Water: Wetlands
Wetlands
What they are
Wetlands are part of the foundation of our nation's water resources and are vital to the health of waterways and communities that are downstream. Wetlands feed downstream waters, trap floodwaters, recharge groundwater supplies, remove pollution, and provide fish and wildlife habitat. Wetlands are also economic drivers because of their key role in fishing, hunting, agriculture and recreation.
Wetlands include swamps, marshes and bogs. Wetlands vary widely because of differences in soils, topography, climate, hydrology, water chemistry, vegetation, and other factors.
Wetlands are often found alongside waterways and in flood plains. However, some wetlands have no apparent connection to surface water like rivers, lakes or the ocean, but have critical groundwater connections.
Why they are valuable
Wetlands are recognized as important features in the landscape that provide numerous beneficial services for people and for fish and wildlife. Some of these services, or functions, include protecting and improving water quality, providing fish and wildlife habitats, storing floodwaters, and maintaining surface water flow during dry periods. These beneficial services, considered valuable to societies worldwide, are the result of the inherent and unique natural characteristics of wetlands.
How EPA protects them
The EPA's Wetlands Program is dedicated to protecting one of the most important ecosystems in the world. Wetlands protection programs are most effective when coordinated with other surface and ground-water protection programs and with other resource management programs, such as flood control, water supply, protection of fish and wildlife, recreation, control of stormwater, and nonpoint source pollution.
In the News
- EPA Releases Pebble 404(c) Proposed Determination
July 18, 2014 - Release of Report on the Status of Trends of Prairie Wetlands
July 1, 2014 - May is American Wetlands Month!
- EPA and the Army Corps Release Proposed "Waters of the United States" Rule
March 25, 2014 - Request for Proposals for the FY 2014 and FY 2015 National Wetland Program Development Grants (PDF) (22pp, 181K)
March 6, 2014 - EPA Moves to Protect Bristol Bay fishery
February 28, 2014 - Release of Status and Trends of Wetlands in Coastal Watersheds of the Conterminous United States
November 21, 2013 - Drinking Water Map
October 29, 2013 - Release of the draft scientific report, Connectivity of Streams and Wetlands to Downstream Waters, for public review and comment
September 17, 2013 - Revised Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States
August 2013 - Wetland Training Opportunities
May 28, 2013
- About the Wetlands Program
- Agriculture
- American Wetlands Month
- Bird Conservation
- Coastal Wetlands
- Compensatory Mitigation
- Constructed Wetlands
- Coral Reef
- Core Elements Framework
- Core Elements Framework - Wetland Program Development Grant- Eligible Actions/Activities
- Dredged Material
- Education
- Employment Information
- Enforcement
- Enhanced State and Tribal Wetlands Programs Initiative
- EPA Regional Wetland homepages
- Fill Material
- Financial Assistance
- Five Star Restoration Program
- Floodplain Management
- Forestry
- Geographic Jurisdiction
- Golf and the Environment
- Jurisdiction
- Landowner Assistance
- Laws and Regulations
- Mining
- Monitoring and Assessment
- Mountaintop Coal Mining
- National Wetland Awards
- National Wetland Condition Assessment
- Nationwide Permits
- Nonpoint Source Pollution & Wetlands
- Permitting
- Publications
- Reference Sediment
- Restoration
- Rivers and Streams
- Section 401 Certification
- Section 404 Exemptions
- State Programmatic General Permits
- State Revolving Fund (SRF) and Wetlands
- State/Tribal Assumption
- State, Tribal, and Local Initiatives
- Streams
- Urban Stormwater & Wetlands
- Water Quality Standards
- Waters of the United States
- Wetland Fact Sheet Series
- Wetland Grants Database
- Wetland Program Plans
- Wetlands Photography Contest
- Wetlands Program Development Grants
- Wetland Trainings