Management Strategies:

Agriculture

Conversion of wetland area to agriculture, wetland drainage, and nutrient, sediment, and chemical runoff from agricultural fields can impact coastal wetlands by reducing area and degrading function.

Nonpoint source control: Controlling agricultural runoff and the associated nutrients and sediments protects the condition of nearby wetlands.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • The Neuse River Nutrient Management Strategy Exit includes mandatory nonpoint source reduction targets, to be achieved through the implementation of Best Management Practices.
• Resources
  • Clean Water Act Nonpoint Source Management Program (Section 319)
  • EPA's Agricultural Management Practices for Water Quality Protection web-based training module
  • EPA's Nutrient Criteria Development Guidance for wetland water quality
  • NOAA's Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program Exit

Regulatory Guidance: Agricultural exemptions to Clean Water Act Section 404 permitting are limited to "normal farming" activities that are part of "established" and "ongoing" farming operations; details are clarified through exemption guidance documents.

• Resources
  • EPA and Army Corps Memorandum: Clean Water Act Section 404 Regulatory Program and Agricultural Activities explains the applicability of the Section 404 program to agriculture and clarifies agricultural exemptions
  • Regulatory Guidance Letter (RGL) 96-02 (PDF)(5 pp, 30 K) is a joint Army Corps/EPA RGL on the applicability of exemptions under Section 404(f) to "Deep-Ripping" Activities in Wetlands

Restoration: Multiple programs finance and support restoration and protection of wetlands on agricultural land.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Review
  • North River Farms Exit, a 6,000 acre restoration site on North Carolina farmland
  • Restoration of the Eel River Headwaters Exit, former cranberry bogs in Massachusetts
• Resources
  • EPA's Five Star Restoration Grant Program
  • USDA's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Exitand Conservation Reserve Program Exitfund environmental protection on farmland.
  • USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program Exitfunds agricultural landowners to implement conservation practices
  • USDA's Wetlands Reserve Program Exitsupports conservation and restoration of wetlands on farmland
  • USDA's Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Program Exitprovides technical and cost-share assistance to help landowners develop and improve wildlife habitat on agricultural land, nonindustrial private forest land, and Indian land

Watershed Management: Wetlands are influenced by processes occurring throughout their watershed. Watershed-scale assessment and planning is useful to understand influences on wetlands and prioritize action on a watershed scale.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Review
  • Massachusetts' state-wide watershed-based plan Exit
  • The Armand Bayou Watershed Partnership  Exit and Dickinson Bayou Watershed Partnership Exit have developed watershed plans in the Galveston Bay area.
• Resources
  • Environmental Law Institute and The Nature Conservancy's Watershed Approach Handbook: Improving Outcomes and Increasing Benefits Associated with Wetland and Stream Restoration and Protection Projects Exit
  • EPA's Healthy Watersheds Initiative provides resources to preserve healthy components of watersheds and avoid impairments.
  • EPA's Watershed Central Wiki contains user-submitted watershed management-related information.
  • EPA's Watershed Funding resources
  • EPA's Watershed Planning Handbook
  • EPA's virtual Watershed Plan Builder
  • EPA's Watersheds Approach page identifies ways to manage wetlands in a watershed context.
  • EPA's Wetlands Supplement: Incorporating Wetlands into Watershed Planning

Return to Coastal Wetlands Page

Management Strategies:

Climate Change

Impacts due to climate change are manifested as conversion to open water as a result of sea level rise, erosion due to storm surge and destruction by severe storms. Changes in precipitation patterns and increasing drought affect the timing and delivery of water and sediments to coastal wetlands. Water quality and ecological integrity are also affected by increased air and water temperature, as well as increased acidity of water due to uptake of atmospheric CO₂.

