina). Ecol. Rest. 22(4):291-292. Abstract: Carolina bays and smaller depression wetlands support diverse plant communities and provide critical habitat for semi-aquatic fauna throughout the Coastal Plain region of the southeastern United States. Historically, many depression wetlands were altered or destroyed by surface ditching, drainage, and agricultural or silviculture uses. These important habitats are now at further risk of alteration and loss following a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2001 restricting federal regulation of isolated wetlands. Thus, there is increasedmore » attention towards protecting intact sites and developing methods to restore others. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) 312-mi2 (800-km2) Savannah River Site (SRS) in west-central South Carolina includes about 350 Carolina bays and bay-like wetland depressions, of which about two-thirds were degraded or destroyed prior to federal acquisition of the land. Although some of the altered wetlands have recovered naturally, others still have active active drainage ditches and contain successional forests typical of drained sites. In 1997, DOE established a wetland mitigation bank to compensate for unavoidable wetland impacts on the SRS. This effort provided an opportunity fir a systematic research program to investigate wetland restoration techniques and ecological responses. Consequently, research and management staffs from the USDA Forest Service, Westinghouse Savannah River Corporation, the Savannah River Technology Center, the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) and several universities developed a collaborative project to restore degraded depression wetlands on the SRS. The mitigation project seeks cost-effective methods to restore the hydrology and vegetation typical of natural depression wetlands, and so enhance habitats for wetland-dependent wildlife. We present a brief summary of this project and the research studies now underway.« less

  20. Simulation of Wetland Nitrogen Removal at the Watershed Scale Using AnnAGNPS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Future Midwest Landscape (FML) project is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new Ecosystem Services Research Program, undertaken to examine the variety of ways in which landscapes that include crop lands, conservation areas, wetlands, lakes and streams affect...

  1. Monitoring of a Best Management Practice Wetland Before and After Maintenance

    EPA Science Inventory

    The USEPA’s Urban Watershed Management Branch has monitored stormwater drainage and best management practices (BMP) as part of its overall research program. One such project monitored a retention pond with wetland plantings in the Richmond Creek (RC) watershed; one of several in...

  2. EVALUATING DESIGN AND VERIFYING COMPLIANCE OF CREATED WETLANDS IN THE VICINITY OF TAMPA, FLORIDA

    EPA Science Inventory

    Completed mitigation projects are being studied by the Wetlands Research Program nationwide to identify critical design features, develop methods for evaluating projects, determine the functions they perform, and describe how they change with time. his report is the second in a s...

  3. Object-based classification of semi-arid wetlands

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Halabisky, Meghan; Moskal, L. Monika; Hall, Sonia A.

    2011-01-01

    Wetlands are valuable ecosystems that benefit society. However, throughout history wetlands have been converted to other land uses. For this reason, timely wetland maps are necessary for developing strategies to protect wetland habitat. The goal of this research was to develop a time-efficient, automated, low-cost method to map wetlands in a semi-arid landscape that could be scaled up for use at a county or state level, and could lay the groundwork for expanding to forested areas. Therefore, it was critical that the research project contain two components: accurate automated feature extraction and the use of low-cost imagery. For that reason, we tested the effectiveness of geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) to delineate and classify wetlands using freely available true color aerial photographs provided through the National Agriculture Inventory Program. The GEOBIA method produced an overall accuracy of 89% (khat = 0.81), despite the absence of infrared spectral data. GEOBIA provides the automation that can save significant resources when scaled up while still providing sufficient spatial resolution and accuracy to be useful to state and local resource managers and policymakers.

  4. Education and training of future wetland scientists and managers

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wilcox, D.A.

    2008-01-01

    Wetland science emerged as a distinct discipline in the 1980s. In response, courses addressing various aspects of wetland science and management were developed by universities, government agencies, and private firms. Professional certification of wetland scientists began in the mid-1990s to provide confirmation of the quality of education and experience of persons involved in regulatory, management, restoration/construction, and research involving wetland resources. The education requirements for certification and the need for persons with specific wetland training to fill an increasing number of wetland-related positions identified a critical need to develop curriculum guidelines for an undergraduate wetland science and management major for potential accreditation by the Society of Wetland Scientists. That proposed major contains options directed toward either wetland science or management. Both options include required basic courses to meet the general education requirements of many universities, required upper-level specialized courses that address critical aspects of physical and biological sciences applicable to wetlands, and a minimum of four additional upper-level specialized courses that can be used to tailor a degree to students' interests. The program would be administered by an independent review board that would develop guidelines and evaluate university applications for accreditation. Students that complete the required coursework will fulfill the education requirements for professional wetland scientist certification and possess qualifications that make them attractive candidates for graduate school or entry-level positions in wetland science or management. Universities that offer this degree program could gain an advantage in recruiting highly qualified students with an interest in natural resources. Alternative means of educating established wetland scientists are likewise important, especially to provide specialized knowledge and experience or updates related to new management discoveries, policies, and regulations. ?? 2008 The Society of Wetland Scientists.

  5. Wetland Program Development Grants: Building State and Tribal Capacity to Protect Wetlands

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This brochure highlights just a few examples of the progress being made by states and tribes through the use of the Wetland Program Development Grant funds. Wetland Program Development Grants: Building State and Tribal Capacity to Protect Wetlands

  6. Onion Park Research Natural Area: Botanical and ecological resources inventory, mapping and analysis with recommendations towards the development of a long-term monitoring and research program

    Treesearch

    Earle F. Layser

    1992-01-01

    Onion Park is a floristically rich naturally occurring mountain meadow and wetland complex which is surrounded by subalpine forest. The grass- and wetlands comprising the Park contribute biological diversity to an otherwise predominantly lodgepole pine-forested, subalpine setting. Onion Park is located at 7400' elevation in the Little Belt Mountains, five miles...

  7. Ohio Uses Wetlands Program Development Grants to Protect Wetlands

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The wetland water quality standards require the use of ORAM score to determine wetland quality. OEPA has also used these tools to evaluate wetland mitigation projects, develop performance standards for wetland mitigation banks and In Lieu Fee programs an.

  8. Select state inland wetland protection laws. A review of the state laws and their natural resource data requirements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Klein, S. B.

    1980-01-01

    Although many states afford some measure of protection for wetland areas through flood-plain regulations or through programs for coastal areas, shorelands, scenic and wild rivers or pollution control, few states have programs that adequately deal with conservation of wetlands. Only 16 states have legislation specifically regulating development or use of wetlands. Most of the wetland acts apply only to coastal wetlands, several to inland wetlands and three acts apply to both. Many other states are still regulating wetland use through the dredge and fill and/or critical area program. Several offer tax incentives to property owners to encourage protection of wetlands or broader open spaces. Many states have acquired wetlands for park and wildlife purposes and a large measure of wetland protection is achieved by the very restrictive controls applied to floodways areas. Direct floodplain or floodway regulations or state standards for local regulations were adopted in 24 states but protection of ecological values of wetlands is rarely an explicit objective of these programs. Scenic and wild river programs adopted in one half of the states provide some protection for wetland areas.

  9. Wetlands Research Program. Evaluation of Methods for Sampling Vegetation and Delineating Wetlands Transition Zones in Coastal West-Central Florida, January 1979-May 1981.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-04-01

    species composition, hydroperiod, soils, and degree of salinity . Wetland communities and their dominant vegetation in Florida, as defined by the...Environmental Effects Laboratory of WES (1978), include: 9 a. Saltwater aquatic--Permanently flooded by saline or brack- ish water. Dominated by attached...Thalassis testudinum) is a typical species. b. Saltwater coastal flat--25 percent or less vegetative cover. Occasionally or regularly flooded by saline water

  10. Wetlands Research Program. Wetland Evaluation Technique (WET). Volume 1. Literature Review and Evaluation Rationale.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-10-01

    low potential evapotranspiration, and having basin morphologies con- ducive to storing large amounts of water, probably have some capacity for aug...menting low flows. For example, in a study of 38 Minnesota drainage basins , Ackroyd et al. (1967/MN:R) concluded that lakes and wetlands, in general...ganic layer that is less permeable to ground water exchange. This may even isolate or seal a basin from the ground water. However, Born et al. (1979

  11. Diverse characteristics of wetlands restored under the Wetlands Reserve Program in the Southeastern United States

    Treesearch

    Diane De Steven; Joel M. Gramling

    2012-01-01

    The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) restores converted or degraded wetlands on private working lands; however, the nature and outcomes of such efforts are undocumented in the Southeastern U.S. Identification of wetland types is needed to assess the program's conservation benefits, because ecological functions differ with hydrogeomorphic (HGM) type. We reviewed...

  12. Wetlands Research Program. Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual. Appendix C. Section 1. Region O - California.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-01-01

    baccharis FAG B. sergiZoides A. Gray Squaw waterveed baccharis FAC B. viminea DC. Mule fat FACW 3acopa eiserii (Kell.) Penn. Eisen bacopa OBL B. nobs ia...nr ao Bacopa ORL Barbarea orthoceras Ledeb. Erectpod vintercress B. vutgaris R. Br. Bitter vintercress FACW Bassia hyasopifoZia (Pallas) Kuntze

  13. Landscape characteristics of a stream and wetland mitigation banking program.

    PubMed

    BenDor, Todd; Sholtes, Joel; Doyle, Martin W

    2009-12-01

    In the United States, stream restoration is an increasing part of environmental and land management programs, particularly under the auspices of compensatory mitigation regulations. Markets and regulations surrounding stream mitigation are beginning to mirror those of the well-established wetland mitigation industry. Recent studies have shown that wetland mitigation programs commonly shift wetlands across space from urban to rural areas, thereby changing the functional characteristics and benefits of wetlands in the landscape. However, it is not yet known if stream mitigation mirrors this behavior, and if so, what effects this may have on landscape-scale ecological and hydrological processes. This project addresses three primary research questions. (1) What are the spatial relationships between stream and wetland impact and compensation sites as a result of regulations requiring stream and wetland mitigation in the State of North Carolina? (2) How do stream impacts come about due to the actions of different types of developers, and how do the characteristics of impacts sites compare with compensation sites? (3) To what extent does stream compensation relocate high-quality streams within the river network, and how does this affect localized (intrawatershed) loss or gain of aquatic resources? Using geospatial data collected from the North Carolina Division of Water Quality and the Army Corps of Engineers' Wilmington District, we analyzed the behavior of the North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program in providing stream and wetland mitigation for the State of North Carolina. Our results suggest that this program provides mitigation (1) in different ways for different types of permittees; (2) at great distances (both Euclidean and within the stream network) from original impacts; (3) in significantly different places than impacts within watersheds; and (4) in many cases, in different watersheds from original impacts. Our analysis also reveals problems with regulator data collection, storage, and quality control. These results have significant implications given new federal requirements for ecological consistency within mitigation programs. Our results also indicate some of the landscape-scale implications of using market-based approaches to ecological restoration in general.

  14. 75 FR 18146 - Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-09

    ... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Commodity Credit Corporation Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program AGENCY... assistance will be made available in fiscal year (FY) 2010 for the Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP... partners to help enhance conservation outcomes on wetlands and adjacent lands. WREP targets and leverages...

  15. Wetlands reserve program: a partnership to restore wetlands and associated habitat

    Treesearch

    Randall L. Gray

    2005-01-01

    The 1990 Farm Bill created the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) to restore and protect wetland, which as of 2002 has enrolled over 1.4 million acres of wetland and upland habitat in 49 states and Puerto Rico. The program is administered by the U. S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service and delivered in cooperation with many partners from the...

  16. Modeling the effects of tile drain placement on the hydrologic function of farmed prairie wetlands

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Werner, Brett; Tracy, John; Johnson, W. Carter; Voldseth, Richard A.; Guntenspergen, Glenn R.; Millett, Bruce

    2016-01-01

    The early 2000s saw large increases in agricultural tile drainage in the eastern Dakotas of North America. Agricultural practices that drain wetlands directly are sometimes limited by wetland protection programs. Little is known about the impacts of tile drainage beyond the delineated boundaries of wetlands in upland catchments that may be in agricultural production. A series of experiments were conducted using the well-published model WETLANDSCAPE that revealed the potential for wetlands to have significantly shortened surface water inundation periods and lower mean depths when tile is placed in certain locations beyond the wetland boundary. Under the soil conditions found in agricultural areas of South Dakota in North America, wetland hydroperiod was found to be more sensitive to the depth that drain tile is installed relative to the bottom of the wetland basin than to distance-based setbacks. Because tile drainage can change the hydrologic conditions of wetlands, even when deployed in upland catchments, tile drainage plans should be evaluated more closely for the potential impacts they might have on the ecological services that these wetlands currently provide. Future research should investigate further how drainage impacts are affected by climate variability and change.

  17. Building a potential wetland restoration indicator for the contiguous United States

    PubMed Central

    Horvath, Elena K.; Christensen, Jay R.; Mehaffey, Megan H.; Neale, Anne C.

    2018-01-01

    Wetlands provide key functions in the landscape from improving water quality, to regulating flows, to providing wildlife habitat. Over half of the wetlands in the contiguous United States (CONUS) have been converted to agricultural and urban land uses. However, over the last several decades, research has shown the benefits of wetlands to hydrologic, chemical, biological processes, spurring the creation of government programs and private initiatives to restore wetlands. Initiatives tend to focus on individual wetland creation, yet the greatest benefits are achieved when strategic restoration planning occurs across a watershed or multiple watersheds. For watershed-level wetland restoration planning to occur, informative data layers on potential wetland areas are needed. We created an indicator of potential wetland areas (PWA), using nationally available datasets to identify characteristics that could support wetland ecosystems, including: poorly drained soils and low-relief landscape positions as indicated by a derived topographic data layer. We compared our PWA with the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) from 11 states throughout the CONUS to evaluate their alignment. The state-level percentage of NWI-designated wetlands directly overlapping the PWA ranged from 39 to 95%. When we included NWI that was immediately adjacent to the overlapping NWI, our range of correspondence to NWI ranged from 60 to 99%. Wetland restoration is more likely on certain landscapes (e.g., agriculture) than others due to the lack of substantive infrastructure and the potential for the restoration of hydrology; therefore, we combined the National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) with the PWA to identify potentially restorable wetlands on agricultural land (PRW-Ag). The PRW-Ag identified a total of over 46 million ha with the potential to support wetlands. The largest concentrations of PRW-Ag occurred in the glaciated corn belt of the upper Mississippi River from Ohio to the Dakotas and in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. The PRW-Ag layer could assist land managers in identifying sites that may qualify for enrollment in conservation programs, where planners can coordinate restoration efforts, or where decision makers can target resources to optimize the services provided across a watershed or multiple watersheds. PMID:29706804

  18. Building a potential wetland restoration indicator for the contiguous United States.

    PubMed

    Horvath, Elena K; Christensen, Jay R; Mehaffey, Megan H; Neale, Anne C

    2017-01-01

    Wetlands provide key functions in the landscape from improving water quality, to regulating flows, to providing wildlife habitat. Over half of the wetlands in the contiguous United States (CONUS) have been converted to agricultural and urban land uses. However, over the last several decades, research has shown the benefits of wetlands to hydrologic, chemical, biological processes, spurring the creation of government programs and private initiatives to restore wetlands. Initiatives tend to focus on individual wetland creation, yet the greatest benefits are achieved when strategic restoration planning occurs across a watershed or multiple watersheds. For watershed-level wetland restoration planning to occur, informative data layers on potential wetland areas are needed. We created an indicator of potential wetland areas (PWA), using nationally available datasets to identify characteristics that could support wetland ecosystems, including: poorly drained soils and low-relief landscape positions as indicated by a derived topographic data layer. We compared our PWA with the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) from 11 states throughout the CONUS to evaluate their alignment. The state-level percentage of NWI-designated wetlands directly overlapping the PWA ranged from 39 to 95%. When we included NWI that was immediately adjacent to the overlapping NWI, our range of correspondence to NWI ranged from 60 to 99%. Wetland restoration is more likely on certain landscapes (e.g., agriculture) than others due to the lack of substantive infrastructure and the potential for the restoration of hydrology; therefore, we combined the National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) with the PWA to identify potentially restorable wetlands on agricultural land (PRW-Ag). The PRW-Ag identified a total of over 46 million ha with the potential to support wetlands. The largest concentrations of PRW-Ag occurred in the glaciated corn belt of the upper Mississippi River from Ohio to the Dakotas and in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. The PRW-Ag layer could assist land managers in identifying sites that may qualify for enrollment in conservation programs, where planners can coordinate restoration efforts, or where decision makers can target resources to optimize the services provided across a watershed or multiple watersheds.

  19. Patterns and drivers for wetland connections in the Prairie Pothole Region, United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vanderhoof, Melanie; Christensen, Jay R.; Alexander, Laurie C.

    2017-01-01

    Ecosystem function in rivers, lakes and coastal waters depends on the functioning of upstream aquatic ecosystems, necessitating an improved understanding of watershed-scale interactions including variable surface-water flows between wetlands and streams. As surface water in the Prairie Pothole Region expands in wet years, surface-water connections occur between many depressional wetlands and streams. Minimal research has explored the spatial patterns and drivers for the abundance of these connections, despite their potential to inform resource management and regulatory programs including the U.S. Clean Water Act. In this study, wetlands were identified that did not intersect the stream network, but were shown with Landsat images (1990–2011) to become merged with the stream network as surface water expanded. Wetlands were found to spill into or consolidate with other wetlands within both small (2–10 wetlands) and large (>100 wetlands) wetland clusters, eventually intersecting a stream channel, most often via a riparian wetland. These surface-water connections occurred over a wide range of wetland distances from streams (averaging 90–1400 m in different ecoregions). Differences in the spatial abundance of wetlands that show a variable surface-water connection to a stream were best explained by smaller wetland-to-wetland distances, greater wetland abundance, and maximum surface-water extent. This analysis demonstrated that wetland arrangement and surface water expansion are important mechanisms for depressional wetlands to connect to streams and provides a first step to understanding the frequency and abundance of these surface-water connections across the Prairie Pothole Region.

  20. Multiple factors influence the vegetation composition of Southeast U.S. wetlands restored in the Wetlands Reserve Program

    Treesearch

    Diane De Steven; Joel M. Gramling

    2013-01-01

    Degradation of wetlands on agricultural lands contributes to the loss of local or regional vegetation diversity. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) funds the restoration of degraded wetlands on private ‘working lands’, but these WRP projects have not been studied in the Southeast United States. Wetland hydrogeomorphic type influences...

  1. Balancing the Needs of China's Wetland Conservation and Rice Production.

    PubMed

    Chen, Hongjun; Wang, Guoping; Lu, Xianguo; Jiang, Ming; Mendelssohn, Irving A

    2015-06-02

    China's rice policy for protecting paddy fields and constructing rice production bases is in conflict with its wetland conservation strategy. The policy will increase the rice planting area, the loss of remaining wetlands, and environmental pollution, with intensive application of fertilizers and heavy use of pesticides. The key to resolving this conflict is to bring rice production in compliance with wetland conservation and sustainable agriculture. An operational, sound regulatory program is needed to improve China's wetland conservation. Using wetland conservation in the US as an example, we argue that more effective technical guidelines for wetland inventory and monitoring are necessary to support the implementation of the regulatory program. Agricultural conservation programs are also needed to stop further wetland loss from agricultural usages. An ecoagricultural strategy and practice should be adopted for rice production to reduce pollution and loss of remaining wetlands. Agroecological engineering tools can be used to reduce the impacts of nutrient- and pesticide-enriched agricultural runoff to wetlands.

  2. Wetlands Research Program. A Concept and Procedure for Developing and Utilizing Vegetation Flood Tolerance Indices in Wetlands Delineation.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-02-01

    reverse side If necessary md identify by block number) Adaptive mechanisms Evapotranspiration Saturation Comunity FTI numbers Soil permeability Delineation...distribution and the fre- quency and duration of inundation/ soil saturation. The numerical expression (Flood Tolerance Index (FTI) number) of this...inundation, a strong correlation may exist between the distribution of a species and its associated hydrologic and soil -moisture conditions (Bedinger

  3. Quantifying the impacts of road construction on wetlands loss : preliminary analysis

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1997-06-10

    Over the past decades, the role of federal programs in the generation of wetlands losses has received much attention. One of the federal programs most responsible for wetlands losses and degradation is believed to be the Federal Aid Highway Program. ...

  4. 75 FR 73027 - Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative and Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-11-29

    ... Corporation Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative and Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program AGENCY... Initiative. SUMMARY: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announces the availability of... Partnership Initiative (CCPI) and up to $25 million in the Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP) through...

  5. 7 CFR 1467.13 - Modifications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... must meet WRP regulations and program objectives, comply with the definition of wetland restoration as... AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.13 Modifications. (a... the program so long as the modification will not adversely affect the wetland functions and values for...

  6. The relevance of the Mediterranean Region to colonial waterbird conservation

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Erwin, R.M.; Crivelli, Alain J.; Hafner, Heinz; Fasola, Mauro; Erwin, R. Michael; McCrimmon, Donald A.=

    1996-01-01

    The Mediterranean Sea is the largest partially enclosed sea in the world and provides habitat to more than 100 species of waterbirds from the Palearctic-North African-Middle Eastern regions. Even though the Mediterranean suffers from pollution, has little tidal influence, and is oligotrophic, more than half of the western Palearctic populations of numerous waterfowl species winter in the region. Thirty-three species of colonial waterbirds breed along the 46,000 km Mediterranean coastline with nine species considered threatened or endangered, mostly because of wetland loss and degradation. The long history of human activity and scientific investigations in the region has taught some valuable lessons. In the area of colonial waterbird biology and conservation, we have learned important lessons about the value of long-term monitoring and research on selected populations. From marking studies of Greater Flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber roseus) and Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta) results have been used to derive useful information about metapopulation dynamics. Involvement of both African and European biologists allowed year-round Studies of these species that yielded valuable spin-offs for training in avian and wetland conservation. We have also learned the value of man-made wetlands as feeding and nesting sites for some colonial waterbirds. Careful evaluations of the habitat quality of different types of wetlands are required, as in contaminant levels such as lead shot and pesticides. Wetland conservationists have also learned from some instructive mistakes. Dam construction and agricultural incentive programs sponsored by the European Community, the World Bank, and others from the past have largely ignored impacts on wetlands and wildlife. In some areas, economic ventures such as aquaculture operations and salt mining have not involved waterbird habitat needs in their planning. Research and conservation needs include: (1) establishing regional monitoring programs and data banks for seabirds, wading birds, ducks, and geese; (2) implementing a wetland inventory for many Countries with little quantitative data on wetlands; (3) improving habitat quality assessments; (4) improving relationships with industry, the private citizenry, and government officials to further an appreciation for the value of wetlands and waterbirds; (5) enhancing training efforts, especially in underdeveloped Countries; (6) evaluating the effects of hunting and other disturbances to nesting and feeding waterbirds in different regions; (7) setting up 'sister-reserve' (twinned) sites in Europe and Africa to foster international linkages and training; and (8) fostering local-regional conservation programs to preserve reed beds, wet woodlots, and other key habitats.

  7. Landowner preferences for wetlands conservation programs in two Southern Ontario watersheds.

    PubMed

    Trenholm, Ryan; Haider, Wolfgang; Lantz, Van; Knowler, Duncan; Haegeli, Pascal

    2017-09-15

    Wetlands in the region of Southern Ontario, Canada have declined substantially from their historic area. Existing regulations and programs have not abated this decline. However, reversing this trend by protecting or restoring wetlands will increase the supply of important ecosystem services. In particular, these actions will contribute to moderating the impacts of extreme weather predicted to result from climate change as well as reducing phosphorous loads in Lake Erie and ensuing eutrophication. Since the majority of land in the region is privately owned, landowners can play an important role. Thus, we assessed landowner preferences for voluntary incentive-based wetlands conservation programs using separate choice experiments mailed to farm and non-farm landowners in the Grand River and Upper Thames River watersheds. Latent class models were separately estimated for the two data sets. Marginal willingness to accept, compensating surplus, and participation rates were estimated from the resulting models to gain insight into the financial compensation required by landowners and their potential participation. Many of the participating landowners appear willing to participate in wetlands conservation at reasonable cost, with more willing groups notably marked by past participation in incentive-based conservation programs. They generally favor wetlands conservation programs that divert smaller areas of land to wetlands conservation, target marginal agricultural land, use treed buffers to protect wetlands, offer technical help, and pay financial incentives. However, landowners appear reluctant to receive public recognition of their wetland conservation actions. Our results are of interest to natural resource managers designing or refining wetlands conservation programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Wetlands Research Program. Evaluation of Methods for Sampling Vegetation and Delineating Wetlands Transition Zones in Southern Louisiana, January 1979-May 1981.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-10-01

    sites should be collected and correlated to vegetational response through ordination or factor analysis techniques. 3. If site-specific methods are...specified number of samples is collected . If the 40 ."l ’ - - - .. -’-. - : -. .~ -, .4 .- . -.- , - ...... rb. . o* . -.% o - .- * .-.- v- . J...only, although the data collected were sufficient for determination of such parameters as density, cover, frequency, basal area, and importance value

  9. 50 CFR 84.21 - How do I apply for a National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... Wetlands Conservation Grant? 84.21 Section 84.21 Wildlife and Fisheries UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE... PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Applying for Grants § 84.21 How do I apply for a National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant? (a) Eligible applicants should submit their...

  10. Does encouraging the use of wetlands in water quality trading programs make economic sense? journal

    EPA Science Inventory

    This paper examines a proposal to incorporate the use of wetlands in water quality trading (WQT) programs in order to meet national wetlands goals and advance WQT. It develops a competitive WQT model wherein wetland services are explicitly considered. To participate in a WQT pro...

  11. Pipeline corridors through wetlands - impacts on plant communities: Cassadaga Creek Tributary Crossing, Gerry Township, Chautauqua County, New York. Topical report, August 1992--November 1993

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shem, L.M.; Van Dyke, G.D.; Zimmerman, R.E.

    1994-12-01

    The goal of the Gas Research Institute Wetland Corridors Program is to document impacts of existing pipelines on the wetlands they traverse. To accomplish this goal, 12 existing wetland crossings were surveyed. These sites varied in elapsed time since pipeline construction, wetland type, pipeline installation techniques, and right-of-way (ROW) management practices. This report presents the results of a survey conducted over the period of August 3-4, 1992, at the Cassadaga wetlands crossing in Gerry Township, Chautauqua County, New York. The pipeline at this site was installed during February and March 1981. After completion of pipeline installation, the ROW was fertilized,more » mulched, and seeded with annual ryegrass. Two adjacent sites were surveyed in this study: a forested wetland and an emergent wetlands Eleven years after pipeline installation, the ROW at both sites supported diverse vegetative communities. Although devoid of large woody species, the ROW within the forested wetland had a dense vegetative cover. The ROW within the emergent wetland had a slightly less dense and more diverse vegetative community compared with that in the adjacent natural areas (NAs). The ROW within the emergent wetland also had a large number of introduced species that were not present in the adjacent NAs. The ROW, with its emergent marsh plant community, provided habitat diversity within the forested wetlands Because the ROW contained species not found within the adjacent NAs, overall species diversity was increased.« less

  12. NUTRIENT AND HABITAT INDICATORS FOR CRITERIA DEVELOPMENT IN THE GREAT LAKES COASTAL WETLANDS

    EPA Science Inventory

    EPA?s National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) has developed a national research program with the goal of demonstrating approaches for establishing scientifically sound nutrient and biological criteria for coastal ecosystems. Mid-Continent Ecology D...

  13. ENCOURAGING THE USE OF WETLANDS IN WATER QUALITY TRADING PROGRAMS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The interest in water quality trading (WQT) has grown in recent years because of its potential to meet nutrient reduction goals at lower costs. However, one problem identified by researchers in most WQT programs has been few actual trades, usually associated with low numbers of ...

  14. Use of wetlands for water quality improvement under the USEPA Region V Clean Lakes Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Landers, Judith C.; Knuth, Barbara A.

    1991-03-01

    The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Region V Clean Lakes Program employs artificial and modified natural wetlands in an effort to improve the water quality of selected lakes. We examined use of wetlands at seven lake sites and evaluated the physical and institutional means by which wetland projects are implemented and managed, relative to USEPA program goals and expert recommendations on the use of wetlands for water quality improvement. Management practices recommended by wetlands experts addressed water level and retention, sheet flow, nutrient removal, chemical treatment, ecological and effectiveness monitoring, and resource enhancement. Institutional characteristics recommended included local monitoring, regulation, and enforcement and shared responsibilities among jurisdictions. Institutional and ecological objectives of the National Clean Lakes Program were met to some degree at every site. Social objectives were achieved to a lesser extent. Wetland protection mechanisms and appropriate institutional decentralization were present at all sites. Optimal management techniques were employed to varying degrees at each site, but most projects lack adequate monitoring to determine adverse ecological impacts and effectiveness of pollutant removal and do not extensively address needs for recreation and wildlife habitat. There is evidence that the wetland projects are contributing to improved lake water quality; however, more emphasis needs to be placed on wetland protection and long-term project evaluation.

  15. Teaching multidisciplinary environmental science in a wetland setting

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Panno, S.V.; Hackley, Keith C.; Nuzzo, V.A.

    1998-01-01

    High-school students from across the country came to the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) to assist in field research for two weeks in July, 1994, as part of The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth Summer Experience Program. During the research project at the ISGS, students were exposed to a multidisciplinary scientific investigation where geology, hydrogeology, ground-water chemistry, and plant biology could be directly observed and used to study the potentially destructive effects of nearby road and house construction on a fen-wetland complex. Experienced researchers provided classroom and field instruction to the students prior to leading the field investigations. Following field work, the students returned to the ISGS laboratories where they assisted with the chemical analysis of ground-water samples and compiled and interpreted their data. The students wrote up their results in standard scientific report format and gave oral presentations covering various aspects of the project to an audience of ISGS scientists and guests. The results of their work, which showed changes in the wetland's plant biodiversity resulting from urban development within the watershed, will provide data needed for the preservation of biodiversity in these and other wetlands.

  16. COASTAL WETLANDS INDICATOR STUDY: EMAP-ESTUARIES LOUISIANIAN PROVINCE - 1991

    EPA Science Inventory

    This document describes the rationale, objectives, approach, and strategy for testing biological indicators of ecological condition in coastal wetlands. This coastal wetlands program is part of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) administered by the Environ...

  17. Research and technology annual report, FY 1990

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1990-01-01

    Given here is the annual report of the John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC), a NASA center responsible for testing NASA's large propulsion systems, developing supporting test technologies, conducting research in a variety of earth science disciplines, and facilitating the commercial uses of NASA-developed technologies. Described here are activities of the Earth Sciences Research Program, the Technology Development Program, commercial programs, the Technology Utilization Program, and the Information Systems Program. Work is described in such areas as forest ecosystems, land-sea interface, wetland biochemical flux, thermal imaging of crops, gas detectors, plume analysis, synthetic aperture radar, forest resource management, applications engineering, and the Earth Observations Commercial Applications Program.

  18. Ecosystem Services Derived from Wetland Conservation Practices in the United States Prairie Pothole Region with an Emphasis on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Conservation Reserve and Wetlands Reserve Programs

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gleason, Robert A.; Laubhan, Murray K.; Euliss, Ned H.

    2008-01-01

    Implementation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) has resulted in the restoration of approximately 2,200,000 ha (5,436,200 acres) of wetland and grassland habitats in the Prairie Pothole Region. These restored habitats are known to provide various ecosystem services; however, little work has been conducted to quantify and verify benefits on program lands (lands enrolled in the CRP and WRP) in agriculturally dominated landscapes of the Prairie Pothole Region. To address this need, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with the USDA Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service, initiated a study to develop and apply approaches to quantify changes in ecosystem services resulting from wetland restoration activities funded by the USDA. To accomplish this goal, the USGS conducted a comprehensive, stratified survey of 204 catchments (wetland and surrounding uplands contributing runoff to the wetland) in 1997 and 270 catchments in 2004 to gather data necessary for estimating various ecosystem services. In 1997 and 2004, the surveys included catchments with seasonal and semipermanent wetlands that were restored as part of USDA conservation programs, as well as nonprogram catchments in native prairie. Additionally, in 2004 data collection was expanded to include temporary wetlands for all treatments and nonprogram cropped catchments for all wetland classes: temporary, seasonal, and semipermanent. A key element in the sample design is that catchments span an alteration gradient ranging from highly altered, such as cropland, to minimally altered, such as native prairie. Therefore, we evaluated restoration programs by comparing changes in program (restored) catchments to nonprogram (cropland and native prairie) catchments. Information collected during both surveys included easily measured soil, vegetation, and morphological variables that were used to estimate the following ecosystem services: plant community quality and richness, carbon sequestration, floodwater storage, sediment and nutrient reduction, and potential wildlife habitat suitability. In this report, we evaluate the extent that these ecosystem services changed in restored wetlands relative to cropland and native prairie baselines. In most cases, our results indicate restoration activities funded by the USDA have positively influenced ecosystem services in comparison to a cropped wetland baseline; however, most benefits were only considered at a site-specific scale, and better quantification of off-site benefits associated with conservation programs will require detailed spatial data on all land areas enrolled in conservation programs.

  19. 40 CFR 35.613 - Competitive process.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Wetlands Development Grant Program (section 104(b)(3)) § 35.613 Competitive process. Wetlands development grants are awarded on a competitive... process is complete, the recipient can, at its discretion, accept the award as a wetlands development...

  20. 40 CFR 35.613 - Competitive process.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Wetlands Development Grant Program (section 104(b)(3)) § 35.613 Competitive process. Wetlands development grants are awarded on a competitive... process is complete, the recipient can, at its discretion, accept the award as a wetlands development...

  1. 40 CFR 35.613 - Competitive process.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Wetlands Development Grant Program (section 104(b)(3)) § 35.613 Competitive process. Wetlands development grants are awarded on a competitive... process is complete, the recipient can, at its discretion, accept the award as a wetlands development...

  2. 50 CFR 84.31 - An overview of the ranking criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS... objective of the proposal will be to acquire, restore, enhance, or manage coastal wetlands to benefit coastal wetlands and the hydrology, water quality, and fish and wildlife dependent upon them. The Program...

  3. 40 CFR 35.615 - Maximum federal share.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Wetlands Development Grant Program... plan costs for the development or refinement of a wetlands protection and management program. Nonpoint...

  4. 40 CFR 35.615 - Maximum federal share.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Wetlands Development Grant Program... plan costs for the development or refinement of a wetlands protection and management program. Nonpoint...

  5. 40 CFR 35.615 - Maximum federal share.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Wetlands Development Grant Program... plan costs for the development or refinement of a wetlands protection and management program. Nonpoint...

  6. [Research progress on wetland ecotourism].

    PubMed

    Wang, Li-Long; Lu, Lin

    2009-06-01

    Wetland is rich in biodiversity and cultural diversity, possessing higher tourism value and environmental education and community participation functions. Wetland ecotourism reflects the sustainable development of tourism economy and wetland protection, having received great concern from governments and scholars at home and abroad. This paper summarized the related theories and practices, discussed the research advances in wetland ecotourism from the aspects of significance, progress, contents, methods and results, and pointed out the important research fields in the future, aimed to accelerate the development of wetland ecotourism research and to provide reference about the resources exploitation, environment protection, and scientific administration of wetland and related scenic areas.

  7. Hurricane Recovery and Ecological Resilience: Measuring the Impacts of Wetland Alteration Post Hurricane Ike on the Upper TX Coast

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reja, Md Y.; Brody, Samuel D.; Highfield, Wesley E.; Newman, Galen D.

    2017-12-01

    Recovery after hurricane events encourages new development activities and allows reconstruction through the conversion of naturally occurring wetlands to other land uses. This research investigates the degree to which hurricane recovery activities in coastal communities are undermining the ability of these places to attenuate the impacts of future storm events. Specifically, it explores how and to what extent wetlands are being affected by the CWA Section 404 permitting program in the context of post-Hurricane Ike 2008 recovery. Wetland alteration patterns are examined by selecting a control group (Aransas and Brazoria counties with no hurricane impact) vs. study group (Chambers and Galveston counties with hurricane impact) research design with a pretest-posttest measurement analyzing the variables such as permit types, pre-post Ike permits, land cover classes, and within-outside the 100-year floodplain. Results show that permitting activities in study group have increased within the 100-year floodplain and palustrine wetlands continue to be lost compare to the control group. Simultaneously, post-Ike individual and nationwide permits increased in the Hurricane Ike impacted area. A binomial logistic regression model indicated that permits within the study group, undeveloped land cover class, and individual and nationwide permit type have a substantial effect on post-Ike permits, suggesting that post-Ike permits have significant impact on wetland losses. These findings indicate that recovery after the hurricane is compromising ecological resiliency in coastal communities. The study outcome may be applied to policy decisions in managing wetlands during a long-term recovery process to maintain natural function for future flood mitigation.

  8. Hurricane Recovery and Ecological Resilience: Measuring the Impacts of Wetland Alteration Post Hurricane Ike on the Upper TX Coast.

    PubMed

    Reja, Md Y; Brody, Samuel D; Highfield, Wesley E; Newman, Galen D

    2017-12-01

    Recovery after hurricane events encourages new development activities and allows reconstruction through the conversion of naturally occurring wetlands to other land uses. This research investigates the degree to which hurricane recovery activities in coastal communities are undermining the ability of these places to attenuate the impacts of future storm events. Specifically, it explores how and to what extent wetlands are being affected by the CWA Section 404 permitting program in the context of post-Hurricane Ike 2008 recovery. Wetland alteration patterns are examined by selecting a control group (Aransas and Brazoria counties with no hurricane impact) vs. study group (Chambers and Galveston counties with hurricane impact) research design with a pretest-posttest measurement analyzing the variables such as permit types, pre-post Ike permits, land cover classes, and within-outside the 100-year floodplain. Results show that permitting activities in study group have increased within the 100-year floodplain and palustrine wetlands continue to be lost compare to the control group. Simultaneously, post-Ike individual and nationwide permits increased in the Hurricane Ike impacted area. A binomial logistic regression model indicated that permits within the study group, undeveloped land cover class, and individual and nationwide permit type have a substantial effect on post-Ike permits, suggesting that post-Ike permits have significant impact on wetland losses. These findings indicate that recovery after the hurricane is compromising ecological resiliency in coastal communities. The study outcome may be applied to policy decisions in managing wetlands during a long-term recovery process to maintain natural function for future flood mitigation.

  9. 50 CFR 84.10 - What is the purpose and scope of this rule?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... regulations in this part establish the requirements for coastal State participation in the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program authorized by Section 305 of the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection... INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS...

  10. 50 CFR 84.10 - What is the purpose and scope of this rule?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... regulations in this part establish the requirements for coastal State participation in the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program authorized by Section 305 of the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection... INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS...

  11. 50 CFR 84.10 - What is the purpose and scope of this rule?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... regulations in this part establish the requirements for coastal State participation in the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program authorized by Section 305 of the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection... INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS...

  12. 7 CFR 623.4 - Eligible land.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... restored on the land under a CRP contract, or under a Federal or State wetland restoration program with an... AGRICULTURE WATER RESOURCES EMERGENCY WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 623.4 Eligible land. (a) Except as otherwise... condition and repairing related floodwater control systems; (3) Is likely to have its wetland value restored...

  13. 7 CFR 1468.7 - Participant eligibility provisions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... accordance with § 1468.6(a); (2) 7 CFR part 1467 if the wetland restoration or protection practice was... Program authorized by part 1410 of this chapter, the Wetlands Reserve Program cost-share payments... compliance with the highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions found at part 12 of this title...

  14. Bibliography of Remote Sensing Techniques Used in Wetland Research.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-01-01

    remote sensing technology for detecting changes in wetland environments. This report documents a bibliographic search conducted as part of that work unit on applications of remote sensing techniques in wetland research. Results were used to guide research efforts on the use of remote sensing technology for wetland change detection and assessment. The citations are presented in three appendixes, organized by wetland type, sensor type, and author.... Change detection, Wetland assessment, Remote sensing ,

  15. The New Jersey Water Resources Research Institute at Rutgers NJAES

    Science.gov Websites

    Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station [The New Jersey Water Resources Research wetland Program Areas The New Jersey Water Resources Research Institute (NJWRRI) is a federally-funded water in the state. Its mission is to: sponsor research on all aspects of water quality, water quantity

  16. NUTRIENT RESPONSE IN GREAT LAKES WETLANDS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The U.S. EPA National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory's Aquatic Stressor Framework and associated Nutrient Implementation Plan define scientific and regulatory needs, and lay-out research goals too for a cross divisional program to investigate stressor-response relati...

  17. Identifying determinants of nations' wetland management programs using structural equation modeling: An exploratory analysis

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    La Peyre, M.K.; Mendelssohn, I.A.; Reams, M.A.; Templet, P.H.; Grace, J.B.

    2001-01-01

    Integrated management and policy models suggest that solutions to environmental issues may be linked to the socioeconomic and political Characteristics of a nation. In this study, we empirically explore these suggestions by applying them to the wetland management activities of nations. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate a model of national wetland management effort and one of national wetland protection. Using five predictor variables of social capital, economic capital, environmental and political characteristics, and land-use pressure, the multivariate models were able to explain 60% of the variation in nations' wetland protection efforts based on data from 90 nations, as defined by level of participation, in the international wetland convention. Social capital had the largest direct effect on wetland protection efforts, suggesting that increased social development may eventually lead to better wetland protection. In contrast, increasing economic development had a negative linear relationship with wetland protection efforts, suggesting the need for explicit wetland protection programs as nations continue to focus on economic development. Government, environmental characteristics, and land-use pressure also had a positive direct effect on wetland protection, and mediated the effect of social capital on wetland protection. Explicit wetland protection policies, combined with a focus on social development, would lead to better wetland protection at the national level.

  18. Tree establishment in response to hydrology at IDOT wetland mitigation sites.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2015-02-01

    The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has compensated for unavoidable impacts to wetlands in transportation : project corridors by restoring and creating wetlands throughout Illinois. As part of the IDOT Wetlands Program, monitoring : of p...

  19. Environmental Assessment: Improvements to Silver Flag Training Area at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-01-01

    moderate in magnitude on air quality, noise, Air Installation Compatible Use Zone program soils , wetlands, surface water, floodplains, vegetation, fish...magnitude, on air quality, noise, Air Installation Compatible Use Zone program, soils , wetlands, smf ace water, floodplains, vegetation, fish and wildlife...range from negligible to moderate in magnitude on air quality, noise, Air Installation Compatible Use Zone program, soils , wetlands, surface water

  20. 50 CFR 84.48 - What are the procedures for acquiring, maintaining, and disposing of real property?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Conditions on Acceptance/Use of... specified wetlands resources. (3) Real property acquired with National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant... accordance with 43 CFR 12.71(c)(2). (5) If rights or interests obtained with the acquisition of coastal...

  1. 50 CFR 84.48 - What are the procedures for acquiring, maintaining, and disposing of real property?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Conditions on Acceptance/Use of... specified wetlands resources. (3) Real property acquired with National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant... accordance with 43 CFR 12.71(c)(2). (5) If rights or interests obtained with the acquisition of coastal...

  2. 50 CFR 84.48 - What are the procedures for acquiring, maintaining, and disposing of real property?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Conditions on Acceptance/Use of... specified wetlands resources. (3) Real property acquired with National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant... accordance with 43 CFR 12.71(c)(2). (5) If rights or interests obtained with the acquisition of coastal...

  3. 50 CFR 84.48 - What are the procedures for acquiring, maintaining, and disposing of real property?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Conditions on Acceptance/Use of... specified wetlands resources. (3) Real property acquired with National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant... accordance with 43 CFR 12.71(c)(2). (5) If rights or interests obtained with the acquisition of coastal...

  4. 50 CFR 84.48 - What are the procedures for acquiring, maintaining, and disposing of real property?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Conditions on Acceptance/Use of... specified wetlands resources. (3) Real property acquired with National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant... accordance with 43 CFR 12.71(c)(2). (5) If rights or interests obtained with the acquisition of coastal...

  5. 50 CFR 84.21 - How do I apply for a National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Wetlands Conservation Grant? 84.21 Section 84.21 Wildlife and Fisheries UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Applying for Grants § 84.21 How do I apply...

  6. Watershed Analysis of Runoff and Erosion Potential on Santa Cruz Watershed (Arizona, USA and Sonora, Mexico): Impact of Climate and Land Cover Changes

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Southwest Ecosystem Service Program (SwESP) is part of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s newly undertaken Ecological Service Research Program (ESRP) to examine the variety of ways in which landscapes including crop lands, conservation areas, wetlands, lakes, and ...

  7. 75 FR 69399 - Evaluation of State Coastal Management Programs and National Estuarine Research Reserves

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-11-12

    ... p.m. in the Griffon Room, LaSalle Building, Capitol Complex, 617 North 3rd Street, Baton Rouge... Wetlands Sanctuary, 1361 Wrighton Road, Lothian Maryland. ADDRESSES: Copies of the states' most recent...

  8. Wetlands Research Program. Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual. Appendix C. Sections 1 and 2. Region 7 - Southwest.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-01-01

    goosefoot :sr’ Standl. Saline goosefoot - ,crs nr->ita Lag. Chloriq " 2 s~er- - ec-r ’ : Ciclo-permum- (Pers.) Sprague ex. Britt. . o *dr e...Fl1. Water purslane OIL DRA C.pev71oides (H.B.K.) Raven Perennial waterprinrose OIL upiraus kirg",* Wats. King lupine FAC _uzu7a -arv-_*-.ra (Ehrh...s22(H. &, A.) Torr. Fleshy porterella CPL 16 tm% Indicator *.. Scientific Name Common Name Status Portuiaca oleracea L. Ra.Common purslane FAC Potw

  9. Wetlands Research Program. Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual. Appendix C. Sections 1 and 2. Region 2 - Southeast.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-01-01

    cycZophylZa’Fernald Bacopa B 3. innominata (Gomez Maza) Alain Bacopa OBL B. monnieri (L.) Wettst. Coast bacopa OBL 3. repens (Swartz) Wettgt. Creeping bacopa ...OBL B. rctundifoiia (Michx.) Wettst. Roundleaf bacopa OBL Baiduina atropur’purea Harper Balduina FACW B. uniflora Nutt. One-flowered balduina FACW... Bacopa OBL Batis maritima Saltwort OBL .B.’., 5erchemia scanden8 Rattan vine FACW " " Fetula nigra River birch OBL -.. ¢2 ". FAC FA 3.eThre3er4Ztu

  10. A Review of Wetland Remote Sensing.

    PubMed

    Guo, Meng; Li, Jing; Sheng, Chunlei; Xu, Jiawei; Wu, Li

    2017-04-05

    Wetlands are some of the most important ecosystems on Earth. They play a key role in alleviating floods and filtering polluted water and also provide habitats for many plants and animals. Wetlands also interact with climate change. Over the past 50 years, wetlands have been polluted and declined dramatically as land cover has changed in some regions. Remote sensing has been the most useful tool to acquire spatial and temporal information about wetlands. In this paper, seven types of sensors were reviewed: aerial photos coarse-resolution, medium-resolution, high-resolution, hyperspectral imagery, radar, and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data. This study also discusses the advantage of each sensor for wetland research. Wetland research themes reviewed in this paper include wetland classification, habitat or biodiversity, biomass estimation, plant leaf chemistry, water quality, mangrove forest, and sea level rise. This study also gives an overview of the methods used in wetland research such as supervised and unsupervised classification and decision tree and object-based classification. Finally, this paper provides some advice on future wetland remote sensing. To our knowledge, this paper is the most comprehensive and detailed review of wetland remote sensing and it will be a good reference for wetland researchers.

  11. A Review of Wetland Remote Sensing

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Meng; Li, Jing; Sheng, Chunlei; Xu, Jiawei; Wu, Li

    2017-01-01

    Wetlands are some of the most important ecosystems on Earth. They play a key role in alleviating floods and filtering polluted water and also provide habitats for many plants and animals. Wetlands also interact with climate change. Over the past 50 years, wetlands have been polluted and declined dramatically as land cover has changed in some regions. Remote sensing has been the most useful tool to acquire spatial and temporal information about wetlands. In this paper, seven types of sensors were reviewed: aerial photos coarse-resolution, medium-resolution, high-resolution, hyperspectral imagery, radar, and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data. This study also discusses the advantage of each sensor for wetland research. Wetland research themes reviewed in this paper include wetland classification, habitat or biodiversity, biomass estimation, plant leaf chemistry, water quality, mangrove forest, and sea level rise. This study also gives an overview of the methods used in wetland research such as supervised and unsupervised classification and decision tree and object-based classification. Finally, this paper provides some advice on future wetland remote sensing. To our knowledge, this paper is the most comprehensive and detailed review of wetland remote sensing and it will be a good reference for wetland researchers. PMID:28379174

  12. DEVELOPING A REGULATORY PROGRAM FOR ISOLATED WETLANDS IN WASHINGTON

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Supreme Court's recent decision on isolated wetlands leaves many wetlands in Washington unprotected. Previously these wetlands were regulated through use of state-issued CWA ?401 water quality certifications, during the Corps of Engineers ?404 permitting process. But since ...

