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<br />~E~;ME l~~!:?, .
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<br />Tho Eil\;;,onmcm;u I'rotccti,o'n Age"ey'(EPA). in
<br />.partnership wi,h o,her goVef!ln;CJ1t.agentics; ~orir.:ofit "
<br />organi7.1tions "ndloeal ci,izen'ishates. responsibili.ty f,!r
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<br />protecting our\vetland resources, EPA'recognize. [hat ali
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<br />dl~[ive'wet'land' prOl<'Ct~on ;"o~~ ,~e<juir6"
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<br />citizen i~l\'olvement. You can
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<br />hecume involved by ,
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<br />learning .bou, ErA's
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<br />"Adopt:A,Wedand."
<br />:'!'rogram ",hieh
<br />eoco~tages local
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<br />groups to act as
<br />guardians of ,hes<:
<br />. valuahle resources.
<br />. You can also fanliliarize
<br />yourself with the permit .
<br />.plOCeSS "",abllshed uode,
<br />.seqion 404 of ,he Clean Water
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<br />Act. C)nce a completed ,:1
<br />application for dredging Ot. . '. 0:1
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<br />fining is submilied to [he Ar~y Corps of Engine,,!) office... ~,l
<br />a public notice is issued, and a 3qlri90 day i>.~bric COJ)I' '.1
<br />melll period follows, l:ct yourv,?:ic,; ~eheard: You sh;>uI~' ~,
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<br />also ask your Slate and 1001 agencies wharthey ate doing . l'
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<br />(0 manag(.~ and protect wetlands. . :[
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<br />Foragr'icultural activi,ies relaled lO wetlands, conract '2:
<br />your local Soil (':onservalion' Service, offic~ regarding die. . i
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<br />1990 Farm'BilL . 3i
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<br />. Fo~ more informatiqn
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<br />. EPA&,
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<br />'call 't,he EPA Regi'lll'8 roll."
<br />free number: 1,800-2278917. Or. call Ei'A's ~~tlands
<br />Horline in Washingron,D.C: at 1'~60-832,1828:
<br />@ prl~!ed O~I R~Y~I:(/ Pa{';;" .', '.
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<br />Wetland, are being lost ~t in alarming r~le:.'l:oday:
<br />It.., than h.'(of our original w'etl";ds rem~in, So~c o(rhe .' l~",
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<br />major causc>'ofwedands 10" and'degradalion inclirde .. ,
<br />agricultural drainage. u,rban development, ':hemi,c:il'~onran';i, t.',
<br />nation and ocher pol1\1~i('m. ()n<;~;'curuidered wastelands. ~~:
<br />'wetlan~s arc-"imporrant ccnsyst~ms' ~!.at.?ek~e"PfoteC(ion
<br />because of their unique fun<.:tio"ns -and val'ues. .
<br />Wetland, in the.R~ky M~u'ntai!, 'Reg:';n and Nonh-
<br />ern Greal Pla}nsare as, varied as the 'stares where th~y,~/'C
<br />found, Wedands in (;")Iorad,~. ;
<br />Montana; lIrah and. Wyon;ing
<br />consist of'wtl meadovis.sniall'
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<br />'vegetatei! ponds in the alpinc'
<br />tundra; and rip.ri~n ~r<-a.~ ~I
<br />~Iong rivr;rs'.and su"~ms, In. ~!
<br />Nor;'; and Soutll Dakola. the i~
<br />landscape is dotted with .
<br />wetlands kllowri as "I;r~irie
<br />potholeS," Urban wellmd~ friund in
<br />bOlh regions. consist of cattail marshes. riparian wedai,d. and
<br />some wet meadows.
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<br />,WHAT ARE WETLANDS?
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<br />TIle conditions that set wetlanJs-;,tpan fron) other"
<br />e<<)Systems include; ,limd that'is inundated or s.ll~llale? with
<br />water for pan of the growing season, sOi,ls that'conrai'ri liltle
<br />or no ox)'gen, amI ar~as that grow,hyd~oph)'tes~p'anr.s
<br />adapled to these conditi'ons, Canaiis,/?,a"ses; sedg~. ,,!,hes.
<br />willows, ~arsh marignlds and.,collonwoods are ~!llplesof
<br />wetland plan,'" '.n't variet}' of wetl.ilds,found'in thincgion
<br />rc>uh from differences in ropography. soils. climate, v.,geta-
<br />tion, W:llcr chemislrY and other f.'Croes,
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<br />r.::; ~ c.:UNC!!,,~~ANg.d!::1.LYES ~
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<br />_Wetlands.;ire dynamic and serve many purposes, SOJUt
<br />r,"o(whi~h arc' not always obvio~ lO dIe <':l.SUaI observer, For
<br />.insrancc, "wetlands help maintain and improvewart:r quality.
<br />They fllteH",ess nuttient~ and cbemical contaminanrs.
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<br />. . Wetlands Can also store war<r during floods, NO! only docs
<br />;, this ~Iow the ~pced of flOodwaters, bUI ;[reduccs erosion as
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<br />L~;el\" Werlands are sourc,:s ofgro,!nd
<br />and ~urfiKi: water, providing
<br />;, 'for domestic and agricul-
<br />'Il~re nee,lS. Many specieS
<br />of wildlife depend on
<br />1\ wetlands for their survival.
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<br />These biologically diverse areas arc also recogni1.ed for rhcir
<br />,,' sci'entific and edllcatillnal opponuniiics, Th<J' provide open
<br />, ,pace lor photcigraphy. narillc.walks; fishing and hunting,
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