The two cabinet secretaries hailed the apparent reversal in the long trend of wetland losses.

The exact role of all these and other factors in wetland loss is now becoming a matter of intense study.

After surveying 16 managed areas, they concluded that marsh management was not consistently effective in preventing wetland loss.

In the previous decade, from 1975 to 1985, wetland losses amounted to nearly three million acres.

The most controversial of the quick permits, known as Permit 26, "has created a legacy of unacceptable wetland loss across the country," he said.

Potential impacts of dam construction include wetland loss and altered flooding cycle with a dry season flow 50% greater than under natural conditions.

Industrial and agricultural modification to the delta plain has resulted in significant wetland loss.

But at the same time, wetland losses on farmland increased to about 54,000 acres a year, continuing a long-term net loss.

Louisiana provides a classic example of wetland loss from these combined factors.

The document shifted the focus from documenting wetland loss to proposing a plan of action for restoration.