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Wetland status and trends |
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Wetland status |
| Wetlands
covered an estimated 105.5 million acres in the lower 48
states as of 1997. Saltwater wetlands, including marine
(ocean) and estuarine salt marshes, tidal flats (beaches),
and mangrove shrub wetlands comprise 5.3 million acres of
wetlands or about 5% of the existing wetland acreage. The
other 95% of wetlands (100.2 million acres) are freshwater
wetlands. The freshwater wetlands and their acreages are
included in the table below. |
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Click here for a clip about wetland loss. |
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Forested
Emergent
Shrubs
Ponds |
50.7 million acres
25.2 million acres
18.4 million acres
5.5 million acres |
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