Numerous regulatory and management agencies have developed wetland definitions. One of the first definitions was developed by Nathaniel Shaler in 1809. He defined “swamps” as “All areas...in which the natural declivity is insufficient, when the forest cover is removed, to reduce the soil to the measure of dryness necessary for agriculture. Whenever any form of engineering is necessary to secure this desiccation the area is classified as swamp.” As you can see from this definition, the term wetland had not yet been coined and his primary interest was in looking at soil wetness on land use as it impacted farming.

A 1956 publication from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was the first definition to formally use the term wetland. They defined wetlands as lowlands covered with shallow and sometimes temporary or intermittent waters. They are referred to by such names as marshes, swamps, bogs, wet meadows, potholes, sloughs, and river-overflow lands. This definition was focused on prairie potholes and waterfowl populations.

Today, a number of wetland definitions exist. One of the more common legal definitions coined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers defines wetlands as

Click here to see 3 characteristics of a wetland.

Wetlands typically have 3 diagnostic characteristics:

1. Wetlands Plants-- Any plant growing in water or on a substrate that is at least periodically deficient in oxygen as a result of excessive water content.

2. Soil-- Soil that is wet long enough to periodically produce anaerobic conditions, thereby influencing the growth of plants.

3. Hydrology—The area is permanently or periodically inundated with water at less than 6.6 feet.