Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Inventorying and Monitoring Wetland Condition and Restoration Potential on a Watershed Basis with Examples from Spring Creek Watershed, Pennsylvania, USA

  • Published:
Environmental Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We developed an approach for inventorying wetland resources, assessing their condition, and determining restoration potential in a watershed context. This article outlines how this approach can be developed into a Wetland Monitoring Matrix (WMM) that can help resource management agencies make regulatory and nonregulatory decisions. The WMM can be embedded in a standard planning process (Wetlands, Wildlife, and Watershed Assessment Techniques for Evaluation and Restoration, or W3ATER) involving the setting of objectives, assessing the condition of the resource, prioritizing watersheds or sites, implementing projects, and evaluating progress. To that process we have added the concepts of reference, hydrogeomorphic (HGM) classification, and prioritization for protection and restoration by triage or adaptive management. Three levels of effort are possible, increasing in detail and diagnostic reliability as data collection shifts from remote sensing to intensive sampling on the ground. Of key importance is the use of a consistent set of monitoring protocols for conducting condition assessments, designing restoration and creation projects, and evaluating the performance of mitigation projects; the same variables are measured regardless of the intended use of the data. This approach can be tailored to any region by establishing a reference set of wetlands organized by HGM subclasses, prioritizing watersheds and individual wetlands, and implementing consistent monitoring protocols. Application of the approach is illustrated with examples from wetlands and streams of the Spring Creek Watershed in central Pennsylvania, USA.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  • Adamus P. R., and K. Brandt. 1990. Impacts on quality of inland wetlands of the United States: A survey of indicators, techniques, and application of community-level biomonitoring data. EPA/600/3-90/073. US Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Research Laboratory, Corvallis, OR

  • Ainslie W. B., R. D. Smith B. A. Pruitt T. H. Roberts E. J. Sparks L. West G. L. Godshalk, and M. V. Miller. 1999. A regional guidebook for assessing the functions of low gradient, riverine wetlands in western Kentucky. Technical Report WRP-DE-17. US Army Corps of Engineers, Wetlands Research Program, Vicksburg, MI

  • Barbour M. T., J. Gerritsen, B. D. Synder, and J. B. Stribling. 1999. Rapid bioassessment protocols for use in streams and rivers: Periphyton, benthic, macroinvertebrates, and fish. EPA/841-D-97-002. US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC

  • Bedford B. L. 1999. Cumulative effects on wetland landscapes: Links to wetland restoration in the United States and southern Canada. Wetlands 19:775–788.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brinson M. M. 1993a. Changes in the functioning of wetland along environmental gradients. Wetlands 13:65–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brinson, M. M. 1993b. A hydrogeomorphic classification for wetlands. Technical Report WRP-DE-4. US Army Corps of Engineers, Waterways Experiment Station, Washington, DC

  • Brooks R. P. 1993. Restoration and creation of wetlands. In: M. S. Dennison, J. F. Berry (eds.). Wetlands: Guide to science, law, and echnology. Noyes Publications, Park Ridge, NJ, pp 319–351

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, R. P. (ed.). 2004. Monitoring and Assessing Pennsylvania Wetlands. Final Report for Cooperative Agreement No. X-827157-01, between Penn State Cooperative Wetlands Center, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, Washington, DC. Report No. 2004-3 Penn State Cooperative Wetlands Center, University Park, PA

  • Brooks R. P., D. H. Wardrop, and J. K. Perot. 1999. Development and application of assessment protocols for determining the ecological condition of wetlands in the Juniata River Watershed. EPA/600/R-98-181. US Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, OR

  • Brooks, R. P., D. H. Wardrop, C. A. Cole, and K. R. Reisinger. 2002a. Using reference wetlands for integrating wetland inventory, assessment, and restoration for watersheds. Pages 9–15 in R. W. Tiner (compiler). Watershed-based wetland planning and evaluation. A collection of papers from the Wetland Millennium Event, 6-12 August 2000, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Distributed by Association of State Wetland Managers, Inc., Berne, NY

  • Brooks R. P., D. H. Wardrop, and J. A. Bishop. 2002b. Watershed-based protection for wetlands in Pennsylvania: Levels 1 & 2—Synoptic maps and rapid field assessments. Final Report. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, Harrisburg, PA