  13. Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. Annual technical progress report of ecological research, period ending July 31, 1994

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1994-07-31

    The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) is a research unit of the University of Georgia (UGA) that is managed in conjunction with the University`s Institute of Ecology. The laboratory`s overall mission is to acquire and communicate knowledge of ecological processes and principles. SREL conducts basic and applied ecological research, as well as education and outreach programs, under an M&O contract with the US Department of Energy at the Savannah River Site. Significant accomplishments were made during the year ending July 31, 1994 in the areas of research, education and service. Reviewed in this document are research projects in the followingmore » areas: Environmental Operations Support (impacted wetlands, streams, trace organics, radioecology, database synthesis, wild life studies, zooplankton, safety and quality assurance); wood stork foraging and breeding ecology; defence waste processing facility; environmental risk assessment (endangered species, fish, ash basin studies); ecosystem alteration by chemical pollutants; wetlands systems; biodiversity on the SRS; Environmental toxicology; environmental outreach and education; Par Pond drawdown studies in wildlife and fish and metals; theoretical ecology; DOE-SR National Environmental Research Park; wildlife studies. Summaries of educational programs and publications are also give.« less

  14. Waterbird communities and seed biomass in managed and reference-restored wetlands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Tapp, Jessica L.; Weegman, Matthew M.; Webb, Elisabeth B.; Kaminski, Richard M.; Davis, J. Brian

    2018-01-01

    The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) commenced the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative (MBHI) in summer 2010 after the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The MBHI enrolled in the program 193,000 ha of private wet- and cropland inland from potential oil-impaired wetlands. We evaluated waterfowl and other waterbird use and potential seed/tuber food resources in NRCS Wetland Reserve Program easement wetlands managed via MBHI funding and associated reference wetlands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri. In Louisiana and Mississippi, nearly three times more dabbling ducks and all ducks combined were observed on managed than reference wetlands. Shorebirds and waterbirds other than waterfowl were nearly twice as abundant on managed than referenced wetlands. In Arkansas and Missouri, managed wetlands had over twice more dabbling ducks and nearly twice as many duck species than reference wetlands. Wetlands managed via MBHI in Mississippi and Louisiana contained ≥1.3 times more seed and tuber biomass known to be consumed by waterfowl than reference wetlands. Seed and tuber resources did not differ between wetlands in Arkansas and Missouri. While other studies have documented greater waterbird densities on actively than nonmanaged wetlands, our results highlighted the potential for initiatives focused on managing conservation easements to increase waterbird use and energetic carrying capacity of restored wetlands for waterbirds.

  15. 40 CFR 35.385 - Maximum federal share.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants State Wetlands Development Grants (section 104(b... for the development or refinement of a wetlands protection and management program. State...

  16. 40 CFR 35.385 - Maximum federal share.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants State Wetlands Development Grants (section 104(b... for the development or refinement of a wetlands protection and management program. State...

  17. 40 CFR 35.385 - Maximum federal share.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants State Wetlands Development Grants (section 104(b... for the development or refinement of a wetlands protection and management program. State...

  18. 7 CFR 1467.3 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... Conservation Service or the person delegated authority to act for the Chief. Commenced conversion wetland means... protection of wetland functions and values, including necessary activities, as set forth in the Wetlands... AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.3 Definitions. The...

  19. 7 CFR 1467.3 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... Conservation Service or the person delegated authority to act for the Chief. Commenced conversion wetland means... protection of wetland functions and values, including necessary activities, as set forth in the Wetlands... AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.3 Definitions. The...

  20. 7 CFR 1467.3 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... Conservation Service or the person delegated authority to act for the Chief. Commenced conversion wetland means... protection of wetland functions and values, including necessary activities, as set forth in the Wetlands... AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.3 Definitions. The...

  1. Using local research sites to engage undergraduates in environmental science research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Varner, R. K.

    2016-12-01

    For the first time in their undergraduate experience, students in the University of New Hampshire's Techniques in Environmental Science course are immersed in learning approaches to scientific investigation that they can implement as part of their senior capstone research experience or other REU type programs. The course begins with an understanding of the value of note taking in the field and working collaboratively in groups. The students then embark upon a series of field experiences that include using both simple and complex tools for mapping elevation, species composition and above ground biomass estimates in a forest and wetland, carbon cycling through measurement of greenhouse gas exchange at both a wetland and at an organic dairy farm, assessing hydrology and water quality through both ground and surface water measurements at locations on campus, and finally analysis of atmospheric chemistry data collected locally. Over the course of a semester the students learn how to describe their methodology and the importance of their work concisely. Eventually the students are given instrumentation and a field site and learn to ask their own research question and develop their approach to answering it. This course model provides a foundation for students to pursue their capstone research experiences but also for understanding complex environmental questions such as the impact of land use change on water and air quality and carbon cycling and its role in our climate system. Students are provided a unique opportunity to address questions at field sites that are local and are part of larger research programs which allows for a larger context to place their work. This course has also been a framework for the NSF funded REU program- Northern Ecosystems Research for Undergraduates (EAR#1063037). Sallie's Fen, a wetland research site, is used as an initial field setting for students to learn techniques, build their ability to ask research questions and to plan research approaches, all skills required for them to be successful in their research in northern Sweden where they spend the next four weeks studying the impact of climate change in a region of thawing permafrost.

  2. The US Geological Survey's National Mapping Division programs, products, and services that can support wetlands mapping

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Baxter, F.S.

    1990-01-01

    The US Geological Survey (USGS) programs can play an important role in support of President Bush's policy of no net loss of wetlands. A principal goal of USGS is to provide cartographic information that contributes to the wise management of the Nation's natural resources. This information consists of maps, cartographic data bases (graphic and digital), remotely sensed imagery, and information services. These products are used by Federal, State, and local governments, the private sector, and individual citizens in making decisions on the existence and use of land and water resources. I discuss the programs, products, and information services of the National Mapping Division, the tools available to determine where wetlands exist, and the capability of periodic measurement of wetlands to help in assessing compliance with the concept of no net loss of wetlands. -from Author

  3. Dietary use and conservation concern of edible wetland plants at Indo-Burma hotspot: a case study from Northeast India.

    PubMed

    Jain, A; Sundriyal, M; Roshnibala, S; Kotoky, R; Kanjilal, P B; Singh, H B; Sundriyal, R C

    2011-10-04

    The wetlands of the North East India fall among the global hotspots of biodiversity. However, they have received very little attention with relation to their intrinsic values to human kind; therefore their conservation is hardly addressed. These wetlands are critical for the sustenance of the tribal communities. Field research was conducted during 2003 to 2006 in seven major wetlands of four districts of Manipur state, Northeast India (viz. Imphal-East, Imphal-West, Thoubal, and Bishnupur). A total of 224 wetland-plant-collectors were interviewed for the use and economics of species using semi-structured questionnaires and interview schedules. Imphal, Bishenpur and Thoubal markets were investigated in detail for influx and consumption pattern of these plants. The collectors were also inquired for medicinal use of wetland species. Nutritive values of 21 species were analyzed in laboratory. The vouchers were collected for all the species and deposited in the CSIR-NEIST (Formerly Regional Research Laboratory), Substation, Lamphelpat, Imphal, Manipur, India. We recorded 51 edible wetland species used by indigenous people for food and medicinal purposes. Thirty eight species had high medicinal values and used in the traditional system to treat over 22 diseases. At least 27 species were traded in three markets studied (i.e. Imphal, Thoubal and Bishenpur), involving an annual turnover of 113 tons of wetland edible plants and a gross revenue of Rs. 907, 770/- (US$1 = Rs. 45/-). The Imphal market alone supplies 60% of the total business. Eighty per cent of the above mentioned species are very often used by the community. The community has a general opinion that the availability of 45% species has depleted in recent times, 15 species need consideration for conservation while another 7 species deserved immediate protection measures. The nutrient analysis showed that these species contribute to the dietary balance of tribal communities. Considering the importance of wild wetland plants in local sustenance, it is suggested to protect their habitats, develop domestication protocols of selected species, and build programs for the long-term management of wetland areas by involving local people. Some medicinal plants may also be used to develop into modern medicines.

  4. Modeling Water Quality Benefits of Conservation Practices

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Future Midwest Landscape (FML) project is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new Ecosystem Services Research Program, undertaken to examine the variety of ways in which landscapes that include crop lands, conservation areas, wetlands, lakes and streams affect...

  5. Wetlands postcard

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ball, Lianne C.

    2016-05-25

    Research conducted by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey provides reliable scientific information for the management of wetlands ranging from small freshwater alpine lakes in the Western United States to coastal wetlands of the Great Lakes and salt marshes along the Southeastern coast. Learn more about USGS wetlands research at: http://www.usgs.gov/ecosystems/environments/wetlands.html.

  6. The Wetland and Aquatic Research Center strategic science plan

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ,

    2017-02-02

    IntroductionThe U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC) has two primary locations (Gainesville, Florida, and Lafayette, Louisiana) and field stations throughout the southeastern United States and Caribbean. WARC’s roots are in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and National Park Service research units that were brought into the USGS as the Biological Research Division in 1996. Founded in 2015, WARC was created from the merger of two long-standing USGS biology science Centers—the Southeast Ecological Science Center and the National Wetlands Research Center—to bring together expertise in biology, ecology, landscape science, geospatial applications, and decision support in order to address issues nationally and internationally. WARC scientists apply their expertise to a variety of wetland and aquatic research and monitoring issues that require coordinated, integrated efforts to better understand natural environments. By increasing basic understanding of the biology of important species and broader ecological and physiological processes, this research provides information to policymakers and aids managers in their stewardship of natural resources and in regulatory functions.This strategic science plan (SSP) was developed to guide WARC research during the next 5–10 years in support of Department of the Interior (DOI) partnering bureaus such as the USFWS, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, as well as other Federal, State, and local natural resource management agencies. The SSP demonstrates the alignment of the WARC goals with the USGS mission areas, associated programs, and other DOI initiatives. The SSP is necessary for workforce planning and, as such, will be used as a guide for future needs for personnel. The SSP also will be instrumental in developing internal funding priorities and in promoting WARC’s capabilities to both external cooperators and other groups within the USGS.

  7. Bibliography of Remote Sensing Techniques Used in Wetland Research

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-01-01

    8217 is investigating the application of remote sensing technology for detecting changes in wetland environments. This report documents a bibliographic...search conducted as part of that work unit on applications of remote sensing techniques in wetland research. Results were used to guide research...efforts on the use of remote sensing technology for wetland change detection and assessment. The citations are presented in three appendixes, organized by wetland type, sensor type, and author.

  8. Classifications for Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) site-specific projects: 2010

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jones, William R.; Garber, Adrienne

    2013-01-01

    The Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) funds over 100 wetland restoration projects across Louisiana. Integral to the success of CWPPRA is its long-term monitoring program, which enables State and Federal agencies to determine the effectiveness of each restoration effort. One component of this monitoring program is the classification of high-resolution, color-infrared aerial photography at the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wetlands Research Center in Lafayette, Louisiana. Color-infrared aerial photography (9- by 9-inch) is obtained before project construction and several times after construction. Each frame is scanned on a photogrametric scanner that produces a high-resolution image in Tagged Image File Format (TIFF). By using image-processing software, these TIFF files are then orthorectified and mosaicked to produce a seamless image of a project area and its associated reference area (a control site near the project that has common environmental features, such as marsh type, soil types, and water salinities.) The project and reference areas are then classified according to pixel value into two distinct classes, land and water. After initial land and water ratios have been established by using photography obtained before and after project construction, subsequent comparisons can be made over time to determine land-water change.

  9. 7 CFR 623.13 - Wetlands reserve plan of operations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... wetland restoration activities and future management and easement monitoring in connection with the land... 7 Agriculture 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Wetlands reserve plan of operations. 623.13 Section... CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WATER RESOURCES EMERGENCY WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 623.13...

  10. 7 CFR 623.13 - Wetlands reserve plan of operations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... wetland restoration activities and future management and easement monitoring in connection with the land... 7 Agriculture 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Wetlands reserve plan of operations. 623.13 Section... CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WATER RESOURCES EMERGENCY WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 623.13...

  11. Foreword: function, classification and management of Asian wetlands

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Turnipseed, D. Phil; Middleton, Beth A.

    2014-01-01

    Asian wetland conservation is critical for future environmental protection in the region, but these wetlands are understudied. In particular, there is a lack of research studies published in English due to the limited access of Asian researchers to western scientific journals. This special feature of Wetlands showcases primary research conducted in Asian wetlands and was sponsored by various agencies of the U.S. and Chinese governments including the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of State, and The State Forestry Administration of the People’s Republic of China. The featured articles should be of great value to wetland scientists, managers and policy-makers with an interest in the conservation of Asian wetlands.

  12. Mapping boreal wetlands using ALOS SCANSAR data from the USGRC Datapool at ASF

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chapman, B. D.; McDonald, K. C.; Moghaddam, M.; Whitcomb, J.

    2011-12-01

    A NASA funded research task is generating an Earth Science Data Record for global inundated wetlands (IW-ESDR). Wetland extent and dynamics will be characterized using Advanced Land Observing System (ALOS) Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) imagery and other sensors. The IW-ESDR will include wetland products generated from ALOS ScanSAR imagery over major wetland areas. This task is conducted within the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) ALOS Kyoto and Carbon Initiative, which is an international collaborative project led by JAXA Earth Observation Research Center (EORC). For mapping inundation in the boreal wetlands of North America, we are utilizing the extensive data holdings found in the US Government Research Consortium (USGRC) Datapool at the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF). JAXA launched ALOS on January 24, 2006, and operated the satellite until its end of mission in early 2011. During that time, ALOS PALSAR was frequently directed to acquire data while within the ASF station mask and to downlink the data directly to ASF. This simplified operation, which does not require the use of the JAXA Data Relay Test Satellite (DRTS), allowed a rich collection of data to be acquired. For the IW-ESDR task, we will be using the descending ALOS PALSAR SCANSAR data and a subset of other modes obtained within the ASF mask (which extends from the northern border of Alaska to the Canadian/American border, and from the Eastern Russia to central Canada) to characterize both wetland dynamics, and changes in backscatter due to the change in freeze/thaw state. There have been over 20,000 SCANSAR images acquired during the descending ALOS orbit covering Alaska and Canada. SCANSAR data is available from the ASF datapool processed to either level 1.0 (signal data) or the more standard level 1.5 (Multi-look processed images projected onto map coordinates). We will evaluate these two product levels in terms of their usefulness for the development of inundation products. This work is supported under the NASA Making Earth Science Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) program. This research is undertaken in part within the framework of the ALOS Kyoto & Carbon Initiative. Portions of this work was performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

  13. MONITORING OF A BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE POND

    EPA Science Inventory

    The USEPA's Urban Watershed Management Branch has monitored stormwater drainage and best management practices (BMP) as part of its research program. One BMP currently being monitored, a retention pond with wetland plantings, is in the Richmond Creek (RC) watershed part of New Yor...

  14. MONITORING OF A BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE POND

    EPA Science Inventory

    The USEPA's Urban Stormwater Management Branch has monitored stormwater drainage and best management practices (BMP) as part of its research program. One BMP being monitored, a wetland/retention pond, is in the Richmond Creek (RC) watershed in the New York City Department of Envi...

  15. Introduction to the Wetland Book 1: Wetland structure and function, management, and nethods

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Davidson, Nick C.; Middleton, Beth A.; McInnes, Robert J.; Everard, Mark; Irvine, Kenneth; Van Dam, Anne A.; Finlayson, C. Max; Finlayson, C. Max; Everard, Mark; Irvine, Kenneth; McInnes, Robert J.; Middleton, Beth A.; Van Dam, Anne A.; Davidson, Nick C.

    2016-01-01

    The Wetland Book 1 is designed as a ‘first port-of-call’ reference work for information on the structure and functions of wetlands, current approaches to wetland management, and methods for researching and understanding wetlands. Contributions by experts summarize key concepts, orient the reader to the major issues, and support further research on such issues by individuals and multidisciplinary teams. The Wetland Book 1 is organized in three parts - Wetland structure and function; Wetland management; and Wetland methods - each of which is divided into a number of thematic Sections. Each Section starts with one or more overview chapters, supported by chapters providing further information and case studies on different aspects of the theme.

  16. Kansas Protects and Restores Wetlands, Streams and Riparian Areas

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Wetland Program Development Grant (WPDG) in 2007 when the Kansas State Conservation Commission began identifying team members interested in developing a framework for a comprehensive Kansas Wetland and Aquatic Resources Conservation Plan.

  17. Wetlands Research Program. Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual. Appendix C. Sections 1 and 2. Region 6 - Southern Plains.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-01-01

    reqecta Britton Roosevelt weed rAC 3. saLicina T. & G. Willow baccharis FAG 3accva caroZcIin-*ara (Walter) Robins. Lemon bacopa OBL r."onnieri (L.) Wettst...Coast hacopa O8L rotundi .,oZi (Michx.) Wettst. Roundleaf bacopa ()BL ?a~’~ ’a~’~t (ihx)MuI Panicled bartonia OBL texana Correll Texas bartonia ORL...zola spp. Azolla OBL 3accharis haZimifolia Eastern baccharis FACW- Bacopa spp. Bacopa OBL Bartonia panicu~ata Screw-stem OBL 3atis martrma Saltwort OBL

  18. 76 FR 30186 - Proposed Information Collection; Migratory Birds and Wetlands Conservation Grant Programs

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-24

    ... 7C] Proposed Information Collection; Migratory Birds and Wetlands Conservation Grant Programs AGENCY...). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Abstract The Division of Bird Habitat Conservation administers grant programs... Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA), Public Law 106-247. Currently, information that we collect for...

  19. Aquatic invertebrate food base for waterbirds at Wetland Reserve Program easements in the lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Tapp, Jessica L.; Webb, Elisabeth B.

    2015-01-01

    Migratory waterbirds depend on invertebrates as a key source of dietary protein, but few studies have quantified aquatic invertebrates or their response to management on privately owned wetlands. Our objectives were to quantify the effects of wetland management provided through the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative (MBHI) on invertebrate biomass, family richness, and secondary production at Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) easements in Arkansas and Missouri. We collected core and sweep-net samples bi-weekly in autumn 2011 and sweep samples in winter 2012 at WRP easements enrolled in MBHI (n = 13), WRP easements not enrolled in MBHI (n = 12), and intensively managed public wetlands (n = 7) in Arkansas and Missouri. Overall mean (±SE) invertebrate biomass and production during autumn were 11.96 (±1.29) kg/ha and 1.57 (±1.09) kg/ha*season, and during winter were 3.96 (±0.55) kg/ha and 1.38 (±0.11), respectively. Macroinvertebrate biomass and family richness did not differ among wetland types or management practices, including inundation and mowing. Secondary macroinvertebrate production during autumn was 200 % greater on MBHI contracts compared to WRP easements. During winter, production was 40 % greater on MBHI and WRP easements compared to public wetlands. Our results suggest that with management, wetlands enrolled in conservation easement programs can be an important source of invertebrate production for migratory waterbirds.

  20. AnnAGNPS Model Application for the Future Midwest Landscape Study

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Future Midwest Landscape (FML) project is part of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s new Ecosystem Services Research Program, undertaken to examine the variety of ways in which landscapes that include crop lands, conservation areas, wetlands, lakes, and streams af...

  1. MONITORING OF A RETENTION POND BEFORE AND AFTER MAINTENANCE

    EPA Science Inventory

    The USEPA’s Urban Watershed Management Branch has monitored stormwater drainage and best management practices (BMP) as part of its research program. One BMP being monitored is a retention pond with wetland plantings in the Richmond Creek (RC) watershed. This BMP, designated RC-...

  2. Wetlands delineation by spectral signature analysis and legal implications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Anderon, R. R.; Carter, V.

    1972-01-01

    High altitude analysis of wetland resources and the use of such information in an operational mode to address specific problems of wetland preservation at a state level are discussed. Work efforts were directed toward: (1) developing techniques for using large scale color IR photography in state wetlands mapping program, (2) developing methods for obtaining wetlands ecology information from high altitude photography, (3) developing means by which spectral data can be more accurately analyzed visually, and (4) developing spectral data for automatic mapping of wetlands.

  3. Use of Constructed Wetlands for Polishing Recharge Wastewater

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cardwell, W.

    2009-12-01

    The use of constructed wetlands for waste water treatment is becoming increasingly popular as more focus is being shifted to natural means of waste treatment. These wetlands employ processes that occur naturally and effectively remove pollutants and can greatly minimize costs when compared to full scale treatment plants. Currently, wetland design is based on basic “rules-of-thumb,” meaning engineers have a general understanding but not necessarily a thorough knowledge of the intricate physical, biological, and chemical processes involved in these systems. Furthermore, there is very little consideration given to use the wetland as a recharge pond to allow the treated water to percolate and recharge the local groundwater aquifers. The City of Foley, located in Alabama, and the Utilities Board of the City of Foley partnered with Wolf Bay Watershed Watch to evaluate alternative wastewater effluent disposal schemes. Rather than discharging the treated water into a local stream, a pilot program has been developed to allow water from the treatment process to flow into a constructed wetlands area where, after natural treatment, the treated water will then be allowed to percolate into a local unconfined aquifer. The goal of this study is to evaluate how constructed wetlands can be used for “polishing” effluent as well as how this treated water might be reused. Research has shown that constructed wetlands, with proper design and construction elements, are effective in the treatment of BOD, TSS, nitrogen, phosphorous, pathogens, metals, sulfates, organics, and other substances commonly found in wastewater. Mesocosms will be used to model the wetland, at a much smaller scale, in order to test and collect data about the wetland treatment capabilities. Specific objectives include: 1. Determine optimum flow rates for surface flow wetlands where water treatment is optimized. 2. Evaluate the capabilities of constructed wetlands to remove/reduce common over the counter pharmaceuticals such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen. 3. Evaluate the use of different wetland plants and their treatment characteristics. 4. Evaluate the effectiveness of the wetlands to allow treated to water to recharge local into a local groundwater aquifer.

  4. Habitat fragmentation effects on birds in grasslands and wetlands: A critique of our knowledge

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Johnson, D.H.

    2001-01-01

    Habitat fragmentation exacerbates the problem of habitat loss for grassland and wetland birds. Remaining patches of grasslands and wetlands may be too small, too isolated, and too influenced by edge effects to maintain viable populations of some breeding birds. Knowledge of the effects of fragmentation on bird populations is critically important for decisions about reserve design, grassland and wetland management, and implementation of cropland set-aside programs that benefit wildlife. In my review of research that has been conducted on habitat fragmentation, I found at least five common problems in the methodology used. The results of many studies are compromised by these problems: passive sampling (sampling larger areas in larger patches), confounding effects of habitat heterogeneity, consequences of inappropriate pooling of data from different species, artifacts associated with artificial nest data, and definition of actual habitat patches. As expected, some large-bodied birds with large territorial requirements, such as the northern harrier (Circus cyaneus), appear area sensitive. In addition, some small species of grassland birds favor patches of habitat far in excess of their territory size, including the Savannah (Passerculus sandwichensis), grasshopper (Ammodramus savannarum) and Henslow's (A. henslowii) sparrows, and the bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). Other species may be area sensitive as well, but the data are ambiguous. Area sensitivity among wetland birds remains unknown since virtually no studies have been based on solid methodologies. We need further research on grassland bird response to habitat that distinguishes supportable conclusions from those that may be artifactual.

  5. Bottomland hardwood restoration in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley: Looking past the trees to see the forest

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wilson, R.R.; Oliver, J.M.; Twedt, D.J.; Uihlein, W.B.; Fredrickson, L.H.; King, S.L.; Kaminski, R.M.

    2005-01-01

    Planned restoration of bottomland hardwoods is important to adequately address negative consequences resulting from the severe loss and fragmentation of forested wetlands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Reforestation efforts have been promoted through government initiatives of state and federal agencies (e.g. Wetland Reserve Program) and private conservation groups. To clarify discussions of forested wetland restoration, we offer definitions of reforestation and restoration, review historic reforestation practices, identify additional needs, and propose a conceptual framework to assist in future reforestation efforts. Future reforestation efforts should include: (1) comprehensive planning among participating agencies, (2) standardized documentation of methods, and (3) short-term and long-term monitoring protocols that permit refinement of methodologies. Implementation of these concepts will promote cooperative planning among participants and facilitate research to evaluate bottomland hardwood restoration efforts.

  6. Training Master's-Level Graduate Students to Use Inquiry Instruction to Teach Middle-Level and High-School Science Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gilman, Sharon Larimer; Hitt, Austin M.; Gilman, Craig

    2015-01-01

    Through the GK-12 program of the National Science Foundation, graduate student fellows in a coastal marine and wetland studies program were trained to present targeted science concepts to middle- and high-school classes through their own research-based lessons. Initially, they were taught to follow the 5-E learning cycle in lesson plan…

  7. Managing wetlands for waterbirds: How managers can make a difference in improving habitat to support a North American Bird Conservation Plan

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Erwin, R.M.; Laubhan, M.K.; Cornely, J.E.; Bradshaw, D.M.; Bonney, Rick; Pashley, David N.; Cooper, Robert; Niles, Larry

    2000-01-01

    Wetlands are the most productive ecosystems in the world, yet they have suffered more loss and degradation than any other ecosystem. Not surprisingly, 50% (29 of 58) of all the bird species in the U. S. (excluding Hawaii and territories) that are listed either as federally threatened or endangered, or are on the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1995 List of Migratory Nongame Birds of Management Concern, occupy wetland or aquatic habitats even though many remaining wetlands across the North American landscape already are managed primarily for waterbirds. Some of these wetlands are administered by federal and state entities (e.g., national wildlife refuges, national and state parks, state wetland management areas) or are maintained on private lands through federally supported restoration and enhancement programs (e.g., Conservation Reserve Program, Wetland Reserve Program, Waterfowl Production Areas, and Partners for Wildlife). Private organizations, such as the National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, and private hunting clubs, also own wetland areas that are managed specifically to benefit wildlife. If management philosophies are altered to consider the entire complex of wetlands, many wetlands can provide benefits to a broad array of waterbirds, as opposed to just one or a few species. However, challenges for natural resource managers are in forming partnerships with owners-managers of wetlands where the objectives are not primarily wildlife oriented. These owners or managers need to be included in wetland training workshops in an attempt to educate them about wetland values and secondary wildlife benefits that may be derived in flooded agricultural lands, aquaculture ponds, altered coastal marshes (mosquito control), and salt evaporation ponds. In some cases, compensation for crop damages by wildlife may be a necessary part of any cooperative agreements. In the development of a North American Bird Conservation Plan we propose a four-step approach and recommend that emphasis be placed on working with Joint Ventures of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan to ensure that a diverse array of waterbird species will benefit. Efforts also should be devoted to developing similar partnerships in areas where important wetland resources exist but no Joint Ventures are planned.

  8. Rapid changes in small fish mercury concentrations in estuarine wetlands: Implications for wildlife risk and monitoring programs

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Ackerman, Joshua T.

    2009-01-01

    Small fish are commonly used to assess mercury (Hg) risk to wildlife and monitor Hg in wetlands. However, limited research has evaluated short-term Hg variability in small fish, which can have important implications for monitoring programs and risk assessment. We conducted a time-series study of Hg concentrations in two small fish species representing benthic (longjaw mudsuckers [Gillichthys mirabilis]) and pelagic (threespine sticklebacks [Gasterosteus aculeatus]) food-webs within three wetland habitats in San Francisco Bay Estuary. We simultaneously monitored prey deliveries, nest initiation, and chick hatching dates of breeding Forster's terns (Sterna forsteri), the most abundant nesting piscivore in the region. Mudsuckers and sticklebacks were the predominant prey fish, comprising 36% and 25% of tern diet, and Hg concentrations averaged (geometric mean ?? SE, ??g/g dw) 0.44 ?? 0.01 and 0.68 ?? 0.03, respectively. Fish Hg concentrations varied substantially over time following a quadratic form in both species, increasing 40% between March and May then decreasing 40% between May and July. Importantly, Forster's terns initiated 68% of nests and 31% of chicks hatched during the period of peak Hg concentrations in prey fish. These results illustrate the importance of short-term temporal variation in small fish Hg concentrations for both Hg monitoring programs and assessing wildlife risk.

  9. Pipeline corridors through wetlands -- Impacts on plant communities: Little Timber Creek Crossing, Gloucester County, New Jersey. Topical report, August 1991--January 1993

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shem, L.M.; Zimmerman, R.E.; Alsum, S.K.

    1994-12-01

    The goal of the Gas Research Institute Wetland Corridors Program is to document impacts of existing pipelines on the wetlands they traverse. To accomplish this goal, 12 existing wetland crossings were surveyed. These sites varied in elapsed time since pipeline construction, wetland type, pipeline installation techniques, and right-of-way (ROW) management practices. This report presents results of a survey conducted over the period of August 5--7, 1991, at the Little Timber Creek crossing in Gloucester County, New Jersey, where three pipelines, constructed in 1950, 1960, and 1990, cross the creek and associated wetlands. The old side of the ROW, created bymore » the installation of the 1960 pipeline, was designed to contain a raised peat bed over the 1950 pipeline and an open-water ditch over the 1960 pipeline. The new portion of the ROW, created by installation of the 1990 pipeline, has an open-water ditch over the pipeline (resulting from settling of the backfill) and a raised peat bed (resulting from rebound of compacted peat). Both the old and new ROWs contain dense stands of herbs; the vegetation on the old ROW was more similar to that in the adjacent natural area than was vegetation in the new ROW. The ROW increased species and habitat diversity in the wetlands. It may contribute to the spread of purple loosestrife and affect species sensitive to habitat fragmentation.« less

  10. Assessing Impacts of Landuse Changes on Hydrology in the Upper San Pedro Watershed

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Southwest Ecosystem Service Project (SwESP) is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new Ecosystem Services Research Program, undertaken to examine the variety of ways in which the landscapes including crop lands, conservation areas, wetlands, lakes, streams, an...

  11. MONITORING OF A BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE POND IN THE STATEN ISLAND BLUEBELT

    EPA Science Inventory

    The USEPA’s Urban Watershed Management Branch has monitored stormwater drainage and best management practices (BMP) as part of its research program. One BMP being monitored is a retention pond with wetland plantings in the Richmond Creek (RC) watershed. This BMP, designated RC-...

  12. MONITORING OF A RETENTION POND FOR EFFECTS OF MAINTENANCE

    EPA Science Inventory

    The USEPA’s Urban Watershed Management Branch has monitored stormwater drainage and best management practices (BMP) as part of its research program. One BMP monitored was a retention pond with wetland plantings in the Richmond Creek (RC) watershed. This BMP, designated RC-5, is o...

  13. The Benefits and Limitations of Hydraulic Modeling for Ordinary High Water Mark Delineation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-02-01

    ER D C/ CR RE L TR -1 6- 1 Wetland Regulatory Assistance Program (WRAP) The Benefits and Limitations of Hydraulic Modeling for Ordinary...client/default. Wetland Regulatory Assistance Program (WRAP) ERDC/CRREL TR-16-1 February 2016 The Benefits and Limitations of Hydraulic Modeling...Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Prepared for Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Washington, DC 20314-1000 Under Wetlands

  14. Catchment-wide wetland assessment and prioritization using the multi-criteria decision-making method TOPSIS.

    PubMed

    Liu, Canran; Frazier, Paul; Kumar, Lalit; Macgregor, Catherine; Blake, Nigel

    2006-08-01

    It is widely accepted that wetland ecosystems are under threat worldwide. Many communities are now trying to establish wetland rehabilitation programs, but are confounded by a lack of objective information on wetland condition or significance. In this study, a multi-criteria decision-making method, TOPSIS (the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution), was adapted to assist in the role of assessing wetland condition and rehabilitation priority in the Clarence River Catchment (New South Wales, Australia). Using 13 GIS data layers that described wetland character, wetland protection, and wetland threats, the wetlands were ranked in terms of condition. Through manipulation of the original model, the wetlands were prioritized for rehabilitation. The method offered a screening tool for the managers in choosing potential candidate wetlands for rehabilitation in a region.

  15. Dietary use and conservation concern of edible wetland plants at indo-burma hotspot: a case study from northeast India

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background The wetlands of the North East India fall among the global hotspots of biodiversity. However, they have received very little attention with relation to their intrinsic values to human kind; therefore their conservation is hardly addressed. These wetlands are critical for the sustenance of the tribal communities. Methods Field research was conducted during 2003 to 2006 in seven major wetlands of four districts of Manipur state, Northeast India (viz. Imphal-East, Imphal-West, Thoubal, and Bishnupur). A total of 224 wetland-plant-collectors were interviewed for the use and economics of species using semi-structured questionnaires and interview schedules. Imphal, Bishenpur and Thoubal markets were investigated in detail for influx and consumption pattern of these plants. The collectors were also inquired for medicinal use of wetland species. Nutritive values of 21 species were analyzed in laboratory. The vouchers were collected for all the species and deposited in the CSIR-NEIST (Formerly Regional Research Laboratory), Substation, Lamphelpat, Imphal, Manipur, India. Results We recorded 51 edible wetland species used by indigenous people for food and medicinal purposes. Thirty eight species had high medicinal values and used in the traditional system to treat over 22 diseases. At least 27 species were traded in three markets studied (i.e. Imphal, Thoubal and Bishenpur), involving an annual turnover of 113 tons of wetland edible plants and a gross revenue of Rs. 907, 770/- (US$1 = Rs. 45/-). The Imphal market alone supplies 60% of the total business. Eighty per cent of the above mentioned species are very often used by the community. The community has a general opinion that the availability of 45% species has depleted in recent times, 15 species need consideration for conservation while another 7 species deserved immediate protection measures. The nutrient analysis showed that these species contribute to the dietary balance of tribal communities. Conclusions Considering the importance of wild wetland plants in local sustenance, it is suggested to protect their habitats, develop domestication protocols of selected species, and build programs for the long-term management of wetland areas by involving local people. Some medicinal plants may also be used to develop into modern medicines. PMID:21970571

  16. Pipeline corridors through wetlands - impacts on plant communities: Bayou Grand Cane, De Soto Parish, Louisiana. Topical report, August 1991--July 1993

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shem, L.M.; Zimmerman, R.E.; Hayes, D.

    The goal of the Gas Research Institute Wetland Corridors Program is to document impacts of existing pipeline on the wetlands they traverse. To accomplish this goal, 12 existing wetland crossings were surveyed. These sites varied in elapsed time since pipeline construction, wetland type, pipeline installation techniques, and night of-way (ROW) management practices. This report presents the results of a survey conducted over the period of August 12-13, 1991, at the Bayou Grand Cane crossing in De Soto Parish, Louisiana, where a pipeline constructed three years prior to the survey crosses the bayou through mature bottomland hardwoods. The sit was notmore » seeded or fertilized after construction activities. At the time of sampling, a dense herb stratum (composed of mostly native species) covered the 20-m-wide ROW, except within drainage channels. As a result of the creation of the ROW, new habitat was created, plant diversity increased, and forest habitat became fragmented. The ROW must be maintained at an early stage of succession to allow access to the pipeline however, impacts to the wetland were minimized by decreasing the width of the ROW to 20 m and recreating the drainage channels across the ROW. The canopy trees on the ROW`s edge shaded part of the ROW, which helped to minimize the effects of the ROW.« less

  17. Pipeline corridors through wetlands - impacts on plant communities: Bayou Pointe Aux Chenes, Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. Topical report, August 1991--April 1994

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Van Dyke, G.D.; Shem, L.M.; Zimmerman, R.E.

    1994-12-01

    The goal of the Gas Research Institute Wetland Corridors Program is to document impacts of existing pipelines on the wetlands they traverse. To accomplish this goal, 12 existing wetland crossings were surveyed. These sites varied in elapsed time since pipeline construction, wetland type, pipeline installation techniques, and night- of-way management practices. This report presents the results of a survey conducted on August 22, 1991, in an emergent intertidal estuarine wetland in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. The site includes three pipelines installed between 1958 and 1969. Vegetation within the site comprises three native tidal marsh grasses: Spartina alterniflora, Spartina patens, and Distichlismore » spicata. All three species occurred over the pipelines, within the right-of-way and in both natural areas. Vegetative differences attributable to the installation or presence of the pipelines were not obvious over the pipelines or in the habitat east of the pipelines. However, because of the presence of a canal west of the 1969 pipeline, vegetation was less abundant in that area, and D. spicata was absent from all but the most distant plots of the transacts. Data obtained in the study indicate that when rights-of-way through brackish marsh are restored to their original elevations, they are revegetated with native vegetation similar to that in surrounding areas.« less

  18. 7 CFR 1467.4 - Program requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... that promote the restoration, protection, enhancement, maintenance, and management of wetland functions... successful restoration of wetland functions and values when considering the cost of acquiring the easement...) The likelihood of the successful restoration of such land and the resultant wetland values merit...

  19. 7 CFR 623.9 - Easement priority.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... restored, (e) Wetland function or values, (f) Likelihood of successful restoration of wetland values, (g... AGRICULTURE WATER RESOURCES EMERGENCY WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 623.9 Easement priority. The State... government expenditure on restoration and easement purchase. The factors for determining the priority for...

  20. REFINE WETLAND REGULATORY PROGRAM

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Tribes will work toward refining a regulatory program by taking a draft wetland conservation code with permitting incorporated to TEB for review. Progress will then proceed in developing a permit tracking system that will track both Tribal and fee land sites within reservati...

  1. AnnAGNPS Model Application for Nitrogen Loading Assessment for the Future Midwest Landscape Study

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Future Midwest Landscape (FML) project is part of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s new Ecosystem Services Research Program, undertaken to examine the variety of ways in which landscapes that include crop lands, conservation areas, wetlands, lakes, and streams af...

  2. MONITORING OF A BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE POND IN THE STATEN ISLAND BLUEBELL

    EPA Science Inventory

    The USEPA's Urban Stormwater Management Branch has monitored stormwater drainage and best management practices (BMP) as part of its research program. One BMP being monitored, a wetland/retention pond, is in the Richmond Creek (RC) watershed in the New York City Department of Envi...

  3. AmeriFlux US-ORv Olentangy River Wetland Research Park

    DOE Data Explorer

    Bohrer, Gil [The Ohio State University

    2016-01-01

    This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-ORv Olentangy River Wetland Research Park. Site Description - The ORWRP site is a 21-ha large-scale, long-term wetland campus facility that is owned by Ohio State University. It is designed to provide teaching, research, and service related to wetland and river science and ecological engineering. The site has been developed in several phases: Phase 1 (1992 - 1994) - Construction of two 2.5-acre deepwater marshes and a river water delivery system began, with pumps installed on the floodplain to bring water from the Olentangy River. In May 1994, one wetland was planted with marsh vegetation, while the other remained as an unplanted control; Phase 2 (1994 - 1999) - Development of a research and teaching infrastructure took place with the construction of boardwalks, a pavilion, and a compound. The creation of the 7-acre naturally flooded oxbow was also included; Phase 3 (2000 - 2003) - As a research building was created, three additional wetlands were created in the vicinity of the building, including a stormwater wetland that receives runoff from the roof of the building; Phase 4 - The current phase involves research access to the Olentangy River.

  4. Land use effects on pesticides in sediments of prairie pothole wetlands in North and South Dakota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McMurry, Scott T.; Belden, Jason B.; Smith, Loren M.; Morrison, Shane A.; Daniel, Dale W.; Euliss, Betty R.; Euliss, Ned H. Jr.; Kensinger, Bart J.; Tangen, Brian

    2016-01-01

    Prairie potholes are the dominant wetland type in the intensively cultivated northern Great Plains of North America, and thus have the potential to receive pesticide runoff and drift. We examined the presence of pesticides in sediments of 151 wetlands split among the three dominant land use types, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), cropland, and native prairie, in North and South Dakota in 2011. Herbicides (glyphosate and atrazine) and fungicides were detected regularly, with no insecticide detections. Glyphosate was the most detected pesticide, occurring in 61% of all wetlands, with atrazine in only 8% of wetlands. Pyraclostrobin was one of five fungicides detected, but the only one of significance, being detected in 31% of wetlands. Glyphosate was the only pesticide that differed by land use, with concentrations in cropland over four-times that in either native prairie or CRP, which were equal in concentration and frequency of detection. Despite examining several landscape variables, such as wetland proximity to specific crop types, watershed size, and others, land use was the best variable explaining pesticide concentrations in potholes. CRP ameliorated glyphosate in wetlands at concentrations comparable to native prairie and thereby provides another ecosystem service from this expansive program.

  5. Influence of conservation programs on amphibians using seasonal wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Balas, Caleb J.; Euliss, Ned H.; Mushnet, David M.

    2012-01-01

    Extensive modification of upland habitats surrounding wetlands to facilitate agricultural production has negatively impacted amphibian communities in the Prairie Pothole Region of North America. In attempts to mitigate ecosystem damage associated with extensive landscape alteration, vast tracks of upland croplands have been returned to perennial vegetative cover (i.e., conservation grasslands) under a variety of U.S. Department of Agriculture programs. We evaluated the influence of these conservation grasslands on amphibian occupancy of seasonal wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region. Using automated call surveys, aquatic funnel traps, and visual encounter surveys, we detected eight amphibian species using wetlands within three land-use categories (farmed, conservation grasslands, and native prairie grasslands) during the summers of 2005 and 2006. Seasonal wetlands within farmlands were used less frequently by amphibians than those within conservation and native prairie grasslands, and wetlands within conservation grasslands were used less frequently than those within native prairie grasslands by all species and life-stages we successfully modeled. Our results suggest that, while not occupied as frequently as wetlands within native prairie, wetlands within conservation grasslands provide important habitat for maintaining amphibian biodiversity in the Prairie Pothole Region

  6. [Wetland landscape pattern change based on GIS and RS: a review].

    PubMed

    Kong, Fan-Ting; Xi, Min; Li, Yue; Kong, Fan-Long; Chen, Wan

    2013-04-01

    Wetland is an ecological landscape with most biodiversity in nature, which has unique ecological structure and function, and contains abundant natural resources to provide material guarantee for human's living and development. Wetland landscape pattern is the comprehensive result of various ecological processes, and has become a hot issue in wetland ecological study. At present, the combination of geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) technologies is an important way to study the wetland landscape pattern change. This paper reviewed the research progress in the wetland landscape change based on GIS and RS from the aspects of the research methods of wetland landscape pattern, index of wetland landscape pattern, and driving forces of wetland landscape pattern evolution, and discussed the applications of the combination of GIS and RS in monitoring the wetland landscape pattern change, the index selection of wetland landscape pattern, and the driving mechanisms of the combined action of human and nature. Some deficiencies in the current studies were put forward, and the directions of the future-studies were prospected.

  7. Wetlands Research Program Bulletin. Volume 5. Number 1

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gilbert, M.C.; Stutheit, R.G.; Davis, M.

    1995-03-01

    The city of Lincoln, Neb., was founded in the mid-18OOs along Salt Creek. During the last century, the saline marshes suffered extensive degradation through commercial and residential development, road construction, and agriculture. Today, Nebraska`s eastern saline wetlands are considered to be among the most restricted and imperiled ecosystems. Eastern Nebraska saline wetlands are regionally unique, located in floodplain swales and depressions within the Salt Creek and Rock Creek watersheds in Lancaster and southern Saunders counties. Water sources are a combination of discharge from the Dakota sandstone formation aquifer, precipitation, and overbank flooding. Salts are concentrated in the soil during drymore » periods. Vegetation in these wetlands is characterized by halophytes including spearscale (Atriplex subspicata), inland saltgrass (Distichlis spicata var. stricta), saltwort (Sa1icornia rubra), prairie bulrush (Scirpus mantimus var. paludosus), sea blite (Suaeda depressa), and narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia). Four plant species considered rare in Nebraska are saltmarsh aster (Aster subulatus var. ligulatus), seaside heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicurn), saltwort, and Texas dropseed (Sporobolus texanus) can be found in the marshes along Salt Creek.« less

  8. Vulnerability and impacts of climate change on forest and freshwater wetland ecosystems in Nepal: A review.

    PubMed

    Lamsal, Pramod; Kumar, Lalit; Atreya, Kishor; Pant, Krishna Prasad

    2017-12-01

    Climate change (CC) threatens ecosystems in both developed and developing countries. As the impacts of CC are pervasive, global, and mostly irreversible, it is gaining worldwide attention. Here we review vulnerability and impacts of CC on forest and freshwater wetland ecosystems. We particularly look at investigations undertaken at different geographic regions in order to identify existing knowledge gaps and possible implications from such vulnerability in the context of Nepal along with available adaptation programs and national-level policy supports. Different categories of impacts which are attributed to disrupting structure, function, and habitat of both forest and wetland ecosystems are identified and discussed. We show that though still unaccounted, many facets of forest and freshwater wetland ecosystems of Nepal are vulnerable and likely to be impacted by CC in the near future. Provisioning ecosystem services and landscape-level ecosystem conservation are anticipated to be highly threatened with future CC. Finally, the need for prioritizing CC research in Nepal is highlighted to close the existing knowledge gap along with the implementation of adaptation measures based on existing location specific traditional socio-ecological system.

  9. Surveys for Biological Control Agents of Hydrilla verticillata in the People’s Republic of China in 2013

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-03-01

    Hydrilla was rare at this site and only male plants were collected at 0.5-1 m from shore and a depth of 0.5-1m. The lake/wetlands were explored by boat...ER D C/ EL T R- 17 -3 Aquatic Plant Control Research Program Surveys for Biological Control Agents of Hydrilla verticillata in the...acwc.sdp.sirsi.net/client/default. Aquatic Plant Control Research Program ERDC/EL TR-17-3 March 2017 Surveys for Biological Control Agents of

  10. Assessing the Impacts of Land-Use Change and Ecological Restoration on CH4 and CO2 Fluxes in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California: Findings from a Regional Network of Eddy Covariance Towers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Knox, S. H.; Sturtevant, C. S.; Oikawa, P. Y.; Matthes, J. H.; Koteen, L. E.; Anderson, F. E.; Verfaillie, J. G.; Baldocchi, D. D.

    2014-12-01

    The new generation of open-path, low power, laser spectrometers has allowed us to measure methane (CH4) fluxes continuously in remote regions and answer new and exciting questions on the spatial and temporal variability of greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes using networks of eddy covariance (EC) towers. Our research is focused in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta where we have installed a regional network of flux towers to assess the impacts of land-use change and ecological restoration on CH4 and CO2 fluxes. The Delta was drained for agriculture over a century ago and has since has experienced high rates of subsidence. It is recognized that agriculture on drained peat soils in the Delta is unsustainable in the long-term, and to help reverse subsidence and capture carbon (C) there is an interest in restoring drained land-use types to flooded conditions. However, flooding increases CH4 emissions. We conducted multiple years of simultaneous EC measurements at drained agricultural peatlands (a pasture, a corn field and an alfalfa field) and flooded land-use types (a rice paddy and 3 restored wetlands) to assess the impact of drained to flooded land-use change on CO2 and CH4 fluxes. Since these sites are all within 20 km of each other, they share the same basic meteorology, enabling a direct comparison of differences in the C and GHG budgets between sites. Using a multi-tower approach we found that converting drained agricultural peatlands to flooded land-use types can help reverse soil subsidence and reduce GHG emissions from the Delta. Furthermore, there is a growing interest in wetland restoration in California to generate C credits for both the voluntary C market and the state's cap-and-trade program. However, information on GHG fluxes from restored wetlands is lacking. Using multi-year measurements of GHG fluxes from restored wetlands of varying ages, our research also aims to understand how CO2 and CH4 fluxes from restored wetlands vary during ecosystem development, determine the daily and seasonal forcings controlling these fluxes, and assess management strategies that can help minimize CH4 fluxes and maximize C uptake in restored wetlands. Our multi-year multi-site research program is beginning to answer these questions and bridge understanding between biometeorology, biogeochemistry and climate policy.

  11. 50 CFR 84.32 - What are the ranking criteria?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... improvements to the quality of the coastal wetland and associated waters through protection from contaminants... project proposal designed to leverage other ongoing coastal wetlands protection projects in the area, such... (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE AND SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS...

  12. 50 CFR 84.32 - What are the ranking criteria?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... improvements to the quality of the coastal wetland and associated waters through protection from contaminants... project proposal designed to leverage other ongoing coastal wetlands protection projects in the area, such... (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE AND SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS...

  13. 50 CFR 84.32 - What are the ranking criteria?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... improvements to the quality of the coastal wetland and associated waters through protection from contaminants... project proposal designed to leverage other ongoing coastal wetlands protection projects in the area, such... (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS...

  14. 50 CFR 84.32 - What are the ranking criteria?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... improvements to the quality of the coastal wetland and associated waters through protection from contaminants... project proposal designed to leverage other ongoing coastal wetlands protection projects in the area, such... (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS...

  15. 50 CFR 84.32 - What are the ranking criteria?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... improvements to the quality of the coastal wetland and associated waters through protection from contaminants... project proposal designed to leverage other ongoing coastal wetlands protection projects in the area, such... (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS...

  16. A Review of Indicators of Estuarine Tidal Wetland Condition

    EPA Science Inventory

    This review critically evaluates indicators of tidal wetland condition based on 36 indicator development studies and indicators developed as part of U.S. state tidal wetland monitoring programs. Individual metrics were evaluated based on relative scores on two sets of evaluation ...

  17. 75 FR 9380 - Cooperative Conservation Partners Initiative; Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-02

    ... Corporation Cooperative Conservation Partners Initiative; Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program AGENCY...: Notice of request for proposals through the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative... (FY) 2010 for up to $50 million in the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) and $25...

  18. 50 CFR 84.20 - What are the grant eligibility requirements?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... restoration, enhancement, or management of coastal wetlands ecosystems, providing restoration, enhancement, or... THE INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Applying for Grants § 84.20 What are the grant eligibility requirements...

  19. CARBON DYNAMICS OF THE CONSERVATION AND WETLAND RESERVE PROGRAMS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Data from the Conservation (CRP) and Wetland (WRP) Reserve Programs were analyzed to quantify the carbon (C) dynamics of associated cropland converted to grassland or forestland. Land-area enrollments were multiplied by grassland- and forestland-C densities to calculate C pools a...

  20. China's coastal wetlands: conservation history, implementation efforts, existing issues and strategies for future improvement.

    PubMed

    Sun, Zhigao; Sun, Wenguang; Tong, Chuan; Zeng, Congsheng; Yu, Xiang; Mou, Xiaojie

    2015-06-01

    China has approximately 5.80×10(6)ha coastal wetlands by 2014, accounting for 10.82% of the total area of natural wetlands. Healthy coastal wetland ecosystems play an important role in guaranteeing the territory ecological security and the sustainable development of coastal zone in China. In this paper, the natural geography and the past and present status of China's coastal wetlands were introduced and the five stages (1950s-1970s, 1980s-1991, 1992-2002, 2003-2010 and 2011-present) of China's coastal wetlands conservation from the foundation of the People's Republic in 1949 to present were distinguished and reviewed. Over the past decades, China has made great efforts in coastal wetland conservation, as signified by the implementation of coastal wetland restoration projects, the construction of coastal wetland nature reserves, the practice of routine ecological monitoring and two national wetland surveys, the promulgation of local wetland conservation statutes and specific regulations, the coordination mechanism to enhance management capacity, the wide development of coastal wetland research and public participation, and the extensive communication to strengthen international cooperation. Nonetheless, six major issues recently emerged in China's coastal wetland conservation are evidently existed, including the increasing threats of pollution and human activities, the increasing adverse effects of threaten factors on ecosystem function, the increasing threats of coastal erosion and sea-level rising, the insufficient funding for coastal wetlands conservation, the imperfect legal and management system for coastal wetlands, and the insufficient education, research and international cooperation. Although the threats and pressures on coastal wetlands conservation are still apparent, the future of China's coastal wetlands looks promising since the Chinese government understands that the sustainable development in coastal zone requires new attitudes, sound policies and concerted efforts at all levels. The major strategies for future improvement of China's coastal wetland conservation include: exploring effective measures in response to major threaten factors; improving the conservation and compensation system for coastal wetlands; strengthening coastal wetland legislation and management; increasing funds for coastal wetland conservation and research; and strengthening coastal wetland education and international cooperation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Freshwater Wetland Habitat Loss and Fragmentation: Implications for Aquatic Biodiversity Conservation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wolaver, B. D.; Pierre, J. P.; Labay, B. J.; Ryberg, W. A.; Hibbits, T. J.; Prestridge, H. L.

    2015-12-01

    Anthropogenic land use changes have caused widespread wetland loss and fragmentation. This trend has important implications for aquatic biota conservation, including the semi-aquatic Western Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia miaria). This species inhabits seasonally inundated, ephemeral water bodies and adjacent uplands in the southeastern U.S. However, wetland conversion to agriculture and urbanization is thought to cause the species' decline, particularly in Texas, which includes the westernmost part of its range. Because the species moves only a few kilometers between wetlands, it particularly sensitive to habitat loss and fragmentation. Thus, as part of the only state-funded species research program, this study provides the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) with scientific data to determine if the species warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We use a species distribution model to map potentially suitable habitat for most of East Texas. We evaluate landscape-scale anthropogenic activities in this region which may be contributing to the species' decline. We identify areas of urbanization, agricultural expansion, forestry, and resulting wetland loss. We find that between 2001 and 2011 approximately 80 km2 of wetlands were lost in potentially suitable habitat, including the urbanizing Houston area. We use spatial geostatistics to quantify wetland habitat fragmentation. We also introduce the Habitat Alteration Index (HAI), which calculates total landscape alteration and mean probability of occurrence to identify high-quality habitat most at risk of recent anthropogenic alteration. Population surveys by biologists are targeting these areas and future management actions may focus on mitigating anthropogenic activities there. While this study focuses on D. r. miaria, this approach can evaluate wetland habitat of other aquatic organisms.

  2. 40 CFR 35.382 - Competitive process.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants State Wetlands Development Grants (section 104(b)(3)) § 35.382 Competitive process. State Wetlands Development Grants are awarded on a competitive... the award as a State Wetlands Development Grant or add the funds to a Performance Partnership Grant...

  3. 40 CFR 35.382 - Competitive process.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants State Wetlands Development Grants (section 104(b)(3)) § 35.382 Competitive process. State Wetlands Development Grants are awarded on a competitive... the award as a State Wetlands Development Grant or add the funds to a Performance Partnership Grant...

  4. 40 CFR 35.382 - Competitive process.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants State Wetlands Development Grants (section 104(b)(3)) § 35.382 Competitive process. State Wetlands Development Grants are awarded on a competitive... the award as a State Wetlands Development Grant or add the funds to a Performance Partnership Grant...

  5. INCORPORATING WETLANDS IN WATER QUALITY TRADING: ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS (Journal Article)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Incorporating the use of wetlands as a technology to enhance water quality trading programs requires consideration of ecological, legal, and economic issues. We explore the case of encouraging the use of wetlands with a focus on the economic considerations. Interestingly, it is...

  6. 50 CFR 84.10 - What is the purpose and scope of this rule?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE AND SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL...? The regulations in this part establish the requirements for coastal State participation in the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program authorized by Section 305 of the Coastal Wetlands...

  7. 50 CFR 84.10 - What is the purpose and scope of this rule?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE AND SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL...? The regulations in this part establish the requirements for coastal State participation in the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program authorized by Section 305 of the Coastal Wetlands...

  8. 50 CFR 84.30 - How are projects selected for grants?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS...) that help achieve the management goals and objectives of the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation... National Office of the Fish and Wildlife Management and Habitat Restoration Program for distribution to a...

  9. Prepared by: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water Regulations and Standards Office of Wetlands Protection June 1990

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Information and guidance on the coordination of State and Federal Non-Point Source (CWA, Section 319) control and wetland programs (CWA, Section 404)and the implementation of activities that can benefit both programs

  10. 50 CFR 84.30 - How are projects selected for grants?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS...) that help achieve the management goals and objectives of the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation... National Office of the Fish and Wildlife Management and Habitat Restoration Program for distribution to a...

  11. 44 CFR 9.15 - Planning programs affecting land use.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Planning programs affecting..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY GENERAL FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION OF WETLANDS § 9.15 Planning... flood hazards and floodplain management and wetlands protection; and (b) Prescribes planning procedures...

  12. Results of a modeling workshop concerning preservation and protection of wetlands in North Dakota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Andrews, Austin K.; Auble, Gregor T.; Ellison, Richard A.; Hamilton, David B.; Roelle, James E.

    1981-01-01

    In a recently signed letter, the Governor of North Dakota and the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks charged a joint state-federal study group with examination of two separate questions: 1) mitigation for the Garrison Diversion Project; and 2) planning for long-range protection and preservation of fish and wildlife habitat in North Dakota. The cochair for this study group (the Secretary of the Interior's Field Representative, Denver, Colorado, and the Natural Resources Coordinator for North Dakota) further articulated the charge concerning the second of these two questions to include three steps: 1) development of a general plan for preservation and protection of migratory waterfowl and their associated wetland habitat; 2) a comprehensive analysis of alternative strategies, including opportunities and constraints, for achieving the goals articulated in Step 1; and 3) design of a coordinated state-federal public information program to assist in plan implementation. In order to obtain input from a variety of interests, the joint study group initiated step 2 activities with a five-day workshop in Bismarck, N. D.; December 8-12, 1980. The objectives of the workshop were: 1) to identify alternative strategies for preserving and enhancing waterfowl production habitat in North Dakota; 2) to identify opportunities and constraints associated with those alternatives; and 3) to promote communication and understanding of the implications of those alternatives for all affected parties. To achieve these objectives, the workshop utilized a group of concepts and techniques collectively known as Adaptive Environmental Assessment (AEA). Developed by Dr. C. S. Holling and his co-workers at the University of British Columbia, the AEA process involves planners, managers, scientists, and other interested parties in a structures atmosphere whose focus is the construction and examination of a computerized simulation model of the resource system under consideration. The modeling process is used to promote communication, identify pertinent issues, identify key data gaps and uncertainties, direct research efforts to fill those gaps, and explore the possible consequences of various management alternatives. The workshop, which was facilitated by the AEA Group of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), was attended by approximately 25 invited participants representing a variety of interests concerned with the wetlands protection issue in North Dakota. During the week workshop participants conceptualized and constructed a computerized simulation model incorporating many of the hydrologic, agricultural, and wildlife aspects of the wetlands issue. During the process of constructing this model and examining its behavior, participants identified several interesting alternative strategies that may prove useful in an overall wetland protection program, along with a variety of constraints associated with each. Perhaps the most interesting of these alternatives revolve around the idea that there may be a variety of cases in which water can be retained on the land, with concommitant benefits both for wildlife and flood control, without detriment to agricultural productivity. Examples of this kind of activity include flooding of previously drained Type I wetlands in summer fallow areas, installation of smaller drains in Type I and III wetlands to reduce the rate at which water runs off in the spring, and use of strategically located gates in drainage channels associated with the state highway system to slow runoff and create wetland habitat. Several other alternatives discussed at the workshop are related to the notion of using available, uncommitted water supplied to enhance or create wetlands. Several cases were cited in which more certain water supplies would be useful in increasing waterfowl production or reducing disease problems, especially in dry years. Water for such purposes might come from a variety of current of proposed water development projects, both large and small scale. Finally, the potential for re-establishment of "unsuccessfully" drained (i.e., not consistently usable for agricultural purposes) wetlands was discussed at some length. There are apparently substantial acreages of such wetlands in North Dakota and a program to acquire and rehabilitate them might be of considerable utility. The workshop was thus successful in accomplishing its first two objectives--identification of alternative strategies, opportunities, and constraints. However, it would be naive to suppose that any of the alternatives discussed offers a complete, simple solution to the wetlands issue in North Dakota. The most important result of the workshop may therefore be that which was accomplished relative to the third objective--promotion of communication and understanding. It was gratifying and encouraging to see the spirit of communication and cooperation that developed by the end of the workshop. The fact that representatives of many of the interests concerned with the wetlands issue participated in an open exchange of ideas and information marks an important step forward. We believe that it is imperative that this cooperative attitude be maintained, and that there are a variety of ways in which this might be accomplished. Perhaps the simplest would be a small-scale pilot project and research effort to determine the effects of wetland maintenance on summer fallow areas. Such a research program would provide not only useful information, but an opportunity for many of the affected interests to begin working toward mutually acceptable solutions to the overall wetlands issue.

  13. Monitoring and Assessment of Tree Establishment in the Wetland Reserve Program in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Plain

    Treesearch

    Callie Jo Schweitzer

    2004-01-01

    Reforestation of marginally productive agricultural fields has been aided by cost-share programs, including the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. Mississippi was chosen as a pilot State charged with implementing WRP in 1992. Reforestation efforts were emphasized under WRP. The...

  14. Land use effects on pesticides in sediments of prairie pothole wetlands in North and South Dakota.

    PubMed

    McMurry, Scott T; Belden, Jason B; Smith, Loren M; Morrison, Shane A; Daniel, Dale W; Euliss, Betty R; Euliss, Ned H; Kensinger, Bart J; Tangen, Brian A

    2016-09-15

    Prairie potholes are the dominant wetland type in the intensively cultivated northern Great Plains of North America, and thus have the potential to receive pesticide runoff and drift. We examined the presence of pesticides in sediments of 151 wetlands split among the three dominant land use types, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), cropland, and native prairie, in North and South Dakota in 2011. Herbicides (glyphosate and atrazine) and fungicides were detected regularly, with no insecticide detections. Glyphosate was the most detected pesticide, occurring in 61% of all wetlands, with atrazine in only 8% of wetlands. Pyraclostrobin was one of five fungicides detected, but the only one of significance, being detected in 31% of wetlands. Glyphosate was the only pesticide that differed by land use, with concentrations in cropland over four-times that in either native prairie or CRP, which were equal in concentration and frequency of detection. Despite examining several landscape variables, such as wetland proximity to specific crop types, watershed size, and others, land use was the best variable explaining pesticide concentrations in potholes. CRP ameliorated glyphosate in wetlands at concentrations comparable to native prairie and thereby provides another ecosystem service from this expansive program. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. 77 FR 665 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Listing Two Distinct Population Segments of Broad...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-05

    ... about this species from members of the IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group. This literature provided... (IUCN) Crocodile Specialist Group (CSG), and researchers in South America, particularly in Argentina... wetlands on which caimans depend (Larriera et al. 2008a, pp. 143-145). As of 2008, four ranching programs...

  16. Multi-Variable and Multi-Site Calibration and Validation of SWAT for Water Quality in the Kaskaskia River Watershed

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Future Midwest Landscape (FML) project is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new Ecosystem Services Research Program, undertaken to examine the variety of ways in which landscapes that include crop lands, conservation areas, wetlands, lakes and streams affect ...

  17. IBIS FOR FISH AND MACROINVERTEBRATES DEVELOPED FOR GREAT LAKES COASTAL WETLANDS: AN EPA REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (REMAP) PROJECT

    EPA Science Inventory

    The research from this REMAP project produced results that demonstrate various stages of an assessment strategy and produced tools including an inventory classification, field methods and multimetric biotic indices that are now available for use by environmental resource managers...

  18. 50 CFR 84.11 - How does the Service define the terms used in this rule?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... wetlands conservation program authorized by the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act... Environmental Protection Agency, and the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce.) Coastal... Act. The Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 3951-3956...

  19. 50 CFR 84.11 - How does the Service define the terms used in this rule?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... wetlands conservation program authorized by the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act... Environmental Protection Agency, and the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce.) Coastal... Act. The Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 3951-3956...

  20. 50 CFR 84.11 - How does the Service define the terms used in this rule?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... wetlands conservation program authorized by the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act... Environmental Protection Agency, and the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce.) Coastal... Act. The Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 3951-3956...

  1. 50 CFR 84.11 - How does the Service define the terms used in this rule?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... wetlands conservation program authorized by the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act... Environmental Protection Agency, and the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce.) Coastal... Act. The Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 3951-3956...

  2. 50 CFR 84.11 - How does the Service define the terms used in this rule?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... wetlands conservation program authorized by the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act... Environmental Protection Agency, and the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce.) Coastal... Act. The Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 3951-3956...

  3. 7 CFR 1410.10 - Restoration of wetlands.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Restoration of wetlands. 1410.10 Section 1410.10... OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM § 1410.10 Restoration of wetlands. (a) An owner or operator who entered into a CRP contract on land that is suitable for...

  4. 75 FR 57978 - Notice of Intent; Request for Comments on Adoption of the National Park Service's Wetland and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-23

    ... under the National Coastal Wetland Conservation Grant Program for habitat restoration activities. The... Creek Restoration Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report, Big Lagoon, Muir... impact report (EIS/EIR) for the Wetland and Creek Restoration at Big Lagoon, Muir Beach, California...

  5. Selecting the optimum plot size for a California design-based stream and wetland mapping program.

    PubMed

    Lackey, Leila G; Stein, Eric D

    2014-04-01

    Accurate estimates of the extent and distribution of wetlands and streams are the foundation of wetland monitoring, management, restoration, and regulatory programs. Traditionally, these estimates have relied on comprehensive mapping. However, this approach is prohibitively resource-intensive over large areas, making it both impractical and statistically unreliable. Probabilistic (design-based) approaches to evaluating status and trends provide a more cost-effective alternative because, compared with comprehensive mapping, overall extent is inferred from mapping a statistically representative, randomly selected subset of the target area. In this type of design, the size of sample plots has a significant impact on program costs and on statistical precision and accuracy; however, no consensus exists on the appropriate plot size for remote monitoring of stream and wetland extent. This study utilized simulated sampling to assess the performance of four plot sizes (1, 4, 9, and 16 km(2)) for three geographic regions of California. Simulation results showed smaller plot sizes (1 and 4 km(2)) were most efficient for achieving desired levels of statistical accuracy and precision. However, larger plot sizes were more likely to contain rare and spatially limited wetland subtypes. Balancing these considerations led to selection of 4 km(2) for the California status and trends program.

  6. Geospatial Education: Working with the NASA Airborne Science Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lockwood, C. M.; Handley, L.; Handley, N.

    2010-12-01

    WETMAAP (Wetland Education Through Maps and Aerial Photography) , a program of CNL World, supports the NASA Strategic Goals and Objectives for Education by providing classroom teachers and formal and informal educators with professional development. WETMAAP promotes science by inquiry through the use of a building-block process, comparative analysis, and analytical observations. Through the WETMAAP workshops and website, educators receive the concepts necessary to provide students with a basic understanding of maps, aerial photography, and satellite and airborne imagery that focus on the study of wetlands and wetland change. The program targets educators, Grades 5 - 12, in earth science, environmental science, biology, geography, and mathematics, and emphasizes a comprehensive curriculum approach.

  7. Interagency Coastal Wetlands Workgroup: Statement of purpose and goals

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ,

    2017-01-01

    Purpose The Interagency Coastal Wetlands Workgroup (ICWWG) helps to address coastal wetland loss by bringing together seven federal agencies with programs and authorities that support protection and management of coastal wetlands. Background Wetlands in coastal watersheds of the U.S. were lost at an average rate of 80,000 acres per year between 2004 and 2009. This is an increase from 59,000 acres per year between 1998 and 2004 as documented by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in their reports on the Status and Trends of Wetlands in the Coastal Watersheds. The ICWWG was formed in 2009 in response to these loss trends. Coastal wetlands include saltwater and freshwater wetlands located within coastal watersheds — specifically USGS 8-digit watersheds which drain into the Atlantic, Pacific, or Gulf of Mexico.

  8. Long-Term Effects of Dredging Operations Program. Collation and Interpretation of Data for Times Beach Confined Disposal Facility, Buffalo, New York

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-06-01

    commercial products . The D-series of reports includes publications of the Environmental Effects of Dredging Programs: Dredging Operations Technical Support...insufficient data are available, areas for future productive research are recommended. The major amount of information available is for the upland area, where...Conse- quently, the upland, wetland, and aquatic areas that appear either as an end product or transiently at all CDFs are permanently established

  9. Mapping invasive wetland plants in the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve using quickbird satellite imagery

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Laba, M.; Downs, R.; Smith, S.; Welsh, S.; Neider, C.; White, S.; Richmond, M.; Philpot, W.; Baveye, P.

    2008-01-01

    The National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) program is a nationally coordinated research and monitoring program that identifies and tracks changes in ecological resources of representative estuarine ecosystems and coastal watersheds. In recent years, attention has focused on using high spatial and spectral resolution satellite imagery to map and monitor wetland plant communities in the NERRs, particularly invasive plant species. The utility of this technology for that purpose has yet to be assessed in detail. To that end, a specific high spatial resolution satellite imagery, QuickBird, was used to map plant communities and monitor invasive plants within the Hudson River NERR (HRNERR). The HRNERR contains four diverse tidal wetlands (Stockport Flats, Tivoli Bays, Iona Island, and Piermont), each with unique water chemistry (i.e., brackish, oligotrophic and fresh) and, consequently, unique assemblages of plant communities, including three invasive plants (Trapa natans, Phragmites australis, and Lythrum salicaria). A maximum-likelihood classification was used to produce 20-class land cover maps for each of the four marshes within the HRNERR. Conventional contingency tables and a fuzzy set analysis served as a basis for an accuracy assessment of these maps. The overall accuracies, as assessed by the contingency tables, were 73.6%, 68.4%, 67.9%, and 64.9% for Tivoli Bays, Stockport Flats, Piermont, and Iona Island, respectively. Fuzzy assessment tables lead to higher estimates of map accuracies of 83%, 75%, 76%, and 76%, respectively. In general, the open water/tidal channel class was the most accurately mapped class and Scirpus sp. was the least accurately mapped. These encouraging accuracies suggest that high-resolution satellite imagery offers significant potential for the mapping of invasive plant species in estuarine environments. ?? 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Management of wetlands for wildlife

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Matthew J. Gray,; Heath M. Hagy,; J. Andrew Nyman,; Stafford, Joshua D.

    2013-01-01

    Wetlands are highly productive ecosystems that provide habitat for a diversity of wildlife species and afford various ecosystem services. Managing wetlands effectively requires an understanding of basic ecosystem processes, animal and plant life history strategies, and principles of wildlife management. Management techniques that are used differ depending on target species, coastal versus interior wetlands, and available infrastructure, resources, and management objectives. Ideally, wetlands are managed as a complex, with many successional stages and hydroperiods represented in close proximity. Managing wetland wildlife typically involves manipulating water levels and vegetation in the wetland, and providing an upland buffer. Commonly, levees and water control structures are used to manipulate wetland hydrology in combination with other management techniques (e.g., disking, burning, herbicide application) to create desired plant and wildlife responses. In the United States, several conservation programs are available to assist landowners in developing wetland management infrastructure on their property. Managing wetlands to increase habitat quality for wildlife is critical, considering this ecosystem is one of the most imperiled in the world.

  11. An Overview of Hydrologic Studies at Center for Forested Wetlands Research, USDA Forest Service

    Treesearch

    Devendra M. Amatya; Carl C. Trettin; R. Wayne Skaggs; Timothy J. Callahan; Ge Sun; Masato Miwa; John E. Parsons

    2004-01-01

    Managing forested wetland landscapes for water quality improvement and productivity requires a detailed understanding of functional linkages between ecohydrological processes and management practices. Studies are being conducted at Center for Forested Wetlands Research (CFWR), USDA Forest Service to understand the fundamental hydrologic and biogeochemical processes...

  12. Fiscal year 1988 program report: Pennsylvania Center for Water Resources Research

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McDonnell, A.J.

    1989-08-01

    Three projects and a program of technology transfer were conducted under the Pennsylvania Fiscal Year 1988 State Water Resources Research Grants Program (PL 98-242, Sect. 104). In a completed study focused on the protection of water supplies, mature slow sand filters were found to remove 100 percent of Cryptosporidium and Giardia cysts. A site specific study examined the behavior of sedimentary iron and manganese in an acid mine drainage wetland system. A study was initiated to link a comprehensive non-point source model, AGNPS with current GIS technology to enhance the models' utility for evaluating regional water quality problems related tomore » non-point source agricultural pollution.« less

  13. Applying the SWAT hydrologic model on a watershed containing forested karst.

    Treesearch

    Devendra M. Amatya; Amy E. Edwards

    2009-01-01

    The US Forest Service Center for Forested Wetlands Research is working on a South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC)'s Section 319 Grant Program funded Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) project for the watershed of Chapel Branch Creek (CBC) draining to Lake Marion in Santee, South Carolina (Fig. 1)....

  14. Pipeline corridors through wetlands - impacts on plant communities: Deep Creek and Brandy Branch crossings, Nassau County, Florida

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shem, L.M.; Van Dyke, G.D.; Zimmerman, R.E.

    The goal of the Gas Research Institute Wetland Corridors Program is to document impacts of existing pipelines on the wetlands they traverse. To accomplish this goal, 12 existing wetland crossings were surveyed. These sites varied in elapsed time since pipeline construction, wetland type, pipeline installation techniques, and right-of-way (ROW) management practices. This report presents the results of surveys conducted July 14-18, 1992, at the Deep Creek and the Brandy Branch crossings of a pipeline installed during May 1991 in Nassau County, Florida. Both floodplains supported bottomland hardwood forests. The pipeline at the Deep Creek crossing was installed by means ofmore » horizontal directional drilling after the ROW had been clear-cut, while the pipeline at the Brandy Branch crossing was installed by means of conventional open trenching. Neither site was seeded or fertilized. At the time of sampling, a dense vegetative community, made up primarily of native perennial herbaceous species, occupied the ROW within the Deep Creek floodplain. The Brandy Branch ROW was vegetated by a less dense stand of primarily native perennial herbaceous plants. Plant diversity was also lower at the Brandy Branch crossing than at the Deep Creek crossing. The results suggest that some of the differences in plant communities are related to the more hydric conditions at the Brandy Branch floodplain.« less

  15. Welcome to the National Wetlands Research Center Library: Successful Research Begins @ Your Library

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Broussard, Linda

    2007-01-01

    The National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC) library is part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and is the only USGS library dedicated to wetland science. The mission of the NWRC library is to support the research and information needs of scientists, managers, and support personnel by providing a specialized, scientific collection of library materials and related information services that are responsive to and reflect internal and external customer needs and work processes. The NWRC library participates in international cataloging and resource sharing that allows libraries from throughout the world to borrow from its collections and lend to NWRC. This sharing of materials facilitates the research of other governmental agencies, universities, and those interested in the study of wetlands.

  16. Predicted effect of landscape position on wildlife habitat value of Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program wetlands in a tile-drained agricultural region

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Otis, David L.; Crumpton, William R.; Green, David; Loan-Wilsey, Anna; Cooper, Tom; Johnson, Rex R.

    2013-01-01

    Justification for investment in restored or constructed wetland projects are often based on presumed net increases in ecosystem services. However, quantitative assessment of performance metrics is often difficult and restricted to a single objective. More comprehensive performance assessments could help inform decision-makers about trade-offs in services provided by alternative restoration program design attributes. The primary goal of the Iowa Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program is to establish wetlands that efficiently remove nitrates from tile-drained agricultural landscapes. A secondary objective is provision of wildlife habitat. We used existing wildlife habitat models to compare relative net change in potential wildlife habitat value for four alternative landscape positions of wetlands within the watershed. Predicted species richness and habitat value for birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles generally increased as the wetland position moved lower in the watershed. However, predicted average net increase between pre- and post-project value was dependent on taxonomic group. The increased average wetland area and changes in surrounding upland habitat composition among landscape positions were responsible for these differences. Net change in predicted densities of several grassland bird species at the four landscape positions was variable and species-dependent. Predicted waterfowl breeding activity was greater for lower drainage position wetlands. Although our models are simplistic and provide only a predictive index of potential habitat value, we believe such assessment exercises can provide a tool for coarse-level comparisons of alternative proposed project attributes and a basis for constructing informed hypotheses in auxiliary empirical field studies.

  17. Final report on evaluation of cyclocraft support of oil and gas operations in wetland areas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Eggington, W.J.; Stevens, P.M.; John, C.J.

    1994-10-01

    The cyclocraft is a proven hybrid aircraft, capable of VTOL, lifting heavy and bulky loads, highly controllable, having high safety characteristics and low operating costs. Mission Research Corporation (MRC), under Department of Energy sponsorship, is evaluating the potential use of cyclocraft in the transport of drill rigs, mud, pipes and other materials and equipment, in a cost effective and environmentally safe manner, to support oil and gas drilling, production, and transportation operations in wetland areas. Based upon the results of an earlier parametric study, a cyclocraft design, having a payload capacity of 45 tons and designated H.1 Cyclocraft, was selectedmore » for further study, including the preparation of a preliminary design and a development plan, and the determination of operating costs. This report contains all of the results derived from the program to evaluate the use of cyclocraft in the support of oil and gas drilling and production operations in wetland areas.« less

  18. ALOS PALSAR Applications in the Tropics and Subtropics: Characterisation, Mapping and Detecting Change in Forests and Coastal Wetlands

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lucas, Richard; Carreiras, Joao; Proisy, Christophe; Buniting, Peter

    2008-11-01

    Research undertaken as part of the Japanese Space Exploration Agency (JAXA) Principal Investigator (PI) and Kyoto and Carbon (K&C) programs has focused on the regional characterization (growth stage as a function of biomass and structure) and mapping of forests across northern Australia and mangroves (including wetlands) in selected tropical regions (northern Australia, Belize, French Guiana and Brazil) using Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Phased Array L-band SAR (PALSAR) data, either singularly or in conjunction with other remote sensing (e.g., optical) data. Comparison against existing baseline datasets has allowed these data to be used for detecting change in these tropical and subtropical regions. Regional products (e.g., forest growth stage, mangrove/wetland extent and change) generated from the K&C dual polarimetric strip data are anticipated to benefit conservation of these ecosystems and allow better assessments of carbon stocks and changes in these as a function of natural and anthropogenic drivers, thereby supporting key international conventions.

  19. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Wetland Conservation Effects Assessment Project

    Treesearch

    Megan Lang; Greg McCarty; Mark Walbridge; Patrick Hunt; Tom Ducey; Clinton Church; Jarrod Miller; Laurel Kluber; Ali Sadeghi; Martin Rabenhorst; Amir Sharifi; In-Young Yeo; Andrew Baldwin; Margaret Palmer; Tom Fisher; Dan Fenstermaher; Sanchul Lee; Owen McDonough; Metthea Yepsen; Liza McFarland; Anne Gustafson; Rebecca Fox; Chris Palardy; William Effland; Mari-Vaughn Johnson; Judy Denver; Scott Ator; Joseph Mitchell; Dennis Whigham

    2016-01-01

    Wetlands impart many important ecosystem services, including maintenance of water quality, regulation of the climate and hydrological flows, and enhancement of biodiversity through the provision of food and habitat. The conversion of natural lands to agriculture has led to broad scale historic wetland loss, but current US Department of Agriculture conservation programs...

  20. Conservation and restoration of forested wetlands: new techniques and perspectives

    Treesearch

    James Johnston; Steve Hartley; Antonio Martucci

    2000-01-01

    A partnership of state and federal agencies and private organizations is developing advanced spatial analysis techniques applied for conservation and restoration of forested wetlands. The project goal is to develop an application to assist decisionmakers in defining the eligibility of land sites for entry in the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) of the U.S. Department of...

  1. Geographically isolated wetlands: What we've learned since SWANCC

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 2001 SWANCC and 2006 Rapanos US Supreme Court decisions created a need for research on geographically isolated wetlands (GIWs). In 2003, a special issue on isolated wetlands was published in Wetlands. That issue contained fifteen papers that reviewed and summarized the lite...

  2. Wetlands in a changing climate: Science, policy and management

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Moomaw, William R.; Chmura, G.L.; Davies, Gillian T.; Finlayson, Max; Middleton, Beth A.; Natali, Sue M.; Perry, James; Roulet, Nigel; Sutton-Grier, Ariana

    2018-01-01

    Part 1 of this review synthesizes recent research on status and climate vulnerability of freshwater and saltwater wetlands, and their contribution to addressing climate change (carbon cycle, adaptation, resilience). Peatlands and vegetated coastal wetlands are among the most carbon rich sinks on the planet sequestering approximately as much carbon as do global forest ecosystems. Estimates of the consequences of rising temperature on current wetland carbon storage and future carbon sequestration potential are summarized. We also demonstrate the need to prevent drying of wetlands and thawing of permafrost by disturbances and rising temperatures to protect wetland carbon stores and climate adaptation/resiliency ecosystem services. Preventing further wetland loss is found to be important in limiting future emissions to meet climate goals, but is seldom considered. In Part 2, the paper explores the policy and management realm from international to national, subnational and local levels to identify strategies and policies reflecting an integrated understanding of both wetland and climate change science. Specific recommendations are made to capture synergies between wetlands and carbon cycle management, adaptation and resiliency to further enable researchers, policy makers and practitioners to protect wetland carbon and climate adaptation/resiliency ecosystem services.

  3. The significant surface-water connectivity of "geographically isolated wetlands"

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Calhoun, Aram J.K.; Mushet, David M.; Alexander, Laurie C.; DeKeyser, Edward S.; Fowler, Laurie; Lane, Charles R.; Lang, Megan W.; Rains, Mark C.; Richter, Stephen; Walls, Susan

    2017-01-01

    We evaluated the current literature, coupled with our collective research expertise, on surface-water connectivity of wetlands considered to be “geographically isolated” (sensu Tiner Wetlands 23:494–516, 2003a) to critically assess the scientific foundation of grouping wetlands based on the singular condition of being surrounded by uplands. The most recent research on wetlands considered to be “geographically isolated” shows the difficulties in grouping an ecological resource that does not reliably indicate lack of surface water connectivity in order to meet legal, regulatory, or scientific needs. Additionally, the practice of identifying “geographically isolated wetlands” based on distance from a stream can result in gross overestimates of the number of wetlands lacking ecologically important surface-water connections. Our findings do not support use of the overly simplistic label of “geographically isolated wetlands”. Wetlands surrounded by uplands vary in function and surface-water connections based on wetland landscape setting, context, climate, and geographic region and should be evaluated as such. We found that the “geographically isolated” grouping does not reflect our understanding of the hydrologic variability of these wetlands and hence does not benefit conservation of the Nation’s diverse wetland resources. Therefore, we strongly discourage use of categorizations that provide overly simplistic views of surface-water connectivity of wetlands fully embedded in upland landscapes.

  4. Excellence in Wetland Programs

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    States and tribes play important roles in protecting and restoring wetlands and other water resources by adopting practices within our Core Elements Framework (CEF) to complete various projects. restoration and protection, monitoring and assessment

  5. Comprehensive framework for ecological assessment of the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Davis, J. Brian; Webb, Elisabeth B.; Kaminski, Richard M.; Barbour, Philip J.; Vilella, Francisco

    2014-01-01

    Following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) established and funded the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative (MBHI), with the goal of improving and increasing wetland habitats on private lands to benefit wintering and migrating waterbirds displaced from oil-impacted coastal wetlands. The NRCS and conservation partners provided financial and technical assistance to landowners and managers of sites enrolled in various conservation easement programs, and incorporated approximately 190,000 ha of wetlands and agricultural lands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) and Gulf Coast regions in the MBHI. In fall 2010, the NRCS worked with scientists and graduate students from three universities and various conservation agencies to design and implement landscape-scale evaluations of (1) the use of MBHI-managed wetlands and comparable non-MBHI wetlands by Charadriiformes(shorebirds), Anseriformes (waterfowl), and other waterbirds; and (2) the relative effectiveness of different MBHI practices for providing habitat and food resources for migrating, resident, and wintering waterbirds. In this paper, we describe the scientific framework designed to evaluate the MBHI in improving waterbird habitats on private lands in the MAV, the Gulf Coast Prairies in Louisiana and Texas, and Gulf coastal wetlands of Mississippi and Alabama. The results of our evaluation will enhance our understanding of the influence of MBHI, other Farm Bill Conservation Initiative managed lands (e.g., Wetland Reserve Program), and selected agricultural working lands (e.g., Oryza sativa L. [Rice] fields in southern Louisiana and Texas) on wintering and migrating waterbirds. A proactive approach that uses science to evaluate governmental conservation programs is relevant and can inform development of meaningful public policy that likely will be needed for effective delivery of future conservation programs and to justify financial incentives paid to landowners to apply best management practices.

  6. 7 CFR 1410.11 - Farmable Wetlands Program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... including, as appropriate, restoring the hydrology of the wetland and establishing vegetative cover (which... by CCC, all other requirements of this part apply to enrollments under this section, and CCC may add...

  7. 7 CFR 1410.11 - Farmable Wetlands Program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... including, as appropriate, restoring the hydrology of the wetland and establishing vegetative cover (which... by CCC, all other requirements of this part apply to enrollments under this section, and CCC may add...

  8. 5 Star Wetland and Urban Waters Restoration Grants

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The Five Star Restoration Program brings together students, conservation corps, other youth groups, citizen groups, corporations, landowners and government agencies to provide environmental education and training through projects that restore wetlands

  9. Mitigating Losses of Wetland Ecosystems: A Context for Evaluation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mattingly, Rosanna L.

    1994-01-01

    Preservation of our wetlands has been an issue for many years. Today, despite current laws and those adopted 200 years ago, the wetlands remain insufficiently protected and developed. A holistic guide and suggestions for the classroom are provided to aid in efforts directed at wetland education, research and management. (ZWH)

  10. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF DEMONSTRATION/RESEARCH WETLANDS FOR TREATMENT OF DAIRY FARM WASTEWATER

    EPA Science Inventory

    There are no constructed wetlands currently used in Oregon for treating agricultural wastes. his report discusses the construction of nine wetland cells at the Oregon State University dairy farm. hese wetlands will be used in a long-term project which will attempt to: 1) Develop ...

  11. Calibration of the Delaware Rapid Assessment Protocol to a Comprehensive Measure of Wetland Condition

    EPA Science Inventory

    The importance of monitoring and assessment to the management and protection of wetlands has been recognized, and research in recent years has made progress in the development of wetland monitoring and assessment tools. Wetland assessments are made at multiple levels of intensit...

  12. States assuming responsibility over wetlands: State assumption as a regulatory option for protection of wetlands

    Treesearch

    Kristen M. Fletcher

    2000-01-01

    While States have initiated their own wetland protection schemes for decades, Congress formally invited States to join the regulatory game under the Clean Water Act (CWA) in 1977. The CWA Amendments provided two ways for States to increase responsibility by assuming some administration of Federal regulatory programs: State programmatic general permits and State...

  13. Achieving biodiversity benefits with offsets: Research gaps, challenges, and needs.

    PubMed

    Gelcich, Stefan; Vargas, Camila; Carreras, Maria Jose; Castilla, Juan Carlos; Donlan, C Josh

    2017-03-01

    Biodiversity offsets are becoming increasingly common across a portfolio of settings: national policy, voluntary programs, international lending, and corporate business structures. Given the diversity of ecological, political, and socio-economic systems where offsets may be applied, place-based information is likely to be most useful in designing and implementing offset programs, along with guiding principles that assure best practice. We reviewed the research on biodiversity offsets to explore gaps and needs. While the peer-reviewed literature on offsets is growing rapidly, it is heavily dominated by ecological theory, wetland ecosystems, and U.S.-based research. Given that majority of offset policies and programs are occurring in middle- and low-income countries, the research gaps we identified present a number of risks. They also present an opportunity to create regionally based learning platforms focused on pilot projects and institutional capacity building. Scientific research should diversify, both topically and geographically, in order to support the successful design, implementation, and monitoring of biodiversity offset programs.

  14. The role of the Wetland Reserve Program in conservation efforts in the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    King, Sammy L.; Twedt, Daniel J.; Wilson, R. Randy

    2006-01-01

    The Mississippi River Alluvial Valley includes the floodplain of the Mississippi River from Cairo, Illinois, USA, to the Gulf of Mexico. Originally this region supported about 10 million ha of bottomland hardwood forests, but only about 2.8 million ha remain today. Furthermore, most of the remaining bottomland forest is highly fragmented with altered hydrologic processes. During the 1990s landscape-scale conservation planning efforts were initiated for migratory birds and the threatened Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus). These plans call for large-scale reforestation and restoration efforts in the region, particularly on private lands. In 1990 the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act authorized the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). The WRP is a voluntary program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture that provides eligible landowners with financial incentives to restore wetlands and retire marginal farmlands from agricultural production. As of 30 September 2005, over 275,700 ha have been enrolled in the program in the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, with the greatest concentration in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi, USA. Hydrologic restoration is common on most sites, with open-water wetlands, such as moist-soil units and sloughs, constituting up to 30% of a given tract. Over 33,200 ha of open-water wetlands have been created, potentially providing over 115,000,000 duck-use days. Twenty-three of 87 forest-bird conservation areas have met or exceed core habitat goals for migratory songbirds and another 24 have met minimum area requirements. The WRP played an integral role in the fulfillment of these goals. Although some landscape goals have been attained, the young age of the program and forest stands, and the lack of monitoring, has limited evaluations of the program's impact on wildlife populations.

  15. Welcome to the National Wetlands Research Center Library: Not Just Another Library-A Special Library

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Broussard, Linda

    2007-01-01

    Libraries are grouped into four major types: public, school, academic, and special. The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC) library is classified as a special library because it is sponsored by the Federal government, and the collections focus on a specific subject. The NWRC library is the only USGS library dedicated to wetland science. Library personnel offer expert research services to meet the informational needs of NWRC scientists, managers, and support personnel. The NWRC library participates in international cataloging and resource sharing, which allows libraries from throughout the world to borrow from its collections. This sharing facilitates the research of other governmental agencies, universities, and those interested in the study of wetlands.

  16. Examples of State and Tribal Wetland Programs

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    States and tribes play important roles in protecting and restoring wetlands and other water resources by adopting practices within our Core Elements Framework (CEF) to complete various projects. restoration and protection, monitoring and assessment

  17. Mitigation of Impacts to Wetlands

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1996-06-17

    In accordance with the President's Regulatory Reinvention : Initiative, the FHWA proposes to amend its regulation outlining the : procedures to be followed in mitigating the impacts of Federal-aid : highway projects and programs to wetlands. The curr...

  18. Water quality and fish dynamics in forested wetlands associated with an oxbow lake

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Andrews, Caroline S.; Miranda, Leandro E.; Kroger, Robert

    2015-01-01

    Forested wetlands represent some of the most distinct environments in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Depending on season, water in forested wetlands can be warm, stagnant, and oxygen-depleted, yet may support high fish diversity. Fish assemblages in forested wetlands are not well studied because of difficulties in sampling heavily structured environments. During the April–July period, we surveyed and compared the water quality and assemblages of small fish in a margin wetland (forested fringe along a lake shore), contiguous wetland (forested wetland adjacent to a lake), and the open water of an oxbow lake. Dissolved-oxygen levels measured hourly 0.5 m below the surface were higher in the open water than in either of the forested wetlands. Despite reduced water quality, fish-species richness and catch rates estimated with light traps were greater in the forested wetlands than in the open water. The forested wetlands supported large numbers of fish and unique fish assemblages that included some rare species, likely because of their structural complexity. Programs developed to refine agricultural practices, preserve riparian zones, and restore lakes should include guidance to protect and reestablish forested wetlands.

  19. Coastal wetlands: The present and future role of remote sensing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Carter, V.

    1977-01-01

    During the past decade, there has been a rapid expansion of remote sensing research and technology development related to coastal wetlands. As a result of this research, all of the 23 coastal states have ongoing or completed wetland inventories, most utilizing aerial photographs as the data source for producing a variety of map products with varying scales, formats, classification systems and intended uses. The U.S. Geological Survey is increasing emphasis on map production and revision for the coastal zone. The new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetland Inventory is intended to provide a standardized method for comparison of wetlands on a national basis - it too will use available aerial photographs as a basic data source. At present, satellite data is not used for operational mapping of coastal wetlands because of resolution and geometric constraints. In the future, however, satellite data may provide an accurate reliable and economical source to update wetland inventories and to monitor or evaluate coastal wetlands. The technological improvements accompanying the development and launch of Landsat C and D and the space shuttle promise to make satellite digital data a more powerful tool to supply information for future management decisions for coastal wetlands.

  20. North Atlantic Coastal Tidal Wetlands

    EPA Science Inventory

    The book chapter provides college instructors, researchers, graduate and advanced undergraduate students, and environmental consultants interested in wetlands with foundation information on the ecology and conservation concerns of North Atlantic coastal wetlands. The book c...

  1. Wetland restoration, flood pulsing, and disturbance dynamics

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Middleton, Beth A.

    1999-01-01

    While it is generally accepted that flood pulsing and disturbance dynamics are critical to wetland viability, there is as yet no consensus among those responsible for wetland restoration about how best to plan for those phenomena or even whether it is really necessary to do so at all. In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Beth Middleton draws upon the latest research from around the world to build a strong case for making flood pulsing and disturbance dynamics integral to the wetland restoration planning process.While the initial chapters of the book are devoted to laying the conceptual foundations, most of the coverage is concerned with demonstrating the practical implications for wetland restoration and management of the latest ecological theory and research. It includes a fascinating case history section in which Dr. Middleton explores the restoration models used in five major North American, European, Australian, African, and Asian wetland projects, and analyzes their relative success from the perspective of flood pulsing and disturbance dynamics planning.Wetland Restoration also features a wealth of practical information useful to all those involved in wetland restoration and management, including: * A compendium of water level tolerances, seed germination, seedling recruitment, adult survival rates, and other key traits of wetland plant species * A bibliography of 1,200 articles and monographs covering all aspects of wetland restoration * A comprehensive directory of wetland restoration ftp sites worldwide * An extensive glossary of essential terms

  2. Native aquatic plants and ecological condition of southwestern wetlands and riparian areas

    Treesearch

    Alvin L. Medina

    1996-01-01

    The determination of the ecological condition of wetland and riparian habitats has been the focus of research by many scientists, because of the importance to understand the processes and related functions of these systems. Research on montane wetland and riparian systems has shown the relative importance of native aquatic plants in maintaining these systems in a...

  3. Valuing wetland attributes in the Lake Champlain Basin

    Treesearch

    Donald F. Dennis; Walter F. Kuentzel

    1998-01-01

    This research explores the use of conjoint analysis to assess and understand wetland values. A conjoint rating survey was designed and mailed to landowners in the Laplatte River Basin (Lake Champlain) in Vermont. Landowners rated options to protect wetlands that varied by the wetland's ability to decrease pollutants entering Lake Champlain, value in providing food...

  4. Research access to privately owned wetland basins in the prairie pothole region of the United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fellows, David P.; Buhl, Thomas K.

    1995-01-01

    We describe efforts to obtain access for research to 81 wetland basins on 69 farms in four zones of the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. Access was obtained to 54% of the farms in areas where land was intensively cropped and 87% of farms in areas of low cropping intensity. On average, 1.35 operators had to be contacted and 1.70 interviews were required to obtain a decision on access to a farm. On 77% of the farms, cooperators placed at least one restriction on access, most commonly requiring walking access only or notification before nighttime work. Cost of obtaining access averaged $265/farm in wages and travel expenses. No cooperators were willing to sign written access agreements. Operators rescinded access to four farms and drained three wetland basins during the first year; six of the seven sites lost were in the intensively cropped portion of a low-wetland-density zone. The difficulty of obtaining and retaining research access to privately owned wetland basins in intensively cropped areas may be related to landowner attitudes towards wetlands. Researchers may have to rely on remote sensing or consider payment for access to secure representative research sites in such areas. Unwillingness of cooperators to sign access agreements may jeopardize research by the newly formed National Biological Service and other resource management agencies.

  5. Lower Columbia River and Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Program Reference Site Study: 2011 Restoration Analysis - FINAL REPORT

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Borde, Amy B.; Cullinan, Valerie I.; Diefenderfer, Heida L.

    The Reference Site (RS) study is part of the research, monitoring, and evaluation (RME) effort developed by the Action Agencies (Bonneville Power Administration [BPA], U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District [USACE], and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation) in response to Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinions (BiOp). While the RS study was initiated in 2007, data have been collected at relatively undisturbed reference wetland sites in the LCRE by PNNL and collaborators since 2005. These data on habitat structural metrics were previously summarized to provide baseline characterization of 51 wetlands throughout the estuarine and tidal freshwater portions ofmore » the 235-km LCRE; however, further analysis of these data has been limited. Therefore, in 2011, we conducted additional analyses of existing field data previously collected for the Columbia Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Program (CEERP) - including data collected by PNNL and others - to help inform the multi-agency restoration planning and ecosystem management work underway in the LCRE.« less

  6. Assessing avian richness in remnant wetlands: Towards an improved methodology

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Krzys, Greg; Waite, Thomas A.; Stapanian, Martin; Vucetich, John A.

    2002-01-01

    Because the North American Breeding Bird Survey provides inadequate coverage of wetland habitat, the Wetland Breeding Bird Survey was recently established in Ohio, USA. This program relies on volunteers to conduct 3 counts at each monitored wetland. Currently, all counts are conducted during the morning. Under the premise that volunteer participation could be increased by allowing evening counts, we evaluated the potential for modifying the methodology. We evaluated the sampling efficiency of all 3-count combinations of morning and evening counts using data collected at 14 wetlands. Estimates of overall species richness decreased with increasing numbers of evening counts. However, this pattern did not hold when analyses were restricted to wetland-dependent species or those of conservation concern. Our findings suggest that it would be reasonable to permit evening counts, particularly if the data are to be used to monitor wetland dependent species and those of concern.

  7. Capital Improvement Program Environmental Assessment, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-09-01

    utility extension structures would be designed to avoid crossing wetlands to the extent feasible. If a project necessitates a wetlands utility... crossing , horizontal boring techniques would be used to route the utility under the wetlands. Because horizontal boring effectively avoids disturbance...utilized if the utility extension would involve crossing a roadway. • All new utility equipment would be polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) free

  8. Assessing the relationship between Section 404 and wetland losses: a feasibility study

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gladwin, Douglas N.; Roelle, James E.; Asherin, Duane A.

