In November the Environmental Protection Agency proposed changes to the Clean Water Act. The changes would narrow federal protections by removing automatic coverage for interstate waters and only protecting tributaries and wetlands that have unbroken surface connections to larger bodies of water.
Wetlands contribute to water quality by filtering nitrates and chemicals from water going down to streams, rivers, and lakes. They also reduce flooding impacts.
Dan Icel, Executive Director of the Woodbury County Conservation Board, told Siouxland Public Media the Owego Wetlands are owned and operated by Woodbury County; therefore, they will not be impacted by the proposed changes. The Owego Wetlands are located near Sloan and Hornick.
He explained if the proposed changes were approved, states and counties would still have the ability to create their own laws and protections for wetlands.
Icel said without the protection, Iowa could see an impact on water quality if the wetlands in the state are farmed or drained.
“I think you are going to see farmed wetlands that were protected before are going to get plowed under or tiled, and they're not going to be there,” said Icel.
He noted that one acre of wetland absorbs thousands of gallons of water. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, an acre of wetland can absorb 1-1.5 million gallons of floodwater.
