The Great Black Swamp By Jason Zarnowski

Pre-Settlement Extent 40 miles wide. 120 miles long. So uninhabitable, not settled until period between

Formation Glacial till deposited on outlet side of Lake Erie blocked outlet. Large backwater lake formed as a consequence. Maumee River cut a path to the Wabash River in Indiana. Standing water predominated.

History General Anthony Wayne defeated a band of Indians in 1794 at Battle of Fallen Timbers. During War of 1812, General Hull passed through it on his way to Detroit. –Path now known as U.S. Route 5. Great Black Swamp remained largely unsettled.

History The Toledo War of 1835 saw first improvements in roadways. –Michigan claimed Toledo as its own. –Ohio disagreed. –President Andrew Jackson sided with Ohio. First series of “Ditch Laws” passed in –Prior to first ditch law, only 160 miles of canals. – By 1869, 2200 miles.

History Surface draining proved to be not enough. Subsurface drainage was needed. Clay tiles buried 2-3 feet below surface. By 1920, little trace remained of once vast wetlands. Relegated to patches of protected farms and preserves.

What’s left?

Vegetation Not a continuous swamp. Characterized by a variety of different vegetation types. Rich deciduous forests predominated. –Ash and Elm in permanently inundated areas. –Beech, maples, and basswoods found in slightly upland areas. –Marshes and wet prairies also extensive.

Threats facing Black Swamp Really, there is little threat to the remaining 5% of origional swamp. Most of the remaining swamp under farm easement agreements or nature preserves. One threat remains….

Works Cited PLummer, E. L. (1977). Glacier left Black Swamp. Retrieved Oct. 7, 2008, from Mollenkopf, J. (n.d.). Conserving and protecting natural and Agricultural Lands in the black swamp region. Retrieved Oct. 7, 2008, from y/swamp_history.html y/swamp_history.html BG File. History.. 7 Oct