Status and Trends of Wetlands in Minnesota: Depressional Wetland Quality Baseline

From the prairie potholes in the southwest to the vast expanses of peatlands in the north, the diversity of Minnesota's wetlands is arguably unmatched by any other state. Although roughly half of Minnesota's original wetlands have been lost to draining or filling, beginning in the 1970s public perception began to shift with recognition of the many ecological and societal benefits that wetlands provide. In Minnesota this trend was exemplified by the passage of the Wetlands Conservation Act (WCA) in 1991, which aims to "achieve no-net-loss in the quantity, quality, and biological diversity of Minnesota's existing wetlands" and eventually accomplish gains in these areas. Until recently, existing wetland monitoring programs were unable to accurately evaluate whether the WCA was meeting its stated goals. In 2006, a statewide wetland monitoring program was initiated to assess status and trends of both wetland quantity and quality. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) is primarily responsible for the implementation of the wetland quantity monitoring program, while the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) conducts the state's wetland quality monitoring program. The focus of this report is on the design and results of the initial wetland quality survey, which evaluates the function and condition of depressional wetlands (e.g., marshes) and ponds throughout the state.