More than 98 million people hunt, fish, birdwatch, or photograph wildlife. Tamarack Bog Nature Preserve, Pigeon River Fish and Wildlife Area LaGrange County - Rich Fields, IDNR Division of Public Information and Education Wetland plants and soils naturally store and filter nutrients and sediments. Calm wetland waters, with their flat surface and flow characteristics, allow these materials to settle out of the water column, where plants in the wetland take up certain nutrients from the water. As a result, our lakes, rivers and streams are cleaner and our drinking water is safer. Man-made wetlands can even be used to clean wastewater, when properly designed.
Wetlands protect our homes from floods.
Like sponges, wetlands soak up and slowly release floodwaters. This lowers flood heights and slows the flow of water down rivers and streams. Functions and Values of Wetlands - summary of the ecological productivity and beneficial functions of wetlands.