This May is the 25th anniversary of American Wetlands Month. Many of us may not even know a wetland when we see one, yet its importance cannot be overstated.
Wetlands quietly protect us by absorbing floodwaters, filtering pollution and providing habitat for so many birds, fish and other wild species. Down in the Missouri boot-heel lies a huge swath of wetlands where migratory birds seek rest and food, and where fish spawn and rear their young.
By storing massive amounts of water during storms, the wetlands also protect the Illinois towns of Cairo and Olive Branch from destructive flooding. These precious wetlands get their water from the Mississippi River through the last remaining gap in the complex of levees that divide the river from its floodplain. Without the gap, the wetlands would die, along with many of the fish and birds that rely on them. We'd likely see floods in Cairo and Olive Branch like we did in 2011. The Army Corps of Engineers wants to close the gap with a $165 million boondoggle.
The Environmental Protection Agency has the power to stop it. It should. Let's honor America's wetlands.
KIM A. KNOWLES
Champaign
