09-20-1982 Planning Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Monitoring Wetlands N \ nut »Hidf nwm coorfwcfd m port of tho land UM Ontip* prafct houtod In thm Planning DMHon ol MJnnotota Oaporlmani ol tnargif. Planning, and Oovlppwiowt and lundad bf Hta laglthHva cammittlon on . AUnnotofo't RMowrcM. Tha projocf 1$ diorgod «wl(h oaomMng tho most rapM and Inoapon- tivo mothodi of monitoring lond uto ond land covor cfco ngo. Wailamh tuara soloctod at otto of Ifio crillcof rotoorcot lo monllor. Contributing outftort oro Pralatl Coordinator Mm ffomilram ond ttudont workor* Oaboroh Bartal* and Diana Kloutnor. The preservation of wetlands repre sents one of the most critical and oontrovorsial land use issues facing Minnesota today. At the heart of the wetland issue is the fact that our wetland resources have not been adequately identified and that change c annot be accurately menured. Are wetlands being lost? If so, \Mwre and what types are they? Are protection program s working to preserve the most valuable wetland compl exes? The development of sound policy arKf refinement of existing protection programs deperKf upon an adequate wedatKl monitoring s^em. The last decade has been marked by an incieesed awar erteaa of the 60oioQicai oontsQuoncM or mo loot of such a valuable resource. The drainage of wedartds speeds runoff, increases fkwdkig and reduces water quality; limits the land's capadtr iui water recharge; and destroys prime habitat in one of the most rroductive waterfowl areas in the naJon. Opposing the ecological conse quences of drainage is the increased demand for good agricultural land. Wsiland cMn^ has created some of Minnesota's richest farmland. World demand for iicraased food production and the high cost of farming has in creased farm land needs. In addition, a growing metropolitan population re sults in urban expansion and increased land demands for housing, commerciA davalopmem, and recreational areas. There is controversy over the extent and location of the loss of wetlands. There are many estimates regarding the amount of wetlands drained, but they uaualy are baaed on speculation. The lack of knowHedge about the resource only perpetuates the contro versy. Ifie Physical Planning Division of the Department of Energy. Ptarwiing. and Development ex»nined data col lection programs which provide infor mation on the size and location of Minnesota's wetlands. A pilot study was conducted to determine how this data could be used to monitor wet- larxfs. The study reviewed information from the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI), the Western Minnesota Wet land Inventory, assessor's records, and govemmem acquisition and easement programs. Dovre Towsiahip in KarxCyohi County was chosen for the pilot study be- ccuse it is located in an area where wetland drainage was determined to be critical by both the DNR and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In addition. National Wetland Inventory information had been digitized (corv verted to numerals) and entered into the Minnesota Land Management Irt- formation System (MLMIS). The MLMIS aOowsd for quick and accurate statistical tabulation of wetland t/pes, acreage arKf shoreline, arKi ih« de tailed mapping of wetlands. The study showed that the com parison of existing wetland inventoriea is of limitad usefulnesB. The dispersed pattern, small size, and fluctuating water levels of wetlarufs ntade accu rate comparison of acreage figures impossible. These difficulties were compounded by inconsistent defini tions, criteria, and data collection procedures. Future monitoring efforo deperKf on development of stand ardized or compatible deflnitkms arKf the trend toward computerized rather than manual storage of information. The pilot study also examined the extent to which Dovre Township wetlarKfs are protected by goverrt- mem programs. The study concluded government ^ulations/oweiership pro grams are highly effective in protect ing total wetlands acreage (83%), but have only limited coverage of the total number of wetland basins (33%). represent a majority of the total protected acres, while smaller wat- larKfs are not protected. Further, the DNR Protected Waters Program applies to most, but not all of the t)^ 3, 4. and 5 wetlands in Dovre Township. Wetland typM 1. 2. 6, arKf 7 have littia or rw protection. As a result, tabulating arKf mapping tha DNR Protected Waters arKf the government owned wetland does not provide a complete picture of Dovre Township's wetlands. The pilot stud-/ concludes Dovre Township wetlands are relatively well protected under a currem umbrella of government programs. The Wet lands Tax Credk Program is espedaRy important, protecting % of the pri vately owned wetlarKfs. The development of a procedure to accurately monitor Minnesota's chang ing wetlands will require a compre hensive aiKf detailed inventory. Such an inventory (the National WetlarKfs Inventory) is in the procMS of being completed. The pilot study concludes that the national wetlands inventory should be entered into the Minnesota Land Managarnent Information System. Pu blic decision-makers would then be able to see the impacts of exsisting or proposed policies in both statistical and map form. Copies of The plot study "Monitor ing Wetlands' An Assessment of Data Collection Programs" are aval- able from: Jim Ramstrom, Dept, of Energy, Planning, arKf Development, Room 110, CafMol Square Bkfg., 550 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55101. (612) 296-2559. Slide Tape Show Now Available "Partnerships in Water Managemem: Minnesota's Challenge of the 80's," a Aide-tape show recently completed by the Minnesota Water Ptortning Board, is avalable on a first come first served basis for use by interested groups. The 23-minute presentation high lights Minnesota's water arKf related land resources problems and oppoitu- nitias. Erosion, flooring, water quality arKf land use problems are examined and subsequently discuned by con cerned local leaden. The show features the Water Planning Board's recom mendations in the "Spedal Study on Local Water Management" as steps toward solving aiKf preventing these problems. Contact John Weds at (612) 297- 2377 at the Water Plarming Board for reservations and more information.