‘It’s a mess’: Neighbors question Pierce County Creek management – KIRO 7 News Seattle
I’m struggling with the premise of this story. The property in question sits within an officially designated wetland and regulated floodplain, and the complaint is essentially that the land is now… wet.
Wetlands are supposed to hold water. Floodplains are supposed to absorb floodwater. Vegetation, woody debris, and even beaver activity are natural parts of these systems and can provide important habitat, water-quality, and downstream flood-control benefits. Turning every creek into a neatly cleared drainage ditch simply moves water somewhere else.
If Pierce County’s management has artificially worsened flooding, absolutely investigate it. If a private well is contaminated, test it and determine the source. But “my wetland is swampy” by itself is not evidence of government mismanagement. Sometimes the environmentally responsible thing is allowing a wetland to function like a wetland. We need to make a conscious effort to protect and embrace our wetlands and floodplains.