While we here in California suffer from our worst drought in years, residents of the Midwest face a different set of water issues. We recently got a firsthand view of these from our friends at the Chicago-based Wetlands Initiative. As John Sentell, TWI’s Executive Vice President explains, “Wetlands play an important role in healthy ecosystems by reducing flood risk, providing wildlife habitat and helping to clean the water that runs through them.”

It seems that during the 19^th and 20^th centuries the wetlands of the Midwest were drained to create its farmlands and cities (in fact, Chicago was built almost entirely on wetlands!). Nearly 85% of the wetlands in the upper Midwest’s six key agricultural states have been destroyed. The effects of this destruction can be felt as far away as the Gulf of Mexico, where an 8,000 square mile “Dead Zone” caused largely by runoff from Midwest farmlands is now a growing threat. TWI is working to turn back the clock through a variety of innovative research and restoration projects. Their site offers a wealth of fascinating information on the ecology and economics of wetlands. You can also make a donation, learn how to volunteer and how to be a better environmental steward if you live on or near a wetland.