• In-stream wetland construction, restoration and enhancement

 
• Go Directly to In-stream Wetland Web Site

 
• Overview: Methodology to restore, enhance, and evaluate, restoration of instream wetlands is being evaluated in field scale studies.

 
• Goal: Quantify relationships between hydrology, water chemistry, and water quality in in-stream restored wetlands and evaluate the potential for managing hydrology, water chemistry, water quality, and plant

 
• Drainage is a necessary management practice for land use in eastern North Carolina and most of the Coastal plain areas of the Atlantic Coast and Southeastern U.S. The drainage in place today resulted form over two centuries of dredging and channelization of natural streams. One of the negative impacts of channelization is the natural riparian wetland/floodplain adjacent to the stream/channel is no longer functional. The channel rarely overflows it's banks, thus the riparian floodplain is no longer hydraulically connected to the stream. A priority I stream restoration would require filling of the stream to re-establish functionality of the floodplain. In areas with little relief, this would result in frequent flooding and/or prolonged wetness of upland areas and is thus not practical for many Coastal Plain landscapes. An alternative approach is to lower the elevation of the floodplain. Field scale studies are ongoing to develop and evaluate methods for restoring hydrologic function to the riparian floodplain and evaluate the influence of the restored hydrology stream water chemistry and water quality. Study sites are located in Chowan and Dare counties.

 
• Cooperators: Dwane Hinson (NRCS), Rodney Johnson (Albemarle RC & D), David Lindbo, (Soil Science)

 
• Graduate Students: Kris Bass (BAE)

 

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