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Wetland Complex along the Jordan River at 7800 South
Although wetlands comprise a small area of the total land mass in Utah (<1%), over 80% of Utah’s species rely on these productive habitats at one or more of their life stages. In the Clean Water Act, the term wetlands is defined as "those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that 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."
In the Salt Lake Countywide Watershed, wetlands play a major role in ecosystem functioning and water quality. Some of the primary functions that wetlands play include:
- Groundwater discharge
- Flood storage
- Shoreline anchoring
- Sediment trapping
- Nutrient and pollutant retention
- Food chain support
- Fishery habitat
- Wildlife habitat
- Recreation
Additional information on wetlands in Utah can be found at:
EPA Office of Wetlands and Watersheds
Utah Wetlands Interpretation Network
eMINTS - Utah Wetlands
Utah Wetlands Education Program
Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission
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