How do we clean the tidal marshes and wetlands?

[Stinky The Clown]

[SoCalDem]

1. "We" don't.. they die-off, and all life within them, and eventually

if left alone, Nature rebuilds them..

[damntexdem]

2. The best way is by not dirtying them in the first place.

The second-best is to leave them alone and let them clean themselves.

Unfortunately, we do neither.

Thus the best ways are really irrelevant.

[polichick]

3. Rachel has been covering this extensively - visiting Bayou Barataria...

...and talking to experts there. Sadly, there is no way to clean tidal marshes - attempts seem to be even more destructive. They've considered burning them but aren't sure that will help.

[JuniperLea]

4. The only thing we can do is get out of the way...

And let Nature do her thing.

[panader0]

5. There was an interesting post earlier today.

Something about how the the US Army Corp of Engineers controls the flow of the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge, directing 70% into the Mississippi and 30% into another river. The post suggested that the Corp up the percentage, thus flooding the marshes and wetlands, and forcing some of the oil back out to sea.

[izquierdista]

6. There is a way

Burning, as mentioned upthread can be done, but selectively. If there are a lot of volatiles (i.e., it stinks like a gas station, to quote Rachel Maddow) then a judicious use flame-thrower can be warranted. To have a good burn though, you need to have lots of dry vegetation, so both condition of the marsh and the type of pollutant have to be right to have it work. After a burn, it can grow back naturally, with the big proviso that it doesn't get washed over with oil again in a few days. That last proviso may make burning a useless tool in the tool box as long as there are lots of plumes offshore waiting to beach themselves.

Rotting vegetation is the second way. As long as it is done aerobically, the oil can be metabolized by bacteria and fungi to CO2 and water. This is possible if the rotting vegetation stays wet, but not submerged, which may be kind of tricky unless you can control the level of water in the wetland. Remember, the first step in coal formation is to lay down a lot of vegetation and cover it quickly with silt so it can't rot. After a few million years of heat and pressure, you get your coal deposit.

The Iranians have done some research on this topic. I wonder if the U.S. would care to listen to some of their findings?


I'm not going to hold my breath.

[Stinky The Clown]

7. I'd never heard that rotting vegetation concept before.

[izquierdista]

9. Fungi

Watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BelfLIJErek

[lib2DaBone]

8. BP Spokesman n TV said, "We are going to clean every thing and return it to the way it was."

Well.. Mr. BP, you can't fix it. It's broke.. at least fot the next 100 years. And maybe more...

You Mr. BP, are a lying POS.

[XemaSab]

10. We let the marshes heal themselves

:(

[JPZenger]

11. Burn them while roots are underwater

I heard an expert from Temple University on public radio tonight. He said one alternative is to burn the tidal marshes at a time when the root systems are all under water. The tops and the oil burn, but the plants can then grow back.