Acting like a sponge, wetlands soak up the rainfall and slow down spring and storm runoff. By slowing the water flow, erosion damages along banks and shorelines are reduced.

The wetlands also act like a water filter by soaking up impurities, like fertilizer and chemical pollutants and release cleaner water into lakes and streams.

"Everybody is downstream," said Montague. "It's important for people to remember what they pour down the drain goes into the city storm water and passes through or is impounded in our wetlands. Nothing leaves the lake, there's just water evaporation."

The wetlands are important habitats for more than just wildlife living along the Wasatch Front. They provide migrating birds with a feeding and resting ground important in making their yearly migration from Central and South America to Canada. Shore birds, waterfowl and raptors all use the preserve year-round as a stopover. Some birds fly nonstop to the Great Salt Lake area, stay for just three to four weeks to build up their fat reserves and then continue nonstop to South America.

"We have an extra responsibility," said Montague. "We are the international link for millions of migrating birds, and it is our responsibility to keep our global link healthy and functional."

The Travelocity survey confirms the conservancy's belief that the rich web of life also attracts people for both its aesthetic and recreational value. The preserve gives visitors easy access to the wetlands without even having to get their feet wet. Birdwatchers and tourists enjoy the preserve's award-winning visitors center, one-mile boardwalk trail, 30-foot viewing tower, suite of educational exhibits and specially guided tours during the summer.

Chris Brown manages the 6,000-plus acres belonging to the conservancy. Brown works hard to balance being a good neighbor with residents along the borders of the preserve and the needs of the preserve.

"What's good for the marsh and what's good for the community may clash," said Brown. "We really try to work with them, but they need to work with us, too."

People dumping lawn clippings into Kay's Creek and kids opening the head gates to the preserve are some of the biggest problems Brown has to deal with. The free flow of water and water levels in the preserve are important to both nesting birds and preventing mosquito blooms.

Most people are "good visitors," and Brown encourages visiting the preserve year-round. Birders can check off elusive birds on their lists, spot a deer or fox in the evening, or even catch sight of the stray bison that wandered onto the preserve this past year.

"Each change of seasons brings changes," said Brown. "That's the beauty of it. There's more than just a dead lake out here. It's a living, breathing organism."

Brown's favorite times to visit the preserve are the spring and fall.

"Evenings are so quiet," Brown remarked." This is where you can go to get away from it all. You can see all the growth up along the mountains, but all you hear is a chorus of frogs."

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E-mail: dramsay@desnews.com