I-295 and levee infrastructure

Wetlands are important river’s regulator and they have also been altered by the development of highways expansion. The systemic removal of wetlands in our urban ecosystems have indirectly made them more vulnerable in the face of changing climate and water constraints. Wetlands have always been among the most productive ecosystems in the world, comparable to rain forests and coral reefs. A large majority of Americans still live within a mile of a river or a stream, and they’re drinking-water-dependent of those water bodies. Not only their drinking needs but also their food, electricity, transportation, and health depend on the quality of their water resources. Dudgeon, D., Arthington, A., Gessner, M., Kawabata, Z., Knowler, D., Leveque, C., Naiman, R., Prieur-Richard, A., Soto, D., Stiassny, M. and Sullivan, C. (2006). Freshwater biodiversity: Importance, threats, status and conservation challenges. Biological Reviews 81:163-182