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WETLAND
CONSERVATION ACT (WCA)
The Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation
District is the local Government Unit for the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA)
in Lincoln County.
There are three main
definitions that landowners need to know pertaining to the State of
Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act on Agricultural and Non-Agricultural
lands. They are: Fill, Drainage, and Excavation.
- Fill means any solid
material added to or re-deposited in a wetland that would alter its
cross-section or hydrological characteristics, obstruct flow
patterns, change the wetland boundary, or convert the wetland to a
non-wetland. It does not include posts and pilings for linear
projects such as bridges, elevated walkways, or power line
structures, or structures traditionally built on pilings, such as
docks and boathouses. It does include posts and pilings that
result in bringing the wetland into a non-aquatic use or
significantly altering the wetland's functions and values, such as
the construction of office and industrial developments, parking
structures, restaurants, stores, hotels, housing projects, and
similar structures.
- Drainage
means any method for removing or
diverting waters from wetlands. The methods shall include, but
are not limited to, excavation of an open ditch, installation of
subsurface drainage tile, filling, diking, or pumping. (This
includes the use of the moldboard plow leaving a dead furrow to
drain a wetland).
- Excavation
means the displacement or removal of substrate, sediment of
other materials by any method.
Environmental benefits of wetlands
include:
- Wetlands can reduce flooding by
slowing excess water runoff during times of heavy rainfall or
snowmelt.
- Wetlands can improve water quality
by filtering sediments, nutrients, and other pollutants out of water
before it enters rivers or lakes.
- Wetlands provide habitat for many
fish, wildlife, and plant species, some of which can only survive in
wetlands.
- Wetlands can provide areas for
public recreation and education.
When most people think of wetlands, they
picture swampy, marshy areas complete with ducks and cattails.
While those areas are indeed wetlands, others might look quite different
and may not even have surface water for much of the year. Not all
wetlands are readily identifiable by people without specialized
training. The following are suggestions for anyone who has a
project that might impact a wetland:
- Find out if land you want to alter
is a wetland. Contact the Lincoln SWCD at 507-694-1630, Ext.
3, before breaking ground on any project.
- Before you purchase property for
development, consider the existence of any wetlands and weigh the
environmental impact and financial cost of disturbing those areas
against the projects benefits.
- Consider the possible concerns of
the community and the project's neighbors.
- Design your project accordingly
after you have received proper determination of where the wetlands
are located.
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