Land Acquisition: Conservation easements or buyout programs provide resources for coastal property acquisitions. This allows communities to adapt to sea level rise by moving development out of vulnerable areas.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • Florida's St. Johns Water Management District Exit buys property to protect water resources, funded by the Florida Forever Program Exit
  • The Harris County Flood Control District in Texas implemented a voluntary buyout program Exit for homes in floodplains
  • The Mississippi Coastal Improvement Program Exithas implemented buyouts of nearshore residential properties
  • New Jersey has purchased properties in floodways through its Blue Acres Exitprogram
• Resources
  • USDA's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program and Conservation Reserve Program Exitfund environmental protection on farmland.
  • FEMA's Land Acquisition Program Exitpurchases at risk properties
  • NOAA's Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program Exitprovides state and local governments with matching funds to purchase significant coastal and estuarine lands, or conservation easements

Living Shorelines: Natural shorelines can provide protection from flooding and erosion more sustainably than hardened structures.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • The Galveston Bay Foundation's "Living Shorelines: A Natural Approach to Erosion Control" (PDF) (32 pp, 1.6 MB) Exit contains living shorelines guidance and case studies
  • Information about Maryland Department of Natural Resources' use of Living Shorelines Exit
  • Training materials Exit from North Carolina's Division of Coastal Management
  • Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences Living Shoreline Information Exit
• Resources
  • NOAA's Living Shoreline Planning & Implementation Exitprocedures
  • Systems Approach to Geomorphic Engineering (SAGE) Exit is a community of practice working to promote shoreline stabilization techniques to reduce coastal risk and improve resiliency
  • The Living Shorelines Academy Exit provides training modules for homeowners and design and construction professionals, project databases, and other information resources for implementing living shorelines projects.
  • NOAA's Habitat Blueprint Exit and Guidance for Considering the Use of Living Shorelines  Exit

Management Toolkits: Toolkits compile guidance for planning for and adapting to climate change impacts, as well as provide technical tools for accomplishing these goals.

• Resources
  • EPA's Climate Ready Estuaries | Coastal Adaptation Toolkit for estuaries and coastal programs that are interested in learning more about climate change impacts and adaptation
  • EPA's Climate Ready Water Utilities
  • EPA's  Climate Change and Water Tools
  • NOAA's Coastal Climate Adaptation Exittoolkit is a compilation of climate change adaptation resources
  • NOAA's Coastal Inundation Toolkit Exitprovides information, visualization of, and adaptations for the impacts of sea level rise
  • NOAA's Conserving Coastal Wetlands for Sea Level Rise Adaptation Exitcontains guidance for planning for climate change
  • StormSmart Coasts Exit is a resource for coastal decision-makers looking for the latest and best information on how to protect their communities from weather and climate hazards.

Modeling: Models depicting sea level rise and other climate change impacts allow managers to identify vulnerable areas.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • Review areas have used the Sea Level Rise Affecting Marshes Model Exitto visualize areas of inundation due to sea level rise does not account for subsidence
• Resources
  • NOAA's Marshes on the Move Exitdocument is a guide to understanding and using model results depicting potential impacts of sea level rise on coastal wetlands
  • NOAA provides guidance on Incorporating Sea Level Change Scenarios at the Local Level Exit
  • NOAA's Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer Exitillustrates the impacts of sea level rise for coastal regions
  • USGS' model of Potential Inundation due to Rising Sea Levels in the San Francisco Bay Region Exitillustrates vulnerability to inundation by average 100-year high-water levels for different amounts of sea level rise

Restoration: Restoring estuarine habitats allows coastal communities and ecosystems to increase their resilience to climate change.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • Beneficial use of dredged material has aided the restoration of coastal habitats, including nearshore islands, in coastal Mississippi Exit
• Resources
  • EPA's Climate Ready Estuaries Program highlights Wetland Restoration as a climate change adaptation strategy in their "Synthesis of Adaptation Options for Coastal Areas" (PDF)(32 pp, 775 K)
  • NOAA's Coastal Blue Carbon Exitprogram explores the benefits of restoring wetlands for carbon sequestration.
  • The Restore America's Estuaries report, "Restore-Adapt-Mitigate: Responding to Climate Change Through Coastal Habitat Restoration" (PDF)(63 pp, 2.5 MB) Exit, describes the use of restoration for coastal climate change adaptation and carbon sequestration

