that wetlands are valuable for another well. In 2006, 13.3 inches (about cm) of rain fell on the city of Newburyport in northeastern Massachusetts. In the neighboring city of Haverhill, only about 10 inches of rain fell. However, Haverhill suffered millions of dollars worth of damage from flooding, while Newburyport, however, the area along the river has been left in its original state-marshland (wetlands).
These wetlands gave the river waters space to spread out when there was a sudden increase in volume due to the rain.
The wetland plants and soil also acted like a giant sponge to absorb water. In Haverhill, on the other hand, the water could not spread out, so it rose higher and higher, until it overflowed the banks and flooded areas of the city.