CONSEQUENCES OF LANDSCAPE SCALE HYDROLOGIC RESTORATION IN FORESTED WETLANDS

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: MCINTIRE-STENNIS
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0228503
• Project Start Date: Oct 1, 2011
• Project End Date: Sep 30, 2013
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIV
1400 Townsend Drive
HOUGHTON,MI 49931

Performing Department
School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science

Non Technical Summary
We propose to quantify the impacts of restoring 2 regions of the Seney National Refuge. The proposed restoration will directly restore approximately 3 miles of river and greater than 2000 acres of forest wetlands and benefit 17 conservation priority species in wetland and riverine ecosystems of Seney NWR. The 17 conservation priority species include ten birds, two turtles, one salamander, one frog and three fish. The products of this research will provide information on how forested wetlands respond both hydrologically and ecologically to restoration.

Animal Health Component

(N/A)

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

(N/A)

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
102	0330	2050	50%
112	0330	2050	50%

Knowledge Area
102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships; 112 - Watershed Protection and Management;

Subject Of Investigation
0330 - Wetland and riparian systems;

Field Of Science
2050 - Hydrology;

Keywords

restoration

dikes

invasive species

ecohydrology

tree mortality

Goals / Objectives
Our goals are to monitor how restoring historical groundwater and seasonal (spring runoff) surface or sheet flows in Seney National Wildlife Refuge affects the local hydrology, tree communities and carbon fluxes from forested wetlands. Expected output: The project will help train one graduate student and will provide written reports that will demonstrate the impact on forested wetlands and aid in guiding the restoration activities.

Project Methods
The restoration will proceed in three phases: pre-treatment monitoring (Fall 2011 to Summer 2012), installation of restoration materials (Fall 2012) and post treatment monitoring (Fall 2012 to Spring Summer 2013). Pre-treatment monitoring: We will monitor the hydrology and vegetation in Fall 2011 and Spring 2012. Restoration work : In the Fall of 2012, crews at Seney NWR will use geotextiles, native substrates (e.g., rocks and logs) and seepage pipes to create areas that facilitate cross drainage of water through the dikes located adjacent to Riverside Dike and Marsh Creek Pool. Water monitoring has already been established near Marsh Creek Pools through previous research conducted by Chimner and Pypker. Greater than 40 wells have been monitoring water table heights north and south of Marsh Creek Pool for the past three years. In addition to the current well network, we will install new wells along multiple transects across the locations where the restoration activities are proposed. These wells will be either monitored by pressure transducers or manually using an electronic measuring tape on a biweekly basis. The pre-treatment hydrological measurements will provide a baseline against which we can compare the restored hydrology. Pre and post hydrologic conditions will be compared against the expected hydrology for an undisturbed treed peatlands. Deviations from the expected seasonal water table heights will be determined and adaptive management activities proposed. Permanent vegetation monitoring plots, in addition to hydrological and plant sampling plots already established near the Marsh Creek Pool, will be established at random locations throughout the restoration areas to determine how trees and other vegetation will respond to the change. Characteristics to be monitored include tree mortality, plant species richness, total plant cover, and percent cover by species. We will also use percent cover of non-target and invasive species as a metric of restoration success. Moreover, we will conduct full site surveys to assess outbreaks of invasive species or other problem areas that would represent significant challenges to this project's success. This will allow for rapid adaptive management at each site.

Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Presentation at the National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center Jackson*, ML, TG Pypker, RG Corace III. Wetland and stream restoration effects on hydrology, vegetation, and gas flux within Seney National Wildlife Refuge, Seney, Michigian, September 12, 2013. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The project has trained one PhD student (Meral Jackson). The products from this project will be incorporated into her thesis and will be used in peer-reviewed publications. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? There was a presentation to the local community on 12 September 2013. The resutls of the project will be reported in peer reviewed publications What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Specifically, our goals were to: 1. Monitor how restoring historical groundwater and seasonal (spring runoff) surface or sheet flows to the Driggs River affects local hydrology. OUTCOME - we monitored groundwater height and chemistry both pre- and post-treatment. The restoration treatement occurred during July 2013. We are now monitoring the water chemistry and hydrology post-treatment. 2. Quantify how altering the Riverside Dike to allow groundwater and seasonal surface flows during spring to flow across the peatland complex will affect vegetation dynamics and carbon fluxes. OUTCOME - we installed a stream gauge to monitor flows. We monitored carbon fluxes both pre- and post-treatment. The treatment occurred in during the summer of 2013. The treatments succesfully allowed for water movement across the dike.We are still processing the data following treatment. We will continue to monitor the site for one more year. At that time the findings will be reported in a PhD thesis and in peer reviewed articles.

Publications

Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Presentation Jackson*, ML,TG Pypker, CS Tarasoff, RG Corace lll. Wetland and stream restoration effects on hydrology, vegetation, and gas flux within Seney National Wildlife Refuge- displayed at the Ecosystem Science Center 8th Annual Graduate Research Form, Michigan Technological University, March 30, 2012. PARTICIPANTS: Meral Jackson - PhD student - Michigan Tech The project is collaborating with the National Fish and Wildlife Service at Seney National Wildlife Refuge. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Specifically, our goals were to: 1. Monitor how restoring historical groundwater and seasonal (spring runoff) surface or sheet flows to the Driggs River effects local hydrology. OUTCOME - we monitored groundwater height and chemistry. This was pre treatement data that will be compared to the hydrology and chemistry after the restoration. 2. Quantify how altering the Riverside Dike to allow groundwater and seasonal surface flows during spring to flow across the peatland complex will affect vegetation dynamics and carbon fluxes. OUTCOME - we installed a stream gauge to minitor flows.

Publications

• No publications reported this period