How will OMWM affect the salt marsh?
In the 1930’s, during the depression, the government put many people to work in programs designed to increase employment. One of the jobs created was ditch digging in salt marshes. Over 90% of all east coast salt marshes were ditched. This ditching was originally designed to eliminate mosquito-breeding habitat on the marsh by draining the water off the marsh quickly after high tides. In many cases there was effective mosquito control. One of the unforeseen side effects, though, was that since there was no longer any water on the marsh the marsh was no longer used by the wildlife that needed the water. Another problem was that the ditching was not always maintained and in some situations the ditches, that were designed to prevent mosquito breeding, became breeding habitat. Open Marsh Water Management is designed to utilize some of the old ditches, fill in certain other ditches and create small ponds that will provide habitat for the fish and birds. Immediately after the work is complete
