SREL Reprint #2414

Wetland resource evaluation in the Edisto River Basin, USA

Rebecca R. Sharitz1, Harry E. Shealy, Jr2, and William D. Marshall3

1Botany Department, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602 USA
2Biology Department, University of South Carolina, Aiken, SC 29802 USA
3South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Columbia, SC 29201 USA

Abstract: The Edisto River Basin Project was created by the South Carolina (USA) Department of Natural Resources to evaluate the various resources of the 8,083 km2 watershed, including economic, cultural, recreational and natural resources. This project was an assessment and planning process undertaken by the citizens of the basin to develop goals and recommendations for future use and management of these resources as well as for economic growth. Fifteen expert committees were established to assess each of the resources, including the wetlands, using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. The Wetlands Expert Committee was charged with evaluating wetland areas suitable for supporting ecological functions that enhance environmental quality in the basin. The committee identified the wetland resources from two sources of mapped information: hydric soils derived from the US Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI). In order to assess the quality of the basin's wetlands, the committee chose seven criteria that reflect common functions or features of wetlands. They include: 1) nutrient filtration and processing, 2) opportunity for water quality improvement, 3) floodwater velocity reduction, 4) plant production and organic material transport, 5) hydrologically intact conditions, 6) flood water storage, and 7) wetlands with special features. These criteria emphasize riverine wetland functions, and the wetlands identified as most significant in the basin are those associated with the rivers, streams, and estuaries. These criteria were also used to develop specific recommendations for future wetland management and protection.

SREL Reprint #2414

Sharitz, R.R., H.E. Shealy, Jr., and W.D. Marshall. 1998. Wetland resource evaluation in the Edisto River Basin, USA. pp. 347-358. In: McComb, A.J. and J.A. Davis (Eds.). Wetlands for the Future, INTECOL's V International Wetlands Conference. Geneagles Publishing. Adelaide, Australia.

This information was provided by the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (srel.uga.edu).