A marsh is defined as a type of wetland where water covers the ground for longer periods of time (Evers, 2012). 

A salt marsh is defined as the area of coastal grassland that is regularly flooded by seawater (Oxford, 2023).

Salt marshes are found in coastal areas of the United States, some are on the land side of a barrier island such as Cape Hatteras in North Carolina.  (USFWS, 2016).

A salt marsh is the ecosystem found at the coast near the estuary (SCDNR, 2019).

Ocean tides push salt water into the marsh. This brings nutrients and sediment (mud) to the marsh.

Salt water brings nutrients so that the plants of the salt marsh can take root and grow.

When the ocean tides go back to the sea, salt water drains from the marsh. This allows the fresh water from land to move into the marsh on the way to the ocean (BTNEP, 2019).