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Conservation Insight—Soil Influences on Water Balance in Wetlands May

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Conservation Insight—Soil Influences on Water Balance in Wetlands May United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Influences on Water Balance in Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) CEAP-Wetlands Conservation Insight Wetlands May Impact Wetland Effectiveness August 2020 in Achieving Different Restoration Objectives Summary Background characteristics. For example, wetlands in the prairie pothole region have This analysis indicates there is Wetland restoration practices may be been found to influence groundwater less interaction between surface necessary to restore ecosystem func- less, while those in the Coastal Plain water and groundwater in wetlands tions in cases where wetlands have of the Chesapeake Bay watershed with low permeability subsurface been lost or degraded (Zhao et al. (CBW) exhibit strong interactions soils than in wetlands with high 2016). Wetland hydrology is a criti- with groundwater (Van der Kamp and permeability subsurface soils. cal component in wetland restoration Hayashi 2009, Lee et al. 2018). In a paired-comparison study of because hydrologic conditions impact two depressional wetlands in the various aspects of wetland biogeo- In wetland interactions with ground- Coastal Plain of the Chesapeake chemical and ecological function, water, water can flow in either Bay watershed, the wetland with such as nutrient removal and carbon direction. During winter seasons, low permeability demonstrated cycling (Sharifi et al. 2013, Fenster- groundwater levels (GWL) of wetland water level dynamics that were macher et al. 2014). contributing areas have been ob- more independent of groundwater served to become higher than wetland level than those observed in the Wetland water balance is one way to surface water levels (SWL), causing wetland with high permeability characterize hydrologic conditions in groundwater to flow into wetlands subsurface soils. Groundwater wetlands and is assessed by quanti- (McLaughlin and Cohen 2013). In levels had little impact on surface fying the sources of water entering a contrast, groundwater recharge occurs water levels when subsurface wetland and pathways for water exit- when water flows vertically from wet- soils were of low permeability. In ing the wetland. Precipitation levels, lands down into groundwater (Rains contrast the wetland with highly evapotranspiration (ET), groundwater et al. 2006). This downward vertical permeable subsurface soils showed recharge/discharge, spillage, and water movement is strongly influ- a more consistent relationship inflow from upslope drainage areas all enced by soil permeability. between surface water level and impact wetland water balance. groundwater level, and greater Vertical water movement is contribution of groundwater to The relative importance of ground- constrained in soils with low wetland surface water. water in wetland water balance varies permeability, resulting in longer depending on hydrogeomorphic standing water on the land surface These results have implications for conservation planning and wetland restoration. In areas undergoing frequent heavy rainfall events or those where groundwater recharge to increase downstream resilience to drought is an objective, restored wetlands sited on highly permeable subsurface soils may be most appropriate. In contrast, wetland restoration over low permeability soils may yield a higher carbon holding capacity and may be more effective at nitrogen removal via denitrification because of the potential for the wetland to maintain surface water for longer periods of time. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. Figure 1. The two study sites (left) and placement of sensors in each site (right). Note: the red dots indicate approximate locations of the two sites. The outline of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed is shown in the inset in the top left corner. and increased lateral flow (Rassam #1 has low soil permeability and #2 ference in range of variation between et al. 2006, Pyzoha et al. 2008). has high soil permeability. SWL and GWL was large at wetland Soils with high permeability, on #1 (1 m) relative to wetland #2 (0.2 the other hand, promote downward Wetland-groundwater interactions m), due to less variation of SWL and movement (infiltration) of water. Soil were quantified by comparing the more variation in GWL at wetland #1. characteristics can therefore have SWL and GWL for the two wetlands impacts on wetland water balance and over time. SWL and GWL were As anticipated, the daily tempo- in turn on the ecosystem services and monitored from January 1, 2016, ral dynamics of SWL and GWL at functions provided by those wetlands. to December 31, 2016, using a wetland #2 were consistent (Fig. 2b). groundwater