Rolling Easements: A variety of methods exist for ensuring coastal development does not prevent the inland migration of wetlands as sea level rises.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • One regulatory tool to produce a rolling easement is to ensure public access to beaches. New Jersey's public access policies Exit could be adapted to achieve rolling easement goals.
• Resources
  • EPA's Climate Ready Estuaries programs Rolling Easements Primer (PDF)(176 pp, 6.1 MB) describes various rolling easement strategies

Vulnerability Assessments: Assessments of the potential impacts climate change will have on a coastal community are used to identify priority planning areas.

• Examples
  • The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary assessed how climate change will impact tidal wetlands specifically in Climate Change and the Delaware Estuary Exit
• Resources
  • EPA piloted an assessment method for climate change vulnerability based on expert judgment in the San Francisco Estuary Partnership and Massachusetts Bay Program
  • The Global Change Research Program developed an assessment of Coastal Sensitivity to Sea Level Rise Exitalong the Mid-Atlantic Coast

Return to Coastal Wetlands Page

Management Strategies:

Cumulative Impacts

Small acreages of wetlands loss, which may be the result of a variety of stressors, may be unregulated or go undetected. These impacts may eventually lead to significant losses in wetland acreage and function.

Monitoring, Assessment, & Mapping: Periodic wetland mapping allows managers to track changes to wetland area. Similarly, monitoring and assessment tracks changes to wetland condition. This information can be used to identify areas to target for protection or that are suitable for development.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Wetlands Assessment Exit led by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary | MACWA  Exit
  • Monitoring and Assessment in Virginia Exit
  • The North Carolina Coastal Region Evaluation of Wetland Significance Exit is a watershed-based wetlands functional assessment model that uses geographic information systems (GIS) software and data to assess the level of water quality, wildlife habitat and hydrologic functions of individual wetlands
  • UMass Conservation Assessment and Prioritization System Exit (CAPS) for assessing ecological integrity
  • Mass DEP uses GIS to map wetlands changes Exit
  • The Virginia DEQ uses several Nontidal GIS products Exit developed by the Virginia Institute for Marine Science to make management decisions based on wetland condition
  • The Tidal Wetlands Assessment Protocol Exit developed by Virginia Institute of Marine Science was used to assess 2,188 tidal wetlands in the York River Watershed
• Resources
  • EPA's National Wetland Condition Assessment
  • EPA's Wetland Monitoring and Assessment page
  • NOAA's Coastal Change Analysis Program Exitcontains land cover data for coastal regions
  • USFWS' National Wetlands Inventory Exitcontains national wetland spatial information
  • USFWS' Wetlands Status and Trends Exitprogram provides important long-term trend information about specific changes and places and the overall status of wetlands in the United States

Restoration: Restoration of degraded wetland area and removal of hydrologic stressors can increase wetland area.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • Coastal wetland restoration by Massachusetts' Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) Exit
• Resources
  • EPA information about wetland restoration
  • EPA's Clean Water Act State Revolving Fund can fund certain wetland restoration and creation projects
  • The EPA Five Star Grant Program funds local restoration
  • Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration ActExit focuses on restoring natural hydrology to Louisiana to restore wetlands

Return to Coastal Wetlands Page

Management Strategies:

Development

Wetland area is lost as a result of conversion to residential and commercial area as coastal populations continue to increase. Shoreline armoring (seawalls, bulkheads, etc.) also causes wetlands to erode and prevents inland migration of wetlands. Secondary impacts of development include decreased water quality and change in hydrology as a result of urban runoff.

