What is a Wetland?

            Wetlands typically have three general characteristics: soggy soils, water-loving plants and water. Scientists call these:  hydric soils, hydrophytic vegetation, and wetland hydrology.  Hydric soils are saturated with water much of the time so are low in oxygen.  This converts iron and other elements to a form that gives the soil a grey color.  Sometimes these soils have a high organic content due to the slower breakdown of organic material while wet.  For a technical description of hydric soils, see the hydric soils information page.  Hydrophytic vegetation is a term that describes plants that require saturated soils or a high water table to survive. Hydrophytic vegetation can be seen at these websites: Revegetation For Riverbank Stabilization on the Upper Clark Fork River, and   Western Wetland Flora.  Wetland hydrology refers to a high water table (at or near the surface of the ground).  There are very specific legal definitions of what qualifies as wetland hydrology.  For an area to function as a wetland, it only needs to exhibit one of these three characteristics.  However, for an area to be considered a wetland legally, it may have to exhibit all three.  Such wetlands are called jurisdictional wetlands and are protected under the Clean Water Act.