wetlands (redirected from wetland)

wetlands

(1) Land normally saturated with water, such as swamps or marshes.Wetlands are now recognized as an important component of wildlife preservation, water purification, and protection against hurricanes. The federal government currently has no centralized wetlands protection program; the primary vehicle for preservation is the Clean Water Act as administered by the Environmental Protection Agency.Many states do have comprehensive wetlands management programs, however, and care should be taken to review all relevant laws before purchasing property that might be construed as wetlands. (2) An alternative wastewater management system is called constructed wetlands;it makes use of natural cleaning systems found in wetlands.The following diagrammed system, called the subsurface flow system, can handle discharges up to 10,000 gallons a day—enough for a small community