Easements and Conservation: Land trusts or government agencies can facilitate the purchase and management of wetlands to prevent conversion to developed area.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • The Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain Exitpreserves land in coastal Mississippi, manages an in-lieu fee mitigation site and collaborates with government agencies on conservation prioritization.
  • The Galveston Bay Foundation Exit and the Bayou Land Conservancy Exit both own preserves in the Galveston Bay area
• Resources
  • USFWS' Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition grants Exitfund preservation by states of land relevant to endangered species protection

Living Shorelines: Natural shorelines can provide protection from flooding and erosion more sustainably than hardened structures.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • The Galveston Bay Foundation's "Living Shorelines: A Natural Approach to Erosion Control" (PDF)(32 pp, 1.6 MB) Exit contains living shorelines guidance and case studies
  • Information about Maryland Department of Natural Resources' use of Living Shorelines Exit
  • Training materials Exit from North Carolina's Division of Coastal Management
  • Virginia Institute of Marine Science Living Shoreline Information Exit
• Resources
  • NOAA's Living Shoreline Planning & Implementation Exitprocedures
  • Systems Approach to Geomorphic Engineering (SAGE) Exit is a community of practice working to promote shoreline stabilization techniques to reduce coastal risk and improve resiliency
  • The Living Shorelines Academy Exit provides training modules for homeowners and design and construction professionals, project databases, and other information resources for implementing living shorelines projects.
  • NOAA's Habitat Blueprint Exit and Guidance for Considering the Use of Living Shorelines  Exit

Local Planning: Decisions regarding how development will occur are made at a local planning level.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • The Houston-Galveston Area Council developed the Eco-Logical mapping tool Exit, as part of the FHWA Eco-Logical program, Exit in order to identify environmental concerns for transportation projects.
  • Massachusetts' Conservation Commissions Exit
  • Virginia's Roundtables Exit for major watersheds
• Resources
  • Association of State Wetland Manager's Common Questions: Local Government Wetland Protection Programs (PDF)(14 pp, 293 K) Exit is designed for those interested in implementing local government wetland protection and restoration programs
  • Environmental Law Institute's Planner's Guide to Wetland Buffers for Local Governments (PDF)(29 pp, 677 K) Exit
  • EPA's information on Smart Growth
  • StormSmart Coasts Exit is a resource for coastal decision-makers looking for the latest and best information on how to protect their communities from weather and climate hazards.

Low Impact Development: Low impact developments reduce the impact that development and associated stormwater flows have on wetlands and other natural resources.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • Stormwater infrastructure development is contained in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan Exit
  • Stormwater & Wetlands Protection Exit in Massachusetts
  • The TMDL Implementation Plan Exit by the Galveston Bay Foundation and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality contains practices to reduce the impact of human waste on oyster waters
• Resources
  • EPA's Green Infrastructure website
  • EPA's information on Low Impact Development
  • EPA's information on Smart Growth
  • EPA's menu of Stormwater BMPs
  • NOAA's Coastal and Waterfront Smart Growth Exittoolbox

Watershed Management: Wetlands are influenced by processes occurring throughout their watershed. Watershed-scale assessment and planning is useful to understand influences on wetlands and prioritize action on a watershed scale.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • Massachusetts' state-wide watershed-based plan Exit
  • The Armand Bayou Watershed Partnership (PDF)(3 pp, 1.2 MB) Exit and Dickinson Bayou Watershed Partnership Exit have developed watershed plans in the Galveston Bay area.
• Resources
  • Center for Watershed Protection's Wetlands and Watersheds Article Series Exit
  • EPA's Healthy Watersheds Initiative provides resources to preserve healthy components of watersheds and avoid impairments.
  • EPA's Watershed Central Wiki contains user-submitted watershed management-related information.
  • EPA's Watershed Funding resources
  • EPA's Watershed Planning Handbook
  • EPA's virtual Watershed Plan Builder
  • EPA's Watershed Approach page identifies ways to manage wetlands in a watershed context.
  • EPA's Wetlands Supplement: Incorporating Wetlands into Watershed Planning

Note: Section 404 of the Clean Water Act established the federal permitting program which regulates most dredge and fill activities (very often for development purposes) in wetlands. However, CWR discussions tended to focus more on ways which regional, statewide, or local protection strategies supplement existing federal regulations, and these strategies are highlighted here.

