Minnesota may be known for being the land of 10,000 lakes, but it is also the home to an abundance of wetlands. You may ask yourself, what is a wetland? For an area to be classified as a wetland, it must meet three criteria. First, hydric soils must be present. Hydric soils are soils that are frequently flooded or hold water long enough for it to be deprived of oxygen. As a result of having a lack of oxygen, these soils commonly have redox, or rust, within their profiles and are usually depleted. The second of the three indicators of a wetland is hydrology. Hydrology is present if there is or has been water present in the soil. Hydrologic indicators can include surface water, sediment deposits, water-stained leaves, and stunned or stressed plants. The last criterion of a wetland is the presence of hydrophytic vegetation. Hydrophytic vegetation, or “water-loving” plants frequently grow in wetland areas and include plants such as sedges, reed canary grass, and cattails.
If an area meets the three criteria listed above, it is deemed a wetland regardless of where it occurs. Just like lakes, wetlands come in many different shapes and sizes. There are eight different types of wetlands present in Minnesota including:
- Type 1: seasonally flooded basins or flats
- Type 2: inland fresh meadows
- Type 3: inland shallow fresh marshes
- Type 4: Inland deep fresh marshes
- Type 5: Inland open freshwater
- Type 6: shrub swamps
- Type 7: wooded swamps
- Type 8: bogs
Learn more about Wetland Regulations and Wetland Conservation
As a result of their importance, wetland laws have been passed by both the State of Minnesota and the federal government. Learn more about the regulations at the link below.
Wetland Restoration in Rice County
Are you interested in restoring a wetland on your property? The Rice SWCD can assist you in developing a plan to create or restore a wetland. Learn more at the link below.