The fens and moors of Europe, the waterholes of the African Savannah, the bogs, marshes, ponds and wet meadows of western Washington - all of these are wetlands. In all, some 212 species of wildlife and many species of plant life depend on western Washington's wetlands for survival. When water runs out of the wetland and returns to the stream, it is once again clean. Wetlands are also nature's sponges. When floodwaters overflow the banks of streams and rivers, the porous soils and plants of wetlands soak up tremendous amounts of the excess water.
Water then seeps slowly back into the streams to prevent downstream flooding.
In times of drought, wetlands are fed by groundwater which is released into streams to keep them flowing year-round. Color Wetlands and people Since colonial times, we have filled or otherwise destroyed more than half of America's wetlands. Over 60 percent of Washington's wetlands have been lost to development. This has increased flooding, erosion, water pollution and property damage, and reduced wildlife populations. If we don't stop filling and draining wetlands, these problems will only get worse.