What do wetlands absorb to help control flooding?

Wetlands play a crucial role in flood control by absorbing excess water from precipitation. When heavy rains occur, wetlands function like natural sponges, capturing and holding this excess water. This absorption helps to reduce the peak flow of water that would otherwise enter rivers and streams, minimizing the risk of flooding downstream. In addition to providing flood control, wetlands also filter pollutants and improve water quality by trapping sediments and nutrients, but their primary role in managing floodwaters comes from their capacity to hold excess precipitation.

While stormwater runoff is indeed a factor that wetlands can help manage, their primary purpose in flood control relates to the excess water from heavy rains. Groundwater, on the other hand, is more about the water stored beneath the surface rather than directly related to flood absorption. Likewise, the absorption of excess nutrients is important for water quality, but does not specifically address the direct impact on flooding as effectively as the absorption of excess precipitation does.