THE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL FEASIBILITY OF INCORPORATING WETLANDS INTO A WATER QUALITY TRADING PROGRAM AT THE WATERSHED SCALE

Incorporating the use of wetlands as a technology to enhance water quality trading programs requires the consideration of many political, economic, ecological, and legal issues. It is desirable to include wetlands as a nutrient reducing practice in certain water quality trading programs because these wetlands can provide additional benefits, beyond those of other technologies, such as carbon dioxide sequestration and increased habitat area and biodiversity. There is a great deal of interest from policymakers in extending the implementation of the United States EPA\u27s Water Quality Trading Policy to include the use of constructed or restored wetlands. However, is the incorporation of wetlands technology to enhance water quality trading programs economically and politically feasible at the watershed scale? This study evaluated the economic and political feasibility of establishing water quality trading programs that incorporate constructed or restored wetlands as a type of nutrient abatement technology. A review of the current literature concerning water quality trading and wetlands combined with selected case studies was used to identify critical knowledge gaps that could encumber the implementation of trading programs for both point and non-point sources as stakeholders. Four case studies provided various examples from a national perspective that illustrate the feasibility of implementing a wetlands and water quality trading program based on current practices managed by existing programs

A Water Quality Trading Framework for the Reedy River

2008 S.C. Water Resources Conference - Addressing Water Challenges Facing the State and Regio