by Erin Dorset, DNREC Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program Are wetlands always wet? In some ways, wetlands are self-explanatory: lands that are wet. But oftentimes, it’s not so simple. Some wetlands are wet for the entire year and always have water on the surface or are very damp. Those wetlands are pretty easy to identify. […]
by Erin Dorset, DNREC Wetland Monitoring & Assessment Program As you might imagine, sea level rise can increase water levels and cause more flooding. As that happens, salt water starts to move further inland. It may start to creep into freshwater areas through a process called saltwater intrusion. Higher waters can endanger coastal communities, while […]
by Brittany Haywood, DNREC Wetland Monitoring & Assessment Program What is your version of a naturally beautiful area? Is it this? Or is it this? We as humans tend to want things orderly and precise, I know I do. But when it comes to natural environments, nature has a way of organizing itself. It can […]
By Kenny Smith, DNREC, Wetland Monitoring & Assessment Program Wetlands provide many vital benefits to the State of Delaware, like habitat for all kinds of plants and animals, improved water quality, and erosion control. Another benefit that wetlands provide is flood control. Wetlands have the ability to collect and store storm waters and lessen flooding […]
Guest Writer by Caren Fitzgerald, DNREC Division of Energy & Climate Climate change. Odds are, you already have thoughts and feelings about those words. You may know people whose thoughts and feelings about climate change differ from your own. But our thoughts and feelings don’t change the truth: that climate change is happening now, that […]
by Erin Dorset, DNREC Wetland Monitoring & Assessment Program Tidal salt and brackish marshes are amazing wetland places that are home to many unique plant and animals—including some really cool wetland birds. Many birds depend on salt and brackish marshes for food, shelter, and nesting areas. Some of these birds are large and easily seen, […]
by Alison Rogerson, DNREC’s Wetland Monitoring & Assessment Program (aka Delaware Wetlands) Curious as to what Delawareans think about wetlands? In September of this year we polled 600 Delaware residents across our three counties to find out. We wanted to see if people knew what wetlands are, their benefits, if they think they are good […]
Guest Writer: Tom McKenna, University of Delaware Groundwater discharge areas are common hydrologic features in Delaware’s Piedmont Province, located in hilly northern New Castle County. Discharge occurs as springs or seeps. (A seep can be described as simply a spring with discharge through the very small openings between soil or sediment grains. In reality it […]
Guest Writer: Susan Guiteras, USFWS Project history If you have an interest in Delaware wetlands, chances are you’ve heard about the management challenges and subsequent tidal marsh restoration at Prime Hook NWR, near Milton. For many years, two large areas encompassing about 4000 acres of the refuge were managed as freshwater impoundments. Beginning in 2006 […]
You may already be aware that saltwater wetlands are influenced by ocean tides, and that freshwater wetlands located further inland are not influenced by tides. But, did you know that there are freshwater wetlands that are actually still influenced by the ocean’s tides? These wetlands, commonly called tidal freshwater wetlands, are in some ways similar […]