Return to Coastal Wetlands Page

Management Strategies:

Hydrologic Modifications

Hydrologic modifications to coastal wetlands include direct alterations due to channelization, drainage, or mosquito impoundments. They also include indirect alterations to hydrology within the whole watershed such as changes to overland flow rates or loss of watershed connectivity due to dams or water diversions. This loss of hydrology can result in the conversion of a wetland to an upland or open water area. Changes to sediment and nutrient cycling are inevitably coupled with these altered hydrologic regimes.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Under IPM, mosquito impoundments can be managed for multiple uses, allowing for natural hydrology while still controlling mosquito life cycles.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • IPM implemented by St. Lucie County, FL Exit
• Resources
  • EPA's information on Integrated Pest Management

Restoration: Restoration of mosquito impoundments, removal of dams and tidal restrictions and reduction of other hydrologic stressors can increase wetland area.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • Beneficial use of dredged material has aided the restoration of coastal habitats in coastal Mississippi Exit
  • Coastal wetland restoration by Massachusetts' Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) Exit
  • Mosquito impoundment restoration Exit in Indian River Lagoon
  • Buzzard's Bay's Atlas of Tidal Restrictions (PDF)(38 pp, 642 K) Exit identifies potential restoration areas
• Resources
  • EPA's information about wetland restoration
  • EPA's Tidal Restrictions Synthesis Review
  • EPA's menu of Stormwater BMPs
  • EPA's Five Star Restoration Grant Program funds local restoration of wetlands and streams
  • The Heinz Center's report on dam and tidal restriction removal (PDF)
  • USFWS' National Fish Passage Program Exitgrants

Subsidence Control: Subsidence lowers coastal elevations and makes communities more susceptible to flooding during storm events and relative sea level rise. When subsidence is caused by groundwater withdrawals, it may be controlled by changing water supply strategies.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • Subsidence control districts Exit in Texas
• Resources
  • EPA highlights Aquifer Recharge and Aquifer Storage and Recovery resources, which have been used to control land subsidence
  • EPA's WaterSense website highlights ways to conserve water, and thereby reduce the reliance on groundwater withdrawals.
  • USGS' website on Land Subsidence Exitprovides an overview and introductory information on the topic

Watershed Management: Wetlands are influenced by processes occurring throughout their watershed. Watershed-scale assessment and planning is useful to understand influences on wetlands and prioritize action on a watershed scale.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • Massachusetts' state-wide watershed-based plan Exit
  • The Armand Bayou Watershed Partnership (PDF)(3 pp, 1.2 MB) Exit and Dickinson Bayou Watershed Partnership Exit have developed watershed plans in the Galveston Bay area.
• Resources
  • EPA's Healthy Watersheds Initiative provides resources to preserve healthy components of watersheds and avoid impairments.
  • EPA's Watershed Central Wiki contains user-submitted watershed management-related information.
  • EPA's Watershed Funding resources
  • EPA's Watershed Planning Handbook
  • EPA's virtual Watershed Plan Builder
  • EPA's Watershed Approach page
  • EPA's Wetlands Supplement: Incorporating Wetlands into Watershed Planning

Return to Coastal Wetlands Page

Management Strategies:

Invasive Species

Introduction, establishment and spread of non-native vegetation results in native species loss and hydrologic alterations.

Invasive species control: Invasive species monitoring and control strategies often rely on volunteer-based efforts.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council Exit provides scientific, technical and educational support for invasive species control
  • Exotic plant removal in Volusia County Exit makes use of volunteer "Counter Invasive Agents" Exitand public education
• Resources
  • USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center's Exitsite contains news and information about invasive species
  • USFWS' Small Grants Exithave been used for invasive species control to restore habitat
  • USGS' Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has developed Innovative Phragmites Control Strategies  and Controlling Invasive Phragmites in the Great Lakes Through Science, Collaboration and the GLRI Exit
  • USGS' Invasive Species Program Exitprovides general information on managing invasive species
  • USGS' National Wetlands Research Center's Invasive Species Research Exitsite contains information on common wetland invaders
  • USGS' Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Exitsite is a central repository for spatially referenced biogeographic accounts of introduced aquatic species

