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marshes usually are embedded in pineland, which is flooded

only during periods of exceptionally high rainfall (Figure

15).

 Strands and swamp hammocks are approximately 1 to 2 ft--

 (30-60 cm) lower (average depth) than surrounding wet

 prairies, with their deepest points, excluding ponds, at

 least 2 ft lower than surrounding land. Although depths

 vary according to area, sloughs average 2 ft lower than

 surrounding land, and their lowest points are three or more

 feet lower than surrounding land.

 Ponds in upland areas and in wet prairies are

approximately 1.5 ft (45 cm) deep at their deepest point

-regardless of the area. Ponds in sloughs, strands, and

swamp hammocks tend to be deeper than upland ponds. The

field study pond in Corkscrew marsh is approximately 4 ft

(1.2 m) deeper than the surrounding marsh bottom.


Area of Wetlands

 According to the pond count and measurements of

different vegetation communities on the ecosystems maps

prepared at the Center for Wetlands, freshwater wetlands

comprised approximately 62% of total land area in Hendry

and Collier counties, and 26% of total land area in Lee

County before any drainage of the area (circa 1900).

Freshwater wetlands comprised an even greater percent of

land area in Collier and Lee counties, 69% and 40%

respectively, if coastal wetlands were excluded from