Mike Sertle, who manages wetlands restoration projects on the Mississippi River for Ducks Unlimited, motions how high the water can get in a roughly 250-acre restored wetland behind him in Southern Illinois on May 24. Eric Schmid/St. Louis Public Radio
NOTES
- Climate change - Riverfront developments
- The river is a tourist draw - parks, kayaking, fishing, birding
- Developments - multi-million$ want to tap into natural river activities.
- Wetlands restoration to manage water - Raskie slough - 60 acres of tall grasses, shallow ponds - birds abound - this slough can hold excess water, but eventually it flows back into the Mississippi -
- This Mimics a natural system - $250,000 to restore wetland
- Stem flooding from snow melts - Lacrosse Wisconsin - pumps move from lower areas to wetlands, stores it there - marsh in the city
Having nature "work for them" reduces risk, plus, banks offering loans - give better interest rates on developments that preserve wetlands because the “wetland creates a natural buffer to protect what we’re buying/paying for.”
Your thoughts are most welcome.