JUST ADD WATER · 2010. 10. 1. · Just Add Water! Restoring Shallow Wetlands for Wildlife . Wisconsin, wetlands and wildlife go together. We owe this heritage to the massive glaciers

Wildlife and Your Landa series about managing your land for wildlife

Listen. TerrrEEP, TerrrEEEP, Wheeet….Wheet.Wheet. TerrrEEEp, terEEEp, Wheeet….Wheet. Wheet.Those are the sounds of chorus frogs and springpeepers on a warm spring evening. On nights like theseyou’ll hear their joyful song in marshes and ponds, seepsand sloughs all across Wisconsin. And that’s not all thatdwells in wetlands. Ducks, geese, pheasants, woodcock, snipe, songbirdsand shorebirds live there too. Mink search from shore to shore for theirfavorite meal while muskrats mend their cattail huts. Sandhill cranesexplore sedge meadows for tender roots, amphibians and rodents.Raccoons feast on frogs. Wild turkeys, deer, and other animals stop byfor rest and water. Wetlands are busy places. In fact, more wildlifeutilize wetlands than any other habitat. Restoring a shallow wetland on

your land could be the most important thing you dofor wildlife. This publication helps you identify

whether your land can support a wetlandrestoration and how to get started. All you

have to do is just add water….

Just Add Water!Restoring Shallow Wetlands for Wildlife

Wisconsin, wetlands and wildlife gotogether. We owe this heritage to the

massive glaciers that once blanketed all butthe southwest part of the state. As this icysculptor melted about 10,000 years ago, it leftbehind the raw materials—water andlowlands—to form 10 million acres ofwetlands—1/3 of Wisconsin’s total land area.This included many types of wetlands such aspotholes, shallow wetlands, deep watermarshes, bogs, fens and river bottoms. Evenin the unglaciated southwest, the icymeltwaters created massive backwatersloughs along the Wisconsin, Chippewa,Black and Mississippi Rivers, and countlesssmall wetlands around smaller drainagesystems. All together, these wetlandsprovided breeding and feeding grounds formagnificent flocks of waterfowl, and food andcover for songbirds, shorebirds, herons,egrets, deer, foxes, raccoons, furbearers,amphibians and invertebrates.

The abundant wildlife described in storiestold by the first European settlers lured morepeople to this new and “limitless” land. Butas our population grew, so did the demands ofagriculture and commerce. We drained,dredged and filled our wetlands toaccommodate these modern demands.The perceived value of wetlandsdeclined but few peopleworried about the loss orthe potential impact onwildlife. The result? OfWisconsin’s originalwetlands, just halfexist today, thoughin some southerncounties the lossesare over 75 percent.

They’re All Wet!

There are many different kinds of wetlands,but they all have one thing in common—Water! Wetlands range from those that areseasonally saturated to those completelycovered with standing water year-round.Water-loving plants thrive under these wetconditions. Wisconsin has four majorcategories of wetlands: fens, bogs, swampsand marshes.

Fens: A fen is a grassy wetland fed bymineral-rich springs or groundwater. It is

the rarest wetland type in Wisconsin.

Bogs: Bogs are common in northernWisconsin. They are characterized by

acidic water, dense peat mats and unusualplants such as the insect-eating pitcher plant.

Swamps: Swamps are forested or shrub-dominated. Southern bottomland forests,

northern cedar or tamarack swamps andalder or willow thickets are types of swamps.

Marshes: Marshes are areas of standingwater that sustain water-loving plants

such as cattail, sedge, arrowhead, bulrushand native grass. There are no trees

in a marsh. Sedge meadows,wet meadows, prairie

potholes and shallowwetlands are kinds of

marshes.

2 Wildlife and Your Land

Wildlife and Your Land 3

Wetlands are important for wildlifeand people.

Nature’s Nursery

Growing up wet is common for manykinds of wildlife. Muskies, northern pikeand a variety of other fish spawn inwetlands. Muskrats, mink, beavers,otters, ducks, geese, swans, and a wholehost of shorebirds and songbirds are bornand raised in wetlands. So are turtles,snakes, frogs, toads and salamanders,and dragonflies, mayflies, snails andother invertebrates. Without wetlands,these animals could not survive. Inaddition, cattails, bulrushes, waterliliesand sedges are just a few of the plantsthat grow in wetlands. Many providefood and shelter for wildlife. Forexample, the cattail is know as the“supermarket of the swamp” because somany animals use it.

