Georgia's Coastal Plains region includes about 60% of the state. Long ago this area was part of the Atlantic Ocean and completely covered by water. A unique wetland feature of the Southeastern Coastal Plain is the Carolina Bay. Carolina Bays
are oval shaped wetlands found from Maryland south to Georgia. Some support permanent lakes while others experience
more irregular water levels. Carolina Bays range from 6 to 30 feet deep and from several acres to 6,000 acres in size. Due to
varying water levels, the vegetation differs dramatically from one Bay to another. Some are characterized by cypress forests,
others marsh and some shrub bogs. Georgia is home to more than 1,000 Carolina Bays, covering 250,000 acres.
The benefits of wetlands are hard to overestimate. All BUT ONE is the benefit of a wetlands such as the Carolina Bays. That is:
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A)
They filter and clean water as well, absorbing toxins and other pollutants.
B)
They provide rich farmland and are a source of fuel when the water is
drained from the area.
They absorb and store vast quantities of storm water, helping reduce floods
and recharge aquifers.
D
They provide critical habitat for many plant and animal species that could
not survive in other habitats.