Wetland Destruction

Wetland Destruction Wetlands are very important to the ecosystem and human communities. They filter pollution, provide habitat for countless species, endangered plants and provide natural flood protection. In the 1600s more than 220 million acres of wetlands existed. Due to farming and development, by 1980 more than half of those had been destroyed. Wetland destruction is becoming a huge problem. Not only are wetlands disappearing but those still existing are suffering degradation from chemical contamination, excess nutrients, sediment, and deposits from the air. Ongoing development poses the greatest threat to wetlands today. Much of Florida is affected by the loss of wetlands. Protecting them is a challenge because seventy four percent of wetlands are on private property. Loss of freshwater, dredging and an increase in housing developments are the main reasons for wetland loss in Florida. Many people think living on the beach is very peaceful and has so much to offer. With so much interest, coastal development has increased and most of Tampa Bay’s sea grass and marsh and mangrove habitats have been destroyed.
Sea grass beds can be found in many wetlands. They allow organisms to be sheltered from predators and many fish lay eggs in sea grass beds so that their offspring can take advantage of the shelter. Sea grass is also an important part of certain animal’s diet, such as manatees, dugongs, and green turtles. With wetlands disappearing also goes sea grass. Animals are suffering and some have even gone extinct. Some species have become so fragile that a hurricane or viral infection can cause their extinction. Even though Florida has millions of acres of wetlands and wilderness set aside it is not enough if we continue to pollute them.
Floods in Tampa
Tampa Bay is a large fishing scene and port for many boats. With so much boating activity there has been an increase in turbidity and degradation of wetlands. Marina construction and dredging activities have also contributed sediments into water adjacent to wetlands. Pollutants range from cleaners to toxic chemicals from paints. Dumping of wasters from fish cleaning and discharging human waste from marinas and boats increases the amount of nutrients and organic matter in a wetland. The increased organic matter and nutrients can lead to eutrophication causing the deaths of marine life.
Wetlands help prevent floods by acting as natural sponges that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, snowmelt, groundwater, and flood waters. The vegetation in wetlands also slow the speed of flood waters and distributes them more slowly over the floodplain stabilizing the banks of rivers and streams. Water being stored in wetlands lowers flood heights and reduces erosion. The city of Tampa receives intense rainstorms that can cause localized flooding to occur. Due to the loss of wetlands it can be difficult for water to quickly drain from the land. Flood water is not always deep in the area, but it can damage property and even pose a threat to personal safety. To help prevent floods the Tampa Bypass Canal was constructed during the 1960s and 1970s. Its purpose is to redirect flood waters from the large amounts of rainfall collected in the Hillsborough River to Tampa bay to prevent floodwaters from reaching homes and businesses.

Preserving and restoring wetlands, together with other water retention, can often provide the level of flood control otherwise provided by expensive dredge operations and levees. The bottomland hardwood- riparian wetlands along the Mississippi River once stored at least 60 days of floodwater. Now they store only 12 days because most have been filled or drained.