Current Management

During the past 15 years, actions taken by State and federal governments demonstrate an increased awareness of both the broad public benefits of wetlands and the need to protect and enhance wetland habitats. One such recent action was the "no net loss of wetlands" policy adopted by both federal and state governments; California's wetland policy states "no net loss in the short-term and an increase in wetlands in the long-term." Protecting and restoring wetlands will cause additional demands on California's water supplies since a critical need for many of the existing and potential public and private wetlands is a reliable and affordable supply of good quality water. Figure 8-6 from the California Water Plan Update shows publicly managed fresh-water wetlands.

Figure 8-6. Publicly Managed Fresh-Water Wetlands