Wetlands act like giant, shallow bowls.
Water collects in these bowls and slows down as it spreads out. As flood waters move through wetlands, silt and other sediment settle out. This helps to prevent streams, lakes, and other bodies of water downstream from getting clogged with a build-up of sediment. Wetlands protect homes, forests, and farms from the winds of waves of storms. Wetlands also keep soil from eroding during storms.