White-tail deer

Wetlands, including swamps, marshes, and bogs, are areas of land that are saturated with moisture seasonally or permanently. Believed to be the most diverse ecosystems in the world, wetlands are home to various species of plants, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. This includes many threatened and endangered species.

In addition to wildlife habitat, wetlands act as filters to improve water quality by removing sediments and chemicals. Further, wetlands reduce flooding and recharge ground water.

Due to the lack of understanding of the value of wetlands, more than half of the wetlands in the United States have been drained or filled for development and farming. Over the last 25 years many federal and state agencies have begun research to expand this knowledge and to protect the remaining wetlands. Today research continues for one of five reasons:

South Carolina WetlandsMuch of this research centers on:

Some of the wetland types that occur in South Carolina include:

Currently there is no South Carolina state specific program for regulating wetlands. Much of the regulation is dependent on various federal programs in conjunction with the Clean Water Act.

SCDNR Managed Wetlands