Wetlands to the Rescue of Society

Wetlands are ecosystems that are formed where water is temporally or permanently accumulated in response to geomorphological and hydrological conditions, which imply particular characteristics of the soil, fauna, and flora¹. In Colombia, there are wetlands in all the regions of the country², and they may be found from sea level all the way to the high mountains. The area of wetland does not only include the body of water but also those parts that periodically dessicate, even those that are never flooded but have characteristics of high humidity and soil processes.

In 2010-2011 the phenomenon of La Niña brought floods that resulted in the death of 1,100 people and economic costs of 11.2 billion pesos³. Such catastrophe initiated unprecedented research at a national level that allowed for a greater understanding of the wetlands of Colombia. As part of the obtained results, the cartography of wetlands shows that more than 26 % of the national territory is composed of wetlands. The map identifies the fluctuating nature of wetlands in three categories: permanent, temporal, and potential^4,5. Each type must be understood and used in a differentiated manner. In permanent wetlands, it is necessary to guarantee that no reduction in the flow of water occurs through deviations or actions that result in desiccation. The fluctuation of flooding in temporal wetlands generally has an interannual cycle that corresponds to the expansion of rivers and other bodies of water in periods of heavy rain. Areas of potential wetlands are also susceptible to flooding but in a lower interannual frequency.

Based on the previous information, an analysis about the transformation of wetlands evidenced that 24 % of wetlands have suffered some change in land covers, between 2007 and 2012, due to anthropogenic activities. The regions of the Urabá, Orinoquía foothills, and the Sinú and Mojana basins⁹ are the most affected by such transformations.

Additionally, a classification system categorized the 30 million hectares that have been identified according to the type of wetland, reaching more than 88 categories for all of the country^2,10. Based on the updated information found by participating institutions, the records were organized and collected to form a national inventory with more than 48,000 records¹¹ grouped into 134 complexes.

Colombia is clearly a territory dominated by water, so it is necessary to highlight the opportunities and benefits this condition brings. A total of 1,100 municipalities have wetlands, of which 284 are covered with more than 30% by water. Some of these, like Mompox (99.98 %), Cravo Norte (99.91 %), Sitio Nuevo (99.76 %), Pinillos (99.41 %), and Orocué (99.21 %)^12,13 are almost totally covered by water. Ignoring such reality in territory planning and the adaptive development of populations has caused consequences such as the increase of catastrophes related to drought and flooding.

The only way of implementing an effective risk management is by acknowledging the territorial as amphibian (periodic flooding and drought) and encouraging the recovery of ways of life adapted to these conditions in the populations that inhabit the territory. A first step to accomplish such goal is to incorporate generated information to tools of territorial management such as the Planes de ordenación y manejo ambiental de cuenca hidrográfica (Land Use Planning and Environmental Management Plans of Hydrographic Basins) and Planes de Ordenamiento Territorial (Land Use Planning) to reach a differentiated and integrated management by environmental authorities.