  • Brooks R. P., D. H. Wardrop, J. A. Bishop. 2004. Assessing wetland condition on a watershed basin in the Mid-Atlantic Region using synoptic land cover maps. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 94:9–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell D. A., C. A. Cole, R. P. Brooks. 2002. A comparison of created and natural wetlands in Pennsylvania, USA. Wetlands Ecology and Management 10:41–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carline, R. F., M. C. Walsh, and A. M. Smith. 2004. Responses of streams to intensively grazed riparian areas: Spring Creek, West Branch Susquehanna River Watershed. Final Report submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency

  • Cole C. A., R. P. Brooks, D. H. Wardrop. 1997. Wetland hydrology as a function of hydrogeomorphic (HGM) subclass. Wetlands 17(4):456–467

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowardin L. M., V. Carter, F. C. Golet, and E. T. LaRoe. 1979. Classification of wetlands and deepwater habitats of the United States. FWS/OBS-79/31. US Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, DC

  • Dahl T. E. 1990. Wetlands: Losses in the United States, 1780’s to 1980’s. US Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, DC. 21pp

  • Danielson, T.J. 2002. Methods for evaluating wetland condition. No. 1. Introduction to wetland biological assessment. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of water; EPA 822-R-02-014, Washington, D.C. 47pp

  • Goodwin C. N., C. P. Hawkins, J. L. Kershner. 1997. Riparian restoration in the western United States: Overview and perspective. Restoration Ecology 5(4S):4–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gosselink J. G., L. C. Lee. 1989. Cumulative impact assessment in bottomland hardwood forests. Wetlands 9:83–174

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, A., R. P. Brooks, D. H. Wardrop, and J. K. Perot. 1999. Pennsylvania’s Adopt-a-Wetland Program Wetland Education and Monitoring Module: Student Manual. Penn State Cooperative Wetlands Center, University Park, PA. Available from http://www.geog.psu.edu/wetlands

  • Hughes R. M., D. P. Larsen, J. M. Omernik. 1986. Regional reference sites: A method for assessing stream potentials. Environmental Management 10(5):629–635

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Karr J. R. 1981. Assessment of biotic integrity using fish communities. Fisheries 6(6):21–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karr J. R., E. W. Chu. 1999. Restoring life in running waters. Better biological monitoring. Island Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Kay, J. J., and E. D. Schneider. 1992. Thermodynamics and measures of ecosystem integrity. Pages 159–182 in D. H. McKenzie, D. E. Hyatt, and V. J. McDonald (eds.), Ecological indicators, Proceedings of the International Symposium on Ecological Indicators, 16–19 October 1990, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Elsevier Science, Essex, UK, Vol. 1

  • Kentula M. E., R. P. Brooks, S. E. Gwin, C. C. Holland, A. D. Sherman, J. C. Sifneos. 1992. Wetlands. An approach to improving decision making in wetland restoration and creation. Island Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Larson J. S., D. B. Mazzarese. 1994. Rapid assessment of wetlands: History and application to management. In: W. J. Mitsch (ed.). Global wetlands: Old World and New. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 625–636

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsen D. P., K. W. Thornton, N. S. Urquhart, S. G. Paulsen. 1994. The role of sample surveys for monitoring the condition of the nation’s lakes. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 32:101–134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leibowitz S. G., B. Abbruzzese, P. R. Adamus, L. E. Hughes, and J. T. Irish. 1992. A synoptic approach to cumulative impact assessment: A proposed methodology. EPA/600/R-92/167. US Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Research Laboratory, Corvallis, OR

  • Leibowitz N. C., L. Squires J. P. Baker E. M. Preston R. P. Brooks L. L. McDonald, and J. Baker. 1991. Research plan for monitoring wetlands ecosystems. EPA/600/3-01/010. US Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program, Environmental Research Laboratory, Corvallis, OR

  • Miller J. N., R. P. Brooks, M. J. Croonquist. 1997. Effects of landscape patterns on biotic communities. Landscape Ecology 12:137–153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council. 1992. Restoration of aquatic ecosystems. National Academy Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council. 2001. Compensating for wetland losses under the Clean Water Act. National Academy Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Connell T. J., L. E. Jackson, R. P. Brooks. 2000. Bird guilds as indicators of ecological condition in the central Appalachians. Ecological Applications 10(6):1706–1721

