Natural Wetlands
Asset Type : Natural
Water Classification:
Source Water Protection
Source Water Protection
Construction Rank :
N/A
O&M Rank :
2
How it Works : Wetlands work like natural filters that slow the movement of water over land and trap nutrients, sediment and other pollutants before they can enter rivers or streams.
O&M Required : Natural wetlands may need mowing, water level management or removal of woody or invasive plants.
Design Considerations : Restoring a wetland is a multi-step process that typically takes one to two years to complete.
Costs : Very expensive.
Benefits : By filtering water before it can enter creeks, streams and rivers, wetlands work to keep the water clean. Wetlands also provide food and shelter to plants and animals and perform services that hold economic value. Rainfall that reaches the ground can be absorbed into the soil or flow over the land. When a wetland is able to capture this water before it can enter a creek, stream or river, it functions like a natural filter that traps nutrients, sediment and other pollutants. Wetlands have been compared to rainforests and coral reefs because of the large amount of plants and animals they support. Wetlands are wonderful places to hunt, fish, watch birds or photograph the natural world. The environmental services that wetlands provide hold economic value. Wetlands also provide financial benefits to landowners who participate in conservation programs or lease their wetlands to hunters.
Image by: Delaware State Forest Promised Land State Park via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gfp-pennsylvania-promised-land-state-park-wetlands.jpg