    1989-01-01

    The primary objective of the Clean Water Act of 1977 (33 U.S.C. 1251) is to restore and maintain the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters. Section 404 of the Act regulates the discharge of dredged or fill materials into wetlands and represents the primary Federal authority for regulation of wetland alterations. Since its inception, the Section 404 program has been controversial in regard to the extent to which it was intended to provide wetlands regulation. Section 404 requires those who wish to discharge dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, which include many wetlands, to first obtain a Federal permit. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has overall responsibility for administration of the Section 404 program and promulgates guidelines that must be followed in issuing permits. In addition, EPA has the final authority to prohibit specific discharges if the environmental impacts are unacceptable. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) issues Section 404 permits, which can be of two types. Individual Permits are issued following case-by-case reviews of proposed discharges. General Permits, which can be either nationwide or regional in scope, are authorized by the Corps for categories of activities that are similar in nature and that have only minimal individual and cumulative adverse environmental impacts. EPA, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), and State natural resource agencies review and comment on permit applications and offer recommendations on appropriate mitigation measures. Although comments from the Service and other natural resource agencies are advisory in nature (EPA's veto authority excepted), they can serve as the basis for modifying, conditioning, or denying a Section 404 permit. In 1986, in a survey conducted by the National Ecology Research Center, Service personnel indicated interest in additional information concerning both wetland trends and the impacts of activities authorized by the Corps under Section 404 (Roelle 1986). Although there is some information concerning wetland losses for certain geographic areas and for the Nation as a whole (Frayer et al. 1983; Tiner 1984), there appears to be little information on how these losses relate to the Section 404 permitting process. The primary objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of estimating wetland losses in relationship to Individual and General Permits issued under Section 404. A secondary objective was to assemble data on acceptance and implementation of specific mitigation recommendations offered by the Service and other natural resource agencies in connection with development activities on wetlands examined. At present, 26 categories of Nationwide permits have been authorized by the Corps. Nationwide permit 26 was of particular interest in this study because it specifically authorizes discharges into wetlands under certain circumstances (see Figure 1 and related text for a more complete discussion of circumstances under which Nationwide Permit 26 is applicable). All subsequent references to Nationwide or General permits pertain to Nationwide Permit 26.

  9. [Factors affecting the vegetation restoration after fires in cold temperate wetlands: A review].

    PubMed

    Zhao, Feng-Jun; Wang, Li-Zhong; Shu, Li-Fu; Chen, Peng-Yu; Chen, Li-guang

    2013-03-01

    Cold temperate wetland plays an important role in maintaining regional ecological balance. Fire is an important disturbance factor in wetland ecosystem. Severe burning can induce the marked degradation of the ecological functions of wetland ecosystem. The vegetation restoration, especially the early vegetation restoration, after fires, is the premise and basis for the recovery of the ecological functions of the ecosystem. This paper reviewed the research progress on the factors affecting the vegetation restoration after fires in wetlands. The vegetation restoration after fires in cold temperate wetlands was controlled by the fire intensity, fire size, vegetation types before fires, regeneration characteristics of plant species, and site conditions. It was considered that the long-term monitoring on the post-fire vegetation restoration in cold temperate wetland, the key factors affecting the vegetation restoration, the roles of frozen soil layer on the post-fire vegetation restoration, and the theories and technologies on the vegetation restoration would be the main research directions in the future.

  10. Pipeline corridors through wetlands -- Impacts on plant communities: Norris Brook Crossing Peabody, Massachusetts

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shem, L.M.; Van Dyke, G.D.; Zimmerman, R.E.

    1994-12-01

    The goal of the Gas Research Institute Wetland Corridors Program is to document impacts of existing pipelines on the wetlands they traverse. To accomplish this goal, 12 existing wetland crossings were surveyed. These sites varied in elapsed time since pipeline construction, wetland type, pipeline installation techniques, and right-of-way (ROW) management practices. This report presents the results of a survey conducted August 17--19, 1992, at the Norris Brook crossing in the town of Peabody, Essex County, Massachusetts. The pipeline at this site was installed during September and October 1990. A backhoe was used to install the pipeline. The pipe was assembledmore » on the adjacent upland and slid into the trench, after which the backhoe was used again to fill the trench and cover the pipeline. Within two years after pipeline construction, a dense vegetative community, composed predominantly of native perennial species, had become established on the ROW. Compared with adjacent natural areas undisturbed by pipeline installation, there was an increase in purple loosestrife and cattail within the ROW, while large woody species were excluded from the ROW. As a result of the ROW`s presence, habitat diversity, edge-type habitat, and species diversity increased within the site. Crooked-stem aster, Aster prenanthoides (a species on the Massasschusetts list of plants of special concern), occurred in low numbers in the adjacent natural areas and had reinvaded the ROW in low numbers.« less

  11. Global Change and the Function and Distribution of Wetlands

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Middleton, Beth A.

    2012-01-01

    The Global Change Ecology and Wetlands book series will highlight the latest research from the world leaders in the field of climate change in wetlands. Global Change and the Function and Distribution of Wetlands highlights information of importance to wetland ecologists.  The chapters include syntheses of international studies on the effects of drought on function and regeneration in wetlands, sea level rise and the distribution of mangrove swamps, former distributions of swamp species and future lessons from paleoecology, and shifts in atmospheric emissions across geographical regions in wetlands.  Overall, the book will contribute to a better understanding of the potential effects of climate change on world wetland distribution and function.

  12. Review and Comparison of Wetland Impacts and Mitigation Requirements Between New Jersey, USA, Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act

    PubMed

    Torok; Lockwood; Fanz

    1996-09-01

    A review of wetland impacts authorized under the New Jersey Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act (FWPA) was conducted based on permitting data compiled for the period 1 July 1988 to 31 December 1993. Data regarding the acreage of wetlands impacted, location of impacts by drainage basin and watershed, and mitigation were analyzed. Wetland impacts authorized and mitigation under New Jersey's program were evaluated and compared with Section 404 information available for New Jersey and other regions of the United States.Under the FWPA, 3003 permits were issued authorizing impacts to 234.76 ha (602.27 acres) of wetlands and waters. Compensatory mitigation requirements for impacts associated with individual permits required the creation of 69.20 ha.(171.00 acres), and restoration of 16.49 ha (40.75 acres) of wetlands. Cumulative impacts by watershed were directly related to levels of development and population growth.The FWPA has resulted in an estimated 67% reduction [44.32 ha (109.47 acres) vs 136.26 ha (336.56 acres)] in annual wetland and water impacts when compared with Section 404 data for New Jersey. For mitigation, the slight increase in wetland acreage over acreage impacted is largely consistent with Section 404 data.Based on this evaluation, the FWPA has succeeded in reducing the level of wetland impacts in New Jersey. However, despite stringent regulation of activities in and around wetlands, New Jersey continues to experience approximately 32 ha (79 acres) of unmitigated wetland impacts annually. Our results suggest that additional efforts focusing on minimizing wetland impacts and increasing wetlands creation are needed to attain a goal of no net loss of freshwater wetlands.KEY WORDS: Wetlands; Clean Water Act; Freshwater Wetland Protection Act; Nationwide permits; Mitigation; New Jersey

  13. Hydrology of a natural hardwood forested wetland

    Treesearch

    George M. Chescheir; Devendra M. Amatya; R. Wayne Skaggs

    2008-01-01

    This paper documents the hydrology of a natural forested wetland near Plymouth, NC, USA. The research site was located on one of the few remaining, undrained non-riverine, palustrine forested hardwood wetlands on the lower coastal plain of North Carolina. A 137 ha watershed within the 350ha wetland was selected for intensive field study. Water balance components...

  14. National-Level Wetland Policy Specificity and Goals Vary According to Political and Economic Indicators.

    PubMed

    Peimer, Alex W; Krzywicka, Adrianna E; Cohen, Dora B; Van den Bosch, Kyle; Buxton, Valerie L; Stevenson, Natalie A; Matthews, Jeffrey W

    2017-01-01

    Growing recognition of the importance of wetlands to human and ecosystem well-being has led countries worldwide to implement wetland protection policies. Different countries have taken different approaches to wetland protection by implementing various policies, including territorial exclusion, market-based offsetting, and incentive programs for land users. Our objective was to describe the relationship between components of national-level wetland protection policies and national characteristics, including natural resource, economic, social, and political factors. We compiled data on the wetland policies of all 193 countries recognized by the U.N. and described the relationships among wetland policy goals and wetland protection mechanisms using non-metric multidimensional scaling. The first non-metric multidimensional scaling axis strongly correlated with whether a country had a wetland-specific environmental policy in place. Adoption of a comprehensive, wetland-specific policy was positively associated with degree of democracy and a commitment to establishing protected areas. The second non-metric multidimensional scaling axis defined a continuum of policy goals and mechanisms by which wetlands are protected, with goals to protect wetland ecosystem services on one end of the spectrum and goals to protect biodiversity on the other. Goals for protecting ecosystem services were frequently cited in policy documents of countries with agriculture-based economies, whereas goals associated with wetland biodiversity tended to be associated with tourism-based economies. We argue that the components of a country's wetland policies reflect national-level resource and economic characteristics. Understanding the relationship between the type of wetland policy countries adopt and national-level characteristics is critical for international efforts to protect wetlands.

  15. National-Level Wetland Policy Specificity and Goals Vary According to Political and Economic Indicators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peimer, Alex W.; Krzywicka, Adrianna E.; Cohen, Dora B.; Van den Bosch, Kyle; Buxton, Valerie L.; Stevenson, Natalie A.; Matthews, Jeffrey W.

    2017-01-01

    Growing recognition of the importance of wetlands to human and ecosystem well-being has led countries worldwide to implement wetland protection policies. Different countries have taken different approaches to wetland protection by implementing various policies, including territorial exclusion, market-based offsetting, and incentive programs for land users. Our objective was to describe the relationship between components of national-level wetland protection policies and national characteristics, including natural resource, economic, social, and political factors. We compiled data on the wetland policies of all 193 countries recognized by the U.N. and described the relationships among wetland policy goals and wetland protection mechanisms using non-metric multidimensional scaling. The first non-metric multidimensional scaling axis strongly correlated with whether a country had a wetland-specific environmental policy in place. Adoption of a comprehensive, wetland-specific policy was positively associated with degree of democracy and a commitment to establishing protected areas. The second non-metric multidimensional scaling axis defined a continuum of policy goals and mechanisms by which wetlands are protected, with goals to protect wetland ecosystem services on one end of the spectrum and goals to protect biodiversity on the other. Goals for protecting ecosystem services were frequently cited in policy documents of countries with agriculture-based economies, whereas goals associated with wetland biodiversity tended to be associated with tourism-based economies. We argue that the components of a country's wetland policies reflect national-level resource and economic characteristics. Understanding the relationship between the type of wetland policy countries adopt and national-level characteristics is critical for international efforts to protect wetlands.

  16. Classifications for Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act site-specific projects: 2008 and 2009

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jones, William R.; Garber, Adrienne

    2012-01-01

    The Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) funds over 100 wetland restoration projects across Louisiana. Integral to the success of CWPPRA is its long-term monitoring program, which enables State and Federal agencies to determine the effectiveness of each restoration effort. One component of this monitoring program is the analysis of high-resolution, color-infrared aerial photography at the U.S. Geological Survey's National Wetlands Research Center in Lafayette, Louisiana. Color-infrared aerial photography (9- by 9-inch) is obtained before project construction and several times after construction. Each frame is scanned on a photogrametric scanner that produces a high-resolution image in Tagged Image File Format (TIFF). By using image-processing software, these TIFF files are then orthorectified and mosaicked to produce a seamless image of a project area and its associated reference area (a control site near the project that has common environmental features, such as marsh type, soil types, and water salinities.) The project and reference areas are then classified according to pixel value into two distinct classes, land and water. After initial land and water ratios have been established by using photography obtained before and after project construction, subsequent comparisons can be made over time to determine land-water change. Several challenges are associated with the land-water interpretation process. Primarily, land-water classifications are often complicated by the presence of floating aquatic vegetation that occurs throughout the freshwater systems of coastal Louisiana and that is sometimes difficult to differentiate from emergent marsh. Other challenges include tidal fluctuations and water movement from strong winds, which may result in flooding and inundation of emergent marsh during certain conditions. Compensating for these events is difficult but possible by using other sources of imagery to verify marsh conditions for other dates in time.

  17. Annual Report to Congress, Fiscal Year 1997. A Report by The Council of the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-03-01

    Discovery of Novel Enzymatic Reactions and Determination of Biodegradation Mechanisms and Pathways. b. Phytoremediation of Explosives Contaminated...Groundwater using Wetlands and Aquatic Plants. c. Phytoremediation of Munitions Contaminated Soils. d. Enhanced TNT Biodegradation Through Genetic Manipulation...Microbial Communities Active in the Enhanced Aerobic Treatment of Chlorinated Ethenes. c. Phytoremediation of Shallow Chlorinated Solvent Plumes

  18. Upland and wetland vegetation establishment on coal slurry in northern Missouri

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Skeel, V.A.; Nawrot, J.R.

    Since the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory`s (CWRL) Mined Land Reclamation Program`s first establishment of a wetland on slurry in 1976, industry, state, and federal agency interest in reclamation alternatives for inactive slurry has increased. CWRL has been involved in pre-reclamation site characterization and monitoring for inactive slurry impoundments throughout Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, and Washington. Geochemical site characterization of three slurry impoundments at the AECI Bee Veer Mine located near Macon, Missouri began in April 1990. A substrate sampling grid was established for all slurry impoundments with a centerline orientated parallel to the discharge to decant flow pattern. Surfacemore » (0--6 in.) and subsurface (30--36 in.) slurry samples were collected annually and analyzed for acid-base balance, immediate acidity macro- and micro-nutrients, potential phytotoxic metallic ions and salts, and texture. Water table elevations and water quality were monitored quarterly from shallow ({le}12 ft.) piezometers. General reclamation plans included annual (3 years) incremental limestone amendments (35--50 tons/acre) and direct vegetation establishment. Cool and warm season grasses dominate vegetation cover in upland habitats (slurry cell RDA1) while wetland habitats (palustrine emergent seasonally-permanently inundated) have been established in slurry cells (RDA2 and RDA3). Isolated hot spots continue to be amended with limestone and supplemental vegetation establishment is scheduled.« less

  19. Use of created cattail ( Typha) wetlands in mitigation strategies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dobberteen, Ross A.; Nickerson, Norton H.

    1991-11-01

    In order to balance pressures for land-use development with protection of wetland resources, artificial wetlands have been constructed in an effort to replace lost ecosystems. Despite its regulatory appeal and prominent role in current mitigation strategies, it is unclear whether or not created systems actually compensate for lost wetland resources. Mitigation predictions that rely on artificial wetlands must be analyzed critically in terms of their efficacy. Destruction of wetlands due to burial by coal fly ash at a municipal landfill in Danvers, Massachusetts, USA, provided an opportunity to compare resulting growth of created cattail ( Typha) marshes with natural wetland areas. Once the appropriate cattail species was identified for growth under disturbed landfill conditions, two types of artificial wetlands were constructed. The two systems differed in their hydrologic attributes: while one had a surface water flow characteristic of most cattail wetlands, the second system mimicked soil and water conditions found in naturally occurring floating cattail marshes. Comparison of plant growth measurements for two years from the artificial systems with published values for natural cattail marshes revealed similar structure and growth patterns. Experiments are now in progress to investigate the ability of created cattail marshes to remove and accumulate heavy metals from polluted landfill leachate. Research of the type reported here must be pursued aggressively in order to document the performance of artificial wetlands in terms of plant structure and wetland functions. Such research should allow us to start to evaluate whether artificial systems actually compensate for lost wetlands by performing similar functions and providing the concomitant public benefits.

  20. 40 CFR 122.26 - Storm water discharges (applicable to State NPDES programs, see § 123.25).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... controls would be those suitable to the site conditions and consistent with generally accepted engineering... Wetlands Inventory as wetlands; and (9) Found to have pollutants in bottom sediments, fish tissue or...

  1. South Bay Salt Pond Tidal Wetland Restoration Phase II Planning

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Information about the SFBWQP South Bay Salt Pond Tidal Wetland Restoration Phase II Planning project, part of an EPA competitive grant program to improve SF Bay water quality focused on restoring impaired waters and enhancing aquatic re

  2. Ecological Processes of Isolated Wetlands: Ecosystem Services and the Significant Nexus (Invited)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lane, C.; Autrey, B.; D'Amico, E.

    2013-12-01

    Geographically isolated wetlands occur throughout the US and are characterized by a wetland system completely surrounded by uplands. Examples include prairie potholes, woodland seasonal (i.e., vernal) pools, cypress domes, playas, and other such systems. Decisions by the US Supreme Court in 2001 and 2006 have affected the jurisdictional status of geographically isolated wetlands such that those failing to have a demonstrable 'significant nexus' to navigable waters may have no federal protection under the Clean Water Act. These systems are typically small and, as such, may be under-counted in assessments of area and abundance. Areal extent is a portion of the information required to characterize the functions associated with geographically isolated wetlands and understanding both site-specific and larger-scale processes are also required to better quantify those functions. In addition, quantifying anthropogenic effects on system processing informs our understanding of the contributions and the connectivity of geographically isolated wetlands to other waters. This presentation focuses on both efforts to quantify the contribution of geographically isolated wetlands to system-scale processes, focusing on nutrient assimilation and hydrologic storage, as well as concurrent research to identify their locations at multiple scales. Findings from this research may help elucidate the link between geographically isolated wetlands and other systems, and may inform discussions on ecosystem services provided by geographically isolated wetlands.

  3. [Impact on nitrogen and phosphorous export of wetlands in Tianmu Lake watershed].

    PubMed

    Li, Zhao-Fu; Liu, Hong-Yu; Li, Heng-Peng

    2012-11-01

    Focused on understanding the function of wetland in improving water quality, Pingqiao watershed and Zhongtian watershed in Tianmu Lake drinking water sources area were selected as the research region. We integrated remote sensing, GIS techniques with field investigation and chemical analysis to analyze the relationship between wetland and water quality in watershed scale. Results show: (1) There are many wetland patches in Pingqiao and Zhongtian watershed, wetlands patch densities were respectively 7.5 km(-2) and 7.1 km(-2). Wetlands widely distributed in the Pingqiao watershed with mostly located away from the river of 500 m, whereas wetlands relatively concentrated in the lower reach within 500 meters of riverside in Zhongtian watershed. (2) Nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient retention of wetland in watershed scale was significant. The annual mean TN and DTN concentration had a strong relationship with percent area of wetlands in Zhongtian watershed while the weakest relationship was found with TP and DTP concentrations, especially, the mean TN and DTN concentrations in spring and winter had the significantly negative relationship with wetland areas of watershed. The negative relationship was existed for nitrogen in autumn of Pingqiao watershed, which suggested that watersheds varying in area of wetlands have the different nutrient reducing efficiency in seasonal periods. (3) A certain number and area of wetland will improve river water quality in watershed scale, which can instruct water environment treatment. However, considering the complexity of nutrient transport processes in watershed, wetland-related factors such as area, location, density, ecosystem structure and watershed-related factors such as temporal interval, spatial scales, slope and land use will impact on the transport processes, and related theoretical and practical problems need further research.

  4. Coastal erosion and wetland change in Louisiana: selected USGS products

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Williams, S. Jeffress; Reid, Jamey M.; Cross, VeeAnn A.; Polloni, Christopher F.

    2003-01-01

    This Digital Data Series (DDS) report is primarily a selection of USGS science products that were previously published as paper atlases and maps but are no longer available in their original form. We have made an attempt to preserve the paper atlases by having them scanned in an efficient compressed digital format that provides a print-on-demand as well as a programmed viewing capability of the original material. We included additional materials bearing on aspects to enhance the scientific understanding of coastal erosion and wetland loss in Louisiana. In addition, this report contains multimedia-based publications including photographs, a 48-minute video, and map tools to allow the user to experience the many scientifically based research activities that are in progress along the coast of Louisiana.

  5. Global wetlands: Potential distribution, wetland loss, and status.

    PubMed

    Hu, Shengjie; Niu, Zhenguo; Chen, Yanfen; Li, Lifeng; Zhang, Haiying

    2017-05-15

    Even though researchers have paid a great deal of attention to wetland loss and status, the actual extent of wetland loss on a global scale, especially the loss caused directly by human activities, and the actual extent of currently surviving wetlands remains uncertain. This paper simulated the potential distribution of global wetlands by employing a new Precipitation Topographic Wetness Index (PTWI) and global remote sensing training samples. The results show earth would have approximately 29.83millionkm 2 of wetlands, if humans did not interfere with wetland ecosystems. By combining datasets related to global wetlands, we found that at least 33% of global wetlands had been lost as of 2009, including 4.58millionkm 2 of non-water wetlands and 2.64millionkm 2 of open water. The areal extent of wetland loss has been greatest in Asia, but Europe has experienced the most serious losses. Wetland-related datasets suffer from major inconsistencies, and estimates of the areal extent of the remaining global wetlands ranged from 1.53 to 14.86millionkm 2 . Therefore, although it is challenging, thematic mapping of global wetlands is necessary and urgently needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. 75 FR 56133 - Savannah Coastal Refuges' Complex, GA and SC

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-15

    ..., open waters, forested habitats, scrub/shrub habitats, grasslands, and open lands. All ponds, levees... management programs for impoundments, beaches, wetlands, open waters, forested habitats, scrub/shrub habitats... habitat management strategy. Impoundments, beaches, wetlands, open waters, forested habitats, scrub/shrub...

  7. Gulf of Mexico Integrated Science - Tampa Bay Study - Characterization of Tidal Wetlands

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McIvor, Carole

    2005-01-01

    Tidal wetlands in Tampa Bay, Florida, consist of mangrove forests and salt marshes. Wetlands buffer storm surges, provide fish and wildlife habitat, and enhance water quality through the removal of water-borne nutrients and contaminants. Substantial areas of both mangroves and salt marshes have been lost to agricultural, residential, and industrial development in this urban estuary. Wetlands researchers are characterizing the biological components of tidal wetlands and examining the physical factors such as salinity, tidal flushing, and sediment deposition that control the composition of tidal wetland habitats. Wetlands restoration is a priority of resource managers in Tampa Bay. Baseline studies such as these are needed for successful restoration planning and evaluation.

  8. Wetland Perspectives: Ways of Looking at the Landscape (July 10-July 21, 1995). An Education Program for K-12 Teachers and Environmental Educators Focusing on Various Ways of Understanding Natural Aquatic Systems. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wisconsin Univ., Madison. Inst. for Environmental Studies.

    Wetland Perspectives, a 2-week teacher workshop held in July 1995, aimed to increase teacher understanding of some aquatic habitats of Wisconsin through Western scientific and Native American cultural perspectives. Workshop objectives included giving participants a more complete understanding of Wisconsin's wetlands, an opportunity to learn about…

  9. NASA Ames DEVELOP Interns: Helping the Western United States Manage Natural Resources One Project at a Time

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Justice, Erin; Newcomer, Michelle

    2010-01-01

    The western half of the United States is made up of a number of diverse ecosystems ranging from arid desert to coastal wetlands and rugged forests. Every summer for the past 7 years students ranging from high school to graduate level gather at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) as part of the DEVELOP Internship Program. Under the guidance of Jay Skiles [Ames Research Center (ARC) - Ames DEVELOP Manager] and Cindy Schmidt [ARC/San Jose State University Ames DEVELOP Coordinator] they work as a team on projects exploring topics including: invasive species, carbon flux, wetland restoration, air quality monitoring, storm visualizations, and forest fires. The study areas for these projects have been in Washington, Utah, Oregon, Nevada, Hawaii, Alaska and California. Interns combine data from NASA and partner satellites with models and in situ measurements to complete prototype projects demonstrating how NASA data and resources can help communities tackle their Earth Science related problems.

  10. Importance of hydrologic data for interpreting wetland maps and assessing wetland loss and mitigation

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Carter, V.

    1991-01-01

    The US Geological Survey collects and disseminates, in written and digital formats, groundwater and surface-water information related to the tidal and nontidal wetlands of the United States. This information includes quantity, quality, and availability of groundwater and surface water; groundwater and surface-water interactions (recharge-discharge); groundwater flow; and the basic surface-water characteristics of streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. Water resources information in digital format can be used in geographic information systems (GISs) for many purposes related to wetlands. US Geological Survey wetland-related activities include collection of information important for assessing and mitigating coastal wetland loss and modification, hydrologic data collection and interpretation, GIS activities, identification of national trends in water quality and quantity, and process-oriented wetland research. -Author

  11. Wetlands as large-scale nature-based solutions: status and future challenges for research and management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thorslund, Josefin; Jarsjö, Jerker; Destouni, Georgia

    2017-04-01

    Wetlands are often considered as nature-based solutions that can provide a multitude of services of great social, economic and environmental value to humankind. The services may include recreation, greenhouse gas sequestration, contaminant retention, coastal protection, groundwater level and soil moisture regulation, flood regulation and biodiversity support. Changes in land-use, water use and climate can all impact wetland functions and occur at scales extending well beyond the local scale of an individual wetland. However, in practical applications, management decisions usually regard and focus on individual wetland sites and local conditions. To understand the potential usefulness and services of wetlands as larger-scale nature-based solutions, e.g. for mitigating negative impacts from large-scale change pressures, one needs to understand the combined function multiple wetlands at the relevant large scales. We here systematically investigate if and to what extent research so far has addressed the large-scale dynamics of landscape systems with multiple wetlands, which are likely to be relevant for understanding impacts of regional to global change. Our investigation regards key changes and impacts of relevance for nature-based solutions, such as large-scale nutrient and pollution retention, flow regulation and coastal protection. Although such large-scale knowledge is still limited, evidence suggests that the aggregated functions and effects of multiple wetlands in the landscape can differ considerably from those observed at individual wetlands. Such scale differences may have important implications for wetland function-effect predictability and management under large-scale change pressures and impacts, such as those of climate change.

  12. Tampa Bay Integrated Science Pilot Study: wetland characterization

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McIvor, Carole C.; Raabe, Ellen; Yates, Kimberly; Carter, Bill; Crane, Mike; Fernandez, Mario; Henningsen, Brandt; Kruse, Sara; Oches, Rich; Proffitt, Ed; Runnels, Randy; Shrestha, Ramesh; Smith, Tom; Travis, Steve

    2001-01-01

    Coastal wetlands in Tampa Bay consist of mangrove forest and tidal salt marsh. Wetlands buffer storm surges, provide fish and wildlife habitat, and enhance water quality through the removal of water-borne nutrients and contaminants. Substantial areas of both mangrove and salt marsh have been lost to agricultural, residential and industrial development in this urban estuary. Wetlands restoration has been initiated in Tampa Bay. Baseline studies on the current condition of wetlands and historical and prehistorical information is needed for successful restoration planning and evaluation.A major objective of this component of the Tampa Bay pilot program was to characterize wetlands in Tampa Bay beginning with areas that differ in their degree of human-induced disturbance (Fig. 1). The Alafia River area is urbanized, industrialized and dredged, whereas the Terra Ceia area has a history of agricultural use with associated soil berms and mosquito ditches, but has not been farmed for at least 20 years (Fig. 2).

  13. Predicting the persistence of coastal wetlands to global change stressors

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Guntenspergen, G.; McKee, K.; Cahoon, D.; Grace, J.; Megonigal, P.

    2006-01-01

    Despite progress toward understanding the response of coastal wetlands to increases in relative sea-level rise and an improved understanding of the effect of elevated CO2 on plant species allocation patterns, we are limited in our ability to predict the response of coastal wetlands to the effects associated with global change. Static simulations of the response of coastal wetlands to sea-level rise using LIDAR and GIS lack the biological and physical feedback mechanisms present in such systems. Evidence from current research suggests that biotic processes are likely to have a major influence on marsh vulnerability to future accelerated rates of sea-level rise and the influence of biotic processes likely varies depending on hydrogeomorphic setting and external stressors. We have initiated a new research approach using a series of controlled mesocosm and field experiments, landscape scale studies, a comparative network of brackish coastal wetland monitoring sites and a suite of predictive models that address critical questions regarding the vulnerability of coastal brackish wetland systems to global change. Specifically, this research project evaluates the interaction of sea level rise and elevated CO2 concentrations with flooding, nutrient enrichment and disturbance effects. The study is organized in a hierarchical structure that links mesocosm, field, landscape and biogeographic levels so as to provide important new information that recognizes that coastal wetland systems respond to multiple interacting drivers and feedback effects controlling wetland surface elevation, habitat stability and ecosystem function. We also present a new statistical modelling technique (Structural Equation Modelling) that synthesizes and integrates our environmental and biotic measures in a predictive framework that forecasts ecosystem change and informs managers to consider adaptive shifts in strategies for the sustainable management of coastal wetlands.

  14. National Management Measures to Protect and Restore Wetlands and Riparian Areas for the Abatement of Nonpoint Source Pollution

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Guidance includes technical assistance to state, local, and tribal program managers on means of reducing nonpoint source pollution of surface and ground water through the protection and restoration of wetlands and riparian areas.

  15. 7 CFR 623.1 - Purpose and scope.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... improvement, flood water retention, floodway enhancement, ground water recharge, open space, aesthetic values... AGRICULTURE WATER RESOURCES EMERGENCY WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 623.1 Purpose and scope. (a) The regulations... wetland characteristics, such as hydrologic conditions of inundation or saturation of the soil and...

  16. 7 CFR 623.1 - Purpose and scope.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... improvement, flood water retention, floodway enhancement, ground water recharge, open space, aesthetic values... AGRICULTURE WATER RESOURCES EMERGENCY WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 623.1 Purpose and scope. (a) The regulations... wetland characteristics, such as hydrologic conditions of inundation or saturation of the soil and...

  17. 7 CFR 623.1 - Purpose and scope.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... improvement, flood water retention, floodway enhancement, ground water recharge, open space, aesthetic values... AGRICULTURE WATER RESOURCES EMERGENCY WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 623.1 Purpose and scope. (a) The regulations... wetland characteristics, such as hydrologic conditions of inundation or saturation of the soil and...

  18. 7 CFR 1467.7 - Enrollment process.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... which provides for the restoration and protection of the functions and values of wetlands; (iii... AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.7 Enrollment process. (a... easement acquisition activities after the property has been enrolled. (2) Restoration cost-share agreement...

  19. 7 CFR 1467.7 - Enrollment process.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... which provides for the restoration and protection of the functions and values of wetlands; (iii... AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.7 Enrollment process. (a... easement acquisition activities after the property has been enrolled. (2) Restoration cost-share agreement...

  20. 7 CFR 623.1 - Purpose and scope.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... Program (EWRP). Under the EWRP, NRCS will make offers to purchase wetland conservation easements from... for restoration to wetland conditions and if the owner voluntarily agrees to restore and maintain...

  1. The biogeography of Mid-Atlantic CEAP wetlands

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Background/Question/Methods: The national U.S.D.A. Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) is a multi-agency effort to quantify the environmental benefits of conservation practices. The goal of CEAP is to determine the effectiveness of wetland conservation practices and programs, including im...

  2. Environmental Assessment for Management of South End of Runway Wetlands, Moody AFB, Georgia

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-11-01

    implement a management program for the wetlands at the south end of runway (EOR) at Moody AFB to reduce the bird/wildlife aircraft strike hazard (BASH) risk...because birds and other wildlife pose an increased bird/wildlife aircraft strike hazard (BASH) risk to aircraft utilizing the Moody AFB airfield. ln...support ofthe military mission, Moody AFB has implemented a BASH management program designed to minimize aircraft exposure to potentially hazardous

  3. A Hydrogeomorphic Classification for Wetlands

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-08-01

    Research Program (WRP). The work was performed under Work Unit 32756, for which Mr. R. Daniel Smith was Principal Investigator . Mr. John Bellinger...34Laws of temperature control of the geographic distribution of terrestrial animals and plants," National Geographic Magazine 6, 229-238. Metzler, K. J...34Notes on the vegetation of Amazonia . III. The terminology of Amazonian forest types subject to inundation," Brittonia 31, 26-38. Prince, H. H., and

  4. The Significant Surface-Water Connectivity of “Geographically Isolated Wetlands”

    EPA Science Inventory

    We evaluated the current literature, coupled with our collective research expertise, on surface-water connectivity of wetlands considered to be “geographically isolated” (sensu Tiner Wetlands 23:494–516, 2003a) to critically assess the scientific foundation of grouping wetlands b...

  5. 40 CFR 258.12 - Wetlands.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Wetlands. 258.12 Section 258.12... Act or applicable State wetlands laws, the presumption that practicable alternative to the proposed... Species Act of 1973, and (iv) Violate any requirement under the Marine Protection, Research, and...

  6. 40 CFR 258.12 - Wetlands.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Wetlands. 258.12 Section 258.12... Act or applicable State wetlands laws, the presumption that practicable alternative to the proposed... Species Act of 1973, and (iv) Violate any requirement under the Marine Protection, Research, and...

  7. 40 CFR 258.12 - Wetlands.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2012-07-01 2011-07-01 true Wetlands. 258.12 Section 258.12... Act or applicable State wetlands laws, the presumption that practicable alternative to the proposed... Species Act of 1973, and (iv) Violate any requirement under the Marine Protection, Research, and...

  8. Determination of lateral effects of borrow pits on hydrology of adjacent wetlands.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2007-09-28

    A three year research project was conducted to develop and test a method to predict the distance borrow pits should : be set back from adjacent wetlands to avoid detrimental impacts on wetland hydrology. The method is based on the : Boussinesq equati...

  9. Pesticide mitigation capacities of constructed wetlands

    Treesearch

    Matthew T. Moore; Charles M. Cooper; Sammie Smith; John H. Rodgers

    2000-01-01

    This research focused on using constructed wetlands along field perimeters to buffer receiving water against potential effects of pesticides associated with storm runoff. The current study incorporated wetland mesocosm sampling following simulated runoff events using chlorpyrifos, atrazine, and metolachlor. Through this data collection and simple model analysis,...

  10. Sediment accretion rates and sediment composition in Prairie Pothole wetlands under varying land use practices, Montana, United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Preston, T.M.; Sojda, R.S.; Gleason, R.A.

    2013-01-01

    Increased sedimentation and nutrient cycle changes in Prairie Pothole Region wetlands associated with agriculture threaten the permanence and ecological functionality of these important resources. To determine the effects of land use on sedimentation and nutrient cycling, soil cores were analyzed for cesium-137 (137Cs), lead-210 (210Pb), and potassium-40 (40K) activities; textural composition; organic and inorganic carbon (C); and total nitrogen (N) from twelve wetlands surrounded by cropland, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands, or native prairie uplands. Separate soil cores from nine of these wetlands were also analyzed for phosphorus (P), nitrate (NO3), and ammonium (NH4) concentrations. Wetlands surrounded by cropland had significantly greater linear sediment accretion rates than wetlands surrounded by CRP or native prairie. Linear sediment accretion rates from wetlands surrounded by cropland were 2.7 and 6 times greater than wetlands surrounded by native prairie when calculated from the initial and peak occurrence of 137Cs, respectively, and 0.15 cm y−1 (0.06 in yr−1) greater when calculated from 210Pb. Relative to wetlands surrounded by CRP, linear sediment accretion rates for wetlands surrounded by cropland were 4.4 times greater when calculated from the peak occurrence of 137Cs. No significant differences existed between the linear sediment accretion rates between wetlands surrounded by native prairie or CRP uplands. Wetlands surrounded by cropland had increased clay, P, NO3, and NH4, and decreased total C and N concentrations compared to wetlands surrounded by native prairie. Wetlands surrounded by CRP had the lowest P and NO3 concentrations and had clay, NH4, C, and N concentrations between those of cropland and native prairie wetlands. We documented increased linear sediment accretion rates and changes in the textural and chemical properties of sediments in wetlands with cultivated uplands relative to wetlands with native prairie uplands. These findings demonstrate the value of the CRP at protecting wetland catchments to reduce sedimentation.

  11. Factors affecting the evolution of coastal wetlands of the Laurentian Great Lakes: An overview

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mayer, T.; Edsall, T.; Munawar, M.

    2004-01-01

    Coastal wetlands play a pivotal role in the Great Lakes ecosystem. As buffer zones between the land and open waters of the Great Lakes, they perform a variety of essential functions providing both direct and indirect anthropogenic benefits. Geology, morphology and climate are the dominant variables that influence Laurentian Great Lakes wetland development. However, anthropogenic factors are the major contributors to alteration of natural wetland processes. This paper provides an overview of natural and anthropogenic factors important in Great Lakes coastal wetland development and provides statistical information describing the Great Lakes Basin. A brief description of wetlands classification and research issues is also presented.

  12. Vulnerability of Coastal Wetlands in the Southeastern United States: Climate Change Research Results, 1992-97.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-01-01

    resource management and use of these public lands . Southeastern coastal wetlands have also been high priority areas for state fish and wildlife agencies...of landscape models and new satellite tech- nology to provide important tools for research and policy purposes that allow for effective land and...transgression. Hence, short- term rates of marsh transgression may be meaningless and may not be useful tools to predict wetland habitat change, at least

  13. Aquaculture in artificially developed wetlands in urban areas: an application of the bivariate relationship between soil and surface water in landscape ecology.

    PubMed

    Paul, Abhijit

    2011-01-01

    Wetlands show a strong bivariate relationship between soil and surface water. Artificially developed wetlands help to build landscape ecology and make built environments sustainable. The bheries, wetlands of eastern Calcutta (India), utilize the city sewage to develop urban aquaculture that supports the local fish industries and opens a new frontier in sustainable environmental planning research.

  14. 7 CFR 1467.12 - The WRPO development.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.12 The WRPO... WRPO will be developed to ensure that cost-effective restoration and maximization of wildlife benefits and wetland functions and values will result. Specifically, the WRPO will consider and address, to the...

  15. 7 CFR 1467.12 - The WRPO development.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.12 The WRPO... WRPO will be developed to ensure that cost-effective restoration and maximization of wildlife benefits and wetland functions and values will result. Specifically, the WRPO will consider and address, to the...

  16. 7 CFR 1467.15 - Violations and remedies.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.15 Violations... contract, or any restoration cost-share agreement involving the participant, the participant shall be given... important wetland functions and values or other rights of the United States under the easement. The...

  17. 7 CFR 1467.15 - Violations and remedies.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.15 Violations... contract, or any restoration cost-share agreement involving the participant, the participant shall be given... important wetland functions and values or other rights of the United States under the easement. The...

  18. Louisiana coastal ecosystem

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ,

    2000-01-01

    Louisiana's coast and its degradation and restoration are major environmental issues being studied at the National Wetlands Research Center. Coastal ecosystems are vulnerable because of the tremendous amount of human activity that takes place along the coast. Information on ecological processes is essential to guide the development along the coast as well as to protect and restore wildlife habitat.Louisiana has about 40% of coastal wetlands in the lower 48 states; they support fish, waterfowl, and fur-bearing animals as well as unique cultures like that of the Acadians. The fish and wildlife resources of Louisiana's coast produce over $1 billion each year in revenues.But Louisiana has the highest coastal loss rate because of natural and human causes. Over the past three decades, Louisiana has lost as much as 35-40 mi2 (90-104 km2) of coastal wetlands a year.The National Wetlands Research Center is qualified to assess and monitor this ecosystem because of its proximity to the study area, a staff chosen for their expertise in the system, and a number of established partnerships with others who study the areas. The Center is often the lead group in partnerships with universities, other federal agencies, and private entities who study this ecosystem.Most of the Center's research and technology development performed for coastal wetlands are done at the Lafayette headquarters; some work is performed at the National Wetlands Research Center's project office in Baton Rouge, LA.

  19. Changes in historical Iowa land cover as context for assessing the environmental benefits of current and future conservation efforts on agricultural lands

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gallant, Alisa L.; Sadinski, Walt; Roth, Mark F.; Rewa, Charles A.

    2011-01-01

    Conservationists and agriculturists face unprecedented challenges trying to minimize tradeoffs between increasing demands for food, fiber, feed, and biofuels and the resulting loss or reduced values of other ecosystem services, such as those derived from wetlands and biodiversity (Millenium Ecosystem Assessment 2005a, 2005c; Maresch et al. 2008). The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-234, Stat. 923, HR 2419, also known as the 2008 Farm Bill) reauthorized the USDA to provide financial incentives for agricultural producers to reduce environmental impacts via multiple conservation programs. Two prominent programs, the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) and the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), provide incentives for producers to retire environmentally sensitive croplands, minimize erosion, improve water quality, restore wetlands, and provide wildlife habitat (USDA FSA 2008a, 2008b; USDA NRCS 2002). Other conservation programs (e.g., Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Stewardship Program) provide incentives to implement structural and cultural conservation practices to improve the environmental performance of working agricultural lands. Through its Conservation Effects Assessment Project, USDA is supporting evaluation of the environmental benefits obtained from the public investment in conservation programs and practices to inform decisions on where further investments are warranted (Duriancik et al. 2008; Zinn 1997).

  20. Documentation of programs used to determine a wetlands hydroperiod from model-simulated water-surface elevations

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sonenshein, R.S.

    1996-01-01

    A technique has been developed to determine a wetlands hydroperiod by comparing simulated water levels from a ground-water flow model and land- surface elevation data through a geographic information system. The simulated water levels are compared with the land-surface elevation data to determine the height of the water surface above or below land surface for the area of interest. Finally, the hydroperiod is determined for established time periods using criteria specified by the user. The program application requires the use of geographic information system software (ARC/INFO), including the TIN and GRID subsystems of the software. The application consists of an ANSI compatible C program to translate ground- water data output from the U.S. Geological Survey modular three-dimensional, finite-difference, ground-water flow model (MODFLOW) into a format that can be used as input for the geographic information system programs (AML's). The application uses ARC/INFO AML programs and ARC/INFO menu interface programs to create digital spatial data layers of the land surface and water surface and to determine the hydroperiod. The technique can be used to evaluate and manage wetlands hydrology.

  1. A LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY APPROACH TO IDENTIFYING ECOLOGICAL VULNERABILITY IN GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED WETLANDS

    EPA Science Inventory

    U.S. EPA 's Office of Research and Development is using a landscape approach to assess the ecological/hydrologic functions of geographically isolated wetlands in the mid-western, southern, and western regions of the United States. Geographically isolated wetlands are considered t...

  2. 40 CFR 257.9 - Wetlands.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2012-07-01 2011-07-01 true Wetlands. 257.9 Section 257.9...; and (iv) Violate any requirement under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972... extent required under section 404 of the Clean Water Act or applicable State wetlands laws, steps have...

  3. 40 CFR 257.9 - Wetlands.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Wetlands. 257.9 Section 257.9...; and (iv) Violate any requirement under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972... extent required under section 404 of the Clean Water Act or applicable State wetlands laws, steps have...

  4. 40 CFR 257.9 - Wetlands.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Wetlands. 257.9 Section 257.9...; and (iv) Violate any requirement under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972... extent required under section 404 of the Clean Water Act or applicable State wetlands laws, steps have...

  5. USE OF WETLANDS TO TREAT SEPTIC TANK EFFLUENT FROM A CONFERENCE FACILITY

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Grailville Retreat Center near Loveland, OH built a wastewater treatment wetland under an experimental permit from OEPA to eliminate overflow from a failing leach field. Grailville allowed the USEPA Risk Management Research Lab in Cincinnati to subdivide the wetland into fiv...

  6. Constructed Wetlands for Treatment of Organic and Engineered Nanomaterial Contaminants of Emerging Concerns (WaterRF Report 4334)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The goal of this project was to determine hydraulic and carbon loading rates for constructed wetlands required for achieving different levels of organic and nanomaterial contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) removal in constructed wetlands. Specific research objectives included...

  7. Compensatory stream and wetland mitigation in North Carolina: an evaluation of regulatory success.

    PubMed

    Hill, Tammy; Kulz, Eric; Munoz, Breda; Dorney, John R

    2013-05-01

    Data from a probability sample were used to estimate wetland and stream mitigation success from 2007 to 2009 across North Carolina (NC). "Success" was defined as whether the mitigation site met regulatory requirements in place at the time of construction. Analytical results were weighted by both component counts and mitigation size. Overall mitigation success (including preservation) was estimated at 74 % (SE = 3 %) for wetlands and 75 % (SE = 4 %) for streams in NC. Compared to the results of previous studies, wetland mitigation success rates had increased since the mid-1990s. Differences between mitigation providers (mitigation banks, NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program's design-bid-build and full-delivery programs, NC Department of Transportation and private permittee-responsible mitigation) were generally not significant although permittee-responsible mitigation yielded higher success rates in certain circumstances. Both wetland and stream preservation showed high rates of success and the stream enhancement success rate was significantly higher than that of stream restoration. Additional statistically significant differences when mitigation size was considered included: (1) the Piedmont yielded a lower stream mitigation success rate than other areas of the state, and (2) recently constructed wetland mitigation projects demonstrated a lower success rate than those built prior to 2002. Opportunities for improvement exist in the areas of regulatory record-keeping, understanding the relationship between post-construction establishment and long-term ecological trajectories of stream and wetland restoration projects, incorporation of numeric ecological metrics into mitigation monitoring and success criteria, and adaptation of stream mitigation designs to achieve greater success in the Piedmont.

  8. USGS research on Florida's isolated freshwater wetlands

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Torres, Arturo E.; Haag, Kim H.; Lee, Terrie M.; Metz, Patricia A.

    2011-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has studied wetland hydrology and its effects on wetland health and ecology in Florida since the 1990s. USGS wetland studies in Florida and other parts of the Nation provide resource managers with tools to assess current conditions and regional trends in wetland resources. Wetland hydrologists in the USGS Florida Water Science Center (FLWSC) have completed a number of interdisciplinary studies assessing the hydrology, ecology, and water quality of wetlands. These studies have expanded the understanding of wetland hydrology, ecology, and related processes including: (1) the effects of cyclical changes in rainfall and the influence of evapotranspiration; (2) surface-water flow, infiltration, groundwater movement, and groundwater and surfacewater interactions; (3) the effects of water quality and soil type; (4) the unique biogeochemical components of wetlands required to maintain ecosystem functions; (5) the effects of land use and other human activities; (6) the influences of algae, plants, and invertebrates on environmental processes; and (7) the effects of seasonal variations in animal communities that inhabit or visit Florida wetlands and how wetland function responds to changes in the plant community.

  9. Wetland Hydrology | Science Inventory | US EPA

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This chapter discusses the state of the science in wetland hydrology by touching upon the major hydraulic and hydrologic processes in these complex ecosystems, their measurement/estimation techniques, and modeling methods. It starts with the definition of wetlands, their benefits and types, and explains the role and importance of hydrology on wetland functioning. The chapter continues with the description of wetland hydrologic terms and related estimation and modeling techniques. The chapter provides a quick but valuable information regarding hydraulics of surface and subsurface flow, groundwater seepage/discharge, and modeling groundwater/surface water interactions in wetlands. Because of the aggregated effects of the wetlands at larger scales and their ecosystem services, wetland hydrology at the watershed scale is also discussed in which we elaborate on the proficiencies of some of the well-known watershed models in modeling wetland hydrology. This chapter can serve as a useful reference for eco-hydrologists, wetland researchers and decision makers as well as watershed hydrology modelers. In this chapter, the importance of hydrology for wetlands and their functional role are discussed. Wetland hydrologic terms and the major components of water budget in wetlands and how they can be estimated/modeled are also presented. Although this chapter does not provide a comprehensive coverage of wetland hydrology, it provides a quick understanding of the basic co

  10. Influence of weather extremes on the water levels of glaciated prairie wetlands

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Johnson, W.C.; Boettcher, S.E.; Poiani, K.A.; Guntenspergen, G.

    2004-01-01

    Orchid Meadows is a long-term wetland research and monitoring site on the Coteau des Prairie in extreme east-central South Dakota, USA. It is a 65-ha Waterfowl Production Area with numerous temporary, seasonal, and semi-permanent wetlands. Ground water and surface water have been monitored at the site from 1987 to 1989 and from 1993 to the present. Vegetation has been monitored since 1993. The monitoring record includes two nearly back-to-back weather extremes: a drought in the late 1980s and a deluge in the early- to mid-1990s. Wetlands differed sharply in water levels between 3-yr dry and wet periods. For example, the time of inundation ranged among semi-permanent wetlands from 13 to 71 percent during the dry years to 100 percent during the wet years, while for seasonal wetlands, it was 0-29 percent and 46-100 percent, respectively, during dry and wet periods. Temporary wetlands had no surface water during the dry period but had standing water 0-67 percent of the time during the deluge years. The highest ground-water levels during the dry period were lower than most levels during the wet period. The difference in the water-table elevations of temporary wetlands between the periods was as much as 4 m. Ground-water levels near semi-permanent wetlands were considerably more stable (annual range of 0.3-1.6 m) than those near temporary wetlands (1.3-2.5 m). The results support the concept that weather extremes drive the wetland cover cycle and other key ecological processes in prairie wetlands. The new data from Orchid Meadows, together with other long-term data sets from North Dakota and Saskatchewan, Canada, are useful for many research purposes, including the parameterization and testing of models that simulate the effects of climate variability and climate change on prairie wetland ecosystems.

