[Moontanman]

Originally Posted by freeztar

Wetlands could unleash carbon bomb | Markets | Reuters

It is interesting how swamps are considered "bad" and not really worth saving. Hopefully this will change some people's perceptions.

Around here the idea was "No wet lands, no seafood" I live between a huge marine/brackish wet land area and a huge fresh water swamp area. We take our wet lands seriously here.

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by Moontanman

Around here the idea was "No wet lands, no seafood" I live between a huge marine/brackish wet land area and a huge fresh water swamp area. We take our wet lands seriously here.

Mangroves used to be seen as ugly, smelly bushes that prevented you having a true waterfront home.
Now they are all protected and in some areas being replanted. They are the nurseries for many fish and other marine life.

Many of Australia's outback swamps are very seasonal. We now have a little water in them after the big 10 year dry. They are now packed with every kind of nesting bird known to man

Regrettably, some are now beyond redemption and are almost pure sulphuric acid.

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

Regrettably, some are now beyond redemption and are almost pure sulphuric acid.

Can you please provide a link? I've never heard of such a thing.

In fact, in the USA, we categorize wetlands by three factors: plants, hydrology, and soils. In an environment of almost completely sulphuric acid, no plants would grow. You might find hydrology, but I'm quite sure the soils would be a bit different.

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by freeztar

Can you please provide a link? I've never heard of such a thing.

This should give it to you:_
Catalyst - Fire, Flood and Acid Mud - The Murray-Darling in Crisis
Click on the acid mud video. The other segmenets are worth watching to if you like environmental horror stories.

The Murray Darling is Australia's biggest river system. Think of the importance and length of the Mississippi with about 90% less water in it.

It runs though 4 of our 6 states and all argue about its use. Now the Federal government is going to take over its management. But for a lot of the system it is too late. Even a major rain event won't help. It is a national tragedy.

I would like to see a solar de-sal plant at its headwaters putting in mega gigalites of fresh water a week, but I don't think our technology or politicians are up to that yet.

[freeztar]

Wow, that's amazing! A pH of 1.91!!

[modest]

I'd also like to express my shock and surprise... That's crazy!

~modest

[Michaelangelica]

The sad part about it is the Oz environment is used to drying out and then floods, but not to the degree of late.
When a flood occurs all the little planktonny-buggy-things come alive and start feeding and powering the food chain. But they can't survive in sulphuric acid. So even if these SO2 areas are flooded- they are stuffed; no life; and where does the sulphuric acid go?; downstream to wreak havoc elsewhere?

It is a tragedy of massive national and international proportions partly bought about by our own greed and ignorance in taking too much irrigation water from the system & government inaction, but also the extreme drought. In parts of the river last year you could have a picnic on the river bed there was so little water in it.

Murray-Darling Basin
The Murray-Darling Basin is one of Australia's largest drainage divisions and covers one-seventh of the continent.

It is ranked fifteenth in the world in terms of length and twenty first in terms of area. The Murray-Darling Basin includes the three largest rivers in Australia; the Murray River, the Darling River and the Murrumbidgee River.

The Murray-Darling Basin is very important for its biodiversity. At the time of European settlement, about 28 per cent of Australia's mammal species, about 48 per cent of its birds and some 19 per cent of its reptiles were found there.

There some 30,000 wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin, and 15 have been listed under the international Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention, Iran, 1977).

* Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

The Murray-Darling Basin is also very important for rural communities and Australia's economy. Three million Australians inside and outside the Murray-Darling Basin are directly dependent on its water.
About 85 per cent of all irrigation in Australia takes place in the Murray-Darling Basin, which supports an agricultural industry worth more than $9 billion per annum.

Murray-Darling Basin
The birds will suffer most as they breed in the wetlands.

Murray-Darling river system turns into acid
Article from: Herald Sun
Cathy Alexander and Nick Higginbottom
June 19, 2008 12:00am

THE parched Murray-Darling river system has started to die, turning into acid capable of burning human flesh.

A leaked scientific report to governments has warned parts of the river system, particularly the lower lakes close to the mouth, is on its last legs.

Mike Young, professor of water economics at the University of Adelaide, said parts of the Murray-Darling Basin were becoming acidic as underwater soils became exposed to the sun.

"If you put your hands in it you get burnt," Prof Young said. "This is sulphuric acid. Once you get to there, there's no turning back.

"Those systems are now dead forever."

Murray-Darling river system turns into acid | Herald Sun

[Racoon]

Here are some pics Freeztar of the wetlands near my house I'd say I would get for you..
Its at the lowest waterpoint prolly for this area possible.

This is now Padden Parkway, a new corridor that makes easier access to major freeway and major shopping at Costco and Home Depot. At the expense of some wetland of course..

However, as we are somewhat environmentally cautious around these parts, they did try to minimize the damage.

Padden Parkway through a wetland area


On the fence


Looking in


they always throw in a few tree stumps and logs for the birds

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by Racoon

Here are some pics Freeztar of the wetlands near my house I'd say I would get for you..

Sweet!
I love this stuff!

Its at the lowest waterpoint prolly for this area possible.

It still seems healthy to me.

This is now Padden Parkway, a new corridor that makes easier access to major freeway and major shopping at Costco and Home Depot. At the expense of some wetland of course..

However, as we are somewhat environmentally cautious around these parts, they did try to minimize the damage.

It looks like they did a really good job actually. I would have to see the other side to know for sure, but it looks like they were very careful to use fill only where necessary and to build on 3:1 (maybe 4:1) slopes to minimize impact. They have good growth along the slope (from what I can tell from the photo) and the right of way fencing is much more robust than usual (leading me to believe that it is also supposed to exclude deer and other large mammals from encountering the roadway).

Thanks for the pictures Racoon!
If you happen by there again with a camera in hand, take some shots of the other side of the road. Where is the drainage focused beneath the road? What size pipe was used? Do you see wildlife tracks in the sediment within the pipes? And most importantly, what is that monoculture grass stand that sits in the distance (from the 3rd and 4th pics)?

Cheers!
freezy

[freeztar]

Upon reviewing the photos more, they should plant some trees or shrubs along the drainage areas. The WADOT have (or at least when I was there 2003) access to salvaged plants at a state run nursery outside of Olympia/Tumwater.

If you saw the crap I see on a day-to-day basis...it makes your photos look exemplary.

The problem with leaving the ground bare there is that most likely, Scot's Broom will overtake it (I see some all along the edges of the wetland, in your pics). Establishing native growth early on will help stave away any foreign growth and at the same time benefit the rest of the water downstream.