United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water (WH-556F), Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds (A-104 F) EEPA843-F-93-OOle March 1993 «*er*\ WETLANDS FACT SHEET'# 5 Facts About Wetlands Over half (53%) of the wetlands in the conterminous United States were lost between the late-1700's and mid-1970's. About 100 million acres of wetlands remain today. Source: D»hl Status ind Trendy of Wfflgnds in the Conterminous United Stetea USFWS. 1989 Coastal wetlands make up only 5% of the wetland types in the continental United States; inland wetlands such as freshwater swamps, prairie potholes, bogs and fens make up the remaining 95% of wetland types. Source Office of Technology Assessment, 1984 Amount of Wetlands in the Conterminous United States since the late 1700's 53% Lost SounrDikUM* 47% Remain It has been estimated that up to forty-three percent (43%) of the threatened and endangered species listed in the United States by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service rely directly or indirectly on wetlands for their survival Source USFWS A recent survey showed that when asked whether they felt wetlands protection efforts were adequate, 53% of respondents replied more effort was needed, 24% said current efforts struck the right balance, and 8% said it had gone too far. Source Times Minor Magazines/Roper Survey «»dted in Popular Seiaut July 1992, p52. From the mid-1970lstomid-1980's, wetlands were lost at an annual rate of 290,000 acres per year. Source Dshl and Johi •on d Trend, of Wetlands ContmninotM United States. Mld-197P'« to MId-1980'a USFWS. 1991. Is Cunent Wetlands Protection Adaquate? Nationally, 80% of America's breeding bird population require bottomland hard- woods for survival; bottomland hardwood (BLH) systems are wooded swamps found predominantly in the Southeastern United States. Source Wvton and Kitchens, 1982. • In the United States, over-logging of mature bottomland hardwood (BLH) forests is believed to have caused the extinction of the Ivory- Billed Woodpecker, North America's largest woodpecker. Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Printed on Recycled Paper ------- ... More Facts About Wetlands Twenty-three States have lost at least 50% of their original wetlands. Seven of those twenty-three States (California, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, and Ohio) have lost more than 80% of their original wetlands. Source Drill, 1990 STATES WITH OVER 50% WETLAND LOSS [50% to 80% LOSS > 80% LOSS Source: DaW, 1990 In Fiscal Year 1992, the Army Corps of Engineers made decisions on over 16,000 individual permit applications, denying fewer than 400. It is estimated that at least 80,000 additional activities are authorized by Corps general permits yearly. In the 21- year history of the Section 404 program, EPA has vetoed only 11 permits. Source US Army Corp» of Englneen, US EPA Approximately 92% of all permit evaluations (that is both general and individual permits) are completed in less than 60 days after a completed application has been recdved by the Army Corps of Engineers. Source US Annjr Corp* of Engineers For more information contact the EPA Wetlands Hotline at 1-800-832-7828 * contractor operated 1 Printed on Rtcycied Paper ------- |