United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
Office of Wetlands,
Oceans and Watersheds (4502T)
EPA 843-F-01-002k
September 2001
Putting Wetlands to Work in Your Watershed
The adverse effects of unchecked growth, or sprawl, on our communities and our
watersheds are forcing us to reconsider how and where we grow. In many areas of /
the country, communities are beginning to realize the cumulative effects of
sprawl on the quality of our water resources and all that is dependent on them.
Protecting and restoring wetlands and other open spaces with smart growth
initiatives is one way to curb those effects. Developers, city planners, and
elected officials can work together in local and regional efforts to incorporate
wetlands into watershed planning to help meet local water quality standards or
permit requirements, generate revenue for the local economy, and protect and
improve plant and wildlife habitat. The following case studies highlight how local
governments around the country are putting wetlands to work in their watersheds.
Spotlight on Flossmoor, Illinois
When communities become aware of benefits
provided by their local wetlands, they more
readily collaborate to protect them. Twenty years
ago floods began to strike seven communities in
the Butterfield Creek watershed. 25 miles south of
Chicago. Since then the communities have
cooperated with local, regional, state, and
federal organizations to combat the flooding
problem. A watershed study revealed several
facts: (1) the existing floodplain maps under-
estimated floods; (2) existing detention
requirements for construction did not prevent
increased flooding; and (3) the watershed had
large undeveloped wetlands areas that stored
storm water, and developing those areas could
increase flooding by 500 percent. To address
these concerns, the communities led the
development of a model storm water manage-
ment code that adopted revised floodplain maps
to keep construction out of flood-prone areas,
required stricter storm water detention methods
in construction areas, and required no net loss
of valuable natural wetlands. To supplement the
code's requirements, the communities are
implementing wetland restoration projects
throughout the watershed that not only increase
storage capacity and protect against future floods
but also function as enhanced wildlife areas,
recreational sites, and outdoor classrooms. For
more information contact Peggy Glassford, 2800
Flossmoor Road, Flossmoor, IL 60422. Phone:
(708) 798-2300.
Wetlands benefit this community by
Storing floodwaters.
Providing habitat for birds and other
wildlife.
Instilling community pride.
Providing recreational opportunities.
Providing opportunities for education.
Filtering pollutants from runoff.
The restored wetlands along
Butterfield Creek protect several
communities from flooding and
provide wildlife habitat for many
animals like this great blue heron.
How does sprawl
affect our
watersheds and
wetlands?
Diverting flows to or
from wetland areas,
channelizing streams, or
draining wetlands for
development and
mosquito control are all
by-products of sprawl
that change the
hydrology of a
watershed.
Shrubby cinquefoil
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Spotlight on Arcata, California
Using wetlands as
an alternative to
traditional wastewater
treatment saved the
city of Arcata millions
of dollars.
Faced with the need to improve treatment of the
city's wastewater, city officials in Arcata,
California, on the northeast shore of Humboldt
Bay, settled on a unique
approach to wastewater
treatment. The Arcata Waste-
water Treatment Facility uses a
constructed marsh system to
improve the quality of the city's
treated wastewater. The marsh
system, was developed as an
alternative to a proposed
regional sewage facility.
Building a traditional sewage
treatment facility would have
increased sewer rates by 70 percent, so the
marsh system is a cost-effective and
environmentally sound solution. The city and
the California Coastal Conservancy also restored
the 75-acre marsh and wildlife sanctuary that
originally occupied the site of the old wastewater
treatment facility. The new wetland facility was
completed in 1986 at a cost of $7.1 million,
which was financed using 75 percent federal,
12.5 percent state, and 12.5 percent local funds.
For more information, contact Julie Neander at
the City of Arcata Department of Environmental
Services, 736 F Street, Arcata, CA 95521.
Phone:(707)822-8184.
Wetlands benefit this community by
Helping meet water quality criteria.
Revitalizing a degraded urban waterfront.
Providing habitat for birds and other
wildlife.
Generating revenue from ecotourism.
Providing opportunities for academic
research.
Instilling community pride.
Providing recreational opportunities.
Educating the public on the importance of
protecting water resources.
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Spotlight on Baytown, Texas
In 1996 the Brownwood subdivision, located
about 20 miles east of Houston in Baytown,
Texas, was transformed into wetlands and a wild-
life sanctuary. The peninsula on which it had been
built had suffered a multitude of problems. After
the subdivision had been built in the 1940s and
1950s, overuse of groundwater supplies caused
the area to sink 10 to 15 feet, leaving the
peninsula more vulnerable to storms and
hurricanes. In 1983 Hurricane Alicia wiped out
the subdivision completely and the residents,
fearing future flooding and hurricane damage,
abandoned the area. Over the next 10 years, the
city of Baytown bought the lots from the former
residents and began to formulate plans to create
the Baytown Nature Center. With funding from
the Federal Emergency Management Agency and
other sources, the city removed the old houses,
graded the land, dug channels to return flow to
the wetlands, and reestablished wetland plants.
The new Baytown Nature Center, which
consists of approximately 400 acres of uplands
and submerged land, is now home to 275 species
of birds, including 5 endangered species.
