Wetlands FAQ

Wetlands are a combination of specific plants, soils, and hydrology, or the way water moves across the landscape. See our What’s a Wetland? or Wetlands 101 pages to learn more!

Whether you suspect development on a wetland or see machinery moving earth, we recommend calling your local Department of State Lands coordinator just to make sure the right permits have been filed and regulations are being followed to protect the wetland during the development.

There are many ways to protect wetlands, starting with inside and around your own home! Being mindful of what kind of chemicals go down your drains and are used on hard surfaces outside is a great place to start. Remember, only 3% of water on Earth is freshwater, and no new water is coming. We’re drinking what the dinosaurs drank. It’s all one water.

Outside, picking up after your dog and collecting litter and trash helps all water quality, animals, and the wetland. You can also document what you see in the wetland through apps like iNaturalist or eBird. Understanding what’s in a wetland helps us know who is using the wetland and when assessing the state of the wetland. If there are sensitive species, such as amphibians or rare plants, the wetland may receive greater protections if and when a request to develop it is considered.

Another way to help Oregon’s wetlands? Get involved with us! Join us at an event or donate to our work conserving these vital ecosystems.

Algae is a normal part of water ecosystems. Although technically not a plant, it still has the same processes of plants, such as photosynthesis and taking up nutrients. However, too much algae or too many plants can be bad, because more oxygen is required when it breaks down, and that means less oxygen for other life. 

Toxic algae blooms (which are technically cyanobacteria) are harmful to human, pet, and wildlife health and should be avoided. These harmful algae blooms often make the water look like thick green paint, and are most common in the summer months when water levels are low, the water is warmer, and there are too many nutrients in the water. The best ways to prevent toxic algae blooms are preventing pollutants like dog poop and fertilizer from entering the waterways,  ensuring wetlands exist so they can absorb excess nutrients,and promoting lots of native plants to shade the water. Contact your local water quality agency if you have concerns about water safety.

Sometimes water will appear to be covered in… something! There are lots of wetland plants that are small and single leaf, like duckweed and water fern, that can cover a water body. They change color based on nutrients in the water, sun exposure, and time of year. These plant blooms still tell us a lot about the water, but are not dangerous. When in doubt, stay out!

While mosquitos do live anywhere there’s water, the conditions around wetlands keep their populations controlled if the wetland is healthy. A healthy wetland has lots of mosquito-eating predators like frogs, fish, birds, and bats; and the water is moving slowly and not stagnant (yes, even in beaver ponds), making life difficult for mosquito larvae, who need still, stagnant water to turn into the buzzing pests. Most people accidentally create mosquito habitat by not turning over stagnant water after the rainy season that has accumulated in planter pots, pet bowls, human-made ponds, and other hard surface containers.

There is often an oily, reflective sheen on the surface of wetland waters. More likely than not, it is not car oil, but the oils of decomposition coming from soil and plant matter. The easiest way to tell which one it is is by running a stick through it- if it breaks up like shattered glass or tectonic plates but comes back together, it’s natural. If it’s slick, goopy, doesn’t break apart, and covers the stick, it might be the bad stuff.