Wetlands and
The term "wetlands" can mean many things to people.
Whether you think about mosquitoes, a swampy inconvenience or a rich
wildlife habitat, wetlands are critical to water storage and drainage in
northwest
"Wetlands" is the collective term for marshes, swamps,
bogs, and similar areas. Wetlands are found in flat vegetated areas, in
depressions on the landscape, and between water and dry land along the edges of
streams, rivers, and lakes. There are about
9.285 million acres of wetlands
remaining in
Wetlands prevent flooding by holding water much like a sponge. By doing so, wetlands help keep river levels normal and filter and purify the surface water. Wetlands accept water during storms and whenever water levels are high. When water levels are low, wetlands slowly release water. Wetlands may be temporally flooded by rain, or be filled seasonally with water from melting snow. The plants that thrive in wetlands are adapted to water level fluctuations.
Removal of wetlands removes a sponge to hold water, so that water has to go elsewhere. This water can contribute to more severe floods and higher water levels in lakes. Developments in areas that used to be wetlands can still affect the houses there. If your basement is prone to flooding, your house could be in an area that used to be a wetland. If there is no wetland to store and soak up the water, the water goes elsewhere and floods your basement and/or the nearest river.
Wetlands around lakes in Becker and Ottertail counties include emergent wetlands, which are usually colonized with cattails, bulrush and water lilies. These areas are important for water storage and filtration and should be preserved to maintain lake water levels. These wetland areas around lakes also act as a buffer to the lake and filter the water and take up nutrients before the water flows into the lake. If these wetlands get filled up with grass clippings, leaves and yard waste, they are essentially clogged, and cannot do their job of water storage and filtration. Protecting these wetlands also preserves fish spawning and duck habitat.
Enjoy the lakes!
Moriya Rufer is the Lakes
Monitoring Program Coordinator for RMB Environmental Laboratories in