LESSON 4

HYDROLOGY OF WETLANDS

4.1 Introduction
 In this lesson, we describe the variety of habitats that fall in the category of wetlands.
 We then examine the formation of wetlands by various hydrological process.
 We introduce you to the wetland water budget and its components.
 Finally, we examine the hydrological functions of wetlands.
 The purpose of this lesson is to make you describe wetland habitats, their functions and
the underlying chemical, physical and biological processes that support these functions.

4.2 Lesson Learning Outcomes

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

4.2.1 Describe wetland habitats

4.2.2 Explain the wetland water budget

4.2.3 Describe the hydrological functions of wetlands

4.2.1 Wetland habitats

 The term wetland encompasses a wide variety of habitats characterized by soils

permanently or temporarily waterlogged by either freshwater or saline water.
 The Convention on Wetlands or the Ramsar Convention (1971) defines wetlands as
“areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or
temporary with water that is static or flowing, fresh or salt, including areas of marine
water, the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six (6) meters”.
 The formation, persistence, size and functions of wetlands are controlled by hydrological
processes.
 The key processes are precipitation, surface runoff, groundwater flow and
evapotranspiration.

You will find more details of this lesson in e-tivity 4.2.1.

E-tivity 4.2.1 Wetland habitats

Numbering, pacing and sequencing 4.2.1

Title Wetland habitats
Purpose The purpose of this e-tivity is to enable you to
describe wetland habitats
Brief summary of overall task Read the following e-reference on what wetlands
are and describe wetland habitats

Spark

Individual task a) Describe wetland habitats

b) In your own words describe wetland habitats
c) Post your work in discussion forum 4.2.1
Interaction begins
1.Read what your colleagues have posted and
identify some key ideas that you may have
overlooked in your work
2.Use the key ideas to improve your work
3. Post your enhanced work in discussion forum
4.2.1

E-moderator interventions 1. Ensure that learners are focused on the contents

and context of discussion
2. Stimulate further learning and generation of new
ideas
 3.Provide feedback on the learning progress
Close the e-tivity 4.2.2
Schedule and time This task should take 1 hour

Next Wetland water budget

4.2.2 Wetland water budget

Water budgets describe the amount of water within a given system when taking into account that
added by precipitation and that lost through evapotranspiration, as well as of run off and changes in
storage.

One of the reasons this can vary between systems is the physical factors that may affect the system.

For example areas that have high levels of vegetation cover will have high levels of interception and
evapotranspiration leading to much lower levels of surface runoff whereas areas that are more sparsely
vegetated will experience greater rates of surface runoff due to soils often being dryer and eroded,
meaning are unable to absorb rainfall when it does occur.

Human factors then also heavily influence differences within systems, such as to do with over
abstraction of water resources that lead to reduced ground water flow and then reduce the amount of
water available in times of drought/lack of precipitation.

This can also be seen when looking at land use change and urbanization, where due to increased
impermeable surfaces infiltration is reduced as well as overall evapotranspiration, as well as increasing
rapid surface runoff.

This can then be linked to the climate of an area as can then effect how much water is available within
an area, as although areas may have similar levels of rainfall, where evaporation is higher than
precipitation the actual amount of effective rainfall left can be much lower, resulting in some areas then
having much lower amounts of rainfall and so water left.

The argument applies in wetlands.

 In these, water budget is the total of inflows and outflows of water in the system.
 The components of the water budget can be represented by the following equation:

P+SWI+GWI = ET+SWO+GWO+∆S

Where P = Precipitation;

SWI = Surface Water Inflow;

 GWI = Ground Water Inflow;

ET= Evapotranspiration;

SWO = Surface Water Outflow;

GWO = Ground Water Outflow;

∆S = Change in Storage.

 The relative importance of each component in maintaining wetlands varies both spatially
and temporally, but all these components interact to create the hydrology of an individual
wetland.

You will find more details of this lesson in e-tivity 4.2.2.

E-tivity 4.2.2 Wetland water budget

Numbering, pacing and sequencing 4.2.2
Title Wetland water budget
Purpose The purpose of this e-tivity is to enable you explain
the wetland water budget
Brief summary of overall task Watch the following video and explain the wetland
water budget

Spark

Individual task a) Explain the wetland water budget

 b) In your own words explain the wetland water
budget
c) Post your work in discussion forum 4.2.2
Interaction begins
1.Read what your colleagues have posted and
identify some key points that you may have
overlooked in your work
2.Use the main points to improve your work
3. Post your enhanced work in discussion forum
4.2.2

E-moderator interventions 1. Ensure that learners are focused on the contents

and context of discussion
2. Stimulate further learning and generation of new
ideas
3. Provide feedback on the learning progress.
Close the e-tivity 4.2.2
Schedule and time This task should take 1 hour

Next The hydrological functions of wetlands

4.2.3 The hydrological functions of wetlands

 Wetlands are the buffers between terrestrial and aquatic environments and have a number
of essential roles including protection against flooding and contribution to local and
global biodiversity.
 The understanding of wetland functions and the underlying physical, chemical and
biological processes supporting these functions facilitates the management and protection
of wetlands and their associated basins.
 The hydrological functions of wetlands are controlled by landscape position,
topographical location, vegetation, soil type, and the relative amounts of water flowing
into and out of the wetland.
 The hydrological functions of wetlands include:
a) Flood storage and stormflow modification;
 b) Groundwater discharge and recharge;
c) Alteration of local precipitation and evaporation;
d) Maintenance of water quality;
e) Maintenance of estuarine water balance; and
f) Erosion reduction.

You will find more details of this lesson in e-tivity 4.2.3.

E-tivity 4.2.3 The hydrological functions of wetlands

Numbering, pacing and sequencing 4.2.3

Title The hydrological functions of wetlands
Purpose The purpose of this e-tivity is to enable you to
describe the hydrological functions of wetlands
Brief summary of overall task Watch the following video and describe the
hydrological functions of wetlands

Spark

Individual task a) Describe the hydrological functions of wetlands

b) In your own words describe the hydrological
functions of wetlands
c) Post your work in discussion forum 4.2.3
Interaction begins
1.Read what your colleagues have posted and
identify some key points that you may have
 overlooked in your work
2.Use the main points to improve your work
3. Post your enhanced work in discussion forum
4.2.3

E-moderator interventions 1. Ensure that learners are focused on the contents

and context of discussion
2. Stimulate further learning and generation of new
ideas
3. Provide feedback on the learning progress.
Close the e-tivity 4.2.3
Schedule and time This task should take 1 hour
Next
Basic hydrological data: Precipitation and discharge

4.3 Assessment questions

1. The following is not a key hydrological process of wetlands.
a) Sublimation
b) Runoff
c) Evapotranspiration
d) Precipitation
2. The wetland water budget is the total of:
a) Groundwater inflow and surface water outflow
b) All inflows and all outflows
c) Precipitation and evapotranspiration
d) None of the above

3. An important hydrological function of wetlands is:

a) Evaporation
b) Recharge
c) Abstraction
d) Outflow

4.4 E-References
1. Ramsar. (Info. 2007). What are wetlands? Retrieved from
https://www.informea.org/sites/default/files/imported-documents/info2007-01-e.pdf

2. Ekeeda GATE & ESE (2020, September, 30). Water Budget Equation – Hydrology Basics –
Hydrology GATE. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d62E4hDsfA4

3. DEEP Video. (2014, January 28). Wetland Functions & Values. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3WZDZFvTZQ