  11. Putting Connectivity in Context: Overview on Geographically Isolated Wetland Research

    EPA Science Inventory

    Geographically isolated wetlands (GIWs) affect and contribute to the integrity of other waters through biological, chemical, and hydrological (or physical) processes that vary in timing, duration, and magnitude of their impact. Research quantifying contributions and effects of so...

  12. WATER QUALITY AND BIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF GREAT LAKES COASTAL WETLANDS, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON LAKE SUPERIOR

    EPA Science Inventory

    This presentation will focus on MED's past and ongoing research in Lake Superior wetlands, and will include data on habitat, water quality, and biological condition of these systems. Comparisons of the condition of Lake Superior wetlands relative to those found around the Great ...

  13. Highlights and overview of the 2011 National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA) and upcoming 2016 NWCA

    EPA Science Inventory

    This presentation is for a webinar sponsored by the Society of Wetland Scientists. It is tailored to a technical audience with research interests in wetland ecology and management. The talk will introduce the National Aquatic Resource Surveys and then transition to a discussion...

  14. User's guide to the wetland creation/restoration data base, version 2

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Miller, Lee; Auble, Gregor T.; Schneller-McDonald, Keith

    1991-01-01

    Wetland creation or restoration projects are frequently proposed as mitigation for unavoidable wetland losses, as components of wetland enhancement programs, and as tools to accomplish specific objectives such as waterfowl production or flood control. There is considerable controversy concerning the effectiveness of such projects as well as the most appropriate and efficient techniques to employ. The importance of the resource and the long time scales involved in fully evaluating a creation or restoration effort make it imperative to consider existing information as fully as possible in the development and evaluation of wetland creation or restoration proposals.To aid in the evaluation of wetland/creation efforts, the U.s. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), National Ecology Research Center, has developed the Wetland Creation/Restoration (WCR) Data Base. The data base is a highly indexed or keyworded bibliography of wetland creation or restoration articles. ("Articles" refers to any type of publication that deals specifically with wetland creation/restoration projects or studies.) The scope of the articles is international, although most of them are concerned with projects conducted in the United States. Information coded for each article includes author; citation; type of wetland and its location in terms of state, ecoregion, and FWS region; type of study undertaken; objectives in creating or restoring the wetland; actions performed to realize those objectives; length of time encompassed by the study; evaluation of results and responses to the wetland creation/restoration actions; and a listing of plant species significant to the project. A brief annotation summarizes the article and includes any significant additional information that may not be adequately reflected in the above described fields.Many of these articles describe only one or two components of a total wetland restoration effort. Planning a project that is designed to restore a wetland system (including at least some of its functions) is similar to constructing a picture from a number of puzzle pieces--missing pieces represent data gaps or information that is not available. Articles range from specific case studies, to overviews of restoration methods and techniques, to planning restoration projects and assessing programmatic and administrative backgrounds and interactions.In this data base, the term "restoration" is applied loosely to include rehabilitation of wetlands. It may refer to a number of situations or actions including, but not limited to:1. breaching dikes or plugging drains;2. water pollution clean-up;3. conversion of eutrophic conditions;4. wastewater treatment;5. recolonization of previously disturbed or denuded areas;6. amelioration of adverse conditions (erosion, wave, or wind action);7. soil treatment --mulching, fertilization;8. rerouting streams --may include construction of meander patterns;9. monitoring natural vegetation; or0. excluding grazers (geese, cattle) and monitoring results.This report describes the format and content of Version 2 of the WCR data base. Version 2 differs from the previous version described in SchnellerMcDonald et al. (1988): several fields have been dropped and condensed and new records have been added. Version 2 includes all records distributed with the earlier version and its updates. We recommend you replace any previous version with Version 2.

  15. Wetlands, Microbes, and the Carbon Cycle: Behind the Scenes @ Berkeley Lab

    ScienceCinema

    Tringe, Susannah

    2018-02-14

    Susannah Tringe, who leads the Metagenome Program at the Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute (JGI), a collaboration in which Berkeley Lab plays a leading role, takes us behind the scenes to show how DNA from unknown wild microbes is extracted and analyzed to see what role they play in the carbon cycle. Tringe collects samples of microbial communities living in the wetland muck of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, organisms that can determine how these wetlands store or release carbon.

  16. Range-wide wetland associations of the King Rail: A multi-scale approach

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Glisson, Wesley J.; Conway, Courtney J.; Nadeau, Christopher P.; Borgmann, Kathi L.; Laxson, Thomas A.

    2015-01-01

    King Rail populations have declined and identifying wetland features that influence King Rail occupancy can help prevent further population declines. We integrated continent-wide marsh bird survey data with spatial wetland data from the National Wetland Inventory (NWI) to examine wetland features that influenced King Rail occupancy throughout the species’ range. We analyzed wetland data at 7 spatial scales to examine the scale(s) at which 68 wetland features were most strongly related to King Rail occupancy. Occupancy was most strongly associated with estuarine features and brackish and tidal saltwater regimes. King Rail occupancy was positively associated with emergent and scrub-shrub wetlands and negatively associated with forested wetlands. The best spatial scale for assessing King Rail occupancy differed among wetland features; we could not identify one spatial scale (among all wetland features) that best explained variation in occupancy. Future research on King Rail habitat that includes multiple spatial scales is more likely to identify the suite of features that influence occupancy. Our results indicate that NWI data may be useful for predicting occupancy based on broad habitat features across the King Rail’s range, which may help inform management decisions for this and other wetland-dependent birds.

  17. National Wetland Plant List Indicator Rating Definitions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-07-01

    ER D C/ CR RE L TN -1 2- 1 National Wetland Plant List Indicator Rating Definitions Co ld R eg io ns R es ea rc h an d En gi ne er in... Rating Definitions Robert W. Lichvar Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center 72 Lyme...status ratings in the United States. In 2012 the list, now called the National Wetland Plant List, was updated and approved for use for various

  18. Structure and vulnerability of Pacific Northwest tidal wetlands – A summary of wetland climate change research by the Western Ecology Division, U.S. EPA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Folger, Christina L; Lee, Henry; Janousek, Christopher N.; Reusser, Deborah A.

    2014-01-01

    Climate change poses a serious threat to the tidal wetlands of the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region of the U.S. In response to this threat, scientists at the Western Ecology Division of the U.S. EPA at and the Western Fisheries Research Center of the U.S. Geological Survey, along with other partners, initiated a series of studies on the structure and vulnerability of tidal wetlands to climate change. One research thrust was to evaluate community structure of PNW marshes, experimentally assess the vulnerability of marsh plants to inundation and salinity stress (as would happen with sea level rise), and evaluate the utility of the National Wetland Inventory (NWI) classification system. Another research thrust was to develop tools that provide insights into possible impacts of climate change. This effort included enhancing the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) to predict the effects of sea level rise on submerged aquatic vegetation (Zostera marina) distributions, evaluating changes in river flow into coastal estuaries in response to precipitation changes, and synthesizing Pacific Coast estuary, watershed, and climate data in a downloadable tool. Because the research resulting from these efforts was published in multiple venues, we summarized them in this document. We anticipate that future research efforts by the U.S. EPA will continue with a focus on climate change impacts on a regional scale.

  19. A smart market for nutrient credit trading to incentivize wetland construction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Raffensperger, John F.; Prabodanie, R. A. Ranga; Kostel, Jill A.

    2017-03-01

    Nutrient trading and constructed wetlands are widely discussed solutions to reduce nutrient pollution. Nutrient markets usually include agricultural nonpoint sources and municipal and industrial point sources, but these markets rarely include investors who construct wetlands to sell nutrient reduction credits. We propose a new market design for trading nutrient credits, with both point source and non-point source traders, explicitly incorporating the option of landowners to build nutrient removal wetlands. The proposed trading program is designed as a smart market with centralized clearing, done with an optimization. The market design addresses the varying impacts of runoff over space and time, and the lumpiness of wetland investments. We simulated the market for the Big Bureau Creek watershed in north-central Illinois. We found that the proposed smart market would incentivize wetland construction by assuring reasonable payments for the ecosystem services provided. The proposed market mechanism selects wetland locations strategically taking into account both the cost and nutrient removal efficiencies. The centralized market produces locational prices that would incentivize farmers to reduce nutrients, which is voluntary. As we illustrate, wetland builders' participation in nutrient trading would enable the point sources and environmental organizations to buy low cost nutrient credits.

  20. Driving forces behind the construction of an eco-compensation mechanism for wetlands in China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Changhai

    2016-09-01

    This research revealed important driving forces behind the construction of an eco-compensation mechanism for wetlands (DFEMW) in China. Using China's provincial panel data from 1978 to 2008, a fixed-effects model was used to analyze the impacts of agricultural production systems on wetlands. We identified three DFEMW as follows: the change of wetland resources and protection measures in China; declaration and implementation of the provincial Wetland Protection Ordinance; and wetland degradation by agricultural production systems, which necessitated the establishment of a wetland eco-compensation mechanism. In addition to the DFEMW, a significant positive correlation between wetland area and both rural population and gross agricultural production was identified, in addition to a negative correlation with chemical fertilizer usage, reservoir storage capacity, and irrigation area. The underlying reasons for the serious degradation and inadequate protection of wetlands were market failure and government failure; these were the driving forces behind the need to establish a wetland eco-compensation mechanism. From a governmental perspective, it has been difficult to rectify market failures in resource distribution and thus to prevent wetland degradation. Factors include conflicts of interest, lack of investment, effective special laws, a simple means to protect wetlands, and a multidisciplinary management system. Therefore, the key factor is the coordination of interest relationships between those who utilize wetlands and those who seek to minimize wetland degradation and effectively protect wetlands.

  1. SPATIAL AND FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ISOLATED WETLANDS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The USEPA is conducting isolated wetland (IW) research at locations around the USA to better understand the ecological importance and ecosystem services provided by IW and to develop methods to monitor and assess their condition. The first research component explores the use of r...

  2. Effects of wastewater on forested wetlands

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Doyle, Thomas W.

    2002-01-01

    Cycling nutrient-enriched wastewater from holding ponds through natural, forested wetlands is a practice that municipal waste treatment managers are considering as a viable option for disposing of wastewater. In this wastewater cycling process, sewer effluent that has been circulated through aerated ponds is discharged into neighboring wetland systems. To understand how wastewater cycling affects forest and species productivity, researchers at the USGS National Wetlands Research Center conducted dendroecological investigations in a swamp system and in a bog system that have been exposed to wastewater effluent for many decades. Dendroecology involves the study of forest changes over time as interpreted from tree rings. Tree-ring chronologies describe the pattern and history of growth suppression and release that can be associated with aging and disturbances such as hurricanes, floods, and fires. But because of limited monitoring, little is known about the potential for long-term effects on forested wetlands as a result of wastewater flooding. USGS researchers used tree rings to detect the effect of wastewater cycling on tree growth. Scientists expected to find that tree-ring width would be increased as a result of added nutrients.

  3. Spatial Variability of Dissolved Organic Carbon in Headwater Wetlands in Central Pennsylvania

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reichert-Eberhardt, A. J.; Wardrop, D.; Boyer, E. W.

    2011-12-01

    Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is known to be of an important factor in many microbially mediated biochemical processes, such as denitrification, that occur in wetlands. The spatial variability of DOC within a wetland could impact the microbes that fuel these processes, which in turn can affect the ecosystem services provided by wetlands. However, the amount of spatial variability of DOC in wetlands is generally unknown. Furthermore, it is unknown how disturbance to wetlands can affect spatial variability of DOC. Previous research in central Pennsylvania headwater wetland soils has shown that wetlands with increased human disturbance had decreased heterogeneity in soil biochemistry. To address groundwater chemical variability 20 monitoring wells were installed in a random pattern in a 400 meter squared plot in a low-disturbance headwater wetland and a high-disturbance headwater wetland in central Pennsylvania. Water samples from these wells will be analyzed for DOC, dissolved inorganic carbon, nitrate, ammonia, and sulfate concentrations, as well as pH, conductivity, and temperature on a seasonal basis. It is hypothesized that there will be greater spatial variability of groundwater chemistry in the low disturbance wetland than the high disturbance wetland. This poster will present the initial data concerning DOC spatial variability in both the low and high impact headwater wetlands.

  4. DEVELOPING A LANDSCAPE APPROACH TO EVALUATION OF WETLAND CONDITION IN THE SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAINS: PHASE II.

    EPA Science Inventory

    This proposal details a project whose goal is to develop a rapid assessment tool for determining the success of compensatory wetland mitigation within a hydrogeomorphic framework. Phase I of this program, currently in progress and funded through FY 2000 RARE funds, is developing...

  5. 7 CFR 12.4 - Determination of ineligibility.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1003 or 1006a). (e) Programs subject to... Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture HIGHLY ERODIBLE LAND AND WETLAND CONSERVATION General... such a field for conservation use; (2) The person produces an agricultural commodity on wetland that...

  6. 7 CFR 12.4 - Determination of ineligibility.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1003 or 1006a). (e) Programs subject to... Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture HIGHLY ERODIBLE LAND AND WETLAND CONSERVATION General... such a field for conservation use; (2) The person produces an agricultural commodity on wetland that...

  7. 7 CFR 12.4 - Determination of ineligibility.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1003 or 1006a). (e) Programs subject to... Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture HIGHLY ERODIBLE LAND AND WETLAND CONSERVATION General... such a field for conservation use; (2) The person produces an agricultural commodity on wetland that...

  8. 50 CFR 84.46 - What are the cost-sharing requirements?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS... provide the value of land, including the land proposed for restoration, enhancement, or management as a..., if a State proposes to manage a contiguous wetland of 100 acres, and already owns 10 of the 100 acres...

  9. INCORPORATING WETLANDS IN WATER QUALITY TRADING PROGRAMS: ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Water quality trading has grown in popularity and scope in recent years owing to its potential as a flexible low cost way to achieve water quality goals, especially nutrient removal goals. Wetlands probide a variety of ecosystem services. They can sequester CO2, they can provide ...

  10. WETLANDS AND WATER QUALITY TRADING: REVIEW OF CURRENT SCIENCE AND ECONOMIC PRACTICES WITH SELECTED CASE STUDIES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The study evaluates the technical, economic, and administrative aspects of establishing water quality trading (WQT) programs where the nutrient removal capacity of wetlands is used to improve water quality. WQT is a potentially viable approach for wastewater dischargers to cost-e...

  11. Evapotranspiration from drained wetlands: drivers, modeling, storage functions, and restoration implications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shukla, S.; Wu, C. L.; Shrestha, N.

    2017-12-01

    Abstract Evapotranspiration (ET) is a major component of wetland and watershed water budgets. The effect of wetland drainage on ET is not well understood. We tested whether the current understanding of insignificant effect of drainage on ET in the temperate region wetlands applies to those in the sub-tropics. Eddy covariance (EC) based ET measurements were made for two years at two previously drained and geographically close wetlands in the Everglades region of Florida. One wetland was significantly drained with 97% of its storage capacity lost. The other was a more functional wetland with 42% of storage capacity lost. Annual average ET at the significantly drained wetland was 836 mm, 34% less than the function wetland (1271 mm) and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Such differences in wetland ET in the same climatic region have not been observed. The difference in ET was mainly due to drainage driven differences in inundation and associated effects on net radiation (Rn) and local relative humidity. Two daily ET models, a regression (r2 = 0.80) and a Relevance Vector Machine (RVM) model (r2 = 0.84), were developed with the latter being more robust. These models, when used in conjunction with hydrologic models, improved ET predictions for drained wetlands. Predictions from an integrated model showed that more intensely drained wetlands at higher elevation should be targeted for restoration of downstream flows (flooding) because they have the ability to loose higher water volume through ET which increases available water storage capacity of wetlands. Daily ET models can predict changes in ET for improved evaluation of basin-scale effects of restoration programs and climate change scenarios.

  12. Study on removal efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural wastewater by subsurface flow constructed wetland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ling, Zhen; Li, Jie

    2018-03-01

    Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetland Plant 5 kinds of perennial herbs, there are Canna, Water onion, Iris, Calamus, Reed. Foucs on Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetlands on agricultural wastewater nitrogen and phosphorus removal effect. Research results: Different plants TP removal efficiency from high to low is Iris> reed> calamus> water onion> canna.And TN removal efficiency from high to low is reed> water onion> iris> calamus> canna. Compared with the blank test land, Wetland plants improves TN removal and TP removal is higher than TN. Wetland plants can reduce the PH of experimental water.

  13. Flow-velocity data collected in the wetlands adjacent to canal C-111 in south Florida during 1997 and 1999

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ball, Maria H.; Schaffranek, Raymond W.

    2000-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is working closely with other Federal and State agencies in a comprehensive program to evaluate and restore the south Florida ecosystem. Within the USGS South Florida Ecosystem Program, a project entitled 'Coupling Models for Canal and Wetland Flow/Transport Interaction' is focused on analysis and numerical simulation of flow and potential transport of constituents between canal C-111 and wetlands adjacent to Everglades National Park. In support of this project, comprehensive sets of flow, vegetation, and water-quality data were collected in September 1997 and 1999. The flow-velocity data are compiled, summarized, and tabulated in this report. The flow, vegetation, and water-quality data are available for downloading from the World Wide Web.

  14. A morphological comparison of narrow, low-gradient streams traversing wetland environments to alluvial streams.

    PubMed

    Jurmu, Michael C

    2002-12-01

    Twelve morphological features from research on alluvial streams are compared in four narrow, low-gradient wetland streams located in different geographic regions (Connecticut, Indiana, and Wisconsin, USA). All four reaches differed in morphological characteristics in five of the features compared (consistent bend width, bend cross-sectional shape, riffle width compared to pool width, greatest width directly downstream of riffles, and thalweg location), while three reaches differed in two comparisons (mean radius of curvature to width ratio and axial wavelength to width ratio). The remaining five features compared had at least one reach where different characteristics existed. This indicates the possibility of varying morphology for streams traversing wetland areas further supporting the concept that the unique qualities of wetland environments might also influence the controls on fluvial dynamics and the development of streams. If certain morphological features found in streams traversing wetland areas differ from current fluvial principles, then these varying features should be incorporated into future wetland stream design and creation projects. The results warrant further research on other streams traversing wetlands to determine if streams in these environments contain unique morphology and further investigation of the impact of low-energy fluvial processes on morphological development. Possible explanations for the morphology deviations in the study streams and some suggestions for stream design in wetland areas based upon the results and field observations are also presented.

  15. Regulatory Implications of Using Constructed Wetlands to Treat Selenium-Laden Wastewater

    Treesearch

    A. Dennis Lemly; Harry M. Ohlendorf

    2002-01-01

    The practice of using constructed wetlands to treat selenium-laden wastewater is gaining popularity in the linited States and elsewhere. However, proponents of treatment wetlands often overlook important ecological liabilities and regulatory implications when developing new methods and applications. Their research studies typically seek to answer a basic performance...

  16. Research Challenges And Opportunities To Enhance Ecological Functions In Forested Wetlands

    Treesearch

    John A. Stanturf; J. Steven Meadows

    1994-01-01

    Protecting wetland values and functions are important goals for forest managers. Value and function are easy terms to confuse, but they are not interchangeable. Societal values are directly and indirectly associated with ecological functions. For example, forested wetlands may suppress flooding downstream, which is a value. Floodplain forests store water, impede...

  17. Mitigation bank promotes research on restoring coastal plain depression wetlands (South Carolina)

    Treesearch

    Christopher D. Barton; Diane De Steven; John C. Kilgo

    2004-01-01

    Carolina bays and smaller depression wetlands support diverse plant communities and provide critical habitat for semi-aquatic fauna throughout the Coastal Plain region of the southeastern United States. Historically, many depression wetlands were altered or destroyed by surface ditching, drainage, and agricultural or silviculture uses. These important habitats are now...

  18. Tidal wetland vegetation and ecotone profiles: The Rush Ranch Open Space Preserve

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The Rush Ranch Open Space Preserve (Rush Ranch) is a component site of the San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (SF Bay NERR) that includes one of the largest undiked tidal wetlands in the San Francisco Estuary. The brackish tidal wetlands grade into transitional vegetation and unde...

  19. K-12 Participation Is Instrumental in Enhancing Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahn, Changwoo

    2015-01-01

    This article reports a case of incorporating a field-based ecological project as a resource into an undergraduate research and scholarship (RS) intensive course. Student research projects were conducted in an outdoor experimental compound with wetland mesocosms as well as in local created wetlands to study soil organic matter content as part of an…

  20. SICS: the Southern Inland and Coastal System interdisciplinary project of the USGS South Florida Ecosystem Program

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ,

    2011-01-01

    State and Federal agencies are working jointly on structural modifications and improved water-delivery strategies to reestablish more natural surface-water flows through the Everglades wetlands and into Florida Bay. Changes in the magnitude, duration, timing, and distribution of inflows from the headwaters of the Taylor Slough and canal C-111 drainage basins have shifted the seasonal distribution and extent of wetland inundation, and also contributed to the development of hypersaline conditions in nearshore embayments of Florida Bay. Such changes are altering biological and vegetative communities in the wetlands and creating stresses on aquatic habitat. Affected biotic resources include federally listed species such as the Cape Sable seaside sparrow, American crocodile, wood stork, and roseate spoonbill. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is synthesizing scientific findings from hydrologic process studies, collecting data to characterize the ecosystem properties and functions, and integrating the results of these efforts into a research tool and management model for this Southern Inland and Coastal System(SICS). Scientists from all four disciplinary divisions of the USGS, Biological Resources, Geology, National Mapping, and Water Resources are contributing to this interdisciplinary project.

  1. Hydrology of prairie wetlands: Understanding the integrated surface-water and groundwater processes

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hayashi, Masaki; van der Kamp, Garth; Rosenberry, Donald O.

    2016-01-01

    Wetland managers and policy makers need to make decisions based on a sound scientific understanding of hydrological and ecological functions of wetlands. This article presents an overview of the hydrology of prairie wetlands intended for managers, policy makers, and researchers new to this field (e.g., graduate students), and a quantitative conceptual framework for understanding the hydrological functions of prairie wetlands and their responses to changes in climate and land use. The existence of prairie wetlands in the semi-arid environment of the Prairie-Pothole Region (PPR) depends on the lateral inputs of runoff water from their catchments because mean annual potential evaporation exceeds precipitation in the PPR. Therefore, it is critically important to consider wetlands and catchments as highly integrated hydrological units. The water balance of individual wetlands is strongly influenced by runoff from the catchment and the exchange of groundwater between the central pond and its moist margin. Land-use practices in the catchment have a sensitive effect on runoff and hence the water balance. Surface and subsurface storage and connectivity among individual wetlands controls the diversity of pond permanence within a wetland complex, resulting in a variety of eco-hydrological functionalities necessary for maintaining the integrity of prairie-wetland ecosystems.

  2. The Cottonwood Lake study area, a long-term wetland ecosystem monitoring site

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mushet, David M.; Euliss, Ned H.

    2012-01-01

    The Cottonwood Lake study area is one of only three long-term wetland ecosystem monitoring sites in the prairie pothole region of North America; the other two are Orchid Meadows in South Dakota and St. Denis in Saskatchewan. Of the three, Cottonwood Lake has, by far, the longest continuous data-collection record. Research was initiated at the study area in 1966, and intensive investigations of the hydrology, chemistry, and biology of prairie pothole wetlands continue at the site today. This fact sheet describes the study area, provides an overview of wetland ecology research that has been conducted at the site in the past, and provides an introduction to current work being conducted at the study area by USGS scientists.

  3. 7 CFR 610.24 - Responsibilities of State Technical Committees.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... programs under Title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 including, but not limited to, the Conservation Reserve Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, Conservation Security Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program, Grassland Reserve Program, Environmental Quality Incentives...

  4. 7 CFR 610.24 - Responsibilities of State Technical Committees.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... programs under Title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 including, but not limited to, the Conservation Reserve Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, Conservation Security Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program, Grassland Reserve Program, Environmental Quality Incentives...

  5. 7 CFR 610.24 - Responsibilities of State Technical Committees.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... programs under Title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 including, but not limited to, the Conservation Reserve Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, Conservation Security Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program, Grassland Reserve Program, Environmental Quality Incentives...

  6. 7 CFR 610.24 - Responsibilities of State Technical Committees.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... programs under Title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 including, but not limited to, the Conservation Reserve Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, Conservation Security Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program, Grassland Reserve Program, Environmental Quality Incentives...

  7. Landscape trajectories during the Lateglacial and the Holocene in the Loir River Valley (France) : the contribution of Geoarchaeology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Piana, Juliene

    2015-04-01

    A multidisciplinary research has been initiated in the Loir River valley where investigations revealed high-potential fluvial records and landforms for environmental and socio-environmental reconstructions. Investigations provide the opportunity to reconstruct landscape trajectories between climate, environmental and societal changes during the last 16000 years, using geoarchaeological and archaeogeographical approaches: sedimentology, soil micromorphology, geochemistry, archaeology, geomatics, geochronology (AGES Program: Ancient Geomorphological EvolutionS of Loire Basin hydrosystem). In the sector of Vaas (Sarthe, France) the research on the Lateglacial and the Holocene sedimentary sequences from the alluvial plain leads to a general overview of the valley evolution from the end of the Weichselian Upper Pleniglacial to the Present. Joined to archaeological (Protohistoric and Antic sites) and historical data (engineering archives, 18th century cadastral registers) this research highlights the importance of anthropogenic and geomorphological heritages in the current fluvial landscape (microtopography, wetlands, archaeological remains, land use). This knowledge constitutes a basis for skills transfer to planners and managers, in sustainable management of hydrological resources (reducing the vulnerability to flooding and low flows), preservation of biodiversity (wetlands protection) and valorization of landscapes (cultural tourism development).

  8. FGD liner experiments with wetlands

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mitsch, W.J.; Ahn, C.; Wolfe, W.E.

    1999-07-01

    The construction of artificial wetlands for wastewater treatment often requires impermeable liners not only to protect groundwater resources but also to ensure that there is adequate water in the wetland to support appropriate aquatic life, particularly wetland vegetation. Liners or relatively impervious site soils are very important to the success of constructed treatment wetlands in areas where ground water levels are typically close to the ground surface. This study, carried out at the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park, investigated the use of FGD material from sulfur scrubbers as a possible liner material for constructed wetlands. While several studies have investigatedmore » the use of FGD material to line ponds, no studies have investigated the use of this material as a liner for constructed wetlands. They used experimental mesocosms to see the effect of FGD liner materials in constructed wetlands on water quality and on wetland plant growth. This paper presents the results of nutrient analyses and physicochemical investigation of leachate and surface outflow water samples collected from the mesocosms. Plant growth and biomass of wetland vegetation are also included in this paper. First two year results are reported by Ahn et al. (1998, 1999). The overall goal of this study is the identification of advantages and disadvantages of using FGD by-product as an artificial liner in constructed wetlands.« less

  9. Derivative spectra matching for wetland vegetation identification and classification by hyperspectral image

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jinnian; Zheng, Lanfen; Tong, Qingxi

    1998-08-01

    In this paper, we reported some research result in applying hyperspectral remote sensing data in identification and classification of wetland plant species and associations. Hyperspectral data were acquired by Modular Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (MAIS) over Poyang Lake wetland, China. A derivative spectral matching algorithm was used in hyperspectral vegetation analysis. The field measurement spectra were as reference for derivative spectral matching. In the study area, seven wetland plant associations were identified and classified with overall average accuracy is 84.03%.

  10. An integrated approach to assess broad-scale condition of coastal wetlands - The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Wetlands pilot survey

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Nestlerode, J.A.; Engle, V.D.; Bourgeois, P.; Heitmuller, P.T.; Macauley, J.M.; Allen, Y.C.

    2009-01-01

    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initiated a two-year regional pilot survey in 2007 to develop, test, and validate tools and approaches to assess the condition of northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) coastal wetlands. Sampling sites were selected from estuarine and palustrine wetland areas with herbaceous, forested, and shrub/scrub habitats delineated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory Status and Trends (NWI S&T) program and contained within northern GOM coastal watersheds. A multi-level, stepwise, iterative survey approach is being applied to multiple wetland classes at 100 probabilistically-selected coastal wetlands sites. Tier 1 provides information at the landscape scale about habitat inventory, land use, and environmental stressors associated with the watershed in which each wetland site is located. Tier 2, a rapid assessment conducted through a combination of office and field work, is based on best professional judgment and on-site evidence. Tier 3, an intensive site assessment, involves on-site collection of vegetation, water, and sediment samples to establish an integrated understanding of current wetland condition and validate methods and findings from Tiers 1 and 2. The results from this survey, along with other similar regional pilots from the Mid-Atlantic, West Coast, and Great Lakes Regions will contribute to a design and implementation approach for the National Wetlands Condition Assessment to be conducted by EPA's Office of Water in 2011. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008.

  11. The role of protected area wetlands in waterfowl habitat conservation: implications for protected area network design

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Beatty, William S.; Kesler, Dylan C.; Webb, Elisabeth B.; Raedeke, Andrew H.; Naylor, Luke W.; Humburg, Dale D.

    2014-01-01

    The principal goal of protected area networks is biodiversity preservation, but efficacy of such networks is directly linked to animal movement within and outside area boundaries. We examined wetland selection patterns of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) during non-breeding periods from 2010 to 2012 to evaluate the utility of protected areas to migratory waterfowl in North America. We tracked 33 adult females using global positioning system (GPS) satellite transmitters and implemented a use-availability resource selection design to examine mallard use of wetlands under varying degrees of protection. Specifically, we examined effects of proximities to National Wildlife Refuges, private land, state wildlife management areas, Wetland Reserve Program easements (WRP), and waterfowl sanctuaries on mallard wetland selection. In addition, we included landscape-level variables that measured areas of sanctuary and WRP within the surrounding landscape of each used and available wetland. We developed 8 wetland selection models according to season (autumn migration, winter, spring migration), hunting season (present, absent), and time period (diurnal, nocturnal). Model averaged parameter estimates indicated wetland selection patterns varied across seasons and time periods, but ducks consistently selected wetlands with greater areas of sanctuary and WRP in the surrounding landscape. Consequently, WRP has the potential to supplement protected area networks in the midcontinent region. Additionally, seasonal variation in wetland selection patterns indicated considering the effects of habitat management and anthropogenic disturbances on migratory waterfowl during the non-breeding period is essential in designing protected area networks.

  12. Contracting infectious diseases in Sub-Saharan African wetlands: A question of use? A review.

    PubMed

    Anthonj, Carmen; Rechenburg, Andrea; Höser, Christoph; Kistemann, Thomas

    2017-10-01

    Worldwide the pressure on water is increasing. In parts of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), natural wetlands constitute the only accessible water resources, providing water free of charge, agricultural potential and livelihoods in otherwise uninhabitable landscapes, which is why they are being used extensively. The degradation and contamination of water which result from the use of wetlands has the potential to spread disease-causing microorganisms and provide increased breeding habitats for disease vectors, Despite this importance, case studies are lacking and knowledge gaps remain about whether and how different kinds of wetland use influence the exposure to health risks and transmission of infectious diseases. This descriptive literature review aimed at identifying publications from peer-reviewed journals and book chapters that (i) address water-related infectious diseases in SSA wetlands and (ii) link those diseases to use-related exposures. The resulting overview includes 27 publications and shows that depending on the type of use, people in wetlands are exposed to different risk factors and water-related infectious diseases. Exposure to infectious agents depends on occupational characteristics, and time spent in wetlands. Disease transmission is driven by users' contact to water, characteristics of pathogens and vectors of disease. The amount of available literature varies significantly. Whereas several publications have linked crop production and the domestic use of wetland water to contraction of diseases, fewer are available on health risks identified with pastoralism in wetlands and other uses. Some risk factors are well researched, such as irrigation schemes favouring schistosomiasis prevalence. For others, including proximity of pastoralists to their livestock and the associated trachoma risk, knowledge remains limited. This review establishes connections of selected diseases with different transmission pathways that are linked to specific risk factors, transmission pathways and resulting diseases. All of these have been integrated into a detailed conceptual framework which simplifies the complexity of the relationships, while at the same time identifying missing links which might provide stimulus for future research tackling the potential research gaps. It concludes that socio-cultural and behavioural considerations regarding the wetland users are not sufficiently evaluated and should receive increased attention in future investigations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  13. Remote Sensing Monitoring of Wetland of Sanya and Lingshui in Hainan Province, Based on gf Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Y.; Li, L.

    2018-04-01

    Wetland is an important land and natural resources with many functions. It is closely related to the survival, reproduction and development of human beings, as well as one of the most important living environments of human beings. Hainan Province, which is located in the northern edge of the tropics with the tropical monsoon climate and covers a variety of wetland types. In this paper, in order to investigate the change of wetland distribution and the variations of area in study region, the remote sensing data of GF-1 and GF-2 from 2009 to 2015 were used. The method used in this study was automatic information extraction and human-computer interaction. The wetland types in study area mainly was divided into three level-1 classes, including coastal wetland, river wetland and lake wetland, and was also divided into eight level-2 classes at the same time. The results showed that the total area of wetland increased 9.13 km2 in study area from 2009 to 2015, in which the area of constructed wetland increased 6.29 km2, the natural wetland increased only 2.83 km2. The area of natural wetland has not changed much, but its proportion has been reduced. This reflected that the wetland in the research area has been more artificially intervened since 2009, which caused the increasing of the area of constructed wetland. As the wetland resources can coordinate the sustainable benefit of the society, the protection of natural wetland should be strengthened and valued.

  14. NASA Land Cover and Land Use Change (LCLUC): an interdisciplinary research program.

    PubMed

    Justice, Chris; Gutman, Garik; Vadrevu, Krishna Prasad

    2015-01-15

    Understanding Land Cover/Land Use Change (LCLUC) in diverse regions of the world and at varied spatial scales is one of the important challenges in global change research. In this article, we provide a brief overview of the NASA LCLUC program, its focus areas, and the importance of satellite remote sensing observations in LCLUC research including future directions. The LCLUC Program was designed to be a cross-cutting theme within NASA's Earth Science program. The program aims to develop and use remote sensing technologies to improve understanding of human interactions with the environment. Since 1997, the NASA LCLUC program has supported nearly 280 research projects on diverse topics such as forest loss and carbon, urban expansion, land abandonment, wetland loss, agricultural land use change and land use change in mountain systems. The NASA LCLUC program emphasizes studies where land-use changes are rapid or where there are significant regional or global LCLUC implications. Over a period of years, the LCLUC program has contributed to large regional science programs such as Land Biosphere-Atmosphere (LBA), the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), and the Monsoon Area Integrated Regional Study (MAIRS). The primary emphasis of the program will remain on using remote sensing datasets for LCLUC research. The program will continue to emphasize integration of physical and social sciences to address regional to global scale issues of LCLUC for the benefit of society. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  15. Riparian Restoration and Watershed Management: Some Examples from the California Coast

    Treesearch

    Laurel Marcus

    1989-01-01

    Managing and restoring watersheds often involves recreation of riparian habitats. The natural functions of riparian forest natural to slow flood water, stabilize stream banks and trap sediments can be used in restoring disturbed creek systems. The State Coastal Conservancy's wetland enhancement program is preserving wetlands on the California coast through repair...

  16. Conservation program and practice effects on ecosystem services in the mid atlantic region of the U.S

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Mid-Atlantic Regional (MIAR) Wetland Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP-Wetland) study area covers approximately ~58,000 km2 in the eastern United States, including areas of within five states (North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New...

  17. Developing an index of wetland condition from ecological data: An example using HGM functional variables from the Nanticoke Watershed, USA

    EPA Science Inventory

    Demand for data on the ecological condition of wetlands is increasing as state and federal management programs recognize its value in reporting on the ambient condition of the resource, targeting restoration and protection efforts, evaluating the effects of mitigation and restora...

  18. Soggy soils and sustainability: forested wetlands in southeast Alaska.

    Treesearch

    Sally Duncan

    2002-01-01

    The question has risen over whether forested wetlands in southeast Alaska are suitable for sustainable timber production. A significant factor limiting forest productivity in this region is excess soil moisture. Very little is known about the soil conditions that influence tree growth on forested wetlands. A research study was completed to provide information on the...

  19. Erosion and restoration of two headwater wetlands following an extreme wildfire

    Treesearch

    Jonathan Long; Javis Davis

    2016-01-01

    Wildfire can damage headwater wetlands, yet the value of post-fire restoration treatments in channels has been contested. Staff from the White Mountain Apache Tribe, students from the local Cibecue Community School, and researchers from the U.S. Forest Service collaboratively recorded channel responses over 13 years at two headwater wetlands lying within watersheds...

  20. Water Quantity and Quality Processes in Urban Wetlands and Green Stormwater Management Practices

    EPA Science Inventory

    I have been invited to give a presentation as part of the Environmental Studies Program’s weekly seminar series at the Richard Stockton College in Pomona, NJ. I will present my dissertation research on urban wetlands and the green infrastructure research here, including the park...

  1. A GIS semiautomatic tool for classifying and mapping wetland soils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moreno-Ramón, Héctor; Marqués-Mateu, Angel; Ibáñez-Asensio, Sara

    2016-04-01

    Wetlands are one of the most productive and biodiverse ecosystems in the world. Water is the main resource and controls the relationships between agents and factors that determine the quality of the wetland. However, vegetation, wildlife and soils are also essential factors to understand these environments. It is possible that soils have been the least studied resource due to their sampling problems. This feature has caused that sometimes wetland soils have been classified broadly. The traditional methodology states that homogeneous soil units should be based on the five soil forming-factors. The problem can appear when the variation of one soil-forming factor is too small to differentiate a change in soil units, or in case that there is another factor, which is not taken into account (e.g. fluctuating water table). This is the case of Albufera of Valencia, a coastal wetland located in the middle east of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain). The saline water table fluctuates throughout the year and it generates differences in soils. To solve this problem, the objectives of this study were to establish a reliable methodology to avoid that problems, and develop a GIS tool that would allow us to define homogeneous soil units in wetlands. This step is essential for the soil scientist, who has to decide the number of soil profiles in a study. The research was conducted with data from 133 soil pits of a previous study in the wetland. In that study, soil parameters of 401 samples (organic carbon, salinity, carbonates, n-value, etc.) were analysed. In a first stage, GIS layers were generated according to depth. The method employed was Bayesian Maxim Entropy. Subsequently, it was designed a program in GIS environment that was based on the decision tree algorithms. The goal of this tool was to create a single layer, for each soil variable, according to the different diagnostic criteria of Soil Taxonomy (properties, horizons and diagnostic epipedons). At the end, the program generated a set of layers with the geographical information, which corresponded with each diagnostic criteria. Finally, the superposition of layers generated the different homogeneous soil units where the soil scientist should locate the soil profiles. Historically, the Albufera of Valencia has been classified as a soil homogeneous unit, but it was demonstrated that there were six homogeneous units after the methodology and the GIS tool application. In that regard, the outcome reveals that it had been necessary to open only six profiles, against the 19 profiles opened when the real study was carried out. As a conclusion, the methodology and the SIG tool demonstrated that could be employed in areas where the soil forming-factors cannot be distinguished. The application of rapid measurement methods and this methodology could economise the definition process of homogeneous units.

  2. Rainfall and water-level data for a wetland area near Millington, Shelby County, Tennessee, October 1995 through September 1996

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Knight, R.R.

    1997-01-01

    Rainfall amounts and water levels were collected at a wetland area near Millington, Shelby County, Tennessee, to assist the Tennessee Department of Transportation with a program of wetland restoration. The site is located along a channelized reach of Big Creek Drainage Canal, east of State Route 240, and near the southern boundary of Naval Support Activity Memphis. Rainfall amounts and water levels for the site were recorded from October 1, 1995 to September 30, 1996. Total rainfall for this period was 47.58 inches. In general, water levels at the wetland were above or near the ground surface during the 6-month period from the first of January through the end of June 1996. For the remainder of the year, water levels generally subsided to several feet below land surface. However, some locations within the wetland were wet or highly saturated year round.

  3. Wetlands issue stalls Clean Water Act

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bush, Susan

    Although reauthorization of the Clean Water Act was scheduled for 1992, action has stalled due to debate over the contentious wetland issue and is not likely to pick up again until after the first of the year. The subject of the debate, regulation of wetlands, is found in Section 404, which makes up only a small part of the Clean Water Act.At the meeting, “New Directions in Clean Water Policy,” held in Charlottesville, Va., July 28-31, Ralph Heimlich, an economist with the Office of Policy and Planning Evaluation at the Environmental Protection Agency, said “it is unfortunate that the Section 404 Dredge and Fill permit program, our only national wetland regulation, is part of the Clean Water Act.” The controversy over wetland reform, he added, “has delayed and threatens to poison action on Clean Water Act reauthorization, provisions that may be more directly significant in improving water quality.”

  4. Capturing and Explaining Preference Heterogeneity for Wetland Management Options in the Kilombero Valley, Tanzania

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Speelman, Stijn; Mombo, Felister; Vandermeulen, Valerie; Phillip, Damas; Van Huylenbroeck, Guido

    2015-01-01

    Wetland degradation has recently received considerable research attention. Although wetlands are valuable ecosystems, their actual value is difficult to measure because the services they provide often do not have market values. The current study seeks to investigate the preferences for wetland management options in the Kilombero Valley, central Tanzania using choice modeling. The results show that both respondents from the Kilombero Valley and Morogoro Municipality desire improvements in the condition of the wetlands. This indicates that the ongoing degradation is not socially optimal. A second finding is that the preferences for wetland conservation are heterogeneous and can be linked to livelihood characteristics. Communities living in the area, for example, are highly dependent on the wetland for their livelihood and would be impacted by conservation measures. Therefore, in order to reduce the pressure on wetlands, it is necessary and imperative to explore the options for alternative income-generating activities or to focus, for example, on technologies to improve efficiency and effectiveness in crop production.

  5. Midcontinent Prairie-Pothole wetlands and climate change: An Introduction to the Supplemental Issue

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mushet, David M.

    2016-01-01

    The multitude of wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of North America forms one of Earth’s largest wetland complexes. The midcontinent location exposes this ecologically and economically important wetland system to a highly variable climate, markedly influencing ponded-water levels, hydroperiods, chemical characteristics, and biota of individual basins. Given their dominance on the landscape and recognized value, great interest in how projected future changes in climate will affect prairie-pothole wetlands has developed and spawned much scientific research. On June 2, 2015, a special symposium, “Midcontinent Prairie-Pothole Wetlands: Influence of a Changed Climate,” was held at the annual meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. The symposium’s twelve presenters covered a wide range of relevant topics delivered to a standing-room-only audience. Following the symposium, the presenters recognized the need to publish their presented papers as a combined product to facilitate widespread distribution. The need for additional papers to more fully cover the topic of prairie-pothole wetlands and climate change was also identified. This supplemental issue of Wetlands is the realization of that vision.

  6. The Impacts of wetland restoration on Fish Productivity in Nigeria

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ayorinde, O. A.; Okunade, K. M.; Agboola, D. M.; Adesokan, Z. A.

    2016-02-01

    Wetland is one of the resources of high value which has been exposed to indiscriminate use. It is an important ecosystem to fish and loss or degradation of wetland will have a direct consequence on sustainable fisheries. This paper reviewed the term "wetland", its functions and values, importance to fish production in Nigeria and threats to its sustainability. The term "wetland" has been defined by various researchers especially based on their profession and their needs but up till today there is no single definition accepted by all users. In Nigeria, the most commonly adopted is that of RAMSAR convention. Wetland has both marketed and non-marketed functions and values. They provide essential link in the life cycle of 75 percent of the fish and shell fish commercially harvested in the world and are vital to fish health. Despite the importance, there have been exceptional losses of wetlands. Lagos state alone has witnessed more than 96 percent loss. Major threats to wetlands are: agriculture, development, pollution and climate change. Therefore proper management of the wetland ecosystem is important in other to ensure continuous fish production.

  7. Physiological Ecology and Ecohydrology of Coastal Forested Wetlands

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Krauss, Ken W.

    2007-01-01

    The form, function, and productivity of wetland communities are influenced strongly by the hydrologic regime of an area. Wetland ecosystems persist by depending upon surpluses of rainfall, evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and frequency and amplitude of water-level fluctuations. Yet, wetland vegetation can also influence ecosystem water economy through conservative water- and carbon-use strategies at several organizational scales. Scientists have described leaf-level water-use efficiency in coastal mangrove forests as being among the highest of any ecosystem. These forested wetlands occur in intertidal areas and often persist under flooded saline conditions. Are these same strategies used by other types of coastal forested wetlands? Do conservative water-use strategies reflect a consequence of salt balance more than efficiency in water use per se? At what organizational scales do these strategies manifest? These are just a few of the questions being answered by physiological and landscape ecologists at the U.S. Geological Survey National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC).

  8. Waterbird habitat in California's Central Valley basins under climate, urbanization, and water management scenarios

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Matchett, Elliott L.; Fleskes, Joseph

    2018-01-01

    California's Central Valley provides critical, but threatened habitat and food resources for migrating and wintering waterfowl, shorebirds, and other waterbirds. The Central Valley is comprised of nine basins that were defined by the Central Valley Joint Venture (CVJV) to assist in conservation planning. Basins vary in composition and extent of habitats, which primarily include croplands and wetlands that rely on water supplies shared with other competing human and environmental uses. Changes in climate, urban development, and water supply management are uncertain and could reduce future availability of water supplies supporting waterbird habitats and limit effectiveness of wetland restoration planned by the CVJV to support wintering waterbirds. We modeled 17 plausible scenarios including combinations of three climate projections, three urbanization rates, and five water supply management options to promote agricultural and urban water uses, with and without wetland restoration. Our research examines the reduction in quantity and quality of habitats during the fall migration-wintering period by basin under each scenario, and the efficacy of planned wetland restoration to compensate reductions in flooded areas of wetland habitats. Scenario combinations of projected climate, urbanization, and water supply management options reduced availability of flooded cropland and wetland habitats during fall-winter and degraded the quality of seasonal wetlands (i.e., summer-irrigation for improved forage production), though the extent and frequency of impacts varied by basin. Planned wetland restoration may substantially compensate for scenario-related effects on wetland habitats in each basin. However, results indicate that Colusa, Butte, Sutter, San Joaquin, and Tulare Basins may require additional conservation to support summer-irrigation of seasonal wetlands and winter-flooding of cropland habitats. Still further conservation may be required to provide sufficient areas of flooded seasonal and semi-permanent wetlands in San Joaquin and Tulare Basins during fall-winter. The main objective of this research is to provide decision-support for achieving waterbird conservation goals in the valley and to inform CVJV's regional conservation planning.

  9. Mapping of Geographically Isolated Wetlands of Western Siberia Using High Resolution Space Images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dyukarev, E.; Pologova, N.; Dyukarev, A.; Lane, C.; Autrey, B. C.

    2014-12-01

    Using the remote sensing data for integrated study of natural objects is actual for investigation of difficult to access areas of West Siberia. The research of this study focuses on determining the extent and spectral signatures of isolated wetlands within Ob-Tom Interfluve area using Landsat and Quickbird space images. High-resolution space images were carefully examined and wetlands were manually delineated. Wetlands have clear visible signs at the high resolution space images. 567 wetlands were recognized as isolated wetlands with the area about 10 000 ha (of 2.5% of the study area). Isolated wetlands with area less 2 ha are the most frequent. Half of the total amount of wetlands has area less than 6.4 ha. The largest isolated wetland occupies 797 ha, and only 5% have area more than 50 ha. The Landsat 7 ETM+ data were used for analysis of vegetation structure and spectral characteristics of wetlands. The masked isolated wetlands image was classified into 12 land cover classes using ISODATA unsupervised classification. The attribution of unsupervised classification results allowed us to clearly recognize 7 types of wetlands: tall, low and sparse ryams (Pine-Shrub-Sphagnum community), open wetlands with shrub, moss or sedge cover, and open water objects. Analysis of spectral profiles for all classes has shown that Landsat spectral bands 4 and 5 have higher variability. These bands allow to separate wetland classed definitely. Accuracy assessment of isolated wetland map shows a good agreement with expert field data. The work was supported by grants ISTC № 4079.

  10. Combining Microbial Enzyme Kinetics Models with Light Use Efficiency Models to Predict CO2 and CH4 Ecosystem Exchange from Flooded and Drained Peatland Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oikawa, P. Y.; Jenerette, D.; Knox, S. H.; Sturtevant, C. S.; Verfaillie, J. G.; Baldocchi, D. D.

