South Dakota Wetland Earthcache EarthCache
South Dakota Wetland Earthcache
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Water is important to earth's ecology as well as mankind. Nature provides different ways to filter impurities from the water. As water leaves the atmosphere, such as in rain, snow, ice, or fog, it picks up impurities in the air. When the water lands on soil, rock, and vegetation, it again picks up substances, including bacteria and other "bugs", and holds them in suspension. Water is also "polluted" by animals, including humans, in their body waste.
Just as your kidneys purify your blood of impurities, so do wetlands. The plant roots absorb pollutants and bacteria in the soil then can change the "bad" for "good", less harmful compounds before being released, leaving clean water to fill our lakes and rivers.
What is a Wetland?
Wetlands are commonly referred to as marshes, sloughs, swamps, bogs, and potholes. They are transitional lands where the water table is usually near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. Many wetlands are actually dry for long periods of the year. Wetlands must have one or more of the following qualities: (1) at least periodically, the land supports mostly water loving plants (hydrophytes); (2) at times the soil is so wet that it lacks oxygen; and (3) the soil is saturated with water or covered by shallow water at some time during the growing season of each year (Cowardin et al., 1979).
The five major non-technical groupings of wetlands based on Cowardin's system are listed below (from the National Wetlands Inventory Manual).
1. open ocean and associated coastline
2. salt marshes and brackish tidal water
3. rivers, creeks and streams
4. lakes and deep ponds
5. shallow ponds, marshes, swamps and sloughs
In a broad sense, wetlands in South Dakota are stock dams, dugouts, marshes, ponds, rivers and lakes. These areas may hold water continuously or may be flooded only for short periods. The wetlands most valuable to wildlife in South Dakota are found in what is called the "Prairie Pothole Region."
No need to enter private property or cross fences to access this cache.
To complete requirements for the Earthcache, please answer the following questions in an email to me:
Q1: What type of wetland do you see here?
Q2: What do you see here? Please be as descriptive as possible.
Q3: What is the approximate area of this feature and the area served by this feature? (please use units of sq. miles or sq. feet)
Q4: Describe at least three benefits this location provides.
Q5: Where does the water from this feature go?
Q6: What caused this feature to be here?
Optional: If you would like to do so, a picture of you or your group at GZ, taken towards the south, would be greatly appreciated to show how the area evolves over time.
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Treasures
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