The majority (98%) of these forested wetlands do not contain permanent water but are either 'temporarily' or 'seasonally" flooded. However. these wetlands provide important feeding, breeding, and resting habitat for a large number of wildlife societies including waterfowl, furbearers and non-game species.

Most of the 129,790 acres of "seasonally flooded" forested wetlands occur in small woodlots around the state. However 73% of the forested wetlands (367,197 acres) are "temporarily flooded" and comprise the largest (45%) category of remaining wetlands in the state. These wetlands are primarily bottomland hard-wood swamps occurring along watercourses which contain surface water for brief periods during flood events.

Wetlands which do not contain standing water all year still provide valuable wildlife habitat. The vegetation growing around the wetland edge serves as food and cover for many wildlife species, particularly during migration.

As an example, many small aquatic invertebrates are produced during the wet spring period. They survive the dry months by going into a dormant stage. These invertebrates hatch the following spring when the wetland contains water. The hatching usually coincides with migratory waterfowl ward journey.

Shallow water wetlands, which hold water throughout the year contain emergent, submerged and floating vegetation throughout most of the marsh The vegetation provides food and cover for a variety of wildlife species.

However the importance of wetlands to wildlife is only one benefit wetlands provide. Flood water retention, nutrient and sediment filtering, and groundwater recharge are also important environmental functions of wetlands. Location, soil type, and surface and ground water movement determine which of the functions a particular wetland may serve.

Flood Water Retention

Usually located in depressions and flood plains, wetlands receive surface runoff during storms. Water collects in these areas and contributes to stream flow when full or through ground water movement. Wetlands act as a holding area for large quantities of surface water which can be slowly released into a watershed. A one acre wetland, one foot deep can hold approximate y 330,000 gallons of water. When wetlands are removed storm water runs directly into me watershed, increasing flooding.

Nutrient and Sediment Filtering

Wetlands play an important role in maintaining local water quality. Wetlands preserve water quality by removing nitrogen, phosphorus and pesticides from runoff.

Chemicals and nutrients can enter a wetland through surface water and sediment or through ground water. The major inorganic nutrients entering wetlands are nitrogen and phosphorus. In wetlands are nitrogen and phosphorus are removed from surface water and transferred to the sediment wetland plants or atmosphere

Nitrates are lost from upland sites primarily through surface drainage. In wetlands, nitrates are absorbed by plants or converted through an anaerobic process called denitrification to nitrogen gas and lost to the atmosphere Nitrate-N is efficiently removed from wetland surface waters by aquatic plants.

Ammonium-N enters wetland primarily through surface runoff. In the wetland most ammonia is lost to the atmosphere through volatilization. Nitrification can also occur, changing ammonia into nitrites and nitrates. The nitrate form of nitrogen is more readily removed from surface water by wetland plants than the ammonium form. Phosphorus, organic nitrogen and some metals (iron or aluminum) usually attach to sediment and are carried by runoff to wetlands. By holding water, wetlands allow sediment and large particles to settle on the bottom. The root systems of wetland plants then absorb nutrients from the sediment. Like phosphorus, some pesticides also bind to sediment materials. Surface runoff carries the sediment materials. Surface runoff carries the sediment materials to the wetlands and deposits them on the wetland bottom.

Ground Water Exchange

Ground water and surface water are linked through wetlands. Wetlands surface water quality and also affect ground water quality and abundance. Wetlands with recharge capacity collect runoff water during storms and slowly release the water into ground water supplies. In locations where the water table slopes away from the wetland, surface water in the wetland is relatively temporary because much of the volume may be contributed to recharge of ground water supplies. Draining these wetlands eliminates their recharge capacities and may adversely affect the surrounding soil moisture during dry periods.

Where the water table slopes toward the wetland, ground water discharges into the wetland. The water in this wetland is relatively permanent. Seasonal rainfall patterns may influence the direction of ground water flow within a wetland.

Regulations

There are three regulations which pertain to wetlands; the Swampbuster provision of the 1990 Farm Bill Section 404 of the Clean Water Act administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Indiana Flood Control Act administered by IDNR Division of Water.

For regulatory purposes, three criteria must exist for classification as a "wetland'. 1 The site must have hydric soil (a list of the hydric soils of Indiana is available at your local Soil Conservation Service (SCS) office, 2. The area must have a predominance or hydrophytic or wetland vegetation (sedges, cattails, reed-canary grass, water tolerant trees), or be cable of supporting this vegetation. 3. The site must have wetland hydrology (ponded water and/or a saturated root zone for a minimum of seven days during the growing season). Unless you have wetland determinations completed for your land, you should check further when planning work or clearing on land that has hydric soil.

The following must be considered when working in a forested wetland. If the area is a wetland, removing stumps and trees is considered as "swampbusting" and will result in penalties if you participate in USDA farm programs whether a commodity crop is planted in the cleared area or not. In addition, this activity and associated grading may constitute "fill" in the wetland and may require a 404 Permit. Contact USACE before beginning work.

In addition, a Construction in the Floodway Permit may be needed if the area to be cleared lies within the 100-year floodway of a stream that drains 640 acres or more. Contact the IDNR Division of Water before proceeding.

Normal timber and logging operations which do not require excavation are exempt in these areas and are not subject to the above permits.

Conclusions

Wetlands play an important role in the freshwater system. They positively contribute to the quality of both surface and ground water supplies. In addition, wetlands provide habitat to many different species of wildlife.

In 1988. the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established a program in Indiana to assist landowners q restoring wetlands. For more information on the Wetland Restoration program contact: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 718 N. Walnut Street, Bloomington, IN