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Regier, H. A. 1992. Indicators of ecosystem integrity. Pages 183–200 in D. H. McKenzie, D. E. Hyatt, and V. J. McDonald (eds.). Ecological indicators. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Ecological Indicators, 16–19 October 1990, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Elsevier Science, Essex, UK, Vol. 1

  • Rheinhardt R. R., M. C. Rheinhardt, M. M. Brinson, K. E. Faser Jr. 1999. Application of reference data for assessing and restoring headwater ecosystems. Ecological Restoration 7(3):241–251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riitters, K.H., R.V. O’Neill, C.T. Hunsaker, J.d. Wicka, D.H. Yankee, S.P. Timmins, K.B. Jones, and B.L. Jackson 1995. A factor analysis of landscape pattern and structure metrics. Landscape Ecology 10(1):23–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saacke-Blunk, K. 2005. Integrating response variables to evaluate the aquatic condition for the Spring Creek Watershed, Centre County, Pennsylvania. MS thesis, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

  • Smith, R. D., A. Ammann, C. Bartoldus, and M. M. Brinson. 1995. An approach for assessing wetland functions using hydrogeomorphic classification, reference wetlands, and functional indices. Technical Report WRP-DE-9. US Army Corps of Engineers, Waterways Experiment Station, Washington, DC

  • Stevens J., D. L., A. R. Olsen. 1999. Spatially restricted surveys over time for aquatic resources. Journal of Agricultural, Biological, and Environmental Statistics 4:415–428

  • Strayer D. L., R. E. Beighley, L. C. Thompson, S. Brooks, C. Nilsson, G. Pinay, R. J. Naiman. 2003. Effects of land cover on stream ecosystems: Roles of empirical models and scaling issues. Ecosystems 6:407–423.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swift B. L. 1984. Status of riparian ecosystems in the United States. Water Resources Bulletin 20:223–228

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 2002. National wetlands mitigation action plan. Press release dated 26 December 2002

  • U.S. General Accounting Office. 2002. Scientific panel’s assessment of fish and wildlife mitigation guidance. Report GAO-02-574. US Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC

  • Walsh, M. C. 2002. Physico-chemical and biological responses of streams to restoration of riparian pastures. MS thesis, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

  • Wardrop D. H., R. P. Brooks. 1998. The occurrence and impact of sedimentation in central Pennsylvania wetlands. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 51:119–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wayland, R. H. 2002. 2002 Integrated water quality monitoring and assessment report guidance. Memorandum dated 5 October 2002

  • Wohl N. E., R. F. Carline. 1996. Relations among riparian grazing, sediment loads, macroinvertebrates, and fishes in three central Pennsylvania streams. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 53(Suppl. 1):260–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research has been supported by funding from the Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds of the US EPA, through Cooperative Agreement No. X827157-01. Additional support was provided by the Penn State Cooperative Wetlands Center, which is administered jointly by the Penn State Institutes of the Environment and the Department of Geography of The Pennsylvania State University. The authors appreciate the contributions of L. Machung in the developmental stages of this work and the assistance of J. Bishop, K. Saacke-Blunk, and J. Rubbo in compiling landscape and site data. This work has benefited greatly from discussions with many employees of the US EPA, especially D. Vetter, M. Kentula, and R. Sumner. The thoughtful suggestions of three anonymous reviewers were appreciated.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Penn State Cooperative Wetlands Center, Department of Geography, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802, USA

    Robert P. Brooks & Denice Heller Wardrop

  2. Center for Watershed Stewardship, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802, USA

    Charles Andrew Cole

Authors
  1. Robert P. Brooks
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Denice Heller Wardrop
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Charles Andrew Cole
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert P. Brooks.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brooks, R.P., Wardrop, D.H. & Cole, C.A. Inventorying and Monitoring Wetland Condition and Restoration Potential on a Watershed Basis with Examples from Spring Creek Watershed, Pennsylvania, USA. Environmental Management 38, 673–687 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-004-0389-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-004-0389-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation