Waterfowl nesting structures in the Howard wetland.
Tom Ridge, Governor
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
James M. Seif, Secretary
Department of Environmental Protection
An Equal Opportunity
Employer
DEP Visits Restored Wetlands
Summer 2000 Field Observations of Wetlands Restored with Funds from the
Pennsylvania Wetland Replacement Project
Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection staff joined
representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the PA Fish and Boat
Commission and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to evaluate 21 wetland restorations
in July and August completed under the Pennsylvania Wetland Replacement Project.
The sites have been assessed to determine how successful they are in providing
wetland functions and value and collect information relative to the development
and establishment of soils, hydrology and plant communities including vegetative
type. The vegetative type listed with each project description is the proposed
vegetation for the site. The descriptor is taken from the Cowardin system of
wetland classification. In that system, PEM is palustrine emergent, plants that
die every year, PSS is palustrine scrub-shrub, and PFO is palustrine forested.
This is Monitoring Year Two for some of the sites, and photos have been
provided to showcase "before and after" conditions. DEP is committed
to monitoring all sites for at least five years. Sites that will be monitored
for a longer term will be selected at the end of the five-year monitoring
period.
Between 1996 and 1999, a total of 50.3 wetland acres on 21 sites in 11
different counties were restored. When completed, all sites were surveyed for
size and to document their “as-built” conditions. An "as-built"
plan provides DEP with the shape and contours of the restored wetland.
The purpose of the Pennsylvania Wetland Replacement Project is to improve
mitigation success by targeting funding and staff efforts toward larger, more
suitable, wetland replacement sites. Twenty of 21 wetland restoration projects
have achieved an acceptable level of success. One site, which has not been
successful, is being evaluated for remedial action and will be modified to
improve its performance.
Wetlands offer many benefits for property owners such as wildlife habitat,
improvement of water quality and the enjoyment of unique and special plants and
wildlife. If you are interested in restoring these important natural resources,
please contact DEP at 717-787-6827.
The following screens summarize the condition of the restoration sites. Where
available, photos have been included.
Ryan Property - Adams
County
Date Constructed: July 1997
Monitoring Year: 2
Current Size: 2 acres
Vegetative Type: PEM
The Pennsylvania Wetland Replacement Project partnered with
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to restore this wetland. Plant
materials provided by the Pennsylvania Wetland Replacement Project have
helped Mr. Rusty Ryan meet his goal of attracting a variety of wildlife
species. He has reported seeing over 140 different species of birds
including waterfowl and wading birds.
The Ryan site in July 2000.
Skopic Property - Adams County
Date Constructed: October 1998
Current Size: 4.7 acres
Monitoring Year: 2
Vegetative Type: PFO
The goal for the Skopic site was to create a forested
floodplain. This 4.7-acre site was planted with pin oak and green ash
saplings. While there is evidence that the site was seasonally saturated
as expected in the spring, the annual inspection revealed that many of the
tree saplings did not survive the 1999 drought. Future monitoring visits
will determine if remedial action is required.
Wynfield Business Park - Lancaster County
Date Constructed: November 1999
Current Size: 1.75 acres
Monitoring Year: 1
Vegetative Type: PSS
In cooperation with the Lititz Run Watershed Alliance and the tenants of the
business park, the wetlands in the floodplain of Santo Domingo Creek (upstream
of the Santo Domingo Project described later) were restored. This site has been
planted with various tree and shrub saplings to create a riparian buffer as well
as a wetland. The site withstood a very localized flooding event in June 2000.
Siegel Property - Union County
Date Constructed: October 1997
Current Size: 0.58 acres
Monitoring Year: 2
Vegetative Type: PEM
The site is providing a water quality benefit for a tributary of Buffalo Run by
trapping sediment and nutrients from two upstream farm fields. Wetland
vegetation is healthy and vigorous and is moving upslope from the inundated
area. Irregular grading has been very effective in creating small islands and
pools. This site has been so successful that a second survey is needed to detect
increases in wetland size and has been scheduled for October 2000.