Winged Waysides

The flyways of Wisconsin are filled withmore than silver-winged airplanes. Each

fall and spring, they come alivewith a variety of migrating birds,

from waterfowl to song-birds. Many members of this

feathered jet-set fly non-stop fromsouthern wintering grounds to

Wisconsin’s wetlands,reproduce, and then

return to their winteringgrounds. In spring, migrantstarry here as they wait forwarmer weather to thaw frozen

marshes further north.

Flood Insurance

During periods of heavy rain, wetlandsact as huge reservoirs that help preventflooding downstream. A one-acrewetland, holding water to a depth of onefoot, will store 330,000 gallons of water.These stored waters then trickle backinto the earth and help rechargegroundwater supplies.

Frugal Filter

Wetlands do the same things aswater treatment plants, only they don’tcharge for the service. Here’s how. Aftera heavy storm, wetlands capture runoffwaters in their lush tangle of plants. Thestilled waters allow sediments andpollutants to drop out of suspension.Tiny underwater organisms attached toplants intercept nutrients and manypollutants, recycling them into new plantand animal life. This process works toprevent pollution of lakes and streams.

Wetlands for You

No matter who you are—hunter or trapper, artist,bird watcher, photo-grapher, teacher, studentor nature lover—youknow the importance of wetlands. Ducksand geese stock many a larder whilemuskrat, beaver, mink and other wetlandfurbearers provide the raw materials tomake warm winter clothing. Cattails area favorite fall decoration and cranberriesand wild rice provide tasty and colorfulseasonal fare. The wildlife and scenicvistas found in wetlands have inspiredmany awe-inspiring photos and lastingmemories. And wetlands are favoriteoutdoor classrooms. Wetlands give usmany things, but perhaps the mostimportant thing they give us is notvisible to the naked eye—peace of mind.

The Importance of Wetlands

Shallow Wetlands:Why we need them

Shallow wetlands warm sooner thandeepwater marshes and provide waterfowl,shorebirds, herons and egrets with anabundance of plants, frogs, salamanders andinsects for food in early spring. This type ofwetland also provides nesting and feedinghabitat for waterfowl that prefer small,isolated wetlands. Ducks breed in adjacentgrasslands and feed off the wetland bottomfor insects and plants. When several of thesewetlands are within close proximity to oneanother, a hen can play “musical-ponds” insearch of food. More wetlands mean morefood and cover variety, and that means betterhabitat—habitat that will also support deer,pheasants, songbirds, muskrats and more atsome time during their life cycle.

Wetland restoration is one of the best ways toinvite wildlife back to your land—Just AddWater!

Restoration Methods

Former wetlands come alive after waterreturns. Dormant seeds sprout and ducksreappear. Restoring a wetland is a modestinvestment you can make forwildlife and your land. Ditch-plugsand tile-breaks are the mostcommonly used and preferredtechniques because they are thefastest, most efficient methods.Average costs are about $500/acre.Other methods, such as constructinga dike or scraping out a wetlandbasin are used to create or enhanceexisting wetlands. They tend tocost more. These techniques arebriefly defined below.

Ditch-Plugs

Ditches were constructed to drainwetlands years ago. “Plugging”the ditch with heavy soil allowsthe water to collect in thewetland basin again—a truerestoration.


Just Add Water!

“plug”

basin

1


Tile-Breaks

Tile can be removed to allow water to collectin the wetland basin again. At least 50 feet oftile is usually removed.

In some cases, you may want to restore awetland on your property, but yourneighbors, who are also serviced by the sametile line, may not. In these cases, tile linesare fitted with special water controlstructures such as elbow riser-tubes orperforated bypasses, so that you and yourneighbors’ needs are met. These structuresadd costs to the wetland restoration project.

Low-head Dikes

Low-head dikes or berms are used to createwetlands in areas with suitable topographyand soils. Though they are similar inconstruction to ditch-plugs they differbecause they are placed where they will mostlikely capture runoff. The trapped watercreates the pool area for the new wetland.

