Wetlands at Work They clean our drinking water. They hold and store rainwater. They create nurseries and food sources. McHenry County is dependent on groundwater, extracted from phosphorus and other pollutants from 昀氀owing downstream. both shallow and deep aquifer wells, as its sole source of drinking After being slowed by a wetland, nutrients from fertilizer water. Protection of surface water resources and groundwater application, manure or leaking septic tanks, which could be recharge areas are important to ensure a safe, sustainable and harmful to the natural environment, are dissolved in the water adequate supply of drinking water into the future. The health and absorbed by plant roots and microorganisms in the soil or of these wetlands and their headwaters is critical to the health stick to soil particles. This natural 昀椀ltration process removes much of an entire river network. McHenry County Conservation of the water’s pollutant load by the time it leaves a wetland. District protects over 3,000 acres of wetlands, rivers and streams Without the wetland 昀椀ltration, a build-up of excess nutrients can throughout the county. occur downstream and cause algal blooms or dead zones. Small streams and their associated wetlands make up the The next time you visit a wetland, note which plants and animals majority of the county’s waters. They can be small spring-fed are living in or visiting the habitat. Often called “nurseries of life,” ponds or a depression in the ground that 昀椀lls with water after wetlands provide habitat for thousands of species of aquatic every rain and over昀氀ows into the creek below. These water and terrestrial plants and animals. In fact, up to one-half of North sources are the headwater streams, often unnamed and rarely American bird species nest or feed in wetlands, and 31 percent appearing on maps. Although they may seem insigni昀椀cant, they of the country’s plant species thrive in healthy, functioning are in fact vital for recharging the groundwater supply as they wetlands. While wetlands are best known for being home to feed into and create our large rivers. water lilies, turtles and frogs, they also provide important habitat Wetlands provide numerous bene昀椀cial functions on the for a wide range of species including salamanders, ducks, herons, landscape to protect and improve water quality, as well as 昀椀sh, mussels, insects, snails and other invertebrates. maintain surface water 昀氀ow during dry periods. They also absorb See our wetlands at work for yourself by visiting some of the and slow 昀氀oodwaters, helping to alleviate property damage Conservation District's varied wetlands including those at and loss. Although a small wetland may not seem to store much Boger Bog in Bull Valley, Glacial Park in Ringwood, Lyons Prairie water, a network of many small wetlands can store an enormous and Marsh in Cary, Lake in the Hills Fen in Lake in the Hills, and amount of water, whereby one acre of wetland can store up to at Exner Marsh, Kishwaukee Headwaters and Pleasant Valley in 1.5 million gallons of 昀氀oodwaters. Woodstock. Our wetlands, headwaters and small streams play a critical role in the health of an entire river network. They act as natural water cleaners as they absorb and 昀椀lter nutrients such as nitrogen and WADING WATERBIRDS - GO FISH! s u i es h Mat y c a r T th i m S a i th yn C is l Several types of birds enjoy u K l e a meal of 昀椀sh, frogs or ha ic crustaceans, which means M ie r a you'll see them visiting and M wading in area wetlands and streams. Pictured (left): great blue heron; (center): American bittern, green heron, great egret; (right) pelican and gull, great blue heron. w he th th y i i m m Ma S S l a a y i i r th th he yn yn S C C Landscapes | Summer 2024 3