WHAT’S HAPPENING?
By Larry Eichert

Why did our drainage system back up and flood the streets? Why is there an increase in insect populations? How come there is so much green stuff covering the ponds or weeds in the water? Why do some of our lakes smell funny? What is the reason for us seeing fewer bird species, alligators or other animals? These questions and others are a direct result of what is happening in our various wetland communities.

The biggest challenge facing the wetland areas within Heritage Harbour is one of hydrology. Hydrological conditions are extremely important for the maintenance of wetland’s structure and function. They affect many factors, including soil, bacterial activity, plant growth or decay, nutrient availability and its transmission and supply. These, in turn, determine the biota in a wetland, completing the cycle altering the wetland hydrology and other physiochemical features. The flow of water through the wetlands is the result of the balance between inflows and outflows of water, called the water budget.

The major components of a wetland’s water budget includes, precipitation, evapotranspiration, (water evaporating through the leaves) surface water flow, ground water fluxes and overbank flooding. This hydrological flow affects plant species composition and richness, primary productivity, organic accumulation, and nutrient cycling.

The proper flow of water throughout our wetland systems is a big challenge. It requires constant maintenance of water flow patterns that were constructed during the development of our community. In order to construct roads and develop an intra-structure the builders had to divert the natural flow of water through the land into a variety of channels, ditches, catch basins and an underground piping systems.

Accumulated sediments and organic matter gathering throughout the system has interrupted the water flow and decreased the duration and frequency by which the wetland areas are either flooded or drained. It has caused opportunistic and invasive species plants to flourish.

Mitigated areas throughout the community have met with varying levels of success. Some areas have shown an increase in species diversification and an increase in population density. This is particularly true for many of the littoral zones that have been planted in some of the water retention ponds. Others have not, specifically in the buffering regions. These areas contain the highest rate of invasive species plants. One factor could be the permeability, texture and stratigraphy of the soil. Another could be caused by a minimal amount of maintenance to keep these species under control during the growing season. Some has been caused by seed transmission by wind, bird droppings etc. (specifically Brazilian pepper). The best kept areas within the community, on the other hand, are the storm water retention ponds. They have been maintained with regular sprayings to control algae growth.

When hiking the trails through the community one notices that numerous piping systems are heavily siltated. They include inflow pipes, also filled with vegetation, some weirs are broken and a number of drawdown pipes are completely clogged, while other piping systems shown on maps could not be found. Outlet, outflow and overflow structures for the most part are in good condition. All of these have a profound effect on the hydrological cycles within the wetlands of our community.

Fixing the inter-structure piping system is something that must be undertaken to restore the proper functioning of our wetland communities. At the same time we still need to maintain an active program for the control of invasive plant species. Once this is done and both are properly maintained the micro-ecosystems within the wetland community will no longer be under as much stress and will develop into a complex, energy efficient, water purifying, wetland community over a period of time.

When this happens we will notice fewer insects because birds and small reptiles will control them. Less invasive specie plants will be seen because the systems will be drained properly. Fewer “weeds” will grow because of an increase in the complexity of plant species that will utilize the available nutrient supply inhibiting their establishment.

Wetlands have been called “biological supermarkets” because of the extensive food chain and rich biodiversity that they support. They play a major role in the landscape by providing unique habitats for a wide variety of flora and fauna. At the same time they are “the kidneys of the landscape” because they function as the receiver of waters both natural and from human sources. As the water drains through them they cleanse the polluted water, protect shorelines, and recharge groundwater aquifers.

Saving natural areas are part of a conscientious environmental awareness plan that the county requires. Every homeowner received Heritage Harbour’s Environmental Awareness Program Pamphlet that is intended to “serve as a guide for preserving the community’s environmental conscience for generations to come.”