Wetland Drainage in the Hawk Creek Pilot Watershed, Minnesota

This study examine the effects of a federal flood-control project on the drainage of wetlands in the Hawk Creek watershed, a major tributary of the Minnesota River. The report describes the study methodology, which involved analysis of aerial photographs to determine the effects of channeling (a method of flood control) on the wetlands. The author concludes that over 50 percent of wetlands in channeled areas were lost, while the rate was only 13 percent in unchanneled areas, clearly showing the role of traditional flood control in wetland loss.