Alligators, deer, fox, and other native wildlife
have also returned. In 1997 the nature center
was officially designated part of the Great
Coastal Texas Birding Trail, a 500-mile route
'* ' J i I
linking the best bird-watching
sites along the coast. The
center is open to the public for
picnics, fishing, and bird-
watching; it is also used as an
outdoor classroom for fifth
graders. Plans are underway
for new walking trails and
other wildlife observation
areas. With the subdivision
now removed, the peninsula is
reverting to its original mosaic
of forest and wetlands. For
more information, contact the
Baytown Nature Center at (281) 420-6697.
Wetlands benefit this community by
Storing floodwaters.
Filtering out sediment, nutrients, and other pollutants from storm
water.
Providing habitat for birds and other wildlife.
Increasing the diversity of plant and animal life in the area.
Generating revenue from ecotourism.
Providing opportunities for education.
Providing recreational opportunities.
Educating the public on the importance of protecting water resources.
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The Big Picture
Filling in one acre of wetlands may not seem
significant, but the cumulative effect of filling in
hundreds of one-acre wetlands affects entire
watershedsincluding the people, plants, and
animals that live in themand the quality and
quantity of our water resources. Arresting sprawl
and protecting wetlands requires hard work at the
local level through master planning and zoning
ordinances. Master plans form the basis for
making public and private decisions on land use
regulation and development, future investment,
and the allocation of critical resources. Zoning
ordinances define the permitted uses of land and
buildings, the size of lots and yards around homes
and buildings, the size of parking lots and other
impervious surfaces, and other characteristics of
development that might affect wetlands.
Because of the effects of
destroying or degrading
wetlands, it is important
that county, city, and
regional managers charged
with making local deci-
sions take measures to
protect wetlands. Restrict-
ing the amount of impervi-
ous surface allowed on
new developments and
encouraging the use of
wetlands in open space
and water quality management plans are ways
to ensure the vitality of wetlands in the future.
Much of the hard work for arresting sprawl
and protecting wetlands takes place at the
local level through town meetings like this
Characteristics of Sustainable (Smart Growth) Development
Conventional residential design . . .
Lots are uniform in size and shape.
Cul-de-sacs dominate the landscape.
Existing natural resources (forest, streams, floodplains,
and wetlands) are only moderately protected.
Streets are excessively wide.
Long, wide driveways create unnecessary impervious
cover.
Lawns are the dominant features of the site.
Source: Michael Pawlukiewicz. Urban Land Magazine, June 1 998.
Development is economically viable and preserves open
space, natural resources, and habitats for indigenous
species.
There is certainty and predictability in the development
process, and development projects that enhance the
economy, the community, and the environment receive
expedited approval.
Existing infrastructure is maintained and enhanced but
expanded when appropriate to serve current and new
residents.
There is a beneficial collaboration among the
community, the nonprofit sector, and the public and
private sectors.
Compact development is focused on existing
commercial centers, new town centers, and existing or
planned transportation facilities.
Development is limited in ecologically significant areas.
Smart residential design . . .
Lots are narrower and varied in shape.
Existing natural resources are
preserved wherever possible.
A significant area is retained as natural open space.
Streets are narrow.
Houses are closer to the road, creating shorter driveways.
Vegetated buffers are required along all intermittent and
perennial streams.
Storm water is managed in a treatment train (bioretention
facilities coupled with a wet extended detention pond).
Lawn size is minimized.
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American Avocet
The Wetland Fact Sheet Series
Wetlands Overview
es of Wetlands
Functions & Values of Wetlands
Threats to Wetlands
Wetland Restoration
Fundina Wetland Projects
Wetland Monitorina & Assessment
Sustainable Communities
Volunteerina for Wetlands
Teachina about Wetlands
On the Internet
Encouraging Smart Growth www. epa.gov/smartgrowth
The Wetlands Conservation and Sustainability Project www.iwla.org
The Sierra Club's Challenge to Sprawl Campaign www.sierraclub.org
The Trust for Public Land www.tpl.org
The Urban Land Institute www.uli.org
Smart Growth Network www.smartgr owth. or g
Smart Growth in Maryland www. op.state.md.us/smartgrowth
Smart Growth America www.smartgrowthamerica. com
Center for Watershed Protection www.cwp.org
In Print and Related Fact Sheets
Measuring the Benefits of Federal Wetland Programs, Paul F. Scodari. Available from the Environmental
Law Institute. Call 1-800-433-5120, or visit www.eli.org.
Building Green Infrastructure: Land Conservation as a Watershed Protection Strategy, 1999. Available from
the Trust for Public Land at www.tpl.org.
The Economic Benefits of Parks and Open Space: How Land Conservation Helps Communities Grow Smart
and Protect the Bottom Line. Available from the Trust for Public Land at www.tpl.org.
The Wetlands Assistance Guide for Landowners. Available from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/conserve/wetlands/wetintro.htm. For a printed copy, contact Julie Anderson, State
Wetlands Planner, Resource Protection Division, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith
School Road, Austin, TX 78744. Phone: (512) 389-4328, fax: (512) 389-8059, e-mail: iulie.anderson@
tpwd. state, tx. us.
Guiding Principles for Constructed Wetlands, United States Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA 843-B-00-003, October, 2000.
Growth and Water Quality Fact Sheet, United States Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA 842-F-01-007, November 2001.
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