Wetland Wetland is a land area that is saturated with water. In North Carolina there are many wetlands. Only four states have more wetlands than North Carolina has. But now a lot of wetlands are removed in according to the urban development. One of the reasons is the increase of the population. Many wetlands were drained to build new homes, schools, and roads. And it causes some problems. First example of the impact, caused by removing wetlands, is the problem of water quality. Filtering the water is one of the functions of the wetland. By trapping sediment, removing nutrients and detoxifying chemicals, wetlands act as efficient and cost-effective filtration systems. When runoff enters a wetland, many of the harmful components are removed before the water enters a stream. It is very important function because the stormwater runoff is a major contributor to water quality problem in coastal North Carolina. If the many wetlands are disappear, there will be more runoff, and the water quality will get worse. Second is the impact of the erosion problem. Wetland vegetation is often very dense, both above and below ground. This plant cover can absorb energy from floods and wave action. By dissipating energy, binding soil and encouraging sediment deposition, wetlands stabilize shorelines along coastal streams, lakes and sounds. So removing the wetland causes more erosion, and flooding. Third example is an effect of habitat for aquatic birds and other animals and plants, including numerous threatened and endangered species. In North Carolina, more than 70 percent of the species listed as endangered,