Return to Coastal Wetlands Page

Management Strategies:

Limitations of Regulations

While regulatory programs are key tools in protecting wetlands, uncompensated loss can occur in areas that are not covered by regulations, such as wetlands outside the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act. In addition, a lack of clarity in regulations, limited field presence, or lack of coordination between various regulatory programs may impede implementation and enforcement of wetland protections where they do exist. And, while compensatory mitigation is an important part of achieving the regulatory goal of "no net loss of wetlands," mitigation success may be further improved through monitoring, enforcement and scientific guidance.

Collaboration: Collaboration between agencies and across sectors reduces duplicative work, increases consistency in regulatory requirements and increases knowledge-sharing.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • Circuit Riders Exit provide regulatory expertise to local commissions in Massachusetts
  • Nine states participate in the Mid-Atlantic Wetland Workgroup Exit to develop wetland monitoring strategies
  • The Virginia Institute of Marine Science Exit provides scientific support to the state
  • Many review areas are sites of partnerships under the National Estuary Program
• Resources
  • A January 1989 Memorandum between the Department of the Army and EPA establishes the allocation of enforcement responsibilities between EPA and the Corps for Clean Water Act Section 404
  • Association of State Wetland Managers' Permits for Voluntary Restoration: A Handbook Exituses input from restoration practitioners and regulators to explain permitting requirements for restoration projects
  • NRCS and Army Corps' Partnership Handbook Exitfacilitates cooperation between NRCS and Army Corps on water resource issues

Enforcement: Aerial surveys and comparison of maps of wetlands loss with permit database information allow sites of illegal wetlands loss to be identified. Publicity of enforcement programs increases the compliance to permits and mitigation requirements.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • Massachusetts' enforcement program Exit
  • Massachusetts' Wetland Information Resource (WIRe) Exit to track permitted loss and monitor compliance
• Resources
  • Army Corps' ORM Database Exitprovides data on individual permit decisions under the Clean Water Act Section 404 and the Rivers and Harbors Act Section 10
  • EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance provides an online Report an Environmental Violation form for citizens to report potential violations, including illegal fill
  • EPA Office of Water's Section 404 Enforcement factsheet

Functional Assessment: Wetland assessments provides a way to identify if sites achieve desired conditions and could allow for mitigation credits to be granted based on functional value rather than area.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • Florida's Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method Exit is used to determine mitigation requirements for regulatory permits.
  • North Carolina Wetland Assessment Method Exit for project planning, alternatives analysis, compliance and enforcement, mitigation planning, and tracking functional replacement
• Resources
  • Army Corps' Hydrogeomorphic Approach to Assessing Wetlands Function Exit
  • EPA's Wetland Monitoring & Assessment information
  • Nature Serve's Ecological Performance Standards for Wetlands Mitigation Exitreport presents two methods for setting stronger ecological performance standards to guide the wetland mitigation process

State programs: State regulatory and non-regulatory wetland programs can supplement or go beyond protection offered by federal regulations.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • Florida's Environmental Resource Program Exit
  • Massachusetts' Wetlands Protection Act Exit
  • Training for Massachusetts Conservation Commissioners Exit
• Resources
  • Association of State Wetland Managers' Wetland Program Plans Handbook Exit assists states and tribes in developing comprehensive Wetland Programs
  • EPA's Clean Water Act Section 401 Handbook provides information how states can use Section 401 to protect wetlands and other aquatic resources
  • EPA's Enhancing State and Tribal Wetlands Programs Initiative strives to enhance the agency's delivery of technical and financial support for state and tribal wetlands programs
  • EPA's website on State, Tribal, and Local Initiatives describes the roles states and tribes play in wetlands protection and provides a list of resources
  • EPA's Wetlands Program Development Grants provide funding to eligible applicants, including states and tribes, to conduct projects that build and refine a comprehensive wetland program