Wetland Scrapes

Wetland scrapes are used to restore or enhance wetlands that have filled with silt or toincrease the depth of open water in existing wetlands. It involves digging a shallow,depressional area with a scraper (pictured below) and removing the spoil to an uplandsite. This process requires a permit. It is illegal to fill any wetland or depositexcavated soil into surrounding wetland soils. Scrapes can sometimes be used tocreate a wetland on sites that have suitable soils, elevation, and water conditions.

dikebasin

2

3

4

You may have aformer wetland onyour property andnot even know it.The followingquestions can helpyou assess thesuitability of turningthat soggy part ofyour land into awildlife “field ofdreams.”

1. Assessing Your Land

GY Are there depressions or potholes onyour property that are drained by tilesor ditches? Good quality aerial photosoften show field depressions or potholes,drainage ditches, and drain-tile systems.

GY Can you see obvious changes invegetation in your fields? For example,are there patches of stressed or drownedcrops?

GY Do you have a field that is difficult toplant because it’s too wet in spring anddifficult to harvest because it’s too wet inthe fall?

GY Do patches of wetland plants such ascattail, sedge, or smartweed occur inyour fields?

GY Is the soil in the wet areas of your fieldsclay or claylike?

If you answered “yes” to any of thesequestions, then you may have a drainedwetland on your property that could berestored with assistance from the DNR or aprivate contractor. If you answered “no” tothese questions, don’t quit reading, you stillmay be able to create a wetland on yourproperty or enhance an existing wetland ifthe soils and topography are right.

2. Getting Assistance

If you think you have a potential wetlandrestoration site, contact your DNR Wildlife orPrivate Lands Manager. They can furtherassess your land’s potential for a wetlandrestoration. On qualifying sites, they’ll assistwith design and construction of wetlands. Onother properties, they’ll get you started anddirect you to the right programs and resourcepeople. The Natural Resources ConservationService keeps a list of private contractorsthat do wetland restoration work. There mayeven be financial assistance available.

The Wisconsin Department of NaturalResources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,Farm Service Agency (FSA) and local LandConservation Departments have cost-sharedollars available for qualifying wetlandrestoration projects. These agencies willassist with wetland restoration plans andmanagement questions. Funding varies fromcounty to county. DNR wildlife managers mayrefer you to the Area Water ManagementSpecialist. They can help you secure statepermits necessary for wetland restorationsand advise you on other permits. Permitrequirements will vary depending on thewetland you restore and where it’s located.


Mucky Mess or “Field of Dreams?”

AssessingPlanningImplementing

Y

You may need permits and/or approval fromthe following agencies. Either way, allow fromtwo to eight months to complete this process.

GY County Land Conservation Department

GY County Zoning Office

GY State Department of Natural Resources

GY U.S.D.A. Farm Service Agency (FSA)

GY U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (a list ofCorps regulated activities can beobtained from DNR offices.)

Remember, securing a permit does notguarantee a successful wetland restoration. Itshows that your wetland will not adverselyaffect existing environmental and socialconditions.

3. Implementing Your Plan

This is the fun part—the payoff from all theplanning you’ve already done. By this point,you have acquired all the necessary permitsand permissions, your neighbors have beencontacted and are comfortable with yourproject, and you are confident that the DNRstaff and/or contractors in charge of theproject will deliver the results you expect.

Most restoration occurs during the driermonths—July, August and September. Withprojects that involve dike construction, thework is evaluated by trained surveyors beforecompletion so that adjustments can be madewhile the equipment is still there. After theproject is complete, the DNR may conductsurveys to determine the number ofwaterfowl and other wildlife present on thenew wetland.


LCDZoning OfficeDNRFSA

Y

blue-jointcord grass

The primary goal of shallow wetlandrestoration is wildlife enhancement. Thesewetlands typically occur on agricultural landsthat were previously drained. If you proceedwith a shallow wetland restoration, here’swhat you can expect.

Depth and Shape

Once tile is removed or a ditch is plugged,the water will return to its former depth andbasin. Typically, these wetlands are nogreater than 3 feet deep and have a gradual,sloping base. They usually dry up during thesummer, though the deeper basins can holdwater year-round. You can achieve the sameresult with a wetland scrape. If you choosethe wetland scrape method, never exceed 3feet and always strive for the most naturallooking shape you can. Irregular edges arebest.

