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Between

Land & WaterUnderstanding the Roleof Wetlands

Many people enjoy wetlands as places ofbeauty. These are places we can go to enjoythe experience of walking through nature,watching birds and other animals, as well asthe bountiful plant life. As more peoplemove into the cities, wetlands and otherundeveloped areas become more valuable asplaces where we can experience and learnabout the natural world.

Text © 2000 Wetnet of Audubon Washington

Graphic Design and Illustration © 2000 Fusion Studios

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Between Land & Water:UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF WETLANDS

Wetlands are the link between land andwater. They are places where the land iswet enough for long enough thatparticular plants grow there. It is thewater, the soils and the wetland plants

that make a wetland different from theother places around it.

Wetlands are scattered across thelandscape. They are often, but not

always, found at water’s edge – aroundlakes, in estuaries and beside rivers. Otherwetlands are found in places where watercan gather – in depressions in the land orin places where water cannot drain awaybecause of hardpan layers.

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Salamanders, frogs and toads arecommon wetland residents. Theseamphibians live part of their lives onland, the other part in water. They laytheir eggs in water (ponds in wetlands)

and live the early part of their lives there.As adults, they usually move out of thewater. Even when living on land theyneed moist places because they breatheby absorbing oxygen from water on their

skin. Ponds that dry up in late summerare especially favored by somesalamanders and frogs, as these pondsdo not have fish that prey on amphibianlarvae.

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Many other animals live in wetlands for atleast part of the time. Most of America’sbirds live in and around wetlands – not just ducks and geese, but songbirds too.Ducks and geese can be an importantsource of income from hunters for local

economies. But people will also travellong distances to watch birds in wetlands.

Wetlands are also important for fish.More than 95% of the fish and shellfish

species that are harvested commercially inthe U.S. live in wetlands. Many youngsaltwater fish depend on coastal wetlandsfor food and shelter. Even freshwater fishuse wetlands near rivers for part of theirlife-cycle.

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In rain-soaked Washington, flooding is

never far from our minds. Duringstorms, water can be held in wetlands;this slows the runoff into streams andrivers and lowers the flood peak. Asthe peak flow in a flood causes most

damage, wetlands help to reduce thedanger associated with flooding andthe risk to crops, buildings and life.Along our coasts there are wetlandsthat shelter inland areas from the worstfury of ocean storms. These wetlands

protect the land and its crops andlivestock, as well as communities thatlive near the coast.

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As water flows into a wetland, it slowsdown. Fine sediments can then settleout, so the water is cleaned before itenters our streams, rivers and lakes.Any toxic chemicals attached to these

sediments will also settle into thewetland soil and be held there.Organic compounds, such as animalwastes, can also be cleaned throughwetlands. Of course, every wetland

has a limit to how much waste it canhold. When too much polluted runofffrom houses, roads or farms goes intowetlands, it kills the plants, animalsand, finally, the wetland.

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Water may remain in a wetland for sometime. Some of that water can make itsway down to replenish stores ofgroundwater, which is a source of drinkingwater for many people in Washington. Orthis water may make its way into a nearbystream. During summer droughts many ofour streams begin to dry up. The water

stored in wetlands, as it seeps through theground, then becomes an importantsource of water for streams and rivers andhelps to maintain fish populations.

Text © 2000 Wetnet of Audubon Washington

Graphic Design and Illustration © 2000 Fusion Studios

The creation of this brochure was made possiblethrough WaterWorks, the King County WaterQuality Block Grant awarded by the King CountyDepartment of Natural Resources.