    2014-12-01

    Under California's Cap-and-Trade program, companies are looking to invest in land-use practices that will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is a drained cultivated peatland system and a large source of CO2. To slow soil subsidence and reduce CO2 emissions, there is growing interest in converting drained peatlands to wetlands. However, wetlands are large sources of CH4 that could offset CO2-based GHG reductions. The goal of our research is to provide accurate measurements and model predictions of the changes in GHG budgets that occur when drained peatlands are restored to wetland conditions. We have installed a network of eddy covariance towers across multiple land use types in the Delta and have been measuring CO2 and CH4 ecosystem exchange for multiple years. In order to upscale these measurements through space and time we are using these data to parameterize and validate a process-based biogeochemical model. To predict gross primary productivity (GPP), we are using a simple light use efficiency (LUE) model which requires estimates of light, leaf area index and air temperature and can explain 90% of the observed variation in GPP in a mature wetland. To predict ecosystem respiration we have adapted the Dual Arrhenius Michaelis-Menten (DAMM) model. The LUE-DAMM model allows accurate simulation of half-hourly net ecosystem exchange (NEE) in a mature wetland (r2=0.85). We are working to expand the model to pasture, rice and alfalfa systems in the Delta. To predict methanogenesis, we again apply a modified DAMM model, using simple enzyme kinetics. However CH4 exchange is complex and we have thus expanded the model to predict not only microbial CH4 production, but also CH4 oxidation, CH4 storage and the physical processes regulating the release of CH4 to the atmosphere. The CH4-DAMM model allows accurate simulation of daily CH4 ecosystem exchange in a mature wetland (r2=0.55) and robust estimates of annual CH4 budgets. The LUE- and CH4-DAMM models will advance understanding of biogeochemisty and microbial processes in managed peatland systems as well as aid the development of a GHG protocol in the Delta that can provide financial incentive to farmers to reduce GHG emissions under California's Cap and Trade program.

  11. Classification of wetlands vegetation using small scale color infrared imagery

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Williamson, F. S. L.

    1975-01-01

    A classification system for Chesapeake Bay wetlands was derived from the correlation of film density classes and actual vegetation classes. The data processing programs used were developed by the Laboratory for the Applications of Remote Sensing. These programs were tested for their value in classifying natural vegetation, using digitized data from small scale aerial photography. Existing imagery and the vegetation map of Farm Creek Marsh were used to determine the optimal number of classes, and to aid in determining if the computer maps were a believable product.

  12. Ecological and Landscape Drivers of Neonicotinoid Insecticide Detections and Concentrations in Canada's Prairie Wetlands.

    PubMed

    Main, Anson R; Michel, Nicole L; Headley, John V; Peru, Kerry M; Morrissey, Christy A

    2015-07-21

    Neonicotinoids are commonly used seed treatments on Canada's major prairie crops. Transported via surface and subsurface runoff into wetlands, their ultimate aquatic fate remains largely unknown. Biotic and abiotic wetland characteristics likely affect neonicotinoid presence and environmental persistence, but concentrations vary widely between wetlands that appear ecologically (e.g., plant composition) and physically (e.g., depth) similar for reasons that remain unclear. We conducted intensive surveys of 238 wetlands, and documented 59 wetland (e.g., dominant plant species) and landscape (e.g., surrounding crop) characteristics as part of a novel rapid wetland assessment system. We used boosted regression tree (BRT) analysis to predict both probability of neonicotinoid analytical detection and concentration. BRT models effectively predicted the deviance in neonicotinoid detection (62.4%) and concentration (74.7%) from 21 and 23 variables, respectively. Detection was best explained by shallow marsh plant species identity (34.8%) and surrounding crop (13.9%). Neonicotinoid concentration was best explained by shallow marsh plant species identity (14.9%) and wetland depth (14.2%). Our research revealed that plant composition is a key indicator and/or driver of neonicotinoid presence and concentration in Prairie wetlands. We recommend wetland buffers consisting of diverse native vegetation be retained or restored to minimize neonicotinoid transport and retention in wetlands, thereby limiting their potential effects on wetland-dependent organisms.

  13. Distribution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Momoge Wetland, China

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Jianling; Wang, Hanxi; Sheng, Lianxi; Liu, Xuejun; Zheng, Xiaoxue

    2017-01-01

    The Momoge Nature Reserve is the research object of this study. Through field sampling, laboratory experiments and analysis, the contents, distribution characteristics, source identification, pollution levels and risk levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in wetland soils were studied. The results show that the sum content of 16 types of PAHs (Σ16 PAH) in the wetland soil was within the range (0.029–0.4152) mg/kg. PAHs in wetland soil are primarily 2–3-rings PAHs. PAHs in the Momoge wetland soil have multiple sources: petroleum, combustion of petroleum and coal, and others, of which petroleum and the sum of combustion of petroleum and coal account for 38.0% and 59.3%, respectively. Research, using the standard index and pollution range methods, shows that the content of the PAH labelled Nap, found in the Momoge wetland soil, is excessive; some sampling sites exhibit a low level of pollution. The result of a biotoxicity assessment shows that there are two sampling sites that occasionally present an ecological toxicity hazard. The result of the organic carbon normalization process shows that an ecological risk exists only at sampling site No. 10. PMID:28106776

  14. [Research on the influence of urban land use structure and pattern on nitrogen, phosphorus of wetland water environment in Xianlin New Town of Nanjing].

    PubMed

    Cai, Chun-Xiao; Liu, Hong-Yu; Li, Yu-Feng; Wang, Cong; Hou, Ming-Hang

    2014-08-01

    The 10 typical wetlands in Xianlin New Townof Nanjing were classified into three categories, including rural wetland, suburban wetland, and urban wetland according to the influence of urbanization as well as the characteristics of wetland and LUCC of catchment regions. RDA was used to analyse the relationships between nitrogen and phosphorus in urban wetland and various types and patterns of land use. It was found that the water quality of the urban wetlands presented to be worse than that from rural wetlands, followed by sub urban wetlands. Secondly, according to all investigated wetlands, TP and TN turned out to be higher during the wet seasons than dry seasons. In addition, significant differences of TP were observed between wet and dry seasons for rural and suburban wetlands, and it was not so obvious for urban wetlands. However, the differences of TN was opposite to that of TP. Thirdly, factors affecting the water quality of wetlands were comprised of types and patterns of land use, and thus significant positive relationships were found between the concentrations of TN and TP and the impervious land, while negative correlations for meadows, woodlands and wetlands. What's more, higher remarkable differences were found in wetlands than those from meadows and woodlands. Regarding to patterns of land use, TP, TN concentrations were negatively correlated with the average patch shape in the dry and wet seasons, whereas positively relationships were observed for patch density and diversity index; furthermore, with refer to the impact of adjacent landscape, significant relationships were found between the content of TN and the patterns of land use and thus, a negative correlation in the wet season and a positive correlation in the dry season were observed, respectively.

  15. Remote Sensing and Wetland Ecology: a South African Case Study.

    PubMed

    De Roeck, Els R; Verhoest, Niko E C; Miya, Mtemi H; Lievens, Hans; Batelaan, Okke; Thomas, Abraham; Brendonck, Luc

    2008-05-26

    Remote sensing offers a cost efficient means for identifying and monitoring wetlands over a large area and at different moments in time. In this study, we aim at providing ecologically relevant information on characteristics of temporary and permanent isolated open water wetlands, obtained by standard techniques and relatively cheap imagery. The number, surface area, nearest distance, and dynamics of isolated temporary and permanent wetlands were determined for the Western Cape, South Africa. Open water bodies (wetlands) were mapped from seven Landsat images (acquired during 1987 - 2002) using supervised maximum likelihood classification. The number of wetlands fluctuated over time. Most wetlands were detected in the winter of 2000 and 2002, probably related to road constructions. Imagery acquired in summer contained fewer wetlands than in winter. Most wetlands identified from Landsat images were smaller than one hectare. The average distance to the nearest wetland was larger in summer. In comparison to temporary wetlands, fewer, but larger permanent wetlands were detected. In addition, classification of non-vegetated wetlands on an Envisat ASAR radar image (acquired in June 2005) was evaluated. The number of detected small wetlands was lower for radar imagery than optical imagery (acquired in June 2002), probably because of deterioration of the spatial information content due the extensive pre-processing requirements of the radar image. Both optical and radar classifications allow to assess wetland characteristics that potentially influence plant and animal metacommunity structure. Envisat imagery, however, was less suitable than Landsat imagery for the extraction of detailed ecological information, as only large wetlands can be detected. This study has indicated that ecologically relevant data can be generated for the larger wetlands through relatively cheap imagery and standard techniques, despite the relatively low resolution of Landsat and Envisat imagery. For the characterisation of very small wetlands, high spatial resolution optical or radar images are needed. This study exemplifies the benefits of integrating remote sensing and ecology and hence stimulates interdisciplinary research of isolated wetlands.

  16. Wetland education through cooperative programs between coastal Carolina University and Horry County public schools

    Treesearch

    Sharon L. Gilman

    2000-01-01

    Horry County, in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina, isapproximately 50 percent wetlands. The Waccamaw Region (Horry, Georgetown, and Williamsburg Counties) has experienced a 58-percent population increase during theperiod from 1960 to 1990. Population growth trends suggest that from 1990 to 2020, the total daily population will increase by 125 percent, representing...

  17. 7 CFR 1467.9 - Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... purpose of WREP is to target and leverage resources to address high priority wetlands protection...) Section 1467.8(a)(3)(i) is adjusted to reduce the fair market value of the land by an amount equal to the... Practices appraisal or a market survey; and (ii) Section 1467.8(a)(3)(ii) is adjusted to reduce the...

  18. Research: The Effect of Wetland Mitigation Banking on the Achievement of No-Net-Loss.

    PubMed

    BROWN; LANT

    1999-04-01

    / This study determines whether the 68 wetland mitigation banks in existence in the United States through 1 January 1996 are achieving no-net-loss of wetland acreage nationally and regionally. Although 74% of the individual banks achieve no-net-loss by acreage, overall, wetland mitigation banks are projected to result in a net loss of 21,328 acres of wetlands nationally, 52% of the acreage in banks, as already credited wetland acreages are converted to otheruses. While most wetland mitigation banks are using appropriate compensation methods and ratios, several of the largest banks use preservation or enhancement, instead of restoration or creation. Most of these preservation/enhancement banks use minimum mitigation ratios of 1:1, which is much lower than ratios given in current guidelines. Assuming that mitigation occurs in these banks as preservation at the minimum allowable ratio, ten of these banks, concentrated in the western Gulf Coast region, will account for over 99% of projected net wetland acreage loss associated with banks. We conclude that wetland mitigation banking is a conceptually sound environmental policy and planning tool, but only if applied according to recently issued guidelines that ensure no-net-loss of wetland functions and values. Wetland mitigation banking inevitably leads to geographic relocation of wetlands, and therefore changes, either positively or negatively, the functions they perform and ecosystem services they provide. KEY WORDS: Mitigation banking; Wetlands; Army Corps of Engineers; No-net-loss

  19. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sather, Nichole K.; Borde, Amy B.; Diefenderfer, Heida L.

    This Handbook of Data Reduction Procedures, Workbooks, and Exchange Templates is designed to support the Oncor geodatabase for the Columbia Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Program (CEERP). The following data categories are covered: water-surface elevation and temperature, sediment accretion rate, photo points, herbaceous wetland vegetation cover, tree plots and site summaries, fish catch and density, fish size, fish diet, fish prey, and Chinook salmon genetic stock identification. The handbook is intended for use by scientists collecting monitoring and research data for the CEERP. The ultimate goal of Oncor is to provide quality, easily accessible, geospatial data for synthesis and evaluation of themore » collective performance of CEERP ecosystem restoration actions at a program scale.« less

  20. Quantifying climate change mitigation potential in Great Plains wetlands for three greenhouse gas emission scenarios

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Byrd, Kristin B.; Ratliff, Jamie L.; Wein, Anne; Bliss, Norman B.; Sleeter, Benjamin M.; Sohl, Terry L.; Li, Zhengpeng

    2015-01-01

    We examined opportunities for avoided loss of wetland carbon stocks in the Great Plains of the United States in the context of future agricultural expansion through analysis of land-use land-cover (LULC) change scenarios, baseline carbon datasets and biogeochemical model outputs. A wetland map that classifies wetlands according to carbon pools was created to describe future patterns of carbon loss and potential carbon savings. Wetland avoided loss scenarios, superimposed upon LULC change scenarios, quantified carbon stocks preserved under criteria of carbon densities or land value plus cropland suitability. Up to 3420 km2 of wetlands may be lost in the region by 2050, mainly due to conversion of herbaceous wetlands in the Temperate Prairies where soil organic carbon (SOC) is highest. SOC loss would be approximately 0.20 ± 0.15 megagrams of carbon per hectare per year (MgC ha−1 yr−1), depending upon tillage practices on converted wetlands, and total ecosystem carbon loss in woody wetlands would be approximately 0.81 ± 0.41 MgC ha−1 yr−1, based on biogeochemical model results. Among wetlands vulnerable to conversion, wetlands in the Northern Glaciated Plains and Lake Agassiz Plains ecoregions exhibit very high mean SOC and on average, relatively low land values, potentially creating economically competitive opportunities for avoided carbon loss. This mitigation scenarios approach may be adapted by managers using their own preferred criteria to select sites that best meet their objectives. Results can help prioritize field-based assessments, where site-level investigations of carbon stocks, land value, and consideration of local priorities for climate change mitigation programs are needed.

  1. RS- and GIS-based study on landscape pattern change in the Poyang Lake wetland area, China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Xiaoling; Li, Hui; Bao, Shuming; Wu, Zhongyi; Fu, Weijuan; Cai, Xiaobin; Zhao, Hongmei; Guo, Peng

    2006-10-01

    As wetland has been recognized as an important component of ecosystem, it is received ever-increasing attention worldwide. Poyang Lake wetlands, the international wetlands and the largest bird habitat in Asia, play an important role in biodiversity and ecologic protection. However, with the rapid economic growth and urbanization, landscape patterns in the wetlands have dramatically changed in the past three decades. To better understand the wetland landscape dynamics, remote sensing, geographic information system technologies, and the FRAGSTATS landscape analysis program were used to measure landscape patterns. Statistical approach was employed to illustrate the driving forces. In this study, Landsat images (TM and ETM+) from 1989 and 2000 were acquired for the wetland area. The landscapes in the wetland area were classified as agricultural land, urban, wetland, forest, grassland, unused land, and water body using a combination of supervised and unsupervised classification techniques integrated with Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Landscape indices, which are popular for the quantitative analysis of landscape pattern, were then employed to analyze the landscape pattern changes between the two dates in a GIS. From this analysis an understanding of the spatial-temporal patterns of landscape evolution was generated. The results show that wetland area was reduced while fragmentation was increased over the study period. Further investigation was made to examine the relationship between landscape metrics and some other parameters such as urbanization to address the driving forces for those changes. The urban was chosen as center to conduct buffer analysis in a GIS to study the impact of human-induced activities on landscape pattern dynamics. It was found that the selected parameters were significantly correlated with the landscape metrics, which may well indicate the impact of human-induced activities on the wetland landscape pattern dynamics and account for the driving forces.

  2. How much swamp are we talking here?: Propagating uncertainty about the area of coastal wetlands into the U.S. greenhouse gas inventory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holmquist, J. R.; Crooks, S.; Windham-Myers, L.; Megonigal, P.; Weller, D.; Lu, M.; Bernal, B.; Byrd, K. B.; Morris, J. T.; Troxler, T.; McCombs, J.; Herold, N.

    2017-12-01

    Stable coastal wetlands can store substantial amounts of carbon (C) that can be released when they are degraded or eroded. The EPA recently incorporated coastal wetland net-storage and emissions within the Agricultural Forested and Other Land Uses category of the U.S. National Greenhouse Gas Inventory (NGGI). This was a seminal analysis, but its quantification of uncertainty needs improvement. We provide a value-added analysis by estimating that uncertainty, focusing initially on the most basic assumption, the area of coastal wetlands. We considered three sources: uncertainty in the areas of vegetation and salinity subclasses, uncertainty in the areas of changing or stable wetlands, and uncertainty in the inland extent of coastal wetlands. The areas of vegetation and salinity subtypes, as well as stable or changing, were estimated from 2006 and 2010 maps derived from Landsat imagery by the Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP). We generated unbiased area estimates and confidence intervals for C-CAP, taking into account mapped area, proportional areas of commission and omission errors, as well as the number of observations. We defined the inland extent of wetlands as all land below the current elevation of twice monthly highest tides. We generated probabilistic inundation maps integrating wetland-specific bias and random error in light-detection and ranging elevation maps, with the spatially explicit random error in tidal surfaces generated from tide gauges. This initial uncertainty analysis will be extended to calculate total propagated uncertainty in the NGGI by including the uncertainties in the amount of C lost from eroded and degraded wetlands, stored annually in stable wetlands, and emitted in the form of methane by tidal freshwater wetlands.

  3. Freshwater availability and coastal wetland foundation species: ecological transitions along a rainfall gradient

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Osland, Michael J.; Enwright, Nicholas M.; Stagg, Camille L.

    2014-01-01

    Climate gradient-focused ecological research can provide a foundation for better understanding critical ecological transition points and nonlinear climate-ecological relationships, which is information that can be used to better understand, predict, and manage ecological responses to climate change. In this study, we examined the influence of freshwater availability upon the coverage of foundation plant species in coastal wetlands along a northwestern Gulf of Mexico rainfall gradient. Our research addresses the following three questions: (1) what are the region-scale relationships between measures of freshwater availability (e.g., rainfall, aridity, freshwater inflow, salinity) and the relative abundance of foundation plant species in tidal wetlands; (2) How vulnerable are foundation plant species in tidal wetlands to future changes in freshwater availability; and (3) What is the potential future relative abundance of tidal wetland foundation plant species under alternative climate change scenarios? We developed simple freshwater availability-based models to predict the relative abundance (i.e., coverage) of tidal wetland foundation plant species using climate data (1970-2000), estuarine freshwater inflow-focused data, and coastal wetland habitat data. Our results identify regional ecological thresholds and nonlinear relationships between measures of freshwater availability and the relative abundance of foundation plant species in tidal wetlands. In drier coastal zones, relatively small changes in rainfall could produce comparatively large landscape-scale changes in foundation plant species abundance which would affect some ecosystem good and services. Whereas a drier future would result in a decrease in the coverage of foundation plant species, a wetter future would result in an increase in foundation plant species coverage. In many ways, the freshwater-dependent coastal wetland ecological transitions we observed are analogous to those present in dryland terrestrial ecosystems.

  4. Hyperspectral analysis of columbia spotted frog habitat

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Shive, J.P.; Pilliod, D.S.; Peterson, C.R.

    2010-01-01

    Wildlife managers increasingly are using remotely sensed imagery to improve habitat delineations and sampling strategies. Advances in remote sensing technology, such as hyperspectral imagery, provide more information than previously was available with multispectral sensors. We evaluated accuracy of high-resolution hyperspectral image classifications to identify wetlands and wetland habitat features important for Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris) and compared the results to multispectral image classification and United States Geological Survey topographic maps. The study area spanned 3 lake basins in the Salmon River Mountains, Idaho, USA. Hyperspectral data were collected with an airborne sensor on 30 June 2002 and on 8 July 2006. A 12-year comprehensive ground survey of the study area for Columbia spotted frog reproduction served as validation for image classifications. Hyperspectral image classification accuracy of wetlands was high, with a producer's accuracy of 96 (44 wetlands) correctly classified with the 2002 data and 89 (41 wetlands) correctly classified with the 2006 data. We applied habitat-based rules to delineate breeding habitat from other wetlands, and successfully predicted 74 (14 wetlands) of known breeding wetlands for the Columbia spotted frog. Emergent sedge microhabitat classification showed promise for directly predicting Columbia spotted frog egg mass locations within a wetland by correctly identifying 72 (23 of 32) of known locations. Our study indicates hyperspectral imagery can be an effective tool for mapping spotted frog breeding habitat in the selected mountain basins. We conclude that this technique has potential for improving site selection for inventory and monitoring programs conducted across similar wetland habitat and can be a useful tool for delineating wildlife habitats. ?? 2010 The Wildlife Society.

  5. Partnership of Environmental Education and Research-A compilation of student research, 1999-2008

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bradley, Michael W.; Armstrong, Patrice; Byl, Thomas D.

    2011-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Tennessee Water Science Center and the College of Engineering and Technology at Tennessee State University developed a Partnership in Environmental Education and Research (PEER) to support environmental research at TSU and to expand the environmental research capabilities of the USGS in Tennessee. The PEER program is driven by the research needs to better define the occurrence, fate, and transport of contaminants in groundwater and surface water. Research in the PEER program has primarily focused on the transport and remediation of organic contamination in karst settings. Research conducted through the program has also expanded to a variety of media and settings. Research areas include contaminant occurrence and transport, natural and enhanced bioremediation, geochemical conditions in karst aquifers, mathematical modeling for contaminant transport and degradation, new methods to evaluate groundwater contamination, the resuspension of bacteria from sediment in streams, the use of bioluminescence and chemiluminescence to identify the presence of contaminants, and contaminant remediation in wetlands. The PEER program has increased research and education opportunities for students in the College of Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science and has provided students with experience in presenting the results of their research. Students in the program have participated in state, regional, national and international conferences with more than 140 presentations since 1998 and more than 40 student awards. The PEER program also supports TSU outreach activities and efforts to increase minority participation in environmental and earth science programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. TSU students and USGS staff participate in the TSU summer programs for elementary and high school students to promote earth sciences. The 2007 summer camps included more than 130 students from 20 different States and Washington DC.

  6. 40 CFR 35.604 - Maximum federal share.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Water Quality Cooperative Agreements... percent of approved work plan costs. Wetlands Development Grant Program (Section 104(b)(3)) ...

  7. 40 CFR 35.604 - Maximum federal share.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Water Quality Cooperative Agreements... percent of approved work plan costs. Wetlands Development Grant Program (Section 104(b)(3)) ...

  8. 40 CFR 35.604 - Maximum federal share.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Water Quality Cooperative Agreements... percent of approved work plan costs. Wetlands Development Grant Program (Section 104(b)(3)) ...

  9. 40 CFR 35.604 - Maximum federal share.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Water Quality Cooperative Agreements... percent of approved work plan costs. Wetlands Development Grant Program (Section 104(b)(3)) ...

  10. Structure and Vulnerability of Pacific Northwest Tidal Wetlands –A Summary of Wetland Climate Change Researchby the Western Ecology Division, U.S. EPA

    EPA Science Inventory

    Climate change poses a serious threat to the tidal wetlands of the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region of the U.S. In response to this threat, scientists at the Western Ecology Division of the U.S. EPA at and the Western Fisheries Research Center of the U.S. Geological Survey, along w...

  11. Wetland features and landscape context predict the risk of wetland habitat loss.

    PubMed

    Gutzwiller, Kevin J; Flather, Curtis H

    2011-04-01

    Wetlands generally provide significant ecosystem services and function as important harbors of biodiversity. To ensure that these habitats are conserved, an efficient means of identifying wetlands at risk of conversion is needed, especially in the southern United States where the rate of wetland loss has been highest in recent decades. We used multivariate adaptive regression splines to develop a model to predict the risk of wetland habitat loss as a function of wetland features and landscape context. Fates of wetland habitats from 1992 to 1997 were obtained from the National Resources Inventory for the U.S. Forest Service's Southern Region, and land-cover data were obtained from the National Land Cover Data. We randomly selected 70% of our 40 617 observations to build the model (n = 28 432), and randomly divided the remaining 30% of the data into five Test data sets (n = 2437 each). The wetland and landscape variables that were important in the model, and their relative contributions to the model's predictive ability (100 = largest, 0 = smallest), were land-cover/ land-use of the surrounding landscape (100.0), size and proximity of development patches within 570 m (39.5), land ownership (39.1), road density within 570 m (37.5), percent woody and herbaceous wetland cover within 570 m (27.8), size and proximity of development patches within 5130 m (25.7), percent grasslands/herbaceous plants and pasture/hay cover within 5130 m (21.7), wetland type (21.2), and percent woody and herbaceous wetland cover within 1710 m (16.6). For the five Test data sets, Kappa statistics (0.40, 0.50, 0.52, 0.55, 0.56; P < 0.0001), area-under-the-receiver-operating-curve (AUC) statistics (0.78, 0.82, 0.83, 0.83, 0.84; P < 0.0001), and percent correct prediction of wetland habitat loss (69.1, 80.4, 81.7, 82.3, 83.1) indicated the model generally had substantial predictive ability across the South. Policy analysts and land-use planners can use the model and associated maps to prioritize at-risk wetlands for protection, evaluate wetland habitat connectivity, predict future conversion of wetland habitat based on projected land-use trends, and assess the effectiveness of wetland conservation programs.

  12. The National Shipbuilding Research Program. Survey of Air and Water Quality Pollution Prevention and Control Technology Used in Shipyards and Similar Industries

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-01-09

    vehicle washing 3. TSP and citric acid for bilge cleaning 1. no capture and filtration of weld fumes 8 1. black beauty abrasives 2...treatment 1. not treated N/A 12 N/A 1. treated on-site. with gravity oil water separator, acid cracking of the emulsion layer and parallel...less energy-intensive treatment technologies such as constructed wetlands for sewage treatment and anoxic limestone drains for acid mine drainage

  13. Selenium fractionation and cycling in the intertidal zone of the Carquinez Strait. Annual report, October 1, 1995--December 31,1996

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zawislanski, P.T.; McGrath, A.E.; Benson, S.M.

    1997-10-01

    Selenium geochemistry in tidal wetlands is a topic of continuing study at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The program of studies described in this report was initiated in the fall of 1994 in response to concerns about elevated Se concentrations in waters, sediments, and biota in the Carquinez Strait. Processes by which selenium is introduced and potentially released from the sediment system have been the focus of research in 1996.

  14. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Perry, Russell W.; Skalski, John R.

    Wetlands in the Columbia River estuary are actively being restored by reconnecting these habitats to the estuary, making more wetland habitats available to rearing and migrating juvenile salmon. Concurrently, thousands of acoustically tagged juvenile salmonids are released into the Columbia River to estimate their survival as they migrate through the estuary. Here, we develop a release-recapture model that makes use of these tagged fish to measure the success of wetland restoration projects in terms of their contribution to populations of juvenile salmon. Specifically, our model estimates the fraction of the population that enter the wetland, survival within the wetland, andmore » the mean residence time of fish within the wetland. Furthermore, survival in mainstem Columbia River downstream of the wetland can be compared between fish that remained the mainstem and entered the wetland. These conditional survival estimates provide a means of testing whether the wetland improves the subsequent survival of juvenile salmon by fostering growth or improving their condition. Implementing such a study requires little additional cost because it takes advantage of fish already released to estimate survival through the estuary. Thus, such a study extracts the maximum information at minimum cost from research projects that typically cost millions of dollars annually.« less

  15. Relating groundwater to seasonal wetlands in southeastern Wisconsin, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Skalbeck, J.D.; Reed, D.M.; Hunt, R.J.; Lambert, J.D.

    2009-01-01

    Historically, drier types of wetlands have been difficult to characterize and are not well researched. Nonetheless, they are considered to reflect the precipitation history with little, if any, regard for possible relation to groundwater. Two seasonal coastal wetland types (wet prairie, sedge meadow) were investigated during three growing seasons at three sites in the Lake Michigan Basin, Wisconsin, USA. The six seasonal wetlands were characterized using standard soil and vegetation techniques and groundwater measurements from the shallow and deep systems. They all met wetland hydrology criteria (e.g., water within 30 cm of land surface for 5% of the growing season) during the early portion of the growing season despite the lack of appreciable regional groundwater discharge into the wetland root zones. Although root-zone duration analyses did not fit a lognormal distribution previously noted in groundwater-dominated wetlands, they were able to discriminate between the plant communities and showed that wet prairie communities had shorter durations of continuous soil saturation than sedge meadow communities. These results demonstrate that the relative rates of groundwater outflows can be important for wetland hydrology and resulting wetland type. Thus, regional stresses to the shallow groundwater system such as pumping or low Great Lake levels can be expected to affect even drier wetland types. ?? Springer-Verlag 2008.

  16. Flood pulsing in wetlands: Restoring the natural hydrological balance

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Middleton, Beth A.

    2002-01-01

    The latest cutting-edge research on flood pulsing and wetland restoration in North America.Presenting the latest research from leaders in the field of restoration ecology, Flood Pulsing in Wetlands reflects the current movement to incorporate flood pulsing into wetland restoration efforts. Emphasizing how integral flood pulsing is to successful wetland restoration, the book's contributors provide descriptions of restoration projects across North America in which flood pulsing has been primarily used to restore beneficial hydrodynamic conditions to floodplain areas, and improve or save vegetation, wildlife, and terrain.Detailing the importance and applicability of recreating flood-pulsed conditions on floodplains for successful restoration, the first chapter introduces the concept of flood pulse and its unique role in wetland restoration. The following chapters detail the strategies and results of individual projects and the impact flood pulsing had on the projects' overall goals. Case studies detail the history of each region, such as the Southwest, including the Sonoran Desert communities and the Middle Rio Grande; the Missouri River in Montana; the Illinois River Valley; and the Southeast, including Brushy Lake, Arkansas. Also documented is the most famous case of flood pulsing used in the restoration of an entire landscape, the Kissimmee River project. Approaches used to restore specific plant and animal populations, the unique ecological concerns of each region, and the future outlook for each area are fully described.Extensive bibliographies for each chapter make Flood Pulsing in Wetlands: Restoring the Natural Hydrological Balance the essential reference for restoration ecologists, consultants in wetland restoration, government and restoration agency employees, land managers, ecologists, foresters, and geologists.

  17. A Student and Teacher Watershed and Wetland Education Program: Extension to Promote Community Social-Ecological Resilience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Myers, Monique R.

    2012-01-01

    A middle school student and teacher watershed education project supports a large wetland restoration effort. It provides community-based, science education for urban, low-income, multicultural 6th-9th grade students and their teachers. This is a bottom-up approach to extending information to the local community about the restoration. The project…

  18. The Pen Branch Project: Restoration of a Forested Wetland in South Carolina

    Treesearch

    Randall K. Kolka; Eric A. Nelson; Ronald E. Bonar; Neil C. Dulohery; David Gartner

    1998-01-01

    The Pen Branch Project is a program to restore a forested riparian wetland that has been subject to thermal disturbance caused by nuclear reactor operations at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS), an 80,200-hectare nuclear facility located in South Carolina. Various levels of thermal discharges to streams located across the US. have occurred...

  19. Managing wetlands for disaster risk reduction: A case study of the eastern Free State, South Africa

    PubMed Central

    Collins, Nacelle

    2018-01-01

    This article investigated the knowledge and practice of a nature-based solution to reduce disaster risks of drought, veld fires and floods using wetlands in the eastern Free State, South Africa. A mixed research method approach was used to collect primary data using three data collection tools, namely questionnaires, interviews and field observations. Ninety-five wetlands under communal and private ownership as well as a few in protected areas were sampled, with their users completing questionnaires. The study showed that communal wetlands were more degraded, while wetlands in protected areas and in private commercial farms were in a good ecological state. An extensive literature review reveals that healthy wetlands are effective buffers in reducing disaster risks such as drought, veld fires and floods which are recurrent in the study area. Therefore, through better land-use and management practices, backed by education and awareness, wetlands could be good instruments to mitigate recurrent natural hazards in the agriculturally dominated eastern Free State in South Africa.

  20. [Research progress on food sources and food web structure of wetlands based on stable isotopes].

    PubMed

    Chen, Zhan Yan; Wu, Hai Tao; Wang, Yun Biao; Lyu, Xian Guo

    2017-07-18

    The trophic dynamics of wetland organisms is the basis of assessing wetland structure and function. Stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen have been widely applied to identify trophic relationships in food source, food composition and food web transport in wetland ecosystem studies. This paper provided an overall review about the current methodology of isotope mixing model and trophic level in wetland ecosystems, and discussed the standards of trophic fractionation and baseline. Moreover, we characterized the typical food sources and isotopic compositions of wetland ecosystems, summarized the food sources in different trophic levels of herbivores, omnivores and carnivores based on stable isotopic analyses. We also discussed the limitations of stable isotopes in tra-cing food sources and in constructing food webs. Based on the current results, development trends and upcoming requirements, future studies should focus on sample treatment, conservation and trophic enrichment measurement in the wetland food web, as well as on combing a variety of methodologies including traditional stomach stuffing, molecular markers, and multiple isotopes.

  1. National Coastal Geology Program: a plan of geologic research on coastal erosion, coastal wetlands, polluted sediments, and coastal hard-mineral resources

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ,

    1990-01-01

    More than 50 percent of the U.S. population currently live within 50 miles of an ocean, Great Lake, or major estuary. According to forecasts, the concentration of people along our coastlines will continue to increase into the 21st century. In addition to residential and commercial buildings and facilities worth tens of billions of dollars, the coasts and associated wetlands are natural resources of tremendous value, with estimates in excess of $13 billion per year for commercial and recreational fisheries alone. Human activities and natural processes are stressing the coastal environment. * Each of the coastal states and island territories is suffering problems related to coastal erosion. * Deterioration of wetlands is widespread and of great public concern. * Pollutants carried by rivers or runoff are discharged directly into coastal waters and accumulate in the sediments on the sea floor, in some areas causing damage to living resources and presenting a threat to public health. * Onshore sources for hard-mineral resources, such as sand and gravel used for construction purposes, are becoming increasingly difficult to find. New sources are being sought in coastal waters. Coastal issues will become even more important into the next century if sea level is significantly influenced by climate change and other factors.

  2. River and Wetland Food Webs in Australia's Wet-Dry Tropics: General Principles and Implications for Management.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Douglas, M. M.; Bunn, S. E.; Davies, P. M.

    2005-05-01

    The tropical rivers of northern Australia are internationally recognised for their high ecological and cultural values. They have largely unmodified flow regimes and are comparatively free of the impacts associated with intensive land use. However, there is growing demand for agricultural development and existing pressures, such as weeds and feral animals, threaten their ecological integrity. Using the international literature to provide a conceptual framework and drawing on limited published and unpublished data on rivers in northern Australia, we have derived five general principles about food webs and related ecosystem processes that both characterise tropical rivers of northern Australia and have important implications for their management. These are: (1) Seasonal hydrology is a strong driver of ecosystem processes and food web structure; (2) Hydrological connectivity is largely intact and underpins important terrestrial-aquatic food web subsidies; (3) River and wetland food webs are strongly dependent on algal production; (4) A few common macroconsumers species have a strong influence on benthic food webs; (5) Omnivory is widespread and food chains are short. These principles have implications for the management and protection of tropical rivers and wetlands of northern Australia and provide a framework for the formation of testable hypotheses in future research programs.

  3. Rainfall and water-level data for a wetland area near Millington, Shelby County, Tennessee, October 1996 through September 1997

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Knight, R.R.

    1998-01-01

    Rainfall amounts and water levels at a degraded wetland area near Millington, Shelby County, Tennessee, were collected to assist the Tennessee Department of Transportation with a program designed to restore the wetland to a more natural condition. The site is located along a channelized reach of Big Creek Drainage Canal, east of State Route 240, and near the southeastern boundary of the Naval Support Activity Memphis, Millington. Rainfall amounts were recorded at 5-minute intervals using a tipping-bucket rain gage from October 1, 1996 through September 30, 1997. Total rainfall for this period was 70.16 inches. In general, water levels at the wetland were above or near the ground surface during the 6-month period from the first of January through June 1997. For the remainder of the year, water levels generally subsided to several feet below land surface. However, some locations within the wetland were wet or highly saturated year round.

  4. LANDSAT applications to wetlands classification in the upper Mississippi River Valley. Ph.D. Thesis. Final Report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lillesand, T. M.; Werth, L. F. (Principal Investigator)

    1980-01-01

    A 25% improvement in average classification accuracy was realized by processing double-date vs. single-date data. Under the spectrally and spatially complex site conditions characterizing the geographical area used, further improvement in wetland classification accuracy is apparently precluded by the spectral and spatial resolution restrictions of the LANDSAT MSS. Full scene analysis of scanning densitometer data extracted from scale infrared photography failed to permit discrimination of many wetland and nonwetland cover types. When classification of photographic data was limited to wetland areas only, much more detailed and accurate classification could be made. The integration of conventional image interpretation (to simply delineate wetland boundaries) and machine assisted classification (to discriminate among cover types present within the wetland areas) appears to warrant further research to study the feasibility and cost of extending this methodology over a large area using LANDSAT and/or small scale photography.

  5. High and Mid-Latitude Wetlands, Climate Change, and Carbon Storage

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Peteet, Dorothy

    2000-01-01

    Pollen and macrofossil stratigraphy from wetlands associated with AMS chronology provides a vegetational and climatic history over thousands of years. From these records we establish a record of climate change which can be compared with independent records of carbon accumulation rates in these same wetlands. In this way, inferences can be made concerning carbon storage during different climatic regimes. One focus of our research has been high-latitude regions such as Alaskan and Siberian tundra, from which we have paleorecords which span the last 10,000 years. We will present records from the Malaspina Glacier region, Alaska and the Pur-Taz region of Western Siberia. A second focus of our research is in mid-latitude eastern North America. We will present paleorecords from wetlands in Vermont, New York, and Virginia showing the relationship between carbon accumulation rates and climatic changes since the late Pleistocene.

  6. Conserving Prairie Pothole Region wetlands and surrounding grasslands: evaluating effects on amphibians

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mushet, David M.; Neau, Jordan L.

    2014-01-01

    The maintenance of viable and genetically diverse populations of amphibians in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States depends on upland as well as wetland over-wintering and landscape level habitat features.Prairie pothole wetlands provide important amphibian breeding habitat while grasslands surrounding these wetlands provide foraging habitat for adults, overwintering habitat for some species, and important connectivity among breeding wetlands.Grasslands surrounding wetlands were found to be especially important for wood frogs and northern leopard frogs, while croplands dominated habitat utilized by Great Plains toads and Woodhouse’s toads.Habitat suitability mapping highlighted (1) the influence of deep-water overwintering wetlands on suitable habitat for four of five anuran species encountered; (2) the lack of overlap between areas of core habitat for both the northern leopard frog and wood frog compared to the core habitat for both toad species; and (3) the importance of conservation programs in providing grassland components of northern leopard frog and wood frog habitat.Currently, there are approximately 7.2 million acres (2.9 million hectares, ha) of habitat in the PPR identified as suitable for amphibians. WRP and CRP wetland and grassland habitats accounted for approximately 1.9 million acres (0.75 million ha) or 26 percent of this total area.Continued loss of amphibian habitat resulting from an ongoing trend of returning PPR conservation lands to crop production, will likely have significant negative effects on the region’s ability to maintain amphibian biodiversity. Conversely, increases in conservation wetlands and surrounding grasslands on the PPR landscape have great potential to positively influence the region’s amphibian populations.

  7. Five hydrologic studies conducted by or in cooperation with the Center for Forested Wetlands Research

    Treesearch

    Devendra M. Amatya; Carl C. Trettin; R. Wayne Skaggs; T.J. Callahan; Ge Sun; J.E. Nettles; J.E. Parsons; M. Miwa

    2005-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Center for Forested Wetlands Research has conducted or cooperated in studies designed to improve understanding of fundamental hydrologic and biogeochemical processes that link aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Five of these studies are discussed here. The first is based on observations made on long-term experimental...

  8. Pathogen and nutrient pulsing and attenuation in "accidental" urban wetland networks along the Salt River in Phoenix, AZ

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Palta, M. M.; Grimm, N. B.

    2013-12-01

    Increases in available nutrients and bacteria in urban streams are at the forefront of research concerns within the ecological and medical communities, and both pollutants are expected to become more problematic under projected changes in climate. Season, discharge, instream conditions (oxygen, water velocity), and weather conditions (antecedent moisture) all may influence loading rates to and the retention capabilities of wetlands fed by urban runoff and storm flow. The aim of this research was to examine the effect of these variables on nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) loading and attenuation along flow paths in urban wetland networks along the Salt River in Phoenix, AZ. Samples were collected for one year along flowpaths through wetlands that formed below six perennially flowing outfalls. Collection took place monthly during baseflow (dry season) conditions, and before and immediately following storm events, in the summer monsoon and winter rainy seasons. Water quality was assessed at the following points: immediately downstream of the outfall, mid-wetland, and downstream of the wetland. For determination of E. coli counts, samples were plated on coliform-selective media (Chromocult) and incubated for 24 hours. Plates were then used to enumerate E. coli. For determination of nutrient concentrations, samples were filtered and frozen until they could be analyzed by ion chromatography and automated wet chemistry. During both summer and winter, total discharge into the wetlands increased during storm events. Concentrations of PO43+, NH4+, and E. coli were significantly higher following storm events than during baseflow conditions, and post-storm peaks in concentration ('pulses') were higher during the summer monsoon than in winter storms. Pulses of pollutants during storms were highest when preceded by hot, dry conditions. NO3- was high in both base and stormflow. E. coli counts and nutrient concentrations dropped along flowpaths through the wetlands, indicating high attenuation capability even during storms. Attenuation of nutrients during baseflow appeared to be a function of microbial processing, while during stormflow, when water retention time in the wetlands was reduced, attenuation was likely explained by other factors, such as sediment adsorption. Potential tradeoffs emerged between removal of NO3- (highest under low dissolved oxygen) and E. coli (highest under high dissolved oxygen) during baseflow. Climate change models project increases in severe droughts and extreme precipitation events for the southwestern United States, which can lead to more sewage leakages and increases in contaminated runoff from impervious surfaces in urban areas. Wetlands are constructed or restored to mitigate microbial contamination of wastewater. Our research indicates that even "accidental" urban wetlands can serve to reduce downstream transport of nutrients and pathogens in storm and wastewater. However, wetland restoration or design targeting increased water retention time may increase the capability of accidental wetlands in this urban desert river channel to remove nutrients and pathogens from stormwater.

  9. 7 CFR 623.11 - Obligations of the landowner.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WATER RESOURCES EMERGENCY WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 623.11 Obligations of the... commencing restoration of the designated area. (b) In addition, program participants and their successors of...

  10. 7 CFR 623.11 - Obligations of the landowner.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WATER RESOURCES EMERGENCY WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 623.11 Obligations of the... commencing restoration of the designated area. (b) In addition, program participants and their successors of...

  11. 50 CFR 84.31 - An overview of the ranking criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Project Selection § 84.31 An overview of the ranking criteria. (a) The primary...

  12. Factors Influencing Farmers' Willingness to Participate in the Conversion of Cultivated Land to Wetland Program in Sanjiang National Nature Reserve, China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Chunli; Robinson, Daniel; Wang, Jing; Liu, Jibin; Liu, Xiaohui; Tong, Lianjun

    2011-01-01

    Sanjiang National Nature Reserve (NNR) is a state-owned natural wetland in China that has suffered severe degradation due to cultivation and wetland reclamation by farmers. As a consequence, the conversion of cultivated land to wetlands (CCW) was proposed by the government of Heilongjiang province and the United Nations Development Programme/Global Environment Facility (UNDP/GEF) project team in 2007. We suggest that voluntary participation in the CCW could be an important tool for accomplishing the integrated objectives of wetland conservation and local development. The purpose of this study was to examine the main factors that influence farmers' willingness to participate in the CCW through a field investigation and a questionnaire. Based on the data from our questionnaire, which provided an effective sample of 310 households in 11 villages, the influencing factors of farmers' willingness to participate were analyzed through binary logistic regression analyses. It was concluded that age, education, the amount of cultivated land, geographical location, and the perceived benefits and risks were important factors for participation. Furthermore, suggestions for improving the wetland compensation system and providing alternative livelihoods are proposed to strengthen participation.

  13. Mapping forested wetlands in the Great Zhan River Basin through integrating optical, radar, and topographical data classification techniques.

    PubMed

    Na, X D; Zang, S Y; Wu, C S; Li, W L

    2015-11-01

    Knowledge of the spatial extent of forested wetlands is essential to many studies including wetland functioning assessment, greenhouse gas flux estimation, and wildlife suitable habitat identification. For discriminating forested wetlands from their adjacent land cover types, researchers have resorted to image analysis techniques applied to numerous remotely sensed data. While with some success, there is still no consensus on the optimal approaches for mapping forested wetlands. To address this problem, we examined two machine learning approaches, random forest (RF) and K-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithms, and applied these two approaches to the framework of pixel-based and object-based classifications. The RF and KNN algorithms were constructed using predictors derived from Landsat 8 imagery, Radarsat-2 advanced synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and topographical indices. The results show that the objected-based classifications performed better than per-pixel classifications using the same algorithm (RF) in terms of overall accuracy and the difference of their kappa coefficients are statistically significant (p<0.01). There were noticeably omissions for forested and herbaceous wetlands based on the per-pixel classifications using the RF algorithm. As for the object-based image analysis, there were also statistically significant differences (p<0.01) of Kappa coefficient between results performed based on RF and KNN algorithms. The object-based classification using RF provided a more visually adequate distribution of interested land cover types, while the object classifications based on the KNN algorithm showed noticeably commissions for forested wetlands and omissions for agriculture land. This research proves that the object-based classification with RF using optical, radar, and topographical data improved the mapping accuracy of land covers and provided a feasible approach to discriminate the forested wetlands from the other land cover types in forestry area.

  14. Wetlands mitigation: Partnership between an electric power company and a federal wildlife refuge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Perry, Matthew C.; Sibrel, Cynthia B.; Gough, Gregory A.

    1996-11-01

    Nine hectares (23 acres) of a degraded section of Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel, Maryland, USA, were converted to wetland habitat by the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company in 1994. The wetlands were created as mitigation for 5.7 ha (14 acres) of wetlands that were impacted as part of the construction of an 8.5-km (5.3-mile) 500-kV overhead transmission line on the refuge. The area consists of a created forested wetland of 5.5 ha (13.5 acres), a seasonally inundated green-tree reservoir of 7.6 ha (6.5 acres), and an impounded pond wetland of 1.2 ha (3 acres). Construction included the planting of 6131 trees, 4276 shrubs, and 15,102 emergent plants. Part of the site has been studied intensively since completion and survival of trees and shrubs after two years was 88%. Measurements of these transplants have shown growth greater than on other created sites in Maryland. Grasses and other herbaceous vegetation were dominant plants in the meter-square plots in the first two years of sampling of the created forested wetland. Wildlife surveys for birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles have revealed diverse communities. Although these communities represent species consistent with open habitat, more typical forest species should colonize the area as it undergoes succession into a more mature forested wetland. The creation, management, and research of this mitigation site represents an excellent example of a partnership between a private electric power company and a federal wildlife refuge. This partnership has increased local biodiversity and improved regional water quality of the Patuxent River and the Chesapeake Bay.

  15. Levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and dibenzothiophenes in wetland sediments and aquatic insects in the oil sands area of northeastern Alberta, Canada.

    PubMed

    Wayland, Mark; Headley, John V; Peru, Kerry M; Crosley, Robert; Brownlee, Brian G

    2008-01-01

    An immense volume of tailings and tailings water is accumulating in tailings ponds located on mine leases in the oil sands area of Alberta, Canada. Oil sands mining companies have proposed to use tailings- and tailings water-amended lakes and wetlands as part of their mine remediation plans. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are substances of concern in oil sands tailings and tailings water. In this study, we determined concentrations of PAHs in sediments, insect larvae and adult insects collected in or adjacent to three groups of wetlands: experimental wetlands to which tailings or tailings water had been purposely added, oil sands wetlands that were located on the mine leases but which had not been experimentally manipulated and reference wetlands located near the mine leases. Alkylated PAHs dominated the PAH profile in all types of samples in the three categories of wetlands. Median and maximum PAH concentrations, especially alkylated PAH concentrations, tended to be higher in sediments and insect larvae in experimental wetlands than in the other types of wetlands. Such was not the case for adult insects, which contained higher than expected levels of PAHs in the three types of ponds. Overlap in PAH concentrations in larvae among pond types suggests that any increase in PAH levels resulting from the addition of tailings and tailings water to wetlands would be modest. Biota-sediment accumulation factors were higher for alkylated PAHs than for their parent counterparts and were lower in experimental wetlands than in oil sands and reference wetlands. Research is needed to examine factors that affect the bioavailability of PAHs in oil sands tailings- or tailings water-amended wetlands.

  16. Annual monitoring report for the Gunnison, Colorado, wetlands mitigation plan

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1995-10-01

    The US Department of Energy (DOE) administers the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project to clean up uranium mill tailings and other surface contamination at 24 abandoned uranium mill sites in 10 states. One of these abandoned mill sites is near the town of Gunnison, Colorado; surface remediation and the environmental impacts of remedial action are described in the Gunnison environmental assessment (EA) (DOE, 1992). Remedial action resulted in the elimination of 4.3 acres (ac) 1.7 hectares (ha) of wetlands and mitigation of this loss of wetlands is being accomplished through the enhance of 18.4 ac (7.5 ha) ofmore » riparian plant communities in six spring feed areas on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. The description of the impacted and mitigation wetlands is provided in the Mitigation and Monitoring Plan for Impacted Wetlands at the Gunnison UMTRA Project Site, Gunnison, Colorado (DOE, 1994), which is attached to the US Army corps of Engineers (USACE) Section 404 Permit. As part of the wetlands mitigation plan, the six mitigation wetlands were fenced in the fall of 1993 to exclude livestock grazing. Baseline of grazed conditions of the wetlands vegetation was determined during the summer of 1993 (DOE, 1994). A 5-year monitoring program of these six sites has been implemented to document the response of vegetation and wildlife to the exclusion of livestock. This annual monitoring report provides the results of the first year of the 5-year monitoring period.« less

  17. Using dual classifications in the development of avian wetland indices of biological integrity for wetlands in West Virginia, USA.