Vegetation

Good plant cover makes for good nesting,escape, resting and feeding habitat. In mostcases, desirable wetland vegetation will growwithout interference. Wetland seeds arealready in the soil and just need water togerminate. If you live near wetlands, seedswill also blow in or be carried in by birds andmammals. Common plants you may see arecattail, smartweed, arrowhead, sedge,beggartick, and wild millet. Common nativewetland grasses include blue-joint and cordgrass.

If you’re managing for waterfowl andpheasants you will want to maintain agrassland buffer around the wetland fornesting. For every one acre of wetlands, shootfor four acres of grassland. If you have theland, we recommend grasslands of at least 40


Anatomy of a Shallow Wetland

Historically, shallow wetlands dotted the landscape. You can return the landscape to its former life bysimply breaking a tile line.

acres in size. This allows enough cover forbirds to successfully hide their nests frompredators. The bigger the better.

It is better and cheaper to allow local plantstime to grow, but if you want to plant wet-land flora, it’s best to allow one growingseason to pass. Then carefully select wetlandplants which are available from specialtynurseries. Look at wetlands in the vicinityand see what is naturally occurring in yourarea.

While cattails grow naturally in wetlandsand provide excellent cover for pheasants andsongbirds, they can also choke out open waterand reduce the attractiveness to waterfowl. Ifyour wetland has more than 3 feet of water,muskrats will likely call your wetland home

and help keep cattail in check. Muskrats arenatural “mowers”. But as always, too much ofa good thing is bad. Too many muskrats can“eat-out” a marsh of all cattail, which is notdesirable for the pheasants and songbirds somany people want. Trapping is used in thesecases to control muskrat numbers. Balance isthe key.


beggar’s tick

cattail

smartweed

millet

sedge

arrowhead


Problem Plants

Purple loosestrife, an exotic plant fromEurope, can infiltrate your wetland andchoke out native, more desirable plants. Pullthem out before they go to seed. Research hasshown that this is the best method forcontrolling purple loosestrife in the long-run.Herbicides have not proven effective.

Reed canary grass is an aggressive non-native plant that once established, takes overa wetland. Do not plant this grass under anycircumstances. Blue-joint, a nativeWisconsin grass, isa better choice.

purple loosestrife

reed canary grass

If you build it...

By restoring a wetland, you can connect withWisconsin’s wetland and wildlife legacy; a legacy thatdates back to the ice age. It’s not a complicated processand does not require a lot of maintenance. Andremember, if you build it, the wildlife will come. Ribbit!


If restoring a shallow wetland is not possible on your land because of its characteristics,or your goals lean toward having a pond for fishing, swimming, livestock watering orother use, then an excavated pond may be for you. These ponds, often called dugouts, areusually characterized by steep sides and deep water. Though less attractive to wildlife,they can still provide some benefits if constructed with an irregular edge and a gradualslope to invite wildlife to drink and take cover there. In general, the more human usesyour pond has, the less desirable it will be for wildlife. Excavated ponds are also moreexpensive to build. For these reasons excavated ponds are rarely cost-shared bygovernment agencies. For more information about building a pond see the publicationThinking about Building a Pond available from your local DNR, Bureau of WaterRegulation and Zoning.

Excavated Ponds

Though less attractive to wildlife, excavated ponds used for recreational and other purposes can stillprovide some benefits if constructed with an irregular edge and a gradual slope to invite wildlife todrink and take cover there.

Wildlife and Your Land Staff: Mary K. Judd, Project Director;Diane Schwartz, Project Assistant; Todd Peterson, Agriculturaland Rural Land Use Specialist. Graphics and layout, KandisElliot. Funding for this project was provided in part through theFederal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act and through the NaturalResources Foundation of Wisconsin, Inc., P.O. Box 129, Madison,WI, 53701. Published by the Bureau of Wildlife Management,Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 7921,Madison, WI, 53707.

Federal Aid Projectfunded by your purchase of

hunting equipmentPUBL-WM-229

Documents

JUST ADD WATER · 2010. 10. 1. · Just Add Water! Restoring Shallow Wetlands for Wildlife . Wisconsin, wetlands and wildlife go together. We owe this heritage to the massive glaciers