Watershed Planning for Mitigation: Stand-alone mitigation project sites are not as successful as those created within the watershed context.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • The North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program Exit is a watershed-based in-lieu fee mitigation program
• Resources
  • Current EPA and Army Corps mitigation guidance encourage a watershed approach to compensatory mitigation decision-making
  • EPA's Healthy Watersheds Initiative provides resources to preserve healthy components of watersheds and avoid impairments.
  • EPA's Watershed Central Wiki contains user-submitted watershed management-related information.
  • EPA's Watershed Funding resources
  • EPA's Watershed Planning Handbook
  • EPA's virtual Watershed Plan Builder
  • EPA's Watershed Approach page identifies ways to manage wetlands in a watershed context.
  • EPA's Wetlands Supplement: Incorporating Wetlands into Watershed Planning
  • FHWA's Eco-Logical Exitprogram endorses ecosystem-based mitigation through integrating plans and data across agency and disciplinary boundaries
  • National Academy of Sciences' Wetlands Mitigation Study Exit is an analysis of the effectiveness of compensatory mitigation and includes specific recommendations for effective ecological replacement of wetland functions
  • National Symposium on Compensatory Mitigation and the Watershed Approach Exit identified criteria that could be included in a framework for making compensatory mitigation decisions on a watershed basis

Return to Coastal Wetlands Page

Management Strategies:

Silviculture

Rowing and bedding of forested wetlands can lead to upland conversion and hydrologic alterations if forestry best management practices are improperly implemented.

Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs): Best Management Practices are necessary to minimize the impact of forestry activities on wetlands. Though some forestry activities are exempt from the Clean Water Act Section 404 wetland dredge and fill permit process, they must follow applicable BMPs in order to remain in compliance.

• Examples from Coastal Wetland Reviews
  • North Carolina has 9 mandated Forestry Practice Guidelines (PDF)(3 pp, 186 K) Exit
• Resources
  • EPA and Army Corps guidance on the Application of BMPs to Mechanical Silvicultural Site Preparation Activities for the Establishment of Pine Plantations in the Southeast clarifies where a wetlands permit is not needed when certain BMPs are conducted in association with forestry site preparation
  • EPA's Watershed Academy module on Forestry Best Management Practices in Watersheds
  • For regulatory language describing limits to Section 404 exemptions, see 404 Program Definitions; Exempt Activities Not Requiring 404 Permits

Return to Coastal Wetlands Page

Management Strategies:

Tools to Address Multiple Stressors

Education & Outreach Resources

• EPA's Wetlands Education information
• The Association of State Wetland Managers publications Exit

Funding Resources

• EPA's Catalog of federal funding sources for watershed protection
• EPA's Clean Water Act Nonpoint Source Management Program grants (Section 319) for states and tribes
• EPA's Clean Water Act State Revolving Fund
• EPA's Five Star Restoration Grant Program
• EPA's list of funding for state, tribe, and local wetland initiatives
• EPA's National Estuary Program examples of Sustainable funding examples
• EPA's Wetlands Program Development Grants
• NOAA's Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program Exitfor state and local governments
• NOAA's Coastal Zone Enhancement Program Exitfor states and tribes
• NOAA's Community-based Restoration Program Funding Exit
• USDA's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program and Conservation Reserve Program Exitfor agricultural land owners
• USDA's Emergency Watershed Protection Program Exitfor states to purchase floodplain easements
• USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program Exitfor agricultural landowners to implement conservation practices
• USDA's Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program Exitsupports agricultural land owners implementing conservation plans
• USDA's Wetlands Reserve Program Exitfor agricultural land owners
• USFWS' grants to protect Endangered Species Exitfor states and tribes
• USFWS' National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program Exitfor states
• USFWS' Standard Grants Program Exitand Small Grants Program Exitfor public/private partnerships; part of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act

Return to Coastal Wetlands Page