In order to fully understand the legal definition of wetlands, one must examine the major attributes of the definition.
Hydric soil is the first attribute.
Although hydric soils are typically organic soil types such as peats or mucks, several mineral soil types, including sandy ones, may also be classified as hydric. Although the process of identifying soil type can be very technical, there are some relatively simple ways an individual can tell whether or not a soil may be hydric. Due to the ionic reducing conditions caused by long periods of inundation, most hydric soils have some very distinguishing characteristics. This list does not contain guidelines to identify every type of hydric soil. It only lists a few of the most common test-positive indicators and is intended to inform individuals of some of the general characteristics of hydric soils.