Ecological Services of Wetlands

This small picture is what most of the marshes in Hamilton look like:

(http://mapping2.orr.noaa.gov/portal/sanfrancisco
bay/sfb_html/pics/hamilton_overview.jpg)

Here are several reasons that wetlands are beneficial, according to the EPA:

1. Wetlands yield fish for the nation. They serve as spawning grounds for many fish.

2. Wetlands provide recreational opportunities, such as hunting, bird watching, and photography.

3. Wetlands improve water quality. They filter out pollutants that would otherwise enter water sources.

4. Wetlands help control floods. They hold a lot of water (around 12 inches per acre) during storms. 

(http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/facts/fact4.html)

The wetlands in Hamilton definitely help to do all of these things as well.