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Floods are the most common and widespread natural disasters. Most communities on or near rivers and streams can experience some kind of flooding after spring rains, heavy thunderstorms, or thaw following heavy winter snows. In fact, there are over 20,000 communities in the United States at risk for flooding. In the first four months of 1997, the threat of flooding became reality across the Midwest as flood waters inundated many states, displacing over 1 million people and causing more than an estimated $1 billion in damage. Watersheds Even a light shower (for example, a tenth of an inch of rain spread over one square mile) produces more than one and a half million gallons of water. In most natural ecosystems, however, there is relatively little flooding. Where does all this water go? The rainfall is trapped by vegetation, channeled into rivers and streams, or absorbed into the soil to replenish the groundwater supply. This protective barrier of plants, streams, and soil is collectively known as a watershed. A watershed is defined as the area of land that channels water to a particular stream or river. The largest watersheds, such as those of the Ohio, Missouri, Colorado, and Mississippi rivers, are known as drainage basins. Watersheds are our first line of defense against the sort of flooding that has been seen around the U.S. Watersheds are protected by the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act. The small watershed program is administered by the Soil Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). According to the USDA, more than 60% of all small watersheds have flood and erosion problems. Protection of large watersheds is the responsibility of the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Although the primary objective of watershed legislation is flood control, flood-related erosion is another important concern. Plant roots slow the flow of water and promote its absorption by the soil, thus reducing flooding and soil erosion. Because huge amounts of soil have been washed into streams from deforested watersheds, the channels have become clogged with sediment. Large rivers like the Mississippi receive thousands of tons of eroded sediment annually. This, in turn, increases the probability of flooding. As a result of extensive flooding in the early 1900s, Congress passed the Flood Control Act, which designated almost $400 million to construct a vast system of levees, dams, and reservoirs. Levees are large walls positioned at varying distances from the riverbank to contain flood waters. Since its inception, the levee system has been continually expanded, reaching 29 dams and more than 7,500 miles of levees along the Mississippi alone. There are drawbacks associated with levees, however. In some situations, they may actually increase flood damage. This is especially true in the U.S., because levees encourage developers to build on floodplains.

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Wetlands Wetlands are areas that are covered by water or have waterlogged soils for extended periods of time during the growing season. Plants growing in wetlands have adapted to live in saturated soil conditions. A wide variety of wetlands have formed across the country due to regional and local differences in vegetation, water chemistry, soil type, climate, and other factors. They include coastal wetlands such as mangrove swamps, salt marshes, or mud flats, and inland wetlands such as freshwater marshes, cypress swamps, and wet tundra areas. Although it may not seem related at first glance, destruction of wetlands is a primary contributing factor to increased flood damage. Wetlands include swamps, tidal marshes, coastal areas, and estuaries. Because these lands may appear unattractive and without economic value, they have often been considered useless or harmful. Many have been drained, filled, or used as dumps. Many cities (such as Washington D.C.) are built directly on top of former wetlands areas. Most commercial and game fish use coastal marshes and estuaries as nursery and/or spawning grounds. Menhaden, flounder, sea trout, spot, salmon, striped bass, shrimp, oysters, clams, blue crabs, and Dungeness crabs are all examples of species that depend on coastal wetlands. Inland wetlands serve as valuable fish and wildlife habitats. A variety of fishes, ducks, geese, and songbirds feed, nest, and raise their young in inland wetlands. Muskrat, otter, and beaver are some of the more common wetland mammals. Other, such as deer and black bear, use wetlands for food and shelter. One of the most significant features of wetlands is their ability to help maintain and improve water quality. Wetlands are especially good water filters, removing excess nutrients, processing chemical and organic wastes, and trapping sediments released by erosion. Wetlands are often referred to as "natural sponges" because they absorb and contain flood waters, protecting property from flood damage. Section 404 of the Clean Water Act protects our nation's wetlands. These regulations are administered by the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Filling, ditching, clearing land, and numerous other construction activities performed within a wetlands area require special permits. Each type of wetland has unique qualities and serves as a home to many valuable plants and animals. Some important wetlands functions are listed below: Important Wildlife Habitat Wetlands are among the most productive natural ecosystems in the world. They produce great quantities of plant material. The dead leaves and stems break down in the water to form small particles of organic material called detritus. This material is the principal food for many small aquatic invertebrates, shellfish, and smaller fishes that are food for larger predatory fish, such as bluefish and striped bass. These larger fish are, in turn, consumed by humans. Thus, wetlands provide an important source of food for people as well as for aquatic animals. Wetlands provide water, food supply, nesting, and resting areas for wildlife. Wetlands are important nursery grounds for many economically species of fish and shellfish. Because wetlands receive nutrient runoff from the surrounding land, they are highly productive and excellent places for aquatic species to

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grow rapidly. Pollution Control One of the most important values of wetlands is their ability to help maintain and improve water quality. Wetlands do this by removing excess nutrients, degrading chemical and organic wastes, and trapping sediments that increase turbidity in streams, lakes, and the ocean. Protecting wetlands is vital for restoring and maintaining good water quality. Erosion Control and Wave Barriers Wetlands also protect shorelines from erosion. Wetlands plants have extensive root systems which bind soil and absorb wave impact. When destroyed, the shoreline erodes and costly artificial barriers must built to protect the shoreline. So significant is the erosion control function of many wetlands, that several states have started wetlands restoration projects to protect their eroding shorelines. Flood Protection Wetlands act like giant sponges that absorb rain and flood waters and release them gradually, harmlessly, over time. Filling or dredging of wetlands reduces their flood storage capacity. Trees and other wetlands vegetation help slow the speed of flood waters. This action, combined with the water storage capability, lowers the height of floods and reduces their potential for damage. In agricultural areas, wetlands reduce flood damage to crops. Wetlands surrounding urban areas are especially valuable for flood protection. Since paved and developed areas have little or no absorptive capacity, flood waters are channeled directly into highly populated areas, magnifying their destructive capability. Aquifer Recharge Wetlands store water during rainy seasons and release it slowly to groundwater deposits. Filling or draining inhibits aquifer recharging, reducing the water supply to streams and decreasing groundwater supplies for domestic, commercial, and agricultural uses. Natural Products A wealth of natural products are produced by wetlands, including timber, fish and shellfish, blueberries, cranberries, wild rice, and fur-bearers like muskrat, beaver, and mink. The commercial harvest of wetlands dependent species is valued at more than $10 billion annually. In addition, hunters spend over $300 million annually to harvest wetland-dependent waterfowl.

For More Information

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On Watersheds, Wetlands, and Natural Habitats National Wildlife Federation (information about worldwide threats to wildlife, wetlands, clean water, and more) http://www.nwf.org U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (national wetlands inventory.) http://www.nwi.fws.gov/ Coastal management and resource center http://brooktrout.gso.uri.edu/ Global change directory (covering the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere) http://gcmd.gsfc.nasa.gov/ Study of global environmental change http://www.igbp.kva.se/ Sierra Club (information on conservation, preservation, and restoration of habitats) http://www.sierraclub.org On Emergency Preparedness The Emergency Response and Research Institutes Hazmat page http://www.emergency.com/hzmtpage.htm FEMA--Preparedness http://www.fema.gov/pte/ Bureau of Land Management homepage http://www.blm.gov/