Irrigation drain waters are under great demand as a resource to create and maintain wetlands.
Emphasis needs to be placed on creating and managing sustainable wetlands.
If the trace element components of the drain water accumulate or biomagnify, the wetland will likely become toxic to many species. Understanding which combinations of trace elements are synergistic, how they concentrate in the wetland ecosystem, how they become toxic, and alternatives to manage them are major questions needing answers. Thus analysis of water chemistry may not indicate the toxicity. Synergistic combinations that have been tested include Se, B, U, V, Ba, Co, Li, Cu, Zn, and Sr. These components are all associated with sulfides and selenides and are common in western marine shale.