Delaware is receiving a $443,000 grant from the EPA to help protect the state’s wetlands.
DNREC is one of six recipients to earn a piece of the $2.6 million EPA investment in wetland management.
Wetlands make up 25 percent of the First State but have been on a steady decline, especially in the last couple decades.
In addition to serving as habitats for rare plants and animals, and improving water quality, DNREC Secretary David Small says the wetlands also have an impact on local communities.
“The loss of those wetlands is most acutely noticeable when you have storm events because these wetlands are able to absorb a tremendous amount of water. And so as you lose these areas, you find that communities that have healthy wetlands surrounding them fare better. But those who are losing wetlands or where wetlands that may have been converted for whatever reason then you see more water in these communities.”
The EPA funds will help fund scientific research into how wetlands respond to sea level rise, which Small says poses a significant threat.
“Wetlands replenish themselves as plant matter dies, that becomes the soil and they, they build up. But over time, sea level rise is outpacing the ability of our wetlands to heal and repair themselves,” said Small.
The state plans to focus its immediate work on sensitive wetland areas, such as the Smyrna River and Red Lion Creek watersheds.
Additionally, the grant will help the state reach out to local landowners to prepare them for future severe weather events.
