› What is a Wetland?

› From the US Army Corps of Engineers Federal Manual
  (http://www.wetlands.com/regs/tlpge02h.htm)

"Wetlands are those areas inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support and under normal circumstances do support a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.

Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas."

› From the Washington State Wetlands Identification and Delineation Manual   (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/pubs/96-94.html)

"Wetlands do not include those artificial wetlands intentionally created from nonwetland sites, including, but not limited to, irrigation and drainage ditches, grass-lined swales, canals, detention facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, farm ponds, and landscape amenities, or those wetlands created after July 1, 1990, that were unintentionally created as a result of the construction of a road, street, or highway.

Wetlands may include those artificial wetlands intentionally created from nonwetland areas to mitigate the conversion of wetlands."

In the field, according to the science developed by the US Army Corps of Engineers, wetlands are defined as such when all three of the following characteristics are found:

Wetland Hydrology - A drainage pattern or water regime that results in saturated soil conditions or ponding during part of the growing season, usually in the spring.

Hydric Soils - Poorly drained organic muck, peat, clay or mottled dark brown mineral soils within the top 12 inches of the ground surface.

Hydrophytic Vegetation - A predominance of vegetation that is adapted to grow in areas that are seasonally saturated or inundated.