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nitrogen, and 95 percent of total dissolved phosphorus from the wastewater, much of it in less than 24 hours. Groundwater Recharge and Discharge In some instances, wetlands play an important part in replenishing or "recharging" groundwater supplies. Surface water bodies connected to groundwater systems can recharge these systems as their waters migrate and percolate into the surrounding aquifer. These wetland-recharge sites may serve an important role in maintaining groundwater levels at the local or regional level. For example, it has been calculated that Lawrence Swamp, a 2,700-acre wetland in Massachusetts, recharges the shallow aquifer at a rate of 8 million gallons per day. This wetland recharges an area of 16 square miles and provides much of the water supply for the town of Amherst. Wetlands having value as recharge areas include some prairie potholes, glaciated wetlands of the Northeast and Midwest, and Southern cypress swamps. These wetlands occur where there is an elevated water table and they may contribute to the adjoining shallow aquifers. Seasonal wetlands in the prairie pothole region are important to the maintenance of high water tables. High water tables, in turn, provide water for livestock during droughts and may be vitally important to the long-term water balance of the prairies and crop production by providing significant recharge to soil moisture. Habitats for Rare and Endangered Species, Waterfowl, and Other Wildlife Wetlands are critical habitats for a variety of plants and animals. Simply said, as the wetlands go, so go our water- fowl. That waterfowl populations have reached record low levels in recent years-and remain that way-should come as no surprise to anyone who also understands that the nation's wetlands inventory is also its lowest in recorded history. Besides waterfowl, a large number of federally listed threatened and endangered species rely on wetlands for their survival. As of 1991, 314 animals and 281 plants were listed as threatened or endangered in the United States. Sixty-four percent (202) of these animals and 19 percent (54) of these plants depend directly or indirectly on wetlands to complete their life cycles successfully. In addition, of more than 2,500 plants in need of federal protection, as many as 700 are wetland-dependent or related. Aside from the threatened and endangered species that depend on wetlands for their survival, 5,000 species of plants, 190 species of amphibians, and 270 species of birds are estimated to occur in the nation's wetlands. Fish and Shellfish Wetlands are-literally-the cradle of this nation's seafood industry. Fish and shellfish need estuaries for spawning and nursery grounds, migration, and food production. According to a recent report, the annual economic value of estuarine habitats is about $14 billion. In the late 1980s, commercial landings of estuarine-dependent species contributed $5 billion to $6 billion annually to the U.S. economy. Despite these figures, over half of the nation's fishery-supporting wetlands habitats have been lost, which, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service in the mid-1980s, was costing the nation's fisheries $208 million each year. Recreation Recreational opportunities are another important contribution that wetlands make to the citizens of our nation. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that in 1980, 1.9 million hunters of migratory waterfowl spent in excess of $3 million. To illustrate the extent of waterfowl hunting, the FWS estimates that, in 1985, almost 2 million waterfowl hunters spent more than 10 million hunter-days afield-almost five days per hunter-to harvest more than 14 million birds. Recreational fishing is also an important wetland-dependent activity that generates millions of dollars annually. In preliminary findings, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that, in 1991, more than 34 million adults participated in fishing and spent more than $3.7 billion on fishing equipment. Finally, the amount of money spent by Americans on other wildlife-related activities associated with wetlands involves billions of dollars each year. For example, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that 55 million people spent almost $10 billion in 1980, observing and photographing waterfowl and other wetland-dependent species of birds. This is an annual expenditure of almost $200 per person. Wetlands are important to the nation as aesthetic retreats and places of diversity for nature study and are central to the enjoy- ment of millions of Americans. Wetlands Status and Trends A 1990 study by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) found that in the lower 48 states, more than half the wetland acreage has disappeared in 200 years. This translates to a loss in excess of 60 acres per hour-one acre per minute-during the period between the 1780s and the 1980s. As the 1990 Service report starkly concluded, "...These data on the nation's wetlands loss provide a clear indication that continued loss will jeopardize a valuable resource. Over a 200-year time span, wetland acreage has diminished to the point where environmental and even socio-economic benefits [i.e., groundwater supply and 44