Santa Domingo - Lancaster County
Date Constructed: October 1998
Current Size: 2.6 acres
Monitoring Year: 2
Vegetative Type: PEM
Aspartof a larger watershed restoration and protection effort by Warwick
Township and the Lititz Run Watershed Alliance, the Pennsylvania Wetland
Replacement Project was a financial partner to the project. This wetland is
assimilating sediment and nutrients by managing a large percent of the
stormwater flow in the Santo Domingo Creek. The photos below document the
progress of the site from construction year one to construction year two, a
trend that is becoming apparent.
Santo Domingo in
September 1999.
The same site in
July 2000.
Lake Naomi - Monroe County
Date Constructed: October 1996
Current Size: 3.5 acres
Monitoring Year: 2
Vegetative Type: PEM
This USFWS-designed wetland restoration project, located in an abandoned sand
and gravel mine, was completed in 1996. The goal of the project was to provide
wildlife habitat. During the 2000 field visit, evidence of use by deer,
waterfowl and songbirds was observed. While the site seems to be progressing
slowly, there has been positive progress in every monitoring year.
Lake Naomi in July 2000.
Good Farm – Lancaster County
Date Constructed: August 1999
Current Size: 0.26 acres
Monitoring Year: 1
Vegetative Type: PEM
The wetland at the Good Farm is part of a larger demonstration project in the
Hammer Creek watershed. This project was completely vegetated by Polygonum spp.
on the day of the field inspection.
Tarutis Property - Monroe County
Date Constructed: October 1997
Current Size: 0.40 acres
Monitoring Year: 2
Vegetative Type: PEM
This restoration effort involved the removal of old fill from a peat bog.
Wetland vegetation in bog communities is very unique and has covered
approximately 30 percent of the site over the last two years. This is an
excellent sign that over time native bog species will revegetate the entire
site.
Vegetation has covered approximately
30% of the site over the last two years.
Carlisle Property - Warren County
Date Constructed: November 1998
Current Size: 4.2 acres
Monitoring Year: 2
Vegetative Type: PEM
This 4.2-acre project has not reached its full potential. DEP is planning
remedial action for the spring of 2001. While the drought hurt the project, the
upper area is holding water and wetland vegetation is developing. The lower and
larger area is dominated by seasonal upland vegetation.
Wenner Property - Columbia County
Date Constructed: June 1997
Current Size: 1.7 acres
Monitoring Year: 2
Vegetative Type: PEM
The progress of this site over the last year is remarkable. While some plants
did not survive through the first two years, the photo below documents improved
conditions this year. A remedial planting scheduled for 2000 was not necessary.
Take note that this site was established adjacent to an existing scrub-shrub
wetland. Habitat diversity and wildlife use are high. The owner reports several
different species of waterfowl.
Vegetation has shown marked improvement in one year.
Photo from July 2000.
Klotz Property - Lycoming County
Date Constructed: June 1999
Current Size: 1 acre
Monitoring Year: 1
Vegetative Type: PEM
Just one of many conservation practices on the Klotz farm, the wetland
restoration was completed in cooperation with NRCS. At the base of a fallow
field, the wetland buffers the creek from sediment and nutrients.
Steward Property - Huntingdon County
Date Constructed: July 1997
Current Size: 2 acres
Monitoring Year: 2
Vegetative Type: PEM
The series of three wetlands is vegetating nicely. The landowner’s restoration
goal was to expand woodcock habitat. Shrubs and trees provided by the
Pennsylvania Wetland Replacement Project and planted by the landowner are
thriving. The alders and pin oaks will provide resting and nesting cover. The
emergent vegetation present at the site is also very healthy and diverse. The
photos below document the changes in vegetation from 1999 to 2000.
Photo taken in May 1999.
Photo taken in July 2000 in the same area as the
above photo.
