In North Dakota, palustrine wetlands occupied the millions of shallow basins that resulted from glacial scouring and the melting of buried blocks of glacial ice. Nearly all of the palustrine wetlands were found in that portion of the state lying within the Prairie Pothole Region. Ephemeral and temporary are the names given in one classification for the palustrine wetlands which lose water during the first few weeks after the spring snowmelt period. These wetlands are generally less than a half acre in area. The water is usually less than a foot deep, and is normally fresh, with specific conductance less than 500 micromhos.
Dominant plants are short to fairly tall junciform species of low prairies and wet meadows.
Typical species include switchgrass, prairie cordgrass, and Canada reedgrass. Because of their shallow depth, these wetlands are first in the spring to develop an invertebrate fauna. In wet years, this fauna is heavily used by breeding birds as a source of protein during the egg laying period and also provides food for spring migrant waterbirds. Vegetation in these wetlands is used for nesting by such species as sedge wren, LeConte's sparrow, and Savannah sparrow. Seasonal wetlands are another class of palustrine wetland that is abundant in the Prairie Pothole Region.