    PubMed

    Veselka, Walter; Anderson, James T; Kordek, Walter S

    2010-05-01

    Considerable resources are being used to develop and implement bioassessment methods for wetlands to ensure that "biological integrity" is maintained under the United States Clean Water Act. Previous research has demonstrated that avian composition is susceptible to human impairments at multiple spatial scales. Using a site-specific disturbance gradient, we built avian wetland indices of biological integrity (AW-IBI) specific to two wetland classification schemes, one based on vegetative structure and the other based on the wetland's position in the landscape and sources of water. The resulting class-specific AW-IBI was comprised of one to four metrics that varied in their sensitivity to the disturbance gradient. Some of these metrics were specific to only one of the classification schemes, whereas others could discriminate varying levels of disturbance regardless of classification scheme. Overall, all of the derived biological indices specific to the vegetative structure-based classes of wetlands had a significant relation with the disturbance gradient; however, the biological index derived for floodplain wetlands exhibited a more consistent response to a local disturbance gradient. We suspect that the consistency of this response is due to the inherent nature of the connectivity of available habitat in floodplain wetlands.

  18. Processing of airborne laser scanning data to generate accurate DTM for floodplain wetland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Szporak-Wasilewska, Sylwia; Mirosław-Świątek, Dorota; Grygoruk, Mateusz; Michałowski, Robert; Kardel, Ignacy

    2015-10-01

    Structure of the floodplain, especially its topography and vegetation, influences the overland flow and dynamics of floods which are key factors shaping ecosystems in surface water-fed wetlands. Therefore elaboration of the digital terrain model (DTM) of a high spatial accuracy is crucial in hydrodynamic flow modelling in river valleys. In this study the research was conducted in the unique Central European complex of fens and marshes - the Lower Biebrza river valley. The area is represented mainly by peat ecosystems which according to EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) are called "water-dependent ecosystems". Development of accurate DTM in these areas which are overgrown by dense wetland vegetation consisting of alder forest, willow shrubs, reed, sedges and grass is very difficult, therefore to represent terrain in high accuracy the airborne laser scanning data (ALS) with scanning density of 4 points/m2 was used and the correction of the "vegetation effect" on DTM was executed. This correction was performed utilizing remotely sensed images, topographical survey using the Real Time Kinematic positioning and vegetation height measurements. In order to classify different types of vegetation within research area the object based image analysis (OBIA) was used. OBIA allowed partitioning remotely sensed imagery into meaningful image-objects, and assessing their characteristics through spatial and spectral scale. The final maps of vegetation patches that include attributes of vegetation height and vegetation spectral properties, utilized both the laser scanning data and the vegetation indices developed on the basis of airborne and satellite imagery. This data was used in process of segmentation, attribution and classification. Several different vegetation indices were tested to distinguish different types of vegetation in wetland area. The OBIA classification allowed correction of the "vegetation effect" on DTM. The final digital terrain model was compared and examined within distinguished land cover classes (formed mainly by natural vegetation of the river valley) with archival height models developed through interpolation of ground points measured with GPS RTK and also with elevation models from the ASTER-GDEM and SRTM programs. The research presented in this paper allowed improving quality of hydrodynamic modelling in the surface water-fed wetlands protected within Biebrza National Park. Additionally, the comparison with other digital terrain models allowed to demonstrate the importance of accurate topography products in such modelling. The ALS data also significantly improved the accuracy and actuality of the river Biebrza course, its tributaries and location of numerous oxbows typical in this part of the river valley in comparison to previously available data. This type of data also helped to refine the river valley cross-sections, designate river banks and to develop the slope map of the research area.

  19. Inclusion of Coastal Wetlands within the Inventory of United States Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crooks, S.; Wirth, T. C.; Herold, N.; Bernal, B.; Holmquist, J. R.; Troxler, T.; Megonigal, P.; Sutton-Grier, A.; Muth, M.; Emmett-Mattox, S.

    2016-12-01

    The Inventory of U.S. GHG Emissions and Sinks' (Inventory) chapter on Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) reports C stock changes and emissions of CH4 and N2O from forest management, and other land-use/land-use change activities. With the release of the 2013 Supplement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National GHG Inventories: Wetlands (Wetlands Supplement) the United States has begun working to include emissions and removals from management activities on coastal wetlands, and is responding to a request by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for Parties to report back in March 2017 on their country's experience in applying the Wetlands Supplement. To support the EPA, NOAA has formed an interagency and science community group i.e., Coastal Wetland Carbon Working Group (CWCWG). The task of the CWCWG is to conduct an initial IPCC Tier 1-2 baseline assessment of GHG emissions and removals associated with coastal wetlands using the methodologies described in the recently released IPCC Wetlands Supplement for inclusion in the Inventory submitted to the UNFCCC in April 2017. The 5 million ha coastal land area of the conterminous United States has been delineated based upon tide stations and LIDAR derived digital elevation model. Land use change within the coastal land area has been calculated from NOAA Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP), Forest Inventory and National Resource Inventory (NRI). Tier 2 (i.e., country-specific) subnational / climate zone estimates of carbon stocks (including soils), along with carbon sequestration rates and methane emissions rates have been developed from literature. Future opportunities to improve the coastal wetland estimates include: refined quantification of methane emissions from wetlands across the salinity gradient (including mapping of this gradient) and from impounded waters; quantification of impacts of forestry activities on wetland soils; emissions and removals on forested tidally influenced and palustrine wetlands on coastal land areas; the fate of carbon released from eroded wetlands; and the extent of seagrass along with the emissions and removals associated with anthropogenic impacts to them.

  20. Evaluation of methods to calculate a wetlands water balance.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-08-01

    The development of a workable approach to estimating mitigation site water budgets is a high priority for VDOT and the wetlands research and design community in general as they attempt to create successful mitigation sites. Additionally, correct soil...

  1. Vulnerability of Coastal Wetlands in the Southeastern United States: Climate Change Research Results, 1992-97.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-09-01

    pro- jected to have significant regional impacts on resource management and use of these public lands . Southeastern coastal wetlands have also... land tree and shrub species. Measures of plant physiological activity using experi- mentally simulated environmental conditions predicted to occur...Hence, short- term rates of marsh transgression may be meaningless and may not be useful tools to predict wetland habitat change, at least for some

  2. Automation of lidar-based hydrologic feature extraction workflows using GIS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Borlongan, Noel Jerome B.; de la Cruz, Roel M.; Olfindo, Nestor T.; Perez, Anjillyn Mae C.

    2016-10-01

    With the advent of LiDAR technology, higher resolution datasets become available for use in different remote sensing and GIS applications. One significant application of LiDAR datasets in the Philippines is in resource features extraction. Feature extraction using LiDAR datasets require complex and repetitive workflows which can take a lot of time for researchers through manual execution and supervision. The Development of the Philippine Hydrologic Dataset for Watersheds from LiDAR Surveys (PHD), a project under the Nationwide Detailed Resources Assessment Using LiDAR (Phil-LiDAR 2) program, created a set of scripts, the PHD Toolkit, to automate its processes and workflows necessary for hydrologic features extraction specifically Streams and Drainages, Irrigation Network, and Inland Wetlands, using LiDAR Datasets. These scripts are created in Python and can be added in the ArcGIS® environment as a toolbox. The toolkit is currently being used as an aid for the researchers in hydrologic feature extraction by simplifying the workflows, eliminating human errors when providing the inputs, and providing quick and easy-to-use tools for repetitive tasks. This paper discusses the actual implementation of different workflows developed by Phil-LiDAR 2 Project 4 in Streams, Irrigation Network and Inland Wetlands extraction.

  3. Exploring drivers of wetland hydrologic fluxes across parameters and space

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jones, C. N.; Cheng, F. Y.; Mclaughlin, D. L.; Basu, N. B.; Lang, M.; Alexander, L. C.

    2017-12-01

    Depressional wetlands provide diverse ecosystem services, ranging from critical habitat to the regulation of landscape hydrology. The latter is of particular interest, because while hydrologic connectivity between depressional wetlands and downstream waters has been a focus of both scientific research and policy, it remains difficult to quantify the mode, magnitude, and timing of this connectivity at varying spatial and temporary scales. To do so requires robust empirical and modeling tools that accurately represent surface and subsurface flowpaths between depressional wetlands and other landscape elements. Here, we utilize a parsimonious wetland hydrology model to explore drivers of wetland water fluxes in different archetypal wetland-rich landscapes. We validated the model using instrumented sites from regions that span North America: Prairie Pothole Region (south-central Canada), Delmarva Peninsula (Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain), and Big Cypress Swamp (southern Florida). Then, using several national scale datasets (e.g., National Wetlands Inventory, USFWS; National Hydrography Dataset, USGS; Soil Survey Geographic Database, NRCS), we conducted a global sensitivity analysis to elucidate dominant drivers of simulated fluxes. Finally, we simulated and compared wetland hydrology in five contrasting landscapes dominated by depressional wetlands: prairie potholes, Carolina and Delmarva bays, pocosins, western vernal pools, and Texas coastal prairie wetlands. Results highlight specific drivers that vary across these regions. Largely, hydroclimatic variables (e.g., PET/P ratios) controlled the timing and magnitude of wetland connectivity, whereas both wetland morphology (e.g., storage capacity and watershed size) and soil characteristics (e.g., ksat and confining layer depth) controlled the duration and mode (surface vs. subsurface) of wetland connectivity. Improved understanding of the drivers of wetland hydrologic connectivity supports enhanced, region-specific management and conservation of these critical ecosystems through more informed decision-making. Findings and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the US EPA or USFWS.

  4. Remote sensing investigations of wetland biomass and productivity for global biosystems research

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harkisky, M.; Klemas, V.

    1983-01-01

    Monitoring biomass of wetlands ecosystems can provide information on net primary production and on the chemical and physical status of wetland soils relative to anaerobic microbial transformation of key elements. Multispectral remote sensing techniques successfully estimated macrophytic biomass in wetlands systems. Regression models developed from ground spectral data for predicting Spartina alterniflora biomass over an entire growing season include seasonal variations in biomass density and illumination intensity. An independent set of biomass and spectral data were collected and the standing crop biomass and net primary productivity were estimated. The improved spatial, radiometric and spectral resolution of th LANDSAT-4 Thematic Mapper over the LANDSAT MSS can greatly enhance multispectral techniques for estimating wetlands biomass over large areas. These techniques can provide the biomass data necessary for global ecology studies.

  5. Agricultural drainage and wetland management in Ontario.

    PubMed

    Walters, Dan; Shrubsole, Dan

    2003-12-01

    Land drainage is recognized as an integral part of agricultural activity throughout the world. However, the increase in agricultural production has resulted in the loss of wetland functions and values. Therefore, wetland management and agricultural drainage illustrate the conflict between economic development and natural values. This research assesses the approval process for agricultural land drainage in Ontario, Canada, to determine how the benefits of increased agricultural production are balanced against the loss of wetland values. A permit review of drainage applications was conducted from 1978 to 1997 in Zorra Township, Ontario, Canada. Data collection also included the document reviews, interviews with government agencies and wetland evaluation files. The selected criteria include efficiency, equity, consistency and adequacy. The results indicate that while the process is efficient, fundamental problems remain with the bargaining process.

  6. 50 CFR 84.45 - How do I amend a proposal?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Conditions on Acceptance/Use of Federal Money § 84.45 How do I amend a proposal...

  7. 50 CFR 84.43 - How do States get the grant monies?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Conditions on Acceptance/Use of Federal Money § 84.43 How do States get the grant...

  8. 7 CFR 1467.4 - Program requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Program requirements. 1467.4 Section 1467.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.4 Program requirements. (a) General. (1) Under the WRP, NRCS...

  9. 7 CFR 1467.4 - Program requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Program requirements. 1467.4 Section 1467.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.4 Program requirements. (a) General. (1) Under the WRP, NRCS...

  10. 7 CFR 1467.4 - Program requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Program requirements. 1467.4 Section 1467.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.4 Program requirements. (a) General. (1) Under the WRP, NRCS...

  11. Canadian SAR remote sensing for the Terrestrial Wetland Global Change Research Network (TWGCRN)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kaya, Shannon; Brisco, Brian; Cull, Andrew; Gallant, Alisa L.; Sadinski, Walter J.; Thompson, Dean

    2010-01-01

    The Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS) has more than 30 years of experience investigating the use of SAR remote sensing for many applications related to terrestrial water resources. Recently, CCRS scientists began contributing to the Terrestrial Wetland Global Change Research Network (TWGCRN), a bi-national research network dedicated to assessing impacts of global change on interconnected wetland-upland landscapes across a vital portion of North America. CCRS scientists are applying SAR remote sensing to characterize wetland components of these landscapes in three ways. First, they are using a comprehensive set of RADARSAT-2 SAR data collected during April to September 2009 to extract multi-temporal surface water information for key TWGCRN study landscapes in North America. Second, they are analyzing polarimetric RADARSAT-2 data to determine areas where double-bounce represents the primary scattering mechanism and is indicative of flooded vegetation in these landscapes. Third, they are testing advanced interferometric SAR techniques to estimate water levels with RADARSAT-2 Fine Quad polarimetric image pairs. The combined information from these three SAR analysis activities will provide TWGCRN scientists with an integrated view and monitoring capability for these dynamic wetland-upland landscapes. These data are being used in conjunction with other remote sensing and field data to study interactions between landscape and animal (birds and amphibians) responses to climate/global change.

  12. STEPS FORWARD IN WETLAND MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT

    EPA Science Inventory

    The recent report of the National Research Council on wetland mitigation again highlighted the need for regional watershed evaluation as a context from which to determine the efficacy of past regulatory decisions and to improve the effectiveness of future actions. Collaborative ...

  13. Attenuation of Storm Surge Flooding By Wetlands in the Chesapeake Bay: An Integrated Geospatial Framework Evaluating Impacts to Critical Infrastructure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khalid, A.; Haddad, J.; Lawler, S.; Ferreira, C.

    2014-12-01

    Areas along the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries are extremely vulnerable to hurricane flooding, as evidenced by the costly effects and severe impacts of recent storms along the Virginia coast, such as Hurricane Isabel in 2003 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Coastal wetlands, in addition to their ecological importance, are expected to mitigate the impact of storm surge by acting as a natural protection against hurricane flooding. Quantifying such interactions helps to provide a sound scientific basis to support planning and decision making. Using storm surge flooding from various historical hurricanes, simulated using a coupled hydrodynamic wave model (ADCIRC-SWAN), we propose an integrated framework yielding a geospatial identification of the capacity of Chesapeake Bay wetlands to protect critical infrastructure. Spatial identification of Chesapeake Bay wetlands is derived from the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI), National Land Cover Database (NLCD), and the Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP). Inventories of population and critical infrastructure are extracted from US Census block data and FEMA's HAZUS-Multi Hazard geodatabase. Geospatial and statistical analyses are carried out to develop a relationship between wetland land cover, hurricane flooding, population and infrastructure vulnerability. These analyses result in the identification and quantification of populations and infrastructure in flooded areas that lie within a reasonable buffer surrounding the identified wetlands. Our analysis thus produces a spatial perspective on the potential for wetlands to attenuate hurricane flood impacts in critical areas. Statistical analysis will support hypothesis testing to evaluate the benefits of wetlands from a flooding and storm-surge attenuation perspective. Results from geospatial analysis are used to identify where interactions with critical infrastructure are relevant in the Chesapeake Bay.

  14. Rejuvenating the Largest Treatment Wetland in Florida: Tracer Moment and Model Analysis of Wetland Hydraulic Performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    White, J. R.; Wang, H.; Jawitz, J. W.; Sees, M. D.

    2004-12-01

    The Orlando Easterly Wetland (OEW), the largest municipal treatment wetland in Florida, began operation in 1987 mainly for reducing nutrient loads in tertiary treated domestic wastewater produced by the city of Orlando. After more than ten years of operation, a decrease in total P removal effectiveness has occurred since 1999, even though the effluent concentration of the wetland has remained below the permitted limit of 0.2 mg/L,. Hydraulic inefficiency in the wetland, especially in the front-end cells of the north flow train, was identified as a primary cause of the reduced treatment effectiveness. In order to improve the hydraulic performance of the OEW and maintain its efficient phosphorus treatment, a rejuvenation program (including muck removal followed by re-vegetation) was initiated on the front-end cells of the north flow train in 2002. The effectiveness of this activity for the improvement of hydraulic performance was evaluated with a tracer test and subsequent moment and model analyses for the tracer resident time distribution (RTDs). Results were compared to similar tracer tests conducted prior to rejuvenation activities. The models included one-path tank-in-series (TIS), two-path TIS, one-dimensional transport with inflow and storage (OTIS), plug flow with dispersion (PFD), and plug flow with fractional dispersion (PFFD). The hydraulic performance was characterized by both wetland hydraulic efficiency and the spreading of tracers. The results demonstrated that the rejuvenation considerably improved the hydraulic performance in the restored area. Also presented is a comparison of the wetland response between both bromide and lithium tracers, and the determination of the complete moments of residence time distributions (RTD) in cell-network wetlands.

  15. The Army Corps of Engineers’ Nationwide Permits Program: Issues and Regulatory Developments

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-08-21

    and wetland delineators of areas that are, in fact, wetlands (criteria concerning characteristic hydrology, soil , and vegetation), and are increasingly...Existing Commercial Shellfish Aquaculture Activities. This permit authorizes structures or works in navigable waters, as well as discharges into all waters...of the United States for the continued operation of existing commercial oyster, clam, geoduck, mussel or scallop aquaculture operations. It does not

  16. Wetland restoration and compliance issues on the Savannah River site

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wein, G.R.; McLeod, K.W.; Sharitz, R.R.

    1993-01-01

    Operation of the nuclear production reactors on the Savannah River Site has faced potential conflicts with wetland regulations on several occasions. This paper provides two examples in which regulatory compliance and restoration research have been meshed, providing both compliance and better knowledge to aid future regulatory needs. The decision to restart the L reactor required the mitigation of thermal effluents under Sec. 316 of the Clean Water Act. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, permit for the selected mitigation alternative, a 405-ha once-through cooling reservoir, required the establishment of a balanced biological community (BBC) within the lake. To promote themore » development of a BBC, the reservoir was seeded with water from an existing BBC (Par Pond) and stocked with fish and had artificial reefs constructed. The US Department of Energy (DOE) also requested that the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory establish littoral/wetland vegetation along the shoreline to provide aquatic and wildlife habitat, shoreline stabilization, and a good faith effort toward the establishment of a BBC. The development of wetland vegetation was deemed important to the successful development of a BBC within L Lake. However, in a similar cooling reservoir system constructed in 1957 (Par Pond), wetland vegetation successfully developed without any planting effort. Other than the good faith effort toward a BBC, there is no reason to assume a littoral/wetland community would not develop of its own accord. However, research conducted at L Lake indicates that the planting of wetland vegetation at L Lake accelerated the process of natural selection over that of areas that were not planted.« less

  17. Advantages of using subsurface flow constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment in space applications: Ground-based mars base prototype

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nelson, M.; Alling, A.; Dempster, W. F.; van Thillo, M.; Allen, John

    Research and design of subsurface flow wetland wastewater treatment systems for a ground-based experimental prototype Mars Base facility has been carried out, using a subsurface flow approach. These systems have distinct advantages in planetary exploration scenarios: they are odorless, relatively low-labor and low-energy, assist in purification of water and recycling of atmospheric CO2, and will support some food crops. An area of 6-8 m2 may be sufficient for integration of wetland wastewater treatment with a prototype Mars Base supporting 4-5 people. Discharge water from the wetland system will be used as irrigation water for the agricultural crop area, thus ensuring complete recycling and utilization of nutrients. Since the primary requirements for wetland treatment systems are warm temperatures and lighting, such bioregenerative systems may be integrated into early Mars base habitats, since waste heat from the lights may be used for temperature maintenance in the human living environment. "Wastewater gardens ™" can be modified for space habitats to lower space and mass requirements. Many of its construction requirements can eventually be met with use of in-situ materials, such as gravel from the Mars surface. Because the technology requires little machinery and no chemicals, and relies more on natural ecological mechanisms (microbial and plant metabolism), maintenance requirements are minimized, and systems can be expected to have long operating lifetimes. Research needs include suitability of Martian soil and gravel for wetland systems, system sealing and liner options in a Mars Base, and wetland water quality efficiency under varying temperature and light regimes.

  18. Comparison between microwave coherent and incoherent scattering models for wetland vegetation in Poyang Lake area

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Tao; Liao, Jingjuan

    2014-11-01

    In order to reveal more deeply the scattering characteristics of wetland vegetation and determine the microwave scattering model suitable for the inversion of wetland vegetation parameters, the comparison and analysis between microwave coherent and incoherent scattering models for wetland vegetation in Poyang Lake area were performed in this paper. In the research, we proposed a coherent scattering model exclusive for wetland vegetation, in which, Generalized Rayleigh-Gans (GRG) approach and infinite-length dielectric cylinder were used to calculate single-scattering matrices of wetland vegetation leaves and stalks. In addition, coherent components produced from interaction among the scattering mechanisms and different scatterers were also considered and this coherent model was compared with Michigan Microwave Canopy Scattering (MIMICS) model. The measured data collected in 2011 in Poyang Lake wetland were used as the input parameters of the coherent and incoherent models. We simulated backscattering coefficients of VV, VH and HH polarization at C band and made a comparison between the simulation results and C-band data from the Radarsat-2 satellite. For both coherent and incoherent scattering model, simulation results for HH and VV polarization were better than the simulation results for HV polarization. In addition, comparisons between coherent and incoherent scattering models proved that the coherence triggered by the scattering mechanism and different scatterers can't be ignored. In the research, we analyzed differences between coherent and incoherent scattering models with change of incident angle. In most instances, the difference between coherent and incoherent scattering models is of the order of several dB.

  19. Effects of Environmental Conditions on an Urban Wetland's Methane Fluxes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Naor Azrieli, L.; Morin, T. H.; Bohrer, G.; Schafer, K. V.; Brooker, M.; Mitsch, W. J.

    2013-12-01

    Methane emissions from wetlands are the largest natural source of uncertainty in the global methane (CH4) budget. Wetlands are highly productive ecosystems with a large carbon sequestration potential. While wetlands are a net sink for carbon dioxide, they also release methane, a potent greenhouse gas. To effectively develop wetland management techniques, it is important to properly calculate the carbon budget of wetlands by understand the driving factors of methane fluxes. We constructed an eddy flux covariance system in the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park, a series of created and restored wetland in Columbus Ohio. Through the use of high frequency open path infrared gas analyzer (IRGA) sensors, we have continuously monitored the methane fluxes associated with the wetland since May 2011. To account for the heterogeneous landscape surrounding the tower, a footprint analysis was used to isolate data originating from within the wetland. Continuous measurements of the meteorological and environmental conditions at the wetlands coinciding with the flux measurements allow the interactions between methane fluxes and the climate and ecological forcing to be studied. The wintertime daily cycle of methane peaks around midday indicating a typical diurnal pattern in cold months. In the summer, the peak shifts to earlier in the day and also includes a daily peak occurring at approximately 10 AM. We believe this peak is associated with the onset of photosynthesis in Typha latifolia flushing methane from the plant's air filled tissue. Correlations with methane fluxes include latent heat flux, soil temperature, and incoming radiation. The connection to radiation may be further evidence of plant activity as a driver of methane fluxes. Higher methane fluxes corresponding with higher soil temperature indicates that warmer days stimulate the methanogenic consortium. Further analysis will focus on separating the methane fluxes into emissions from different terrain types within the wetland.

  20. Sustainable management for the eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey.

    PubMed

    Berberoglu, Süha

    2003-03-01

    The objective of this article is to propose a program for the integrated coastal zone management that is required to stimulate and guide sustainable development of the Mediterranean coastal zone of Turkey. Improved data collection, quality control, analysis, and data management will provide a firm basis for future scientific understanding of the East Mediterranean coast of Turkey and will support long-term management. Various innovative procedures were proposed for a promising ecosystem-based approach to manage coastal wetlands in the Mediterranean: remote data acquisition with new technologies; environmental quality monitoring program that will provide a baseline for monitoring; linking a Geographic Information System (GIS) with natural resource management decision routines in the context of operational wetlands, fisheries, tourism management system; environmental sensitivity analysis to ensure that permitted developments are environmentally sustainable; and use of natural species to restore the wetlands and coastal dunes and sustain the system processes. The proposed management scheme will benefit the scientific community in the Mediterranean and the management/planning community in Eastern Turkey.

  1. 50 CFR 84.44 - What is the timetable for the use of grant money?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... THE INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Conditions on Acceptance/Use of Federal Money § 84.44 What is the...

  2. 50 CFR 84.40 - What conditions must I follow to accept Federal grant money?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Conditions on Acceptance/Use of Federal Money § 84.40 What...

  3. 50 CFR 84.41 - Who prepares a grant agreement? What needs to be included?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Conditions on Acceptance/Use of Federal Money § 84.41 Who...

  4. 50 CFR 84.44 - What is the timetable for the use of grant money?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... THE INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Conditions on Acceptance/Use of Federal Money § 84.44 What is the...

  5. 50 CFR 84.41 - Who prepares a grant agreement? What needs to be included?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Conditions on Acceptance/Use of Federal Money § 84.41 Who...

  6. 50 CFR 84.40 - What conditions must I follow to accept Federal grant money?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Conditions on Acceptance/Use of Federal Money § 84.40 What...

  7. 50 CFR 84.42 - What if a grant agreement is not signed?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM Conditions on Acceptance/Use of Federal Money § 84.42 What if a grant agreement is...

  8. Restoration Enhances Wetland Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Supply, but Results Are Context-Dependent: A Meta-Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Meli, Paula; Rey Benayas, José María; Balvanera, Patricia; Martínez Ramos, Miguel

    2014-01-01

    Wetlands are valuable ecosystems because they harbor a huge biodiversity and provide key services to societies. When natural or human factors degrade wetlands, ecological restoration is often carried out to recover biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES). Although such restorations are routinely performed, we lack systematic, evidence-based assessments of their effectiveness on the recovery of biodiversity and ES. Here we performed a meta-analysis of 70 experimental studies in order to assess the effectiveness of ecological restoration and identify what factors affect it. We compared selected ecosystem performance variables between degraded and restored wetlands and between restored and natural wetlands using response ratios and random-effects categorical modeling. We assessed how context factors such as ecosystem type, main agent of degradation, restoration action, experimental design, and restoration age influenced post-restoration biodiversity and ES. Biodiversity showed excellent recovery, though the precise recovery depended strongly on the type of organisms involved. Restored wetlands showed 36% higher levels of provisioning, regulating and supporting ES than did degraded wetlands. In fact, wetlands showed levels of provisioning and cultural ES similar to those of natural wetlands; however, their levels of supporting and regulating ES were, respectively, 16% and 22% lower than in natural wetlands. Recovery of biodiversity and of ES were positively correlated, indicating a win-win restoration outcome. The extent to which restoration increased biodiversity and ES in degraded wetlands depended primarily on the main agent of degradation, restoration actions, experimental design, and ecosystem type. In contrast, the choice of specific restoration actions alone explained most differences between restored and natural wetlands. These results highlight the importance of comprehensive, multi-factorial assessment to determine the ecological status of degraded, restored and natural wetlands and thereby evaluate the effectiveness of ecological restorations. Future research on wetland restoration should also seek to identify which restoration actions work best for specific habitats. PMID:24743348

  9. Simulation of hydrologic influences on wetland ecosystem succession. Master's thesis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pompilio, R.A.

    1994-09-01

    This research focuses on the development of a simulation model to determine the affects of hydrological influences on a wetland ecosystem. The model allows perturbations to the inputs of various wetland data which in turn, influences the successional development of the ecosystem. This research consisted of converting a grassland ecosystem model to one which simulates wetland conditions. The critical factor in determining the success of wetland creation is the hydrology of the system. There are four of the areas of the original model which are affected by the hydrology. The model measures the health or success of the ecosystem throughmore » the measurement of the systems gross plant production, the respiration and the net primary production of biomass. Altering the auxiliary variables of water level and the rate of flow through the system explicitly details the affects hydrologic influences on those production rates. Ten case tests depicting exogenous perturbations of the hydrology were run to identify these affects. Although the tests dealt with the fluctuation of water through the system, any one of the auxiliary variables in the model could be changed to reflect site specific data. Productivity, Hazardous material management, Hazardous material pharmacy.« less

  10. Research on the Purification Effect of Aquatic Plants Based on Grey Clustering Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gu, Sudan; Du, Fuhui

    2018-01-01

    This paper uses the grey clustering method to evaluate the water quality level of the MingGuan constructed wetland at the import and export of artificial wetlands. Constructed wetland of Ming Guanis established on the basis of the Fuyang River’s water quality improvement, to choose suitable aquatic plants, in order to achieve the Fuyang River water purification effect. Namely TP, TN, NH3-N, DO, COD and COMMn and permanganate index are selected as clustering indicators. Water quality is divided into five grades according to the Surface Water Environmental Quality Standard (GB3838-2002) as the evaluation standard. In order to select the suitable wetland plants, the purification effect of 6 kinds of higher aquatic plants on the sewage of fuyang river was tested. one kind of plants was selected: Typha. The results show that the water quality of the section is gradually changed from V water quality to III water quality. After tartificial wetland of cycle for a long time, Typha has good purification effect. In November, water quality categories are basically concentrated in the VI, V class, may be caused by chemical decomposition of aquatic plants, should strengthen the academic research.

  11. Landowner Satisfaction with the Wetland Reserve Program in Texas: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stroman, Dianne; Kreuter, Urs P.

    2016-01-01

    Using mail survey data and telephone interviews, we report on landowner satisfaction with permanent easements held by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) throughout Texas. This study found that landowners were dissatisfied with the NRCS Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), conflicting with results of previous studies. The objective of this study was to explore specific reasons for frustration expressed by landowners with the program. We found three predominant themes underpinning program dissatisfaction: (1) upfront restoration failures, (2) overly restrictive easement constraints, and (3) bureaucratic hurdles limiting landowners' ability to conduct adaptive management on their easement property. The implications of this study suggest that attitudes of landowners participating in the WRP may limit the long-term effectiveness of this program. Suggestions for improving the program include implementing timely, ecologically sound restoration procedures and streamlining and simplifying the approval process for management activity requests. In addition, the NRCS should consider revising WRP restriction guidelines in order to provide more balance between protection goals and landowner autonomy.

  12. Denitrification in Alluvial Wetlands in an Urban Landscape

    EPA Science Inventory

    Riparian wetlands have been shown to be particularly effective “sinks” for nitrate-N (NO3-), minimizing the downstream export of nitrogen (N) to streams and coastal water bodies. However, the vast majority of riparian denitrification research has been in agricultural and forested...

  13. The Significant Surface-Water Connectivity of “Geographically Isolated Wetlands”

    EPA Science Inventory

    We evaluated the current literature, coupled with our collective research expertise, on surface-water connectivity of wetlands considered to be “geographically isolated” (sensu Tiner Wetlands 23:494–516, 2003a) to critically assess the scientific foundation of g...

  14. Applications of Remote Sensing for Studying Lateral Carbon Fluxes and Inundation Dynamics in Tidal Wetlands

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lamb, B. T.; Tzortziou, M.; McDonald, K. C.

    2017-12-01

    Wetlands play a key role in Earth's carbon cycle. However, wetland carbon cycling exhibits a high level of spatiotemporal dynamism, and thus, is not as well understood as carbon cycling in other ecosystems. In order to accurately characterize wetland carbon cycling and fluxes, wetland vegetation phenology, seasonal inundation dynamics, and tidal regimes must be understood as these factors influence carbon generation and transport. Here, we use radar remote sensing to map wetland properties in the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States with more than 1,500 square miles of tidal wetlands, across a range of tidal amplitudes, salinity regimes, and soil organic matter content levels. We have been using Sentinel-1 and ALOS PALSAR-1 radar measurements to characterize vegetation and seasonal inundation dynamics with the future goal of characterizing salinity gradients and tidal regimes. Differences in radar backscatter from various surface targets has been shown to effectively discriminate between dry soil, wet soil, vegetated areas, and open water. Radar polarization differences and ratios are particularly effective at distinguishing between vegetated and non-vegetated areas. Utilizing these principles, we have been characterizing wetland types using supervised classification techniques including: Random Forest, Maximum Likelihood, and Minimum Distance. The National Wetlands Inventory has been used as training and validation data. Ideally, the techniques we outline in this research will be applicable to the characterization of wetlands in coastal areas outside of Chesapeake Bay.

  15. Algal toxins in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon: Linking water quality to juvenile sucker health

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    VanderKooi, S.P.; Burdick, S.M.; Echols, K.R.; Ottinger, C.A.; Rosen, B.H.; Wood, T.M.

    2010-01-01

    As the lead science agency for the Department of Interior, the U.S. Geological Survey is actively involved in resource issues in the Klamath River basin. Activities include research projects on endangered Lost River and shortnose suckers, threatened coho salmon, groundwater resources, seasonal runoff forecasting, water quality in Upper Klamath Lake and the Klamath River, nutrient cycling in wetlands, and assessment of land idling programs to reduce water consumption. Many of these studies are collaborations with various partners including Department of Interior agencies, Indian Tribes, and State agencies.

  16. Quantification of Impervious Surfaces Along the Wasatch Front, Utah: AN Object-Based Image Analysis Approach to Identifying AN Indicator for Wetland Stress

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leydsman-McGinty, E. I.; Ramsey, R. D.; McGinty, C.

    2013-12-01

    The Remote Sensing/GIS Laboratory at Utah State University, in cooperation with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, is quantifying impervious surfaces for three watershed sub-basins in Utah. The primary objective of developing watershed-scale quantifications of impervious surfaces is to provide an indicator of potential impacts to wetlands that occur within the Wasatch Front and along the Great Salt Lake. A geospatial layer of impervious surfaces can assist state agencies involved with Utah's Wetlands Program Plan (WPP) in understanding the impacts of impervious surfaces on wetlands, as well as support them in carrying out goals and actions identified in the WPP. The three watershed sub-basins, Lower Bear-Malad, Lower Weber, and Jordan, span the highly urbanized Wasatch Front and are consistent with focal areas in need of wetland monitoring and assessment as identified in Utah's WPP. Geospatial layers of impervious surface currently exist in the form of national and regional land cover datasets; however, these datasets are too coarse to be utilized in fine-scale analyses. In addition, the pixel-based image processing techniques used to develop these coarse datasets have proven insufficient in smaller scale or detailed studies, particularly when applied to high-resolution satellite imagery or aerial photography. Therefore, object-based image analysis techniques are being implemented to develop the geospatial layer of impervious surfaces. Object-based image analysis techniques employ a combination of both geospatial and image processing methods to extract meaningful information from high-resolution imagery. Spectral, spatial, textural, and contextual information is used to group pixels into image objects and then subsequently used to develop rule sets for image classification. eCognition, an object-based image analysis software program, is being utilized in conjunction with one-meter resolution National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) aerial photography from 2011.

  17. Are all intertidal wetlands naturally created equal? Bottlenecks, thresholds and knowledge gaps to mangrove and saltmarsh ecosystems

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Friess, Daniel A.; Krauss, Ken W.; Horstman, Erik M.; Balke, Thorsten; Bouma, Tjeerd J.; Galli, Demis; Webb, Edward L.

    2011-01-01

    Intertidal wetlands such as saltmarshes and mangroves provide numerous important ecological functions, though they are in rapid and global decline. To better conserve and restore these wetland ecosystems, we need an understanding of the fundamental natural bottlenecks and thresholds to their establishment and long-term ecological maintenance. Despite inhabiting similar intertidal positions, the biological traits of these systems differ markedly in structure, phenology, life history, phylogeny and dispersal, suggesting large differences in biophysical interactions. By providing the first systematic comparison between saltmarshes and mangroves, we unravel how the interplay between species-specific life-history traits, biophysical interactions and biogeomorphological feedback processes determine where, when and what wetland can establish, the thresholds to long-term ecosystem stability, and constraints to genetic connectivity between intertidal wetland populations at the landscape level. To understand these process interactions, research into the constraints to wetland development, and biological adaptations to overcome these critical bottlenecks and thresholds requires a truly interdisciplinary approach.

  18. EnviroAtlas - Tampa, FL - Land Cover by Block Group

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This EnviroAtlas dataset describes the percentage of each block group that is classified as impervious, forest, green space, wetland, and agriculture. Impervious is a combination of dark and light impervious. Forest is a combination of trees and forest and woody wetlands. Green space is a combination of trees and forest, grass and herbaceous, agriculture, woody wetlands, and emergent wetlands. Wetlands includes both Woody and Emergent Wetlands.This dataset was produced by the US EPA to support research and online mapping activities related to EnviroAtlas. EnviroAtlas (https://www.epa.gov/enviroatlas) allows the user to interact with a web-based, easy-to-use, mapping application to view and analyze multiple ecosystem services for the contiguous United States. The dataset is available as downloadable data (https://edg.epa.gov/data/Public/ORD/EnviroAtlas) or as an EnviroAtlas map service. Additional descriptive information about each attribute in this dataset can be found in its associated EnviroAtlas Fact Sheet (https://www.epa.gov/enviroatlas/enviroatlas-fact-sheets).

  19. Analysis of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) hyperspectral remote sensing monitoring key technology in coastal wetland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Yi; Zhang, Jie; Zhang, Jingyu

    2016-01-01

    The coastal wetland, a transitional zone between terrestrial ecosystems and marine ecosystems, is the type of great value to ecosystem services. For the recent 3 decades, area of the coastal wetland is decreasing and the ecological function is gradually degraded with the rapid development of economy, which restricts the sustainable development of economy and society in the coastal areas of China in turn. It is a major demand of the national reality to carry out the monitoring of coastal wetlands, to master the distribution and dynamic change. UAV, namely unmanned aerial vehicle, is a new platform for remote sensing. Compared with the traditional satellite and manned aerial remote sensing, it has the advantage of flexible implementation, no cloud cover, strong initiative and low cost. Image-spectrum merging is one character of high spectral remote sensing. At the same time of imaging, the spectral curve of each pixel is obtained, which is suitable for quantitative remote sensing, fine classification and target detection. Aimed at the frontier and hotspot of remote sensing monitoring technology, and faced the demand of the coastal wetland monitoring, this paper used UAV and the new remote sensor of high spectral imaging instrument to carry out the analysis of the key technologies of monitoring coastal wetlands by UAV on the basis of the current situation in overseas and domestic and the analysis of developing trend. According to the characteristic of airborne hyperspectral data on UAV, that is "three high and one many", the key technology research that should develop are promoted as follows: 1) the atmosphere correction of the UAV hyperspectral in coastal wetlands under the circumstance of complex underlying surface and variable geometry, 2) the best observation scale and scale transformation method of the UAV platform while monitoring the coastal wetland features, 3) the classification and detection method of typical features with high precision from multi scale hyperspectral images based on time sequence. The research results of this paper will help to break the traditional concept of remote sensing monitoring coastal wetlands by satellite and manned aerial vehicle, lead the trend of this monitoring technology, and put forward a new technical proposal for grasping the distribution of the coastal wetland and the changing trend and carrying out the protection and management of the coastal wetland.

  20. Land-use and Land-cover Change from 1974 to 2008 around Mobile Bay

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ellis, Jean; Spruce, Joseph; Smoot, James; Hilbert, Kent; Swann, Roberta

    2008-01-01

    This project is a Gulf of Mexico Application Pilot in which NASA Stennis Space Center (SSC) is working within a regional collaboration network of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance. NASA researchers, with support from the NASA SSC Applied Science Program Steering Committee, employed multi-temporal Landsat data to assess land-use and land-cover (LULC) changes in the coastal counties of Mobile and Baldwin, AL, between 1974 and 2008. A multi-decadal time-series, coastal LULC product unique to NASA SSC was produced. The geographic extent and nature of change was quantified for the open water, barren, upland herbaceous, non-woody wetland, upland forest, woody wetland, and urban landscapes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Coastal Development Data Center (NCDDC) will assist with the transition of the final product to the operational end user, which primarily is the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP). We found substantial LULC change over the 34-year study period, much more than is evident when the change occurring in the last years. Between 1974 and 2008, the upland forest landscape lost almost 6% of the total acreage, while urban land cover increased by slightly more than 3%. With exception to open water, upland forest is the dominant landscape, accounting for about 25-30% of the total area.

  1. Sustainable urban stormwater management in the tropics: An evaluation of Singapore's ABC Waters Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lim, H. S.; Lu, X. X.

    2016-07-01

    The Active Beautiful Clean (ABC) Waters Program was implemented in 2006 as part of Singapore's stormwater management strategy and reflects the country's move towards Water Sensitive Urbanism through the adoption of Low-Impact Development (LID) ideology and practices. It is the first holistic and comprehensive LID program in the tropics and holds promise for extension to other tropical cities. This paper presents a comprehensive summary of the goals, LID practices (ABC design features) and design considerations as well as results of several monitored sites, including a constructed wetland, two rain gardens, green roofs and three canal restoration projects. We evaluate the ABC Waters Program based on these initial results and consider the challenges, issues and the research needs for it to meet its hydrological and water quality remediation goals. So far, the ABC design features evaluated perform well in removing particulates. Performance in nutrient removal is poor. With over 60 projects completed within 10 years, post-project monitoring and evaluation is necessary and complements on-going laboratory and modelling research projects conducted by local academic institutions.

  2. Linking Shorebird Conservation and Education Along Flyways: An Overview of the Shorebird Sister Schools Program

    Treesearch

    Hillary Chapman; Heather Johnson

    2005-01-01

    The Shorebird Sister Schools Program (SSSP) is an internet-based environmental education program that provides a forum for students, biologists, and shorebird enthusiasts to track shorebird migration and share observations along flyways. The program?s vision is to engage public participation in the conservation of shorebirds and their wetland, grassland, and shoreline...

  3. Compilation of annual reports of the Navy ELF (Extremely Low Frequency) communications system ecological monitoring program. Volume 1: Tabs A-E

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anderson, M.; Bruhn, J.; Cattelino, P.; Janke, R.; Jurgensen, M.; Mroz, G.; Reed, E. J.; Trettin, C.

    1984-07-01

    A long-term program of studying ELF electromagnetic influences on ecosystems in northwestern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is being conducted. Selection of study sites, monitoring protocols, and analytical methods were initiated in 1982. Data collection was initiated in 1983. Progress is described for studying the terrestrial, aquatic, and wetland ecosystems for the 10 projects comprising the ecological monitoring program. The 10 projects contain Herbaceous Plant Cover and Tree Studies; Litter Decomposition and Microflora; The Effects of Exposing the Slime Mold Physarum polycephalum; Soil Amoeba; Soil and Litter Arthropoda and Earthworm Studies; Biological Studies on Pollinating Insects (Megachilid Bees); Small Vertebrates (Small Mammals and Nesting Birds); Aquatic Ecosystems; Wetland Studies; and Field Studies of Effects of ELF on Migrating Birds.

  4. Wetland Resiliency: How does multi-year water table level decline and recovery influence carbon dioxide and methane fluxes?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pugh, C.; Reed, D. E.; Desai, A. R.; Sulman, B. N.

    2016-12-01

    Wetlands play a disproportionately large role in the global carbon budget, and individual wetlands can fluctuate between carbon sinks and sources depending on factors such as hydrology, biogeochemistry, and land use. Although much research has been done on wetland biogeochemical cycles, there is a lack of experimental evidence concerning how changes in wetland hydrology influence these cycles over interannual timescales. Over a seven-year period, Sulman et al. (2009) found that a drought-induced declining water table at a shrub wetland in northern Wisconsin coincided with increased ecosystem respiration (ER) and gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) (Sulman et al. 2009). Since then, however, the average water table level at this site has begun to increase, thus allowing a unique opportunity to explore how wetland carbon storage is impacted by water table recovery. With the addition of three more years of eddy covariance observations post recovery and new methane flux observations, we found that water table level no longer had a significant correlation with GEP, ER, or methane flux. Air temperature, however, had a strong correlation with all three. Average methane flux stayed relatively constant under 14 °C, before increasing an order of magnitude from 3.7 nmol m-2 s-1 in April to 36 nmol m-2 s-1 in July. These results suggest that, over decadal timescales, temperature, rather than water level, is a stronger limiting factor for both aerobic and anaerobic respiration in shrub fen wetlands. Wetlands play a disproportionately large role in the global carbon budget, and individual wetlands can fluctuate between carbon sinks and sources depending on factors such as hydrology, biogeochemistry, and land use. Although much research has been done on wetland biogeochemical cycles, there is a lack of experimental evidence concerning how changes in wetland hydrology influence these cycles over interannual timescales. Over a seven-year period, Sulman et al. (2009) found that a drought-induced declining water table at a shrub wetland in northern Wisconsin coincided with increased ecosystem respiration (ER) and gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) (Sulman et al. 2009). Since then, however, the average water table level at this site has begun to increase, thus allowing a unique opportunity to explore how wetland carbon storage is impacted by water table recovery. With the addition of three more years of eddy covariance observations post recovery and new methane flux observations, we found that water table level no longer had a significant correlation with GEP, ER, or methane flux. Air temperature, however, had a strong correlation with all three. Average methane flux stayed relatively constant under 14 °C, before increasing an order of magnitude from 3.7 nmol m-2 s-1 in April to 36 nmol m-2 s-1 in July. These results suggest that, over decadal timescales, temperature, rather than water level, is a stronger limiting factor for both aerobic and anaerobic respiration in shrub fen wetlands.

  5. Conservation of North American rallids

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Eddleman, William R.; Knopf, Fritz L.; Manley, Brooke; Reid, Frederic A.; Zembal, Richard

    1988-01-01

    The Rallidae are a diverse group in their habitat selection, yet most North American species occur in or near wetlands As a consequence, most species are subject to habitat enhancement or perturbation from waterfowl management programs. The overall effects of these management programs relative to rallid conservation have been assessed for few species, and there is a need for synthesis of such information. In the cases of some species or raves, population status is not known, and suggested directions for conservation and management are needed. Rare, endangered, or status undetermined species or races often occur in areas where related species are classified as game birds, and the effects of such hunting on rarer forms are not known. Their generally secretive nature, the endangered status of several races and populations, and continued loss of habitat and threats to present habitat, warrant an examination of the conservation status of the North American taxa in this group. In 1977, a committee of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies summarized available information on management and biology of American Coots (Fulica americana), rails, and gallinules in North America (Holliman 1977). That summary was intended to provide relatively complete information on conservation of these species, and also to provide guidance for research within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) Accelerated Research Program for Webless Migratory Shore and Upland Game Birds (ARP). Subsequently, a number of rallid studies were funded under this program. The program was eliminated in 1982, following substantial research activities on North American rallids. Since the demise of the ARP, additional research on rallids in North America has focused on an area the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies report failed to cover in detail--that of endangered rallids in the U.S. and their possessions. Most of these studies have been of threatened and endangered taxa in western coastal marshes. This report updates and summarizes information on North American rallids since the ARP report and identifies the major conservation problems of this group with the intent of focusing future efforts on these priority issues. Consideration of island forms occurring within U.S. possessions is beyond the scope of this report, mainly because of the special conservation problems associated with their insular distribution. The major topics include habitat requirements, effects of habitat and hunting management techniques currently practiced on wetland areas, and conservation of endangered and threatened populations. Research needs are identified. Habitats of the American Coot are similar to those of several waterfowl species, and the biology of coots is considered only as it is typical of rails in general.

  6. Houma Navigation Canal Deepening Project Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana: Cultural Resources Literature Search, Records Review and Research Design

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-03-01

    have Louisiana now leads the nation in the loss of its often subsided completely beneath the marsh. wetlands and in coastal erosion. Erosion of its...western portions of the wetlands . The Isles Dernieries, for example, have study area, but their distribution has changed over the highest rate of coastal...Orleans District, U.S. Army Corps of 1973 Louisiana Canals and Their Influence on Engineers. Wetland Development. Ph.D. dissertation, Louisiana State

  7. Current Issues in Alaska Wetland Management

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1994-08-01

    studies at a range of northern wetlands over about 20% of the state have been sites in North America , Europe and Russia mapped at a scale of 1:63,360...arctic or subspecies of waterfowl than any comparable wetlands do not regulate spring runoff or store area in North America , while the Yukon Flats in...Alaska. U.S. tion in arctic and subarctic North America . A Fish and Wildlife Service, FWS/OB5-82/22. literature review, USA Cold Regions Research and

  8. Assessing Wetland Anthropogenic Stress using GIS; a Multi-scale Watershed Approach

    EPA Science Inventory

    Watersheds are widely recognized as essential summary units for ecosystem research and management, particularly in aquatic systems. As the drainage basin in which surface water drains toward a lake, stream, river, or wetland at a lower elevation, watersheds represent spatially e...

