Converted wetland

Under the swampbuster program, converted wetlands are wetlands that were drained or altered to improve agricultural production after December 23, 1985, the date swampbuster was enacted. On lands with this designation, no drainage maintenance and no additional drainage are allowed.

Lands converted before December 23, 1985 are called prior converted wetlands, and alterations to these lands are subject to less stringent requirements. Under swampbuster, there are no restrictions on either drainage maintenance or additional drainage on prior converted wetlands, which are estimated to total more than 50 million acres (200,000 km²).