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<br />Twin Cities wetlands <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Wetlands as percent <br />of county's total acreage <br /> <br />c::J 0.10% (Dakota andWaslunglon) <br />c:J 10.15 ", (Ramsey and Hennepm) <br />c::::::J 15.20", (Carver and Scolll <br />c::::::J 20'..lnore (Anoka) <br /> <br />WHAT'S A <br />WETLAND? <br /> <br />Wetlands have <br />proven 10 be very <br />hard 10 define and <br />frequently (jjfficullto <br />spOt. Even expens <br />have been unable 10 <br />see a wetland when <br />they stand in the <br />middle 01 one. Congress has dispalched the <br />National Academy of Sciences to evaluate <br />how wellands are defined. <br /> <br />v~ ~ <br />':,t.'}J.. <br />/, i'l <br />1.1 <br />!. <br /> <br /> <br />That question should help solve the other <br />major issue regarding wellands. namely. <br />how many should be saved. During the <br />1988 presidential campaign. George Bush <br />pledged Ihat "all e.isting wetlands. no <br />matter how small. Should be preselVed: <br />Bush evenrually backed away from that. and <br />recenlly. the adminlstrauon dropped plans to <br />loosen the definitIon of a wetland to e.c!ude <br />marginal wetlands - leaving the <br />controversy to PreSldenr Bill Clinton. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />1,1 Minnesota. where the state recognizes <br />eight dil1erenr types of wetlands. the con. <br />fusion is no dlllerent. Officials have only <br />vague ideas 01 how much of each type <br />exists in the Twin Cities. Here's a guide to <br />the eight types: <br /> <br /> <br />07.251 ~:. <br />.... <br />", <br />~f".. <br />" <br />CARVER <br />COUNlf <br /> <br />SCOTT <br />COUNTY <br /> <br />Sourc.: US. Fish and Wildl_'. S<<w:a <br /> <br />3. SHALLOW MARSH WETLANDS <br />One of the mOSf common of Twin Cilies <br />wellands. they oft~n are cover~ wllh up to 6 <br />inches of water. Vegetafion indudes bulrushes <br />and canal/s. As wrth Type 4 and 5 wetlands. <br />Type 3 wetlands a.. common in recently <br />develop~ suburbs suen as Oakdale. <br />Woodbury. Plymouth and Maple Grove. <br /> <br />71,m <br /> <br />6. SHRUB SWAMPS <br />Another of the most common Twin Cities <br />wetlandS. shrub swamps are otten waterlogged <br />with a few inches 0' waf!!t and occur in shrubby <br />or wooded areas. This rype of wetland occurs <br />'reQuenUy along the Minnesola River and In <br />parts of the nortl1em metro area. <br /> <br /> <br />1. BASIN/FLAT AREA WETLANDS <br />These are waterlogged only at cet1ain times 01 <br />Ihe year. Th"ey exist 11'1 h~tds. woods and <br />farmland. Along with Ihe Type 2 variety. Type 1 <br />wetlands dot the landscape In less.dev~oped <br />parts of the Twin Cities -Indeoendence. <br />northern Brooklyn Park and Minnetnst3,tor <br />example. <br /> <br />4. DEEP MARSH WETLANDS <br />These are usually filled with from 6 Inches to 3 <br />feet of water. Among the easiesl tyr.s of <br />weUands torecogniz!. these marshes otten fill <br />shallow lake baSins and border open waler. <br /> <br />7. WOODED SWAMPS <br />These are uncommon in the Twin Cilies. The <br />ground is often covered wilh a thin layer of <br />waler. The trees that grow In such swamps <br />indude tamarack. spruce. balsam and ash. <br />Such a wetland mIght be lound in the Scandia <br />and Forest Lake area of northern Washingron <br />County. <br /> <br /> <br />2. MEADOW WETLANDS <br />ihese ohen border marshes and occur in <br />farmland sloughs. Although the ground IS often <br />dry, !his weUand IS usually wa1enogged within a <br />few inches of the surface. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />S. OPEN.WATER WETLANDS <br />As muc!l ponds as wetlands. these are as easy <br />to Spol as the deep marsh variety. Waler mighl <br />be as deep as 10 leel. and vegetation includes <br />walemlies. canalls and pondweeds. <br /> <br />_ Souree: Mmnesota Oep~nt of NabJrai Resourees and U.S. Atmy Coros of e"~S <br /> <br />~~"i~~"i r.~(~.~;;'~~~{~:f.11 <br />:A:l ~~\.l" n'I""~ .~~r. 'i <br />'.)~:.~i~~,-:~..~~ - <br />i~;:~~~f~'~~:f~~~ <br /> <br /> <br />8. BOGS <br />Perhaos the rarest kind Of w~lIand in the metro <br />area. bogs are usually walerfogged and <br />covered wllh mosses. Other vegetatIOn includes <br />shnlbs and Stunled trees. Type B wetlands <br />occur in the East Bethel and Linwood township <br />areas aI northern Anoka County. <br />