Use of geographic information processing techniques to model the cumulative impact of regulatory permitting programs on coastal wetlands: A South Carolina perspective

"Wetlands" is a collective term for describing bogs, marshes, swamps, and similar areas that develop between open water and dry land. Only in recent times, with an increasing understanding of ecological processes, have scientists discovered that wetlands are important natural resources providing many benefits to man and his environment. Increased development in the coastal zone of the southeastern United States has resulted in increasing numbers of requests for regulatory permits for activities which can lead to the physical alteration of coastal wetlands. The purpose of this research was to develop a methodology which used the tools of geographic information processing (GIP) to model and assess the cumulative impact of regulatory permitted activities on coastal wetlands. For this research, GIP was considered the integration of the technologies of remote sensing and digital image processing, geographic information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS). Based on the overall estimated average rate of wetlands loss in the United States, it was believed this research would indicate that the cumulative impact of legally permitted activities had significantly impacted coastal wetlands in regions of South Carolina by altering total wetland acreage. This research also addressed several additional important questions. First, has the rate of wetland alterations been consistent along the entire South Carolina coast or have certain coastal regions experienced more impacts from regulatory permitted activities than other regions? Second, was there a measurable difference in the alteration of wetlands acreage during a specified time period between an area subjected to multiple regulatory permitted activities as compared to an area not subjected to regulatory permitted activities? Finally, in order to insure consistent enforcement of wetlands regulations, it was necessary to develop an integrated procedure for defining, delineating, and assessing wetlands altering activities.