Alaska
Idaho
Oregon
Washington
November 1993
EPAdlO/F-93-G03

United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Water Division
Region 10
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle WA 98101-9797
Wetlands Section
Protecting Our
Wetlands and Other
Aquatic Resources
A Guide to EPA's
Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and
Washington
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Wetland Protection
in Region 10
But wetlandsare only one element of the aquatic ecosystem. Streams, lakes, estuaries and even deep
marine waters are also threatened in many ways. Region 10 of the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) seeks to protect all of these aquatic systems throughout the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and
Washington. Protecting wetlands and other aquatic habitats from the physical disturbance that occurs
from such a:tivities as filling, draining, damming, dredging and clearing is the responsibility of the
EPA's Wetlands Section.
This brochure highlights some of the approaches EPA is pursuing to make protection of
aquatic systems, particularly wetlands, effective, fair, and efficient. If you would like
idditional information about EPA's Wetlands Protection Program, please call the
Wetlands Section at (206) 553-1226 or call the EPA Wetlands Hotline at 1-800-832-
7828.
When it comes to the environment, there are few topics that spark
as much controversy as wetlands. With about 75% of all wetlands in private
ownership, many landowners are surprised and sometimes dismayed to find that the
soggy piece of ground they own is subject to regulation by the federal government.
Most wetlands, on private or public land, are considered waters of the United States
and are subject to regulation under the federal Clean Water Act. This regulation
includes the requirement to obtain authorization from the Army Corps of Engineers
before filling, draining, or clearing a wetland.
Why does the Clean Water Act apply to wetlands? There are many reasons. In
addition to supporting many species of wildlife, including migratory birds and 43% of
all endangered species, wetlands play a vital role in soaking up heavy rains to help
prevent flooding. They also help improve water quality by removing sediments,
nutrients and some chemical contaminants as water filters through them. Such
valuable functions make wetlands important to society as a whole.
Unfortunately, over half of all the wetlands in the lower 48 states have already been
lost and estimates of current losses are as high as 300,000 acres per year. The goal of
the Clean Water Act is to "maintain, preserve and restore the chemical, physical and
biological integrity of our nation's waters." With respect to wetlands, that goal
translates to seeking "no net loss" of wetlands in the short term and a net gain in the
long term.
Over half of all the wetlands in the
lower 48 states have already been lost

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Regulatory Actions
A key responsibility of the Wetlands Section is to ensure compliance with Section 404
of the Clean Water Act, which regulates the discharge of dredged and fill material into
waters of the United States, including wetlands. In Region 10, EPA reviews between 800
and 1,200 permit applications each year.
When necessary, EPA takes enforcement action to rectify unpermitted fills or
discharges of dredge material. The EPA shares enforcement responsibility with the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers and cooperates with local and state governments that have
aquatic resource protection programs. This collaboration helps assure acceptable
resolutions are reached in the most efficient manner. The goal of the EPA enforcement
program is to reduce the number of violations in each state by 90 percent by the year 2000.
Restoration
Many wetlands have been degraded in the past, by diking, draining, polluting, or
otherwise altering the area. There are abundant opportunities to restore these wetlands
and restoration has become a national and regional priority for EPA. An aggressive
restoration program is essential in order to meet EPA's long term goal of net gains in both
wetland acreage and wetland function.
Initial efforts have been focused on identifying wetland restoration opportunities in
Region 10. Using this information, demonstration projects for various habitat types have
been developed. Research is being conducted on restoration and assessment techniques
and monitoring protocols have been developed. The Wetlands Section is helping to build
coalitions for implementing large scale restoration projects and provides technical
assistance to state and local governments, tribes, and individual citizens.
The Wetlands Section works with other programs in EPA to focus restoration efforts
on entire watersheds, including restoration of degraded streams and riparian habitats. A
watershed protection approach is essential to developing sound and sustainable aquatic
ecosystems.
Key Project:
Skokomish Estuary Restoration

