Methods to assess the water quality impact of a restored riparian wetland

The feasibility and effectiveness of restoring a riparian wetland and using it as a bioremediation site for nutrients moving downslope from an animal waste application site is being evaluated. In question is the short-term effectiveness of the restored wetland in enhancing the quality of the water leaving the site. The wetland was restored by reintroducing a combination of native trees that will be harvested for pulpwood or timber wood. Native grasses and forbs were allowed to reestablish themselves among the trees. An intensive monitoring program using a network of shallow groundwater monitoring wells and automated surface runoff collectors was established to measure nutrient movement through the wetland in shallow groundwater and surface runoff Soil samples are collected for nutrient analysis and denitrification measurements. Details of wetland restoration, instrumentation, and sampling strategies are presented.