Hemlock Girl Scout Council Property - Huntingdon County
Date Constructed: September
Current Size: 1 acre
1998 Monitoring Year: 2
Vegetative Type: PEM
Vegetation is well established at this site. Irregular grading was very
effective in creating islands and pools. This area has been used this summer as
an educational tool for campers and has been very successful in teaching the
difference between a wetland and a pond.
Construction in
September 1998.
Same site in
July 2000.
Emerick Property - Cambria County
Date Constructed: July 1997
Current Size: 1.3 acres
Monitoring Year: 2
Vegetative Type: PEM
As the Environmental Education Center for Cambria County, this site was
developed to create a variety of different aquatic habitats by restoring
emergent wetlands adjacent to a pond. The project has been very successful (over
200 students have visited) and this year, on the day of the monitoring visit,
Mr. Joe Emerick was training 30 school teachers.
The Emerick site in
September 1998.
The site from the same
vantage point in
August 2000.
Pfadt Property - Erie County
Date Constructed: August 1998
Current Size: 4 acres
Monitoring Year: 2
Vegetative Type: PEM
This site is another excellent example of wetland restoration. Ditches from the
late 1950s or early 1960s were filled in and the site was seeded to provide a
jumpstart and to compete with reed canary grass in the area. Currently, the
vegetation on the site is healthy and robust and the area is seasonally
saturated. The wetland is buffering the West Branch French Creek, a tributary to
French Creek.
The Pfadt wetland restoration in
early Fall 1998.
Stout Property - Huntingdon County
Date Constructed: November 1999
Current Size: 1 acre
Monitoring Year: 1
Vegetative Type: PEM
The goal of the Stout wetland restoration is wildlife habitat. A secondary
benefit will be retention of sediment from an upslope pasture area. The wetland
has been fenced from cattle. This year’s monitoring showed some plant
mortality due to Canada goose predation. DEP will follow this site closely to
determine if some remedial action is necessary.
Honeybrook Golf Course - Chester County
Date Constructed: July 1999
Current Size: 1.5 acres
Monitoring Year: 1
Vegetative Type: PEM
The wetland restoration at the Honeybrook Golf Course will buffer a tributary to
the Brandywine Creek from sediment and nutrients from a newly constructed golf
course. The golf course voluntarily added the wetland to its landscape during
construction. After construction, the site was seeded with a wetland meadow seed
mix. This first year monitoring visit found numerous volunteer plant species
along with the planted species.
Lauden Farms - Dauphin County
Date Constructed: September 1999
Current Size: 0.29 acres
Monitoring Year: 1
Vegetative Type: PEM
While this is not a large wetland, it is located at an extremely good location
at the base of a slope pasture. The site was dominated by cattails after just
one growing season. The wetland is just one of many conservation practices at
the Lauden farm.
Howard Property - Mercer County
Date Constructed: September 1997
Current Size: 11.5 acres
Monitoring Year: 2
Vegetative Type: PEM
This site is performing very well. The development plan emphasized the
creation of a diverse ecosystem consisting of several deep-water channels and
submerged terraces to enhance wildlife diversity. All of the design features are
present; four different water regimes are represented. The vegetative community
is diverse and includes numerous emergent species and some shrubs. The wildlife
observed included frogs, deer, fox, muskrat, beaver and several species of birds
including a little green heron.
Steinberger Property – Centre County
Date Constructed: August 1999
Current Size: 3 acres
Monitoring Year: 1
Vegetative Type: PEM
With the assistance of NRCS and the enthusiasm of the landowner, this old field
has been restored to a wetland. The goal of the wetland is to attract reptiles
and amphibians, an interest of the landowner. Spring 2001 will be the first real
test of the wetlands attracting powers. Water levels are optimal and the
vegetation is progressing nicely.
The Steinberger wetland 11 months after
construction.
PREPARED BY THE DIVISION OF WATERWAYS, WETLANDS AND EROSION CONTROL
P.O. Box 8775
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8775
717-787-682