well and piezometer, Unexpectedly, surface water was This study explores how surface respectively. In addition, the number present in both wetlands for a similar water and groundwater interactions of days with surface water present number of days (Fig. 3). However, it vary with soil hydraulic conditions was compared between the two was also found that the groundwater (e.g., low vs. high soil permeability) wetlands. Because low permeability contribution to wetland surface water in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain. In soils impede surface water loss via differed between the two wetlands, as addition, implications of wetland soil infiltration, the wetland with the low indicated by the number of days with characteristics on wetland restoration permeability subsurface soils was GWL above the lowest soil surface and management are discussed. expected to have more days with level within the wetland (48 days at standing water than the wetland with wetland #1 versus 215 days at wetland Assessment Approach high permeability subsurface soils. #2). These observations indicate that wetland #1 has high potential to hold In high permeability soils, SWL Findings surface water without contributing are expected to vary in a consistent to groundwater, while surface levels manner with GWL due to their strong Daily SWL and GWL are represent- in wetland #2 were often maintained interactions. To test this, two depres- ed in Fig. 2 for both wetlands. The through groundwater contributions. sional wetlands located within the observed daily SWL and GWL ranged Coastal Plain of the CBW were se- from -0.4 to 0.4 meter and from -1.5 Implications lected for this study (Fig. 1). The two to 0.3 meter at wetland #1, and from wetlands have distinct subsurface soil -0.8 to 0.4 and from -1.1 to 0.3 at wet- These results have implications for hydraulic conditions, in that wetland land #2, respectively. Thus, the dif- wetland restoration aimed at achiev- 2 Figure 2. Surface water level (SWL) and groundwater level (GWL) in daily time steps at wetlands #1 (a) and #2 (b). Wetland #1 has a low-permeable subsurface soil, whereas wetland #2 has a high-permeable subsurface soil. ing specific wetland-mediated eco- and might be better suited system services. The influence of on high permeability soils. soil hydraulic properties on wetland hydroperiod (how long water stands Wetland restoration in soils on the soil surface) will have a strong that allow strong wetland- influence on storm water storage groundwater interactions capacity and groundwater recharge, could potentially mitigate as well as the vegetation community the effects of drought possible as an endpoint of restoration. on downstream areas. During dry periods, most Based on the observed hydrological downstream baseflows are processes, wetlands with low supported by groundwater. permeability soils might be ineffective An increased amount at curbing peak flow during of water from wetlands consecutive heavy rainfalls relative to groundwater may to wetlands with high permeability contribute to sustaining soils. Low permeability soils limit downstream waters during Figure 3. Number of days when surface water level (SWL) or groundwater level (GWL) exceeded the wetland bottom water infiltration, potentially resulting dry periods. For improved (i.e., the lowest soil surface level within the wetland). in the maximum water capacity water management using for a wetland being reached after a wetland restoration, The effect of soil permeability on single rainfall event. In response to locations with high permeability soils plant communities and wildlife habitat following rainfall events, spillage should be targeted for restoration should also be considered. Plants well from the wetland can occur, activities. adapted to long-standing water may exporting a large amount of water to be more suitable for restored wetlands downstream areas via surface flows. In contrast, wetland restoration on with low permeability soils while wet- low permeability soils may be more land restoration for plant communities In contrast, high permeability soils effective at increasing carbon holding that prefer short periods of standing allow a wetland to drain water to capacity and nitrogen removal via water may be more suited to high per- groundwater, providing additional denitrification relative to high perme- meability soils (Correa-Araneda et al. holding capacity for following ability soils because of the potential 2012). Timing of inundation and vege- rainfalls. Thus, wetland restoration for long hydroperiods (Busnardo et al. tation community would also strongly planned for areas undergoing 1992, Altor and Mitsch 2008). influence the potential for amphibian frequent heavy rainfall events should breeding and other wildlife usage. consider hydraulic soil conditions 3 References Conservation Effects Assessment Project:
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