Potential Effects on the Environment
Phosphate mining may affect wetlands directly through the mining of the wetlands themselves. If the wetlands are lost due to mining activities, the beneficial characteristics of wetlands are lost as well. This could potentially affect water quality and sediment deposition in addition to destruction of wetland habitat. Wetlands are home to wading birds, fish, amphibians, and other animals. Loss of wetland habitat means loss of the plants and animals living there, which may also affect other animals down the food chain.

Mining activities also affect wetlands indirectly, by altering the natural hydrology or by releasing sediment and particle-laden waters (turbid discharge) into the wetlands and waterways. Mining may disconnect wetlands from natural water sources or from outfall structures which discharge excess water out of the wetland. Many wetland plants cannot survive if the conditions are too dry or are too wet. Therefore, alteration of the hydrology may result in loss of beneficial wetland vegetation.

Increased turbidity within the water column due to discharges or spills during mining may affect the amount of light reaching vegetation below the surface. Increases in turbidity may result in mortality of the aquatic plants which provide habitat and food for other organisms.

Methods to Minimize Wetland Impacts
The staff of the Environmental Protection Commission works together with the phosphate industry to develop and utilize best-management practices to minimize detrimental effects.

For example, the hydrology of wetlands adjacent to mining activities is maintained through methods such as recharge ditches to rehydrate wetlands, or outfall structures to prevent flooding in wetland systems that are not normally inundated with water. In addition, the Hillsborough County Phosphate Mining Ordinance permits no mining within the 25-year floodplain, so that waterways such as the Hillsborough, Alafia, and Little Manatee Rivers will retain some protection from mining activities.

Reclamation of Mined Lands
In 1975, reclamation laws came into effect which require that lands impacted by mining operations be reclaimed. EPC works together with phosphate mining companies to ensure that those wetlands impacted by mining activities are restored to a functional quality equal to or better than pre-mining conditions. In 1978, Florida Legislature created the Florida Institute of Phosphate Research. One of the goals of FIPR is to conduct reclamation research, including restoration of hydrologic functions and balances of surface and groundwater systems.