Sedge meadows are the result of flooding. They are most easily found in early spring. Areas that are low-lying and flat near rivers and streams will accumulate with a few inches of water. The rest of the year, sedge meadows rarely have standing water.
Sedge meadows are most successful when the soil remains saturated most of the time.
This allows for the abundant growth of a kind of grass called a sedge. The Egyptians used a special kind of sedge called papyrus to make paper. There are about one hundred fifty kinds of sedges native to Illinois. The most common is the Carex stricta . The soil in sedge meadow is formed from the decomposition of sedges like the Carex stricta .