  9. Denitrification in Headwater Wetlands with Varying Surrounding Land Cover Types

    EPA Science Inventory

    Wetlands are recognized for their significant role in providing a range of ecosystem services. In light of this, research is currently being performed to characterize how forcing functions (e.g., climate change and land cover change) affect the provision of ecosystem services by ...

  10. 7 CFR 600.1 - General.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ...), Reorganization of the Department of Agriculture, to provide national leadership in the conservation, development, and productive use of the Nation's natural resources. Such leadership encompasses the conservation of... leadership for the Wetlands Reserve Program, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Grazing Lands...

  11. 50 CFR 84.12 - What are the information collection, record keeping, and reporting requirements?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... RESTORATION PROGRAM NATIONAL COASTAL WETLANDS CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM General Background § 84.12 What are... conserved, with a breakdown by conservation method (for example, acquired, restored, or both) and type of...

  12. Examining the role of management practices and landscape context on methane dynamics from subtropical wetlands

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    DeLucia, Nicholas; Gomez-Casanovas, Nuria; Boughton, Elizabeth; Yang, Wendy; Bernacchi, Carl

    2017-04-01

    Globally, wetlands are the largest natural source of atmospheric CH4, an important GHG with a warming potential 25 times stronger than CO2 (IPCC 2008; Forster et al. 2013). In sub-tropical climates where precipitation and temperatures are high, land-use change and agricultural management practices often intersect with extensive wetland systems. The Everglades watershed in South Central Florida represents a large areal extent characterized by a high density of wetlands nested within agricultural fields dominated to a large extent by grazed rangelands. Soils are primarily Spodosols and Histosols and sustain a relatively high water table, even during the dry season. Here, rangelands dominated by native vegetation have been converted to agronomically 'improved pastures' suitable for large scale cattle ranching through high intensive agronomic practices including vegetation homogenization, fertilization and drainage. In this study we first tested the hypothesis that CH4 fluxes from small ephemeral wetlands are indirectly influenced by management practices associated with the agricultural fields in which they are nested. We found that wetlands embedded in agronomically 'Improved' pastures exhibit significantly higher CH4 fluxes compared to wetlands embedded in 'Native' pastures. Next, we sought to determine the mechanisms by which the surrounding landscapes affect methane production processes to better predict how expanding or intensifying agriculture will affect wetland methane fluxes. We focus on substrate supply in the form of substrate quality and quantity available to methanogens as it is a principle control over CH4 production and susceptible to ecosystem perturbations. This research was conducted at the McArthur Agro-Ecology Research Center on Buck Island Ranch, Lake Placid, Florida. Wetland CH4 fluxes were measured using static canopy chambers coupled with infrared gas analysis of CH4, CO2 and water vapor. Additionally, soil manipulation incubations were prepared in which soil cores to 50 cm were extracted from wetlands. Soil cores were separated into 0-25 cm and 25-50 cm increments to account for vertical stratification of CH4 production and transportation. Soils were incubated anaerobically. Two methods involving ethanol additions (Valentine, Holland, and Schimel 1994) and organic matter additions (Delwiche and Cicerone 1993) determined the influence of substrate quality and quantity on CH4 production. The results from this study provide empirical evidence of higher CH4 fluxes from wetlands following land-use change to surrounding rangelands and will improve mechanistic understanding of how the role of management decisions can influence CH4 production from wetlands nested within agricultural fields.

  13. Evaluation of aerial transects for counting winter mallards

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Reinecke, K.J.; Brown, M.W.; Nassar, J.R.

    1992-01-01

    Winter waterfowl surveys rarely use sampling methods, and little is known about the precision and biases of their population estimates. Consequently, we developed aerial transect surveys (n=5) in 4 strata comprising 16 substrata in the lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley during winters 1987-88 through 1989-90 to estimate mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) population indices and determine regional patterns of habitat use. Mallard population indices ranged from 1,147,628 (SE=192,341) in December 1988 to 1,790,708 (SE=179,406) in January 1988. Coefficients of variation (CV's) for early winter surveys averaged 0.15 and those for late winter surveys averaged 0.10. During early winter, 59-69% of mallards were on wetlands with water regimes managed for waterfowl; whereas in late winter, 52-79% used wetlands with unmanaged water regimes. Late winter was wet during 1987-88 and 1988-89, and most mallards (62-68%) were on naturally flooded croplands. Use of forested wetlands (3-11%) and moist-soil habitats (3-29%) varied among surveys but was not correlated with water conditions. The number of mallards using naturally flooded croplands (e.g., >1,100,000 in Jan 1988) illustrated the extent of habitat use on private lands. We recommend transect surveys (e.g., 5-yr intervals) for evaluating responses of mallard populations to management programs and as a sampling framework for integrating regional waterfowl research and management data.

  14. Monitoring multiple species: Estimating state variables and exploring the efficacy of a monitoring program

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mattfeldt, S.D.; Bailey, L.L.; Grant, E.H.C.

    2009-01-01

    Monitoring programs have the potential to identify population declines and differentiate among the possible cause(s) of these declines. Recent criticisms regarding the design of monitoring programs have highlighted a failure to clearly state objectives and to address detectability and spatial sampling issues. Here, we incorporate these criticisms to design an efficient monitoring program whose goals are to determine environmental factors which influence the current distribution and measure change in distributions over time for a suite of amphibians. In designing the study we (1) specified a priori factors that may relate to occupancy, extinction, and colonization probabilities and (2) used the data collected (incorporating detectability) to address our scientific questions and adjust our sampling protocols. Our results highlight the role of wetland hydroperiod and other local covariates in the probability of amphibian occupancy. There was a change in overall occupancy probabilities for most species over the first three years of monitoring. Most colonization and extinction estimates were constant over time (years) and space (among wetlands), with one notable exception: local extinction probabilities for Rana clamitans were lower for wetlands with longer hydroperiods. We used information from the target system to generate scenarios of population change and gauge the ability of the current sampling to meet monitoring goals. Our results highlight the limitations of the current sampling design, emphasizing the need for long-term efforts, with periodic re-evaluation of the program in a framework that can inform management decisions.

  15. Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW) Maintenance Program Evaluation Study.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-01-01

    offset by rising sea levels. Few plant species can withstand the stress imposed by high salinity and daily inundation by tidal waters, and marsh...related to gradients in salinity and elevation. 7 K-e--.2 The wetlands through which the Atlantic intracoastal Water-day passes are fEeding and nursery...with wetland plant species dominated by salt marsh cotdgra-,s (Spartina alterniflora) in saline areas and giant cordgrass (Spar ti:: cynosurrides) in

  16. Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration potential in restored freshwater marshes in the Sacramento San-Joaquin Delta, California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Knox, S. H.; Sturtevant, C. S.; Oikawa, P. Y.; Matthes, J. H.; Dronova, I.; Anderson, F. E.; Verfaillie, J. G.; Baldocchi, D. D.

    2015-12-01

    Wetlands can be effective carbon sinks due to limited decomposition rates in anaerobic soil. As such there is a growing interest in the use of restored wetlands as biological carbon sequestration projects for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction programs. However, using wetlands to offset emissions requires accurate accounting of both carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) exchange since wetlands are also sources of CH4. To date few studies have quantified CO2 and CH4 exchange from restored wetlands or assessed how these fluxes vary during ecosystem development. In this study, we report on multiple years of eddy covariance measurements of CO2 and CH4 fluxes from two restored freshwater marshes of differing ages (one restored in 1997 and the other in 2010) in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, CA. Measurements at the younger restored wetland started in October 2010 and began in April 2011 at the older site. The younger restored wetland showed considerable year-to-year variability in the first 4 years following restoration, with CO2 uptake ranging from 12 to 420 g C-CO2 m-2 yr-1. Net CO2 uptake at the older wetland was overall greater than at the younger site, ranging from 292 to 585 g C-CO2 m-2 yr-1. Methane emissions were on average higher at the younger wetland (46 g C-CH4 m-2 yr-1) relative to the older one (33 g C-CH4 m-2 yr-1). In terms of the GHG budgets (assuming a global warming potential of 34), the younger wetland was consistently a GHG source, emitting on average 1439 g CO2 eq m-2 yr-1, while the older wetland was a GHG sink in two of the years of measurement (sequestering 651 and 780 g CO2 eq m-2 yr-1 in 2012 and 2013, respectively) and a source of 750 g CO2 eq m-2 yr-1 in 2014. This study highlights how dynamic CO2 and CH4 fluxes are in the first years following wetland restoration and suggests that restored wetlands have the potential to act as GHG sinks but this may depend on time since restoration.

  17. Are isolated wetlands groundwater recharge hotspots?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Webb, A.; Wicks, C. M.; Brantley, S. T.; Golladay, S. W.

    2017-12-01

    Geographically isolated wetlands (GIWs) are a common landscape feature in the mantled karst terrain of the Dougherty Plain physiographic district in Southwestern Georgia. These wetlands support a high diversity of obligate/facultative wetland flora and fauna, including several endangered species. While the ecological value of these wetlands is well documented, the hydrologic effects of GIWs on larger watershed processes, such as water storage and aquifer recharge, are less clear. Our project seeks to understand the spatial and temporal variation in recharge across GIWs on this mantled karst landscape. In particular, our first step is to understand the role of isolated wetlands (presumed sinkholes) in delivering water into the underlying aquifer. Our hypothesis is that many GIWs are actually water-filled sinkholes and are locations of focused recharge feeding either the underlying upper Floridan aquifer or the nearby creeks. If we are correct, then these sinkholes should exhibit "drains", i.e., conduits into the limestone bedrock. Thus, the purposes of our initial study are to image the soil-limestone contact (the buried epikarstic surface) and determine if possible subsurface drains exist. Our field work was conducted at the Joseph W Jones Ecological Research Center. During the dry season, we conducted ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys as grids and lines across a large wetland and across a field with no surface expression of a wetland or sinkhole. We used GPR (200 MHz antenna) with 1-m spacing between antenna and a ping rate of 1 ping per 40 centimeters. Our results show that the epikarstic surface exhibits a drain underneath the wetland (sinkhole) and that no similar feature was seen under the field, even though the survey grid and spacing were similar. As our project progresses, we will survey additional wetlands occurring across varying soil types to determine the spatial distribution between surface wetlands and subsurface drains.

  18. The topic is the Relevance of wetland economic valuation in Uganda Acase study of Kiyanja-Kaku wetland in Lwengo District-Central Uganda.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Namulema, Mary Jude

    2016-04-01

    This study examined the relevance of economic valuation of wetlands in Uganda. A case study was done on Kiyanja-Kaku wetland in Lwengo District in Central Uganda using a semi-structured survey. Three objectives were examined i.e.: (i) To identify wetland ecosystem services in Uganda (ii) To identify the economic valuation methods appropriate for wetlands in Uganda (iii) To value clean water obtained from Kiyanja-Kaku wetland. The wetland ecosystem services were identified as provisioning, regulating, habitat, cultural and amenities services. The community had knowledge about 17 out of the 22 services as given by TEEB (2010). The economic valuation methods identified were, market price, efficiency price, travel cost, contingent valuation, hedonic pricing, and production function and benefit transfer methods. These were appropriate for valuation of wetlands in Uganda but only three methods i.e. market price, contingent valuation and productivity methods have been applied by researchers in Uganda so far. The economic value of clean water from Kiyanja-Kaku wetland to the nearby community was established by using the market price of clean water the National water and Sewerage Corporation charges for the water in Uganda to obtain the low value and the market price of water from the survey was used to obtain the high value. The estimated economic value of clean water service for a household ranges from UGX. 612174 to 4054733 (US 168.0-1095.0). The estimated economic value of clean water service from Kiyanja-Kaku wetland to the entire community ranges from UGX. 2,732,133,000.0 to 18,096,274,000.0 (US 775,228.0-4,885,994.0).

  19. WETLAND MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT TO SUPPORT DECISION MAKING: A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

    EPA Science Inventory

    The recent report of the National Research Council on wetland mitigation again highlighted the need for regional watershed evaluation as a context from which to determine the efficacy of past regulatory decisions and to improve the effectiveness of future actions. Collaborative ...

  20. INVENTORY AND CLASSIFICATION OF GREAT LAKES COASTAL WETLANDS FOR MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT AT LARGE SPATIAL SCALES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Monitoring aquatic resources for regional assessments requires an accurate and comprehensive inventory of the resource and useful classification of exosystem similarities. Our research effort to create an electronic database and work with various ways to classify coastal wetlands...

  1. Aboveground and belowground net primary production

    Treesearch

    Hal O. Liechty; Mark H. Eisenbies

    2000-01-01

    The relationship among net primary productivity (NPP), hydroperiod, and fertility in forested wetlands is poorly understood (Burke and others 1999), particularly with respect to belowground NPP (Megonigal and others 1997). Although some researchers have studied aboveground and belowground primary production in depressional, forested wetland systems, e.g., Day and...

  2. Using Optical Oxygen Sensors and Injection Experiments to Determine in situ Microbial Rate Constants for Methane Oxidation and Heterotrophic Respiration in a Boreal Bog and Fen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Waldo, N.; Moorberg, C.; Waldrop, M. P.; Turetsky, M. R.; Neumann, R. B.

    2015-12-01

    Wetlands are the largest natural source of methane to the atmosphere, and play a key role in feedback cycles to climate change. In recognition of this, many researchers are developing process-based models of wetland methane emissions at various scales. In these models, the three key biogeochemical reactions are methane production, methane oxidation, and heterotrophic respiration, and they are modeled using Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The majority of Michaelis-Menten rate constants used in models are based on experiments involving slurries of peat incubated in vials. While these slurries provide a highly controlled setting, they are different from in situ conditions in multiple ways; notably they lack live plants and the centimeter-scale heterogeneities that exist in the field. To determine rate constants in a system more representative of in situ conditions, we extracted peat cores intact from a bog and fen located in the Bonanza Creek Experimental Forest near Fairbanks, Alaska and part of the Alaska Peatland Experiment (APEX) research program. Into those cores we injected water with varying concentrations of methane and oxygen at multiple depths. We used planar oxygen sensors installed on the peat cores to collect high resolution, two dimensional oxygen concentration data during the injections and used oxygen consumption rates under various conditions to calculate rate constants. Results were compared to a similar but smaller set of injection experiments conducted against planar oxygen sensors installed in the bog. Results will inform parametrization of microbial processes in wetland models, improving estimates of methane emissions both under current climate conditions and in the future.

  3. Valuing ecosystem services from wetlands restoration in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jenkins, W.A.; Murray, B.C.; Kramer, R.A.; Faulkner, S.P.

    2010-01-01

    This study assesses the value of restoring forested wetlands via the U.S. government's Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley by quantifying and monetizing ecosystem services. The three focal services are greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation, nitrogen mitigation, and waterfowl recreation. Site- and region-level measurements of these ecosystem services are combined with process models to quantify their production on agricultural land, which serves as the baseline, and on restored wetlands. We adjust and transform these measures into per-hectare, valuation-ready units and monetize them with prices from emerging ecosystem markets and the environmental economics literature. By valuing three of the many ecosystem services produced, we generate lower bound estimates for the total ecosystem value of the wetlands restoration. Social welfare value is found to be between $1435 and $1486/ha/year, with GHG mitigation valued in the range of $171 to $222, nitrogen mitigation at $1248, and waterfowl recreation at $16. Limited to existing markets, the estimate for annual market value is merely $70/ha, but when fully accounting for potential markets, this estimate rises to $1035/ha. The estimated social value surpasses the public expenditure or social cost of wetlands restoration in only 1 year, indicating that the return on public investment is very attractive for the WRP. Moreover, the potential market value is substantially greater than landowner opportunity costs, showing that payments to private landowners to restore wetlands could also be profitable for individual landowners. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V.

  4. Hurricane impacts on coastal wetlands: A half-century record of storm-generated features from Southern Louisiana

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Morton, R.A.; Barras, J.A.

    2011-01-01

    Temporally and spatially repeated patterns of wetland erosion, deformation, and deposition are observed on remotely sensed images and in the field after hurricanes cross the coast of Louisiana. The diagnostic morphological wetland features are products of the coupling of high-velocity wind and storm-surge water and their interaction with the underlying, variably resistant, wetland vegetation and soils. Erosional signatures include construction of orthogonal-elongate ponds and amorphous ponds, pond expansion, plucked marsh, marsh denudation, and shoreline erosion. Post-storm gravity reflux of floodwater draining from the wetlands forms dendritic incisions around the pond margins and locally integrates drainage pathways forming braided channels. Depositional signatures include emplacement of broad zones of organic wrack on topographic highs and inorganic deposits of variable thicknesses and lateral extents in the form of shore-parallel sandy washover terraces and interior-marsh mud blankets. Deformational signatures primarily involve laterally compressed marsh and displaced marsh mats and balls. Prolonged water impoundment and marsh salinization also are common impacts associated with wetland flooding by extreme storms. Many of the wetland features become legacies that record prior storm impacts and locally influence subsequent storm-induced morphological changes. Wetland losses caused by hurricane impacts depend directly on impact duration, which is controlled by the diameter of hurricane-force winds, forward speed of the storm, and wetland distance over which the storm passes. Distinguishing between wetland losses caused by storm impacts and losses associated with long-term delta-plain processes is critical for accurate modeling and prediction of future conversion of land to open water. ?? Coastal Education & Research Foundation 2011.

  5. SENTINEL-1 and SENTINEL-2 Data Fusion for Wetlands Mapping: Balikdami, Turkey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaplan, G.; Avdan, U.

    2018-04-01

    Wetlands provide a number of environmental and socio-economic benefits such as their ability to store floodwaters and improve water quality, providing habitats for wildlife and supporting biodiversity, as well as aesthetic values. Remote sensing technology has proven to be a useful and frequent application in monitoring and mapping wetlands. Combining optical and microwave satellite data can help with mapping and monitoring the biophysical characteristics of wetlands and wetlands` vegetation. Also, fusing radar and optical remote sensing data can increase the wetland classification accuracy. In this paper, data from the fine spatial resolution optical satellite, Sentinel-2 and the Synthetic Aperture Radar Satellite, Sentinel-1, were fused for mapping wetlands. Both Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 images were pre-processed. After the pre-processing, vegetation indices were calculated using the Sentinel-2 bands and the results were included in the fusion data set. For the classification of the fused data, three different classification approaches were used and compared. The results showed significant improvement in the wetland classification using both multispectral and microwave data. Also, the presence of the red edge bands and the vegetation indices used in the data set showed significant improvement in the discrimination between wetlands and other vegetated areas. The statistical results of the fusion of the optical and radar data showed high wetland mapping accuracy, showing an overall classification accuracy of approximately 90 % in the object-based classification method. For future research, we recommend multi-temporal image use, terrain data collection, as well as a comparison of the used method with the traditional image fusion techniques.

  6. Preliminary evaluation of a constructed wetland for treating extremely alkaline (pH 12) steel slag drainage.

    PubMed

    Mayes, W M; Aumônier, J; Jarvis, A P

    2009-01-01

    High pH (> 12) leachates are an environmental problem associated with drainage from lime (CaO)-rich industrial residues such as steel slags, lime spoil and coal combustion residues. Recent research has highlighted the potential for natural ('volunteer') wetlands to buffer extremely alkaline influent waters. This appears ascribable to high CO(2) partial pressures in the wetland waters from microbial respiration, which accelerates precipitation of calcium carbonate (CaCO(3)), and the high specific surface area for mineral precipitation offered by macrophytes. The research presented here builds on this and provides preliminary evaluation of a constructed wetland built in March 2008 to buffer drainage from steel slag heaps in north-east England. The drainage water from the slag mounds is characterised by a mean pH of 11.9, high concentrations of Ca (up to 700 mg/L), total alkalinity (up to 800 mg/L as CaCO(3)) and are slightly brackish (Na = 300 mg/L; Cl = 400 mg/L) reflecting native groundwaters at this coastal setting. Documented calcite precipitation rates (mean of 5 g CaCO(3)/m(2)/day) from nearby volunteer sites receiving steel slag drainage were used to scale the constructed wetland planted with Phragmites australis; a species found to spontaneously grow in the vicinity of the discharge. Improved performance of the wetland during summer months may at least in part be due to biological activity which enhances rates of calcite precipitation and thus lowering of pH. Secondary Ca-rich precipitates also serve as a sink for some trace elements present at low concentrations in the slag leachate such as Ni and V. The implications for scaling and applying constructed wetlands for highly alkaline drainage are discussed.

  7. Advantages of using subsurface flow constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment in space applications: ground-based Mars Base prototype.

    PubMed

    Nelson, M; Alling, A; Dempster, W F; van Thillo, M; Allen, John

    2003-01-01

    Research and design of subsurface flow wetland wastewater treatment systems for a ground-based experimental prototype Mars Base facility has been carried out, using a subsurface flow approach. These systems have distinct advantages in planetary exploration scenarios: they are odorless, relatively low-labor and low-energy, assist in purification of water and recycling of atmospheric CO2, and will support some food crops. An area of 6-8 m2 may be sufficient for integration of wetland wastewater treatment with a prototype Mars Base supporting 4-5 people. Discharge water from the wetland system will be used as irrigation water for the agricultural crop area, thus ensuring complete recycling and utilization of nutrients. Since the primary requirements for wetland treatment systems are warm temperatures and lighting, such bioregenerative systems may be integrated into early Mars base habitats, since waste heat from the lights may be used for temperature maintenance in the human living environment. "Wastewater gardens (TM)" can be modified for space habitats to lower space and mass requirements. Many of its construction requirements can eventually be met with use of in-situ materials, such as gravel from the Mars surface. Because the technology requires little machinery and no chemicals, and relies more on natural ecological mechanisms (microbial and plant metabolism), maintenance requirements are minimized, and systems can be expected to have long operating lifetimes. Research needs include suitability of Martian soil and gravel for wetland systems, system sealing and liner options in a Mars Base, and wetland water quality efficiency under varying temperature and light regimes. c2003 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Grants for State and Interstate Agencies under Section 106 of the Clean Water Act

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Each state and territory has established programs to protect and restore fresh waters, coastal waters and wetlands as outlined in the Clean Water Act. Section 106 grants support the implementation of those programs.

  9. 40 CFR 35.160 - Purpose.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... also be eligible for funding under sections 104(b)(3) (Water Quality Cooperative Agreements and Wetlands Development Grants), 205(j)(2) (Water Quality Management Planning), and section 205(g) (State...) Associated program requirements. Program requirements for water quality planning and management activities...

  10. Monitoring Wetlands Area Using Microwave, Optical And In-Situ Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dabrowska, Katarzyna; Zielinska, Maria Budzynska

    2011-01-01

    The study of Wetlands has been continue within the PECS Project: “Study and implement remote sensing techniques for the assessment of carbon balances for different biomasses and soil moistures within various ecosystems”. The research has been conducted in Biebrza valley, one of the largest wetland in Europe, since 2003. Recently, to existing data base of wetlands monitoring Carbon flux measurements using the Chamber Method and Eddy Correlation Method have been included. The study aims at monitoring and mapping various soil-vegetation variables and the assessment of the level of carbon balance using optical and microwave satellite data along with ground truth observations. Optical images have been used for classification of wetlands vegetation and calculation of LAI and biomass. For the assessment of water balance, energy budget approach has been applied. Microwave images have been used for the assessment of soil moisture and biomass.

  11. The National Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Neilson, Matthew E.; Fuller, Pamela L.

    2012-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Program maintains a database that monitors, records, and analyzes sightings of nonindigenous aquatic plant and animal species throughout the United States. The program is based at the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center in Gainesville, Florida.The initiative to maintain scientific information on nationwide occurrences of nonindigenous aquatic species began with the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, created by Congress in 1990 to provide timely information to natural resource managers. Since then, the NAS database has been a clearinghouse of information for confirmed sightings of nonindigenous, also known as nonnative, aquatic species throughout the Nation. The database is used to produce email alerts, maps, summary graphs, publications, and other information products to support natural resource managers.

  12. Development of a Global Wetland Sustainability Index for comprehensive land use planning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schleupner, C.; Schneider, U. A.; Havlik, P.; Stacke, T.

    2012-04-01

    Allocation of nature reserves for conservation of ecosystem functions and services is a multi-dimensional task. Conservation programs act from local to regional or national scales, and some efforts involve entire continents. Globally, several international environmental agreements have been established which include conservation issues. Examples are the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. A common aim of most initiatives is the protection and restoration of valuable natural sites by providing a functional network of sites. The planning of protected habitat networks to safeguard global biodiversity requires substantial knowledge on exposure, services, and functions of ecosystems. Further, the complex spatial relationships between humans and the environment under consideration of costs and land use competition have to be determined. Often such analyses are hindered by lack of data. We developed a global index that ranks sites for wetland protection according to its wetland quantity, wetland quality and pressure upon the wetland sites. Each of the three parts is based on several spatial-ecological datasets that contain important information for the adequate assessment of spatial economic and ecologic interdependencies. Applying cluster analyses and ecological decision trees the data are combined and results are translated to the final index and expressed per simulation unit for integration into the Global Biomass Optimization Model GLOBIOM. This global recursive dynamic partial equilibrium model integrates the agricultural, bio energy and forestry sectors with the aim to provide policy analyses on global issues concerning land use competition between the major land-based production sectors. Results not only show the most vulnerable wetland areas to nature loss and the most valuable wetland areas for biodiversity protection under certain land use scenarios. Moreover, costs of protection are estimated and the results give recommendations for action by illustrating wetland conservation areas in need for conservation. Often wetlands provide numerous ecosystem services to society, such as water retention, flood control, water purification, to name only a few. The sustainable conservation of wetland sites, especially in highly human dominated landscapes, is therefore an important global but still underestimated objective.

  13. Immersion in a Hudson Valley Tidal Marsh and Climate Research Community - Lamont-Doherty's Secondary School Field Research Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peteet, D. M.; Newton, R.; Vincent, S.; Sambrotto, R.; Bostick, B. C.; Schlosser, P.; Corbett, J. E.

    2015-12-01

    A primary advantage of place-based research is the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research that can be applied to a single locale, with a depth of continued study through time. Through the last decade, Lamont-Doherty's Secondary School Field Research Program (SSFRP) has promoted scientific inquiry, mostly among groups under-represented in STEM fields, in Piermont Marsh, a federally protected marsh in the Hudson estuary. At the same time, Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) scientists have become more involved, through mentoring by researchers, postdocs and graduate students, often paired with high school teachers. The sustained engagement of high school students in a natural environment, experiencing the Hudson River and its tidal cycles, protection of coastline, water quality improvement, native and invasive plant communities, is fundamental to their understanding of the importance of wetlands with their many ecosystem services. In addition, the Program has come to see "place" as inclusive of the Observatory itself. The students' work at Lamont expands their understanding of educational opportunities and career possibilities. Immersing students in a research atmosphere brings a level of serious inquiry and study to their lives and provides them with concrete contributions that they make to team efforts. Students select existing projects ranging from water quality to Phragmites removal, read papers weekly, take field measurements, produce lab results, and present their research at the end of six weeks. Ongoing results build from year to year in studies of fish populations, nutrients, and carbon sequestration, and the students have presented at professional scientific meetings. Through the Program students gain a sense of ownership over both their natural and the academic environments. Challenges include sustained funding of the program; segmenting the research for reproducible, robust results; fitting the projects to PIs' research goals, time management, and institutionalization.

  14. Relationships between structure and function: System structure matters whether you are in a wetland or a college classroom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andrews, Sarah Elizabeth

    Part I of this dissertation describes two research projects I undertook to understand how structure influences function in freshwater wetlands. In the first study I tested the hypothesis that wetland structure (created versus natural) would influence function (methane cycling). Created wetlands had reduced rates of potential methane production and potential methane oxidation compared to natural wetlands; this was most likely explained by differences in edaphic factors that characterized each wetland, particularly soil moisture and soil organic matter. In the second study (Andrews et al. 2013), I tested the hypothesis that plant community structure (functional group composition, richness, presence/absence) would influence function (methane and iron cycling) in wetland mesocosms. Plant functional group richness was less important than the type of vegetation present: the presence of perennial vegetation (reeds or tussocks) led to increased rates of potential iron reduction compared to when only annual vegetation was present. Part II of this dissertation describes research I undertook to understand how structure influences function in an undergraduate soil science course. In the first study I tested the hypothesis that course structure (traditional versus studio) would influence function (student performance) in the course. Students in the studio course outperformed students in the traditional course; there was also a decrease in the fail rate. In the second study I looked at students' perspectives on their learning and experiences (function) in the studio course and asked whether students' epistemological development influenced this function. Interviews with students revealed that active learning, the integrated nature of the course, community, and variety of learning and assessment methods helped student learning. Students' epistemological development (interpreted from the Measure of Epistemological Reflection) permeated much of what they spoke about during the interviews. There was also evidence that the studio structure may help promote epistemological growth via "sneaky learning" and an expanded role of peers. The studies in Part I show that differences in structure affect function in freshwater wetland systems and the studies in Part II show that structure affects function in an undergraduate introductory soil science course. Thus, system structure matters whether you are in a wetland or a college classroom.

  15. Estimating wetland methane emissions from the northern high latitudes from 1990 to 2009 using artificial neural networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Xudong; Zhuang, Qianlai; Qin, Zhangcai; Glagolev, Mikhail; Song, Lulu

    2013-04-01

    Methane (CH4) emissions from wetland ecosystems in nothern high latitudes provide a potentially positive feedback to global climate warming. Large uncertainties still remain in estimating wetland CH4 emisions at regional scales. Here we develop a statistical model of CH4 emissions using an artificial neural network (ANN) approach and field observations of CH4 fluxes. Six explanatory variables (air temperature, precipitation, water table depth, soil organic carbon, soil total porosity, and soil pH) are included in the development of ANN models, which are then extrapolated to the northern high latitudes to estimate monthly CH4 emissions from 1990 to 2009. We estimate that the annual wetland CH4 source from the northern high latitudes (north of 45°N) is 48.7 Tg CH4 yr-1 (1 Tg = 1012 g) with an uncertainty range of 44.0 53.7 Tg CH4 yr-1. The estimated wetland CH4 emissions show a large spatial variability over the northern high latitudes, due to variations in hydrology, climate, and soil conditions. Significant interannual and seasonal variations of wetland CH4 emissions exist in the past 2 decades, and the emissions in this period are most sensitive to variations in water table position. To improve future assessment of wetland CH4 dynamics in this region, research priorities should be directed to better characterizing hydrological processes of wetlands, including temporal dynamics of water table position and spatial dynamics of wetland areas.

  16. Hydrologic connectivity between geographically isolated wetlands and surface water systems: A review of select modeling methods

    EPA Science Inventory

    Rulings in 2001 and 2006 by the United States Supreme Court concerning the protection of Geographically Isolated Wetlands (GIWs) unveiled a critical area of research: quantifying the extent of potential hydrologic connectivity of GIWs to navigable waters and their effects at a va...

  17. BIOREMEDIATION AND BIORESTORATION OF A CRUDE OIL CONTAMINATED FRESHWATER WETLAND ON THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER

    EPA Science Inventory

    Biostimulation by nutrient enrichment and phytoremediation were studied for the restoration of an acutely stressed freshwater wetland experimentally exposed to crude oil. The research was carried out along the shores of the St. Lawrence River at Ste. Croix, Quebec, Canada. The ...

  18. US EPA'S LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY RESEARCH: ASSESSING TRENDS FOR WETLANDS AND SURFACE WATERS USING REMORE SENSING, GIS, AND FIELD-BASED TECHNIQUES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The US EPA, Environmental Sciences Division-Las Vegas is using a variety of geopspatical and statistical modeling approaches to locate and assess the complex functions of wetland ecosystems. These assessments involve measuring landscape characteristrics and change, at multiple s...

  19. Comparative research on phosphorus removal by pilot-scale vertical flow constructed wetlands using steel slag and modified steel slag as substrates.

    PubMed

    Yun, Yupan; Zhou, Xiaoqin; Li, Zifu; Uddin, Sayed Mohammad Nazim; Bai, Xiaofeng

    2015-01-01

    This research mainly focused on the phosphorus removal performance of pilot-scale vertical flow constructed wetlands with steel slag (SS) and modified steel slag (MSS). First, bench-scale experiments were conducted to evaluate the phosphorus adsorption capacity. Results showed that the Langmuir model could better describe the adsorption characteristics of the two materials; the maximum adsorption of MSS reached 12.7 mg/g, increasing by 34% compared to SS (9.5 mg/g). Moreover, pilot-scale constructed wetlands with SS and MSS were set up outdoors. Then, the influence of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and phosphorus concentration in phosphorus removal for two wetlands were investigated. Results revealed that better performance of the two systems could be achieved with an HRT of 2 d and phosphorus concentration in the range of 3-4.5 mg/L; the system with MSS had a better removal efficiency than the one with SS in the same control operation. Finally, the study implied that MSS could be used as a promising substrate for wetlands to treat wastewater with a high phosphorus concentration. However, considering energy consumption, SS could be regarded as a better alternative for substrate when treating sewage with a low phosphorus concentration.

  20. Evapotranspiration from drained wetlands with different hydrologic regimes: Drivers, modeling, and storage functions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Chin-Lung; Shukla, Sanjay; Shrestha, Niroj K.

    2016-07-01

    We tested whether the current understanding of insignificant effect of drainage on evapotranspiration (ET) in the temperate region wetlands applies to those in the subtropics. Hydro-climatic drivers causing the changes in drained wetlands were identified and used to develop a generic model to predict wetland ET. Eddy covariance (EC)-based ET measurements were made for two years at two differently drained but close by wetlands, a heavily drained wetland (SW) (97% reduced surface storage) and a more functional wetland (DW) (42% reduced storage). Annual ET for more intensively drained SW was 836 mm, 34% less than DW (1271 mm) and the difference was significant (p = 0.001). This difference was mainly due to drainage driven differences in inundation and associated effects on net radiation (Rn) and local relative humidity. Two generic daily ET models, a regression model (MSE = 0.44 mm2, R2 = 0.80) and a machine learning-based Relevance Vector Machine (RVM) model (MSE = 0.36 mm2, R2 = 0.84), were developed with the latter being more robust. The RVM model can predict changes in ET for different restoration scenarios; a 1.1 m rise in drainage level showed 7% increase ET (18 mm) at SW while the increase at DW was negligible. The additional ET, 28% of surface flow, can enhance water storage, flood protection, and climate mitigation services at SW compared to DW. More intensely drained wetlands at higher elevation should be targeted for restoration for enhanced storage through increased ET. The models developed can predict changes in ET for improved evaluation of basin-scale effects of restoration programs and climate change scenarios.

  1. Spatial and Temporal Variability in Biogenic Gas Accumulation and Release in The Greater Everglades at Multiple Scales of Measurement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McClellan, M. D.; Cornett, C.; Schaffer, L.; Comas, X.

    2017-12-01

    Wetlands play a critical role in the carbon (C) cycle by producing and releasing significant amounts of greenhouse biogenic gasses (CO2, CH4) into the atmosphere. Wetlands in tropical and subtropical climates (such as the Florida Everglades) have become of great interest in the past two decades as they account for more than 20% of the global peatland C stock and are located in climates that favor year-round C emissions. Despite the increase in research involving C emission from these types of wetlands, the spatial and temporal variability involving C production, accumulation and release is still highly uncertain, and is the focus of this research at multiple scales of measurement (i.e. lab, field and landscape). Spatial variability in biogenic gas content, build up and release, at both the lab and field scales, was estimated using a series of ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys constrained with gas traps fitted with time-lapse cameras. Variability in gas content was estimated at the sub-meter scale (lab scale) within two extracted monoliths from different wetland ecosystems at the Disney wilderness Preserve (DWP) and the Blue Cypress Preserve (BCP) using high frequency GPR (1.2 GHz) transects across the monoliths. At the field scale (> 10m) changes in biogenic gas content were estimated using 160 MHz GPR surveys collected within 4 different emergent wetlands at the DWP. Additionally, biogenic gas content from the extracted monoliths was used to developed a landscape comparison of C accumulation and emissions for each different wetland ecosystem. Changes in gas content over time were estimated at the lab scale at high temporal resolution (i.e. sub-hourly) in monoliths from the BCP and Water Conservation Area 1-A. An autonomous rail system was constructed to estimate biogenic gas content variability within the wetland soil matrix using a series of continuous, uninterrupted 1.2 GHz GPR transects along the samples. Measurements were again constrained with an array of gas traps fitted with time-lapse cameras. This research seeks to better understand the spatial and temporal variability of biogenic gas content within wetlands from the Greater Everglades Watershed. Such understanding may help to identify potential hotspots (both in space and time) and their implication for the flux estimates used as input in climate models.

  2. Tulane/Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research; project: hazardous materials in aquatic environments; subproject: biomarkers and risk assessment in Bayou Trepagnier, LA

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ide, C.

    1996-12-31

    Tulane and Xavier Universities have singled out the environment as a major strategic focus for research and training for now and beyond the year 2000. the Tulane/Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research (CBR) was established in 1989 as the umbrella organization to coordinate environmental research at both universities. CBR projects funded by the DOE under the Hazardous Materials in Aquatic Environments grant are defining the following: (1) the complex interactions that occur during the transport of contaminants through wetlands environments, (2) the actual and potential impact of contaminants on ecological systems and health, (3) the mechanisms and new technologies through whichmore » these impacts might be remediated, and (4) new programs aimed at educating and training environmental workers of the future. The subproject described in this report, `Biomarkers and Risk Assessment in Bayou Trepagnier, LN`, is particularly relevant to the US Department of Energy`s Environmental Restoration and Waste Management program aimed at solving problems related to hazard monitoring and clean-up prioritization at sites with aquatic pollution problems in the DOE complex.« less

  3. 1993 Annual Report: San Francisco estuary regional monitoring program for trace substances

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thompson, B.; Lacy, Jessica; Hardin, Dane; Grovhaug, Tom; Taberski, K.; Jassby, Alan D.; Cloern, James E.; Caffrey, J.; Cole, B.; Schoellhamer, David H.

    1993-01-01

    Summaries of other monitoring activities pertinent to regional monitoring are also included in the Report: a description of the Regional Board’s Bay Protection Studies, the Sacramento Coordinated Monitoring Program, and a wetlands monitoring plan are included.

  4. Integrated monitoring of ecological conditions in wetland-upland landscapes

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gallant, Alisa; Sadinski, Walt

    2012-01-01

    Landscapes of interwoven wetlands and uplands offer a rich set of ecosystem goods and services. Managing lands to maximize ecosystem services requires information that distinguishes change caused by local actions from broader-scale shifts in climate, land use, and other forms of global change. Satellite and airborne sensors collect valuable data for this purpose, especially when the data are analyzed along with data collected from ground-based sensors. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is using remote sensing technology in this way as part of the Terrestrial Wetland Global Change Research Network to assess effects of climate change interacting with land-use change and other potential stressors along environmental gradients of wetland-upland landscapes in the United States and Canada.

  5. Classification of natural ponds and lakes in the glaciated prairie region

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stewart, Robert E.; Kantrud, Harold A.

    1971-01-01

    The wetland classification system for the United States adopted by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife in 1953 is described by Martin et al (1953) and by Shaw and Fredine (1956).  That classification has been followed by many biologists in recent years and is especially useful in categorizing in a general manner the wetlands throughout the country over a span of years.  It has become apparent, however, that for research and intensive management a dynamic classification system that more precisely reflects seasonal, regional, and local variations in the environment is needed.  To establish a detailed wetland classification system for all of  North America will require intensive ecological investigation of wetlands in each of the major biogeographical regions.

  6. EnviroAtlas - Portland, ME - Land Cover by Block Group

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This EnviroAtlas dataset describes the percentage of each block group that is classified as impervious, forest, green space, wetland, and agriculture. Impervious is a combination of dark and light impervious. Forest is combination of trees and forest and woody wetlands. Green space is a combination of trees and forest, grass and herbaceous, agriculture, woody wetlands, and emergent wetlands. Wetlands includes both Woody and Emergent Wetlands. This dataset also includes the area per capita for each block group for impervious, forest, and green space land cover. This dataset was produced by the US EPA to support research and online mapping activities related to EnviroAtlas. EnviroAtlas (https://www.epa.gov/enviroatlas) allows the user to interact with a web-based, easy-to-use, mapping application to view and analyze multiple ecosystem services for the contiguous United States. The dataset is available as downloadable data (https://edg.epa.gov/data/Public/ORD/EnviroAtlas) or as an EnviroAtlas map service. Additional descriptive information about each attribute in this dataset can be found in its associated EnviroAtlas Fact Sheet (https://www.epa.gov/enviroatlas/enviroatlas-fact-sheets).

  7. Image Mining in Remote Sensing for Coastal Wetlands Mapping: from Pixel Based to Object Based Approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Farda, N. M.; Danoedoro, P.; Hartono; Harjoko, A.

    2016-11-01

    The availably of remote sensing image data is numerous now, and with a large amount of data it makes “knowledge gap” in extraction of selected information, especially coastal wetlands. Coastal wetlands provide ecosystem services essential to people and the environment. The aim of this research is to extract coastal wetlands information from satellite data using pixel based and object based image mining approach. Landsat MSS, Landsat 5 TM, Landsat 7 ETM+, and Landsat 8 OLI images located in Segara Anakan lagoon are selected to represent data at various multi temporal images. The input for image mining are visible and near infrared bands, PCA band, invers PCA bands, mean shift segmentation bands, bare soil index, vegetation index, wetness index, elevation from SRTM and ASTER GDEM, and GLCM (Harralick) or variability texture. There is three methods were applied to extract coastal wetlands using image mining: pixel based - Decision Tree C4.5, pixel based - Back Propagation Neural Network, and object based - Mean Shift segmentation and Decision Tree C4.5. The results show that remote sensing image mining can be used to map coastal wetlands ecosystem. Decision Tree C4.5 can be mapped with highest accuracy (0.75 overall kappa). The availability of remote sensing image mining for mapping coastal wetlands is very important to provide better understanding about their spatiotemporal coastal wetlands dynamics distribution.

  8. PROFILE: Integrated Management to Create New Breeding Habitat for Dalmatian Pelicans (Pelecanus crispus) in Greece

    PubMed

    Pyrovetsi

    1997-09-01

    / An integrated management plan to create favorable nesting habitat for the world-endangered Dalmatian pelicans, was tested at Kerkini irrigation reservoir, a Ramsar wetland. The lake is the major wintering site of Dalmatian pelicans in Europe, where the species lives year-round without breeding. The rise of water level at the reservoir during spring (exceeding 5 m) has an impact on the whole system, including several birds, which lose their nesting habitat. Although the integrity of the wetland demands ecological restoration with changes in its hydrologic regime, local socioeconomic conditions allow only habitat level interventions. During the planning phase of the management plan, both the ecological and social context of the interventions were considered. Monitoring of all pelican habitats and populations provided the scientific basis, while a socioecological survey on knowledge/attitudes of local fishermen toward wetland identified conflicts with specific resources and planned management. To gain public support, a broad information/education program was implemented. The education program for fishermen was based on the findings of the socioecological survey. The in situ management involved experimental construction of floating rafts, platforms over water, dredged-spoil islands, and platforms at various sites of the wetland. Monitoring of the managed habitats showed that most waterbirds used them for resting and roosting. Common terns nested on the rafts, cormorants on the platforms, and Dalmatian pelicans on the man-made island. Under the prevailing hydrologic and weather conditions, islands seem to be the most suitable habitat for pelican nesting. It is concluded that wildlife habitat management should integrate the ecological component, related to the needs of the species and ecosystem, with the social one, expressed by cooperation and involvement of the local community.KEY WORDS: Integrated management; Pelican; Nesting habitat; Habitat management; Reservoir-wetland; Public participation, Greece

  9. Availability of nest cavity trees for wood ducks (Aix sponsa) at Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Maine

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clugston, D.A.

    1999-01-01

    The availability of natural cavities for cavitynesting waterfowl, especially wood ducks (Aix sponsa), was unknown ferating forest of Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, ME. An assessment of cavity availability was needed to determine if the existing nesting box program should be increased. During November to March, 199697 and 199798, I sampled 56 onehalf ha random plots, stratified into 5 types (upland hardwood, upland conifer, upland mixwood, wetland conifer, and wetland hardwood) to assess availability of trees with cavities. The predominant tree species with cavities were red maple (Acer rubrum; 39%) and aspen (Populus sp.; 31%); 72% of all trees with cavities were alive. Density ees/plot averaged from 1.0 +0.4 (x +SE) in wetland softwoods to 1.9 +0.4 in upland hardwoods. This low density of potential cavity trees and the small mean dbh (39.4 +1.6 cm) indicate a young forest with few suitable cavities. Forested areas, especially hardwoods near canopy openings, need to be allowed to mature to increase the number and quality of future cavities. An expanded nest box program seems justified.

  10. 40 CFR 35.101 - Environmental programs covered by the subpart.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ...) of the Safe Drinking Water Act). (5) Underground water source protection (section 1443(b) of the Safe... 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act). (17) Wetlands development grants program (section 104(b)(3) of the... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Environmental programs covered by the...

  11. 40 CFR 35.101 - Environmental programs covered by the subpart.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ...) of the Safe Drinking Water Act). (5) Underground water source protection (section 1443(b) of the Safe... 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act). (17) Wetlands development grants program (section 104(b)(3) of the... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Environmental programs covered by the...

  12. 40 CFR 35.101 - Environmental programs covered by the subpart.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ...) of the Safe Drinking Water Act). (5) Underground water source protection (section 1443(b) of the Safe... 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act). (17) Wetlands development grants program (section 104(b)(3) of the... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Environmental programs covered by the...

  13. Aquatic Species Program Review: Proceedings of the March 1983 Principal Investigators Meeting

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1983-06-01

    The Aquatic Species Program (ASP) addresses the utilization of plant biomass that naturally occurs in wetland or submerged areas. Processes are being developed through this program to make use of such aquatic species, capitalizing on their inherent capacity for rapid growth as well as their extraordinary chemical compositions.

  14. 7 CFR 1467.2 - Administration.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Administration. 1467.2 Section 1467.2 Agriculture... AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.2 Administration. (a) The... organizations in program administration. No determination by these agencies or organizations shall compel NRCS...

  15. 7 CFR 1467.2 - Administration.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Administration. 1467.2 Section 1467.2 Agriculture... AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.2 Administration. (a) The... organizations in program administration. No determination by these agencies or organizations shall compel NRCS...

  16. 7 CFR 1467.2 - Administration.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Administration. 1467.2 Section 1467.2 Agriculture... AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.2 Administration. (a) The... organizations in program administration. No determination by these agencies or organizations shall compel NRCS...

  17. 7 CFR 1467.2 - Administration.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 10 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Administration. 1467.2 Section 1467.2 Agriculture... AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM § 1467.2 Administration. (a) The... organizations in program administration. No determination by these agencies or organizations shall compel NRCS...

  18. Tribal Ecosystem Research Program (TERP) Workshop ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    USEPA is developing alternative approaches to quantify improvements to impaired waterbodies (USEPA 303(d)/TMDL Draft Guidance). Tribal environmental programs are leading the way in the paradigm shift towards sustainability of natural resources. Resources such as wildlife, aquatic habitat are dependent on the development of a riparian and upland management strategy, which considers and adapts to certain ecological relationships. Tribal traditional environmental knowledge (TEK) is a central concept in the cultural and resource stewardship practices of Native Americans. Native American populations have been accumulating knowledge of these ecosystem relationships, and have relied on them for basic survival for thousands of years. As such, TEK is the accumulated understanding of ecosystem function. As North America’s first environmental stewards, Native American populations have developed a unique relationship with the land and its resources. Objective of this workshop is to fuse TEK with environmental science to create an ecosystem, or landscape, research program oriented toward land management practices. This is essentially translating and combining TEK with an ecosystem function approach to provide a comprehensive basis for identifying and evaluating current and historical land use practices. Tribal and USEPA cooperative stream and wetland research focuses on making the connections between upland and riparian ecosystems. Analyzing spatial relationships and short

  19. EXOTIC AND INVASIVE AQUATIC PLANTS IN GREAT LAKES COASTAL WETLANDS: DISTRIBUTION AND RELATION TO WATERSHED LAND USE AND PLANT RICHNESS AND COVER

    EPA Science Inventory

    This manuscript provides previously unavailable information to researchers and managers concerning exotic plants in the Great Lakes...This work arises out of our broader efforts to describe biota - habitat relationships in coastal wetlands, and as such falls under Aquatic Stresso...

  20. Testing a passive revegetation approach for restoring coastal plain depression wetlands

    Treesearch

    Diane De Steven; Rebecca R. Sharitz; Julian H. Singer; Christopher D. Barton

    2006-01-01

    Restoration of coastal plain depressions, a biologically significant and threatened wetland type of the southeastern United States, has received little systematic research. Within the context of an experimental project designed to evaluate several restoration approaches, we tested whether successful revegetation can be achieved by passive methods (recruitment from seed...

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