Wetland Values, Functions, and Facts

Wetlands Provide Important Fish, Wildlife, and Plant Habitats

• 43% of the federally listed species (Endangered Species Act) rely directly, or indirectly, on wetlands for their survival.
• Wetlands are "biological supermarkets" that produce huge quantities of food.
• They support a wide range of organisms from aquatic invertebrates to fish, birds, reptiles, and mammals.
• Wetlands are used as breeding and egg deposition areas.

Wetlands Improve Water Quality By:

• intercepting surface runoff.
• removing or retaining inorganic nutrients, such as nitrogen or phosphorus.
• processing organic wastes.
• reducing suspended sediments.
• helping reduce environmental problems such as algal blooms, dead zones, and fish kills, that are generally associated with excess nutrients.

Wetlands Enhance Hydrologic Cycle Roles

• Wetlands receive, store, and release water in numerous ways.
• They help maintain stream flow in some areas.
• Some wetlands replenish groundwater.

Provide Natural Flood Control

• Wetlands store and slowly release surface water.
• Wetland vegetation impedes the movement of flood water.
• Wetlands reduce erosion downstream and on adjacent lands.

Economic Benefits

• 3 million migratory bird hunters generated $1.3 billion in retail sales.
• Fishing and shellfishing industries harvest wetland-dependent species worth over $15 billion dollars a year.
• Some medicines are produced from wetland soils and plants.
• Blueberries, cranberries, mints, and wild rice are produced in wetlands.

source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency