Rivers serve as corridors for migratory birds and fish, and provide habitat to many unique species of plants and animals, including federally endangered and threatened aquatic species. Wetlands provide food, protection from predators, and other vital habitat factors for many of the nation's fish and wildlife species, including endangered and threatened species. In addition, wetland ecotypes have economic value associated with recreational, commercial, and subsistence use of fish and wildlife resources and they remove pollutants from overland flows before they reach our lakes, rivers and bays.
Wetlands intercept storm runoff and release floodwaters gradually to downstream systems.
When wetlands are converted to systems without water retention capacity, downstream flooding problems increase. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of miles of river corridors and millions of acres of wetlands have been damaged throughout the nation. Restoration seeks to return some of these ecosystems to their approximate pre-disturbance conditions. Likewise, numerous miles of rivers and streams were restored in our nations watersheds over the same time period.