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Measuring tape
being used to establish an assessment area during a wetland
assessment study |
DNREC’s Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program and the
Center for the
Inland Bays are leading The Delaware Sudden Wetland Dieback Task
Group, which is made up of government and private organizations to
determine the distribution, management implications and possible
causes of SWD.
An aerial survey conducted in September, 2006 found that SWD is
present in all three of the Inland Bays. The survey
demonstrated that dieback varies greatly in intensity, and may be
present in a majority of the marshes at low levels. It is
severe in a few locations. Because this was an aerial survey
taking place in the autumn, end-of-season natural changes may have
partially obscured some instances of SWD. Studies conducted
through the 2007 season should provide better accuracy and
more details on the area and intensity of SWD in the Inland Bays.
The task group is seeking short-term funding to monitor the recovery
and distribution of dieback areas using a combination of remote
sensing tools and onsite data collection. This will provide
information for making determinations on restoration activities for
sites that don't recover on their own. The group also
recommends that investigations into the cause(s) of SWD should be
conducted at reasonable cost at a subset of sites, and plans to
pursue three main questions:
- Will marshes with SWD regenerate in 2007?
- What is the distribution of SWD in Delaware?
- What are the dominant stressors affecting tidal marshes?
Diagnostic studies of past marsh losses should also be conducted to
provide information guiding possible management of submerging marsh
resources. Additional saltmarsh stressors, such as the impacts
of large numbers of snow geese wintering on the marshes and
nearshore development should be addressed as immediately as
possible. 
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