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Wetland Conservation Planning
Because wetlands are important natural
resources, it is generally preferable to
address wetland conservation on a large
scale such as a watershed, as opposed to
case by case permitting. Such an approach
allows decision makers to see how
individual wetlands contribute both
individually and collectively to the overall
functioning of the watershed. Management
decisions can then be made as part of the
land use planning process to assure that
the overall integrity of aquatic systems are
maintained while providing predictability
for wetland owners within the planning
area. Permit decisions for activities that are
consistent with an approved wetland
conservation plan can then be made in a
much more expedited fashion.
Region 10 currently provides funding
and technical assistance for about twenty
local wetland conservation plans. These
plans are being developed in conjunction
with statewide wetland conservation plans
which, in addition to developing guidance
for communities engaged in the local
planning process, seek to develop more
efficient ways of conducting case by case
permitting.
Ken Bierly (left), Oregon Wetlands Program
Manager, meeting on site with city of Eugene staff
and consultants to discuss wetland inventories and
conservation planning. (Hugh G. Barton Photo)
Key Project:
The West Eugene Wetlands Management Plan, funded in part by the EPA Wetlands
Section, is a comprehensive strategy for achieving no net loss within the planning area.
The plan has identified all of the area's wetlands and assigned relative priorities to them.
The plan identifies wetlands to be preserved, wetlands to be restored and certain very low
value wetlands that could be developed.

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The Skokomish Indian Tribe used an EPA grant to plan the restoration of an intertidal marsh located on
their tribal lands. This project is part of a larger ivatershed restoration project.
Public Education
An informed citizenry is essential to realizing wetland protection goals. The more
knowledgeable individuals are about the values and functions of wetlands, the more
motivated and effective they will be at protecting wetlands on a local level. Because
wetlands are privately owned, EPA strives to promote good stewardship among wetland
property owners. The Wetlands Section has sponsored a number of projects, both directly
and indirectly, to help achieve these goals. Outreach programs include production and
dissemination of various types of wetland information including videos, brochures, guide
books, and newsletters. The Wetlands Section is also involved in developing citizen
networks, training citizen groups and local governments, and participating in conferences
and forums. While there are federal and state regulations protecting wetland resources,
these outreach efforts encourage local groups to take an increasing role in protecting the
wetlands and aquatic resources in their own backyards.
&

David Douglas High School students looking tired yet triumphant after a hard day's ivork removing trash from
a wetland near their school in the Portland, Oregon area.
A group of citizens gathered for a WETNET
workshop. Here citizens will Iearn about local
wetland regulations in the classroom, and about the
functions and values of wetlands through a "hands
on " approach in the field.
Key Projects:
The Urban Streams Council, with the help of EPA funding, has been working with
schools and citizen groups in the Portland area to protect and restore urban watersheds.
WETNET is a group, funded in part by
EPA, that works directly with the public
through workshops, field trips, and
educational presentations on wetland
issues in the state of Washington.

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Bertelson Slough, just a small portion of the 1,300 acres of wetlands that were inventoried as part of the West
Eugene Wetlands Plan.
Sediment Quality
Sediments are a critical part of any aquatic system since the bottoms of lakes, streams
and marine waters support abundant plant and animal life that are often the basis of an
intricate food web. The Sediment Management Unit (SMU) within the Wetlands Section
has distinct projects and responsibilities that relate to many programs within the EPA.
Their motto, similar to the National Wetland's "no net loss" challenge, is a goal of "no
significant adverse effects." The unit reviews all dredging and ocean dumping permits
and designates, monitors, and manages many sites for dredged material disposal. The
SMU coordinates beneficial uses of dredged material for capping and other sediment
projects in order to help control pollutants or enhance natural recovery. The SMU is
involved in habitat creation, enhancement of aquatic resources, and restoration.
Key Project:
Jetty Island Habitat Creation
Sediment sampling being done on the jetty Island
habitat creation project
There is a tremendous need for
more information on the evolving
science of wetland ecology
Developing the Science
knowledge and to generate a practical
understanding of the best way to use,
restore, and most importantly, protect
wetlands and aquatic resources.
Key Project:
Tundra Research in Alaska
Evaluation of restoration techniques at an abandoned
oil drill pad in Alaska. Transplants of tundra are
placed in greenhouses and the growth and survival is
compared with less protected transplants.
Wetlands have only recently been given
the recognition they warrant as an
important aquatic resource. For this reason
the science of wetlands is relatively new
and although much is known about
wetland functions and values there is a
tremendous need for more information.
With many wetlands and other aquatic
resources located on private land and in
urbanized settings, it is critical to
understand the effects of human activities
on the health of these ecosystems. Many
studies have been funded to expand this

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vvEPA	
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10
1200 Sixth Avenue, WD-
Seattle, Washington 98101-9797

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