aerial view photography of green leaf trees surrounded by body of water at daytime

Wetlands in the Great Lake Region and Present-day Restoration Questions

October 26, 2022

The Midwestern region of the United States is primarily known for its vast Great Lakes. Formed from the melting of the glaciers 20,000 years ago, the region grew wet and the Great Lakes weren’t the only aquatic ecosystem formed in the process. Originally, the great lake region of the United States was composed of all kinds of marshes and swamps which have since been greatly altered by human development. Now the question is- Should we restore these wetlands that were lost so many years ago?

The Great Black Swamp

One of the largest wetlands formed from the melting on the glaciers was the Great Black Swamp. The Great Black Swamp was approximately 1,500 square miles long and located in northwestern Ohio moving through Indiana. A swamp is a forested wetland containing trees that shed there leaves into the water below them. Theses leaves decompose in the water turning the water black. Therefore, The swamp was named the Great Black Swamp for its black water.

Back then, the Great Black Swamp was feared by many. It was deemed uninhabitable by westerners who later decided to relocate the Native American tribes to the swamp (who actually learned to live with the swamp). Over time, the Native Americans again got relocated further west and Americans decided to drain the swamp trying to make it habitable. Due to the massive amount of draining and development in the area, very little remains of the Great Black Swamp today.

Swamps in the Chicago region

Ever wonder why there are so many small retention ponds in the Chicago region? Believe it or not, but theses ponds weren’t there a few hundred years ago but rather they were made from the draining of a wetland that used to lay where Chicago is now. From 1890-1910 the wetlands of Chicago were drained using ditching and other methods (read more about how Chicago turned form wetlands to a city). With this draining some of the water went into Lake Michigan while others made small retention ponds all throughout the city.

The draining of the wetlands lead to a huge environmental change. With the loss of the these wetlands came the loss of all the species who relied on them (specialized aquatic plants, mollusks, amphibians, etc.). No one knew the effects of the draining of these wetlands that would have on the function of the Great Lakes, but we are now realizing how important these wetlands were to the regions environmental function.

Ecological manipulation

Because of this massive alteration to the environment the naturel environmental processes of the region changed. Due to city development in the Midwest region, the natural flooding patterns that used to be here have changed making it inhospitable for aquatic plants. Furthermore the water of the Great Lakes is not longer filtered by the wetlands who suck up excess nutrients from runoff. Because of this, each great lake experiences some type of harmful algal bloom cause by the abundance of nutrients in the lakes. More specifically in Ohio, the draining of the Great Black Swamp has devastated Lake Erie’s water quality resulting in super bad yearly algal blooms that ake the drinking water undrinkable. Watch the video below to learn how Lake Eire is effected by these algal blooms.

Restoring wetlands in the Midwest

Restoring wetlands in the Midwest may be a good option for ecologists looking to restore water quality in the great lake. These wetlands would help to restore the natural aquatic habitats bringing back aquatic plants and amphibians. Additionally, wetlands will help to control erosion, help with flooding, and help to release retained water into the ground water supply.

In Chicago, floating wetlands are being designed and planted on the Chicago River. This project is ran by the Shedd Aquarium and Urban Rivers with the goal to help clean the water and to bring new plant life and habitat to the river. They also hope to engage the public and make it more appealing to kayakers and tourists.

The Black Swamp Conservancy, located in northwestern Ohio, is planting wetlands near Lake Erie in hopes to reduce the amount of harmful algal blooms that occur. Wetlands are great at filtering out excess nutrients in the water. They hope that these wetlands can help to reduce the nutrients coming from nutrient runoff in nearby farmlands. The conservancy hopes that these wetlands will help to filter excess nutrients from water running into Lake Erie therefore reducing the occurrences of harmful algal blooms.

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Should we restore wetlands in cities?

One problem that comes with restoring wetlands in very populated areas like cities is the potential harmful effects that come with it. Amphibians, who populate wetlands, have highly permeable skins that maximize their exposure to pollutants. Therefore, when you have wetlands in polluted areas, the amphibians that live there will be affected by the toxins which can result in death, sickness, and deformations. Cities also harm amphibians by emitting too much light pollution. Light pollution can harm amphibians who are nocturnally active or have biological rhythms associated with light.

Not only can the pollution in cities harm amphibians, but it might not be widely accepted by citizens to have a wetland in their backyards. Many people who are not accustomed to the wild get afraid by the thought of having a wetland near their homes. Fears of mosquitoes and weird smells makes wetlands unappealing to many folks. But on a good not, adding wetlands can serve as an educational tool for the public showing them that there isn’t a lot of danger that comes with them.

The idea of establishing wetland in highly populated may be daunting to some and pose certain risks to amphibians, but overall, the benefits of the wetlands can outweigh the potential cons. It’s a good idea to keep in mind the potentials risks that come into play when restoring wetlands in cities. Bringing back wetlands may not be the end-all solution, but it can definitely help ecologists out in the Midwest looking to improve the water quality of the Great Lakes.