ARTICLES

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Wilson Skims the Surface of Headwater Wetlands

by Jeremy C. Haas

The 1997 U.S. v. Wilson decision overturned federal regulation of isolated wetlands because they lack a surface connection to navigable waters. But a case may be made that below-surface connections are the most important link between these isolated bodies and regulated waters.

Jeremy C. Haas facilitates collaborative solutions to water quality challenges at the University of California Cooperative Extension. He obtained his master’s degree in marine estuarine environmental sciences from the University of Maryland.

Watch this Space: Farm Bill 2000

by Timothy D. Searchinger

The law that replaces the 1996 “Freedom to Farm” bill may arrive ahead of its time. The new legislation’s effect on wetlands will depend greatly on the types of subsidies it includes as well as the level of support for traditional conservation programs that protect wetlands.

Timothy D. Searchinger is a senior attorney with the Environmental Defense Fund in Washington, DC.

Hypoxia Solution Through Wetland Restoration in America’s Breadbasket PDF

by William J. Mitsch

A “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico caused by pollution emanating from 40 percent of the lower 48 United States, has recently caught the nation’s attention. Presented here is a summary of a scientific report commissioned by the federal government that recommends, among other things, a massive restoration of wetlands and riparian buffers in the Midwest to help solve the gulf pollution problem.

William J. Mitsch is professor of natural resources and environmental science with The Ohio State University in Columbus and director of the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park. He was president of the Society of Wetland Scientists in 1994-95 and received a National Wetlands Award for Science Research in 1996.

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Wetland and Watershed Protection for Great Salt Lake

by Robert W. Adler

The wetlands surrounding Great Salt Lake contribute tremendous biodiversity to the semi-arid Utah landscape. But the pressures of water modification and lakeshore development threaten these resources and call for a watershed approach to managing the lake and wetland ecosystem.

Robert W. Adler is professor of law with the University of Utah College of Law’s Wallace Stegner Center for Land, Resources, and the Environment in Salt Lake City.