Management & Applied Science

the pastoral communities of the Andes should be included in any management program. n

Presented during CS11: Agricultural Wetlands, 6/8/2021 1:15PM - 3:05PM ET

A NOVEL APPROACH TO QUANTIFYING CHANGE IN WETLAND DISTRIBUTION AND DRAINAGE (1850S2004) FOR CONSERVATION PLANNING IN MIXED-USE LANDSCAPE

Lawlor, Stephanie, University of South Florida Flannagan, Claire Rains, Kai Rains, Mark Landry, Shawn Quantifying long-term changes in wetland distribution and drainage is an important step in conservation and restoration planning in agricultural landscapes. However, efforts to accurately map conditions prior to the advent of aerial photography are hindered by a lack of data, so early wetland loss and hydrological alterations have often eluded effective consideration in such efforts. To overcome this barrier, we developed and validated a frequency-intersect method utilizing 1850s Public Land Survey System data and original late-1800s maps. A new sampling approach was devised to delineate wetlands from 1950s aerial photos to quantify progressive changes in wetland distribution and drainage patterns in St. Lucie County (146,402 ha), Florida (USA), between the 1850s, 1950s and 2004. Using a GIS-based protocol, we discovered that St. Lucie County lost 86% of its wetland area between the 1850s-2004, with 69% of those losses to agriculture and 12% to urbanization. St. Lucie County was also extensively ditched and drained over this period, with drainage density increasing by three orders of magnitude, from 0.08 km/km² in the 1850s to 7 km/km² in the 1950s, and finally to 25 km/km² in 2004. This expanded drainage density has increased hydrologic connectivity by channelized flows, with the relative amount of the total wetland area within 100 m of a channel increasing 30-fold, from 2% in the 1850s, to 36% in 1950s, then to 60% in 2004. The techniques developed for this study show promising potential for prioritizing wetlands for conservation and restoration planning in St. Lucie County and other areas, including the entirety of the 48 conterminous states in the USA where historical data are widely available. Spatially explicit data generated by our techniques can better inform wetland conservation and restoration programs, which were previously limited to assessments within time periods supported by aerial imagery alone, resulting in incomplete information regarding drivers of contemporary landscape patterns. For managers, detailed and accurate understanding of historical landscapes helps to identify conservation targets, define restoration approaches, evaluate successes, and prevent restoration project missteps. n

Presented during CS11: Agricultural Wetlands

ADAPTIVE WATER MANAGEMENT FOR WETLAND CONSERVATION IN AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE

Zou, Yuanchun, Adaptive water management for wetland conservation in agricultural landscape, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences To understand the current situation of contradiction between wetland and agricultural water uses in the main grain-producing areas in Amur River Basin, we analyzed the natural and socio-economic driving factors, and to take a typical wetland-agriculture system as a case to assess the water use conflict and put forward adaptive management suggestions. Results showed that the total surface water storage in the Sanjiang Plain wetlands has decreased from 14.4 billion t in the 1980s to 4.7 billion t in 2010s, which means that it has lost approximate 2/3, due to the wetland loss and degradation. The case study the Qixing River National Nature Reserve (QRNNR) showed that without the rapid development of paddy fields in the surrounding farms, the natural water resource endowment of Qixing River can fully meet the needs of the natural wetland ecosystems. Agricultural development for successive years, especially the dramatically increased requirement for water in paddy fields, intensified the water use conflict between wetlands and farmlands. When QRNNR and its surrounding farms were considered as a whole system, the total precipitation, evapotranspiration, groundwater recharge, groundwater extraction, and agricultural drainage were 1.25, 1.48, 0.23, 0.43 and 0.09 billion m3/a, respectively. The main reason for the local continuous decline of groundwater depth was that groundwater extraction was approximate twice as great as the total infiltration recharge from wetlands and farmlands. The management principles and key recommendations, e.g. improving the wetland water resources protection system and integrating wetland protection goals into agricultural policies, adaptive wetland techniques (stagger water transfer, accurate water recharge, ice and snow melting water resourced) and agricultural techniques (water-saving irrigation, soil water capacity increased, rainfed agriculture), as well as joint management of wetland surface-ground

water and wetland-farmland water resources addressing environmental change, could mitigate the conflict between wetlands and farmlands. n

Presented during CS11: Agricultural Wetlands

DURATION OF FARMING IS AN INDICATOR OF NATURAL RESTORATION POTENTIAL OF SEDGE MEADOWS

Wang, Guodong, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Soil seed banks can be important components of ecological restoration, particularly if the species remain viable in the soil for long periods of time. A germination experiment was conducted in the greenhouse to determine seed bank viability based on length of time farmed. Soils from sedge meadows farmed between 0 and 50 years were collected in Sanjiang Plain, China. Most dominant sedges (e.g., Carex schmidtii, C. lasiocarpa) and grasses (e.g. Calamagrostis angustifolia) survived as seeds if farmed for less than 5 years, therefore fields farmed for short periods of time are the best candidates for wetland restoration. Certain important structural components (tussock-forming Carex spp.) are not retained in seed banks when farmed for 6-15 years, but the seed banks still contained viable seeds of other important sedge meadow species, which could contribute to the restoration of wetland communities. However, most sedge meadow species were missing in fields farmed for more than 16 years, which make these fields difficult to restore via natural recolonization. We conclude that the duration of farming can be used as a general indicator of the potential of natural restoration for sedge meadows. This information could be used to determine which wetlands might be targeted for restoration. n

Presented during CS12: Restoration, 6/8/2021 1:15PM - 3:05PM ET

APPLICATION OF A WATERSHED APPROACH TO MITIGATE A LARGE SCALE HIGHWAY PROJECT - SR 167 COMPLETION PROJECT AND HYLEBOS RIPARIAN RESTORATION PROGRAM

Merten, Christina, Herrera Environmental Consultants Ewbank, Mark The Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT’s) State Route (SR) 167 Completion Project will construct close to six miles of new highway within the Puyallup/White River Watershed amid urban and agricultural lands. WSDOT is using an innovative watershed approach to address the expected increase in stormwater runoff from new impervious surfaces, reduce flooding, restore streams, and provide wetland mitigation. Existing streams and wetlands are in mostly poor condition, with many channels straightened for man-made purposes and wetlands overwhelmed by invasive vegetation. The project will realign and widen thousands of feet of stream channels to approximate their predevelopment geomorphology, restore native riparian vegetation, and restore nearly 120 acres of wetlands and buffers. Most of the project’s wetland mitigation requirements can be addressed within enlarged project right of way via constructing and enhancing wetlands and buffers in new and restored floodplain areas, maximizing the ecological value that can be accomplished within the project area. The completely modified stream channel network in the project area is designed to accommodate increased stormwater runoff from the new highway in ways that do not harm habitats, alleviating the need for conventional stormwater flow control facilities. The prevalence of surface water in the flat landscape is considered a resource for maximizing ecological benefits in this project’s design, not a nuisance. This presentation will provide an overview of the environmental analysis, inter-disciplinary design approach, climate change considerations, stream and wetland rehabilitation, floodplain reconnection, creation of special habitat features, and invasive vegetation treatment strategies. This project presents a new approach for WSDOT and an example of how a large transportation project can be an opportunity for watershed restoration. n

Presented during CS12: Restoration

MITIGATING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS FROM THE ABANDONED I-95 HIGHWAY EMBANKMENT FILL AT RUMNEY MARSH IN REVERE, AND SAUGUS, MASSACHUSETTS

Reiner, Edward, United States Environmental Protection Agency Between 1967 and 1969, approximately 49 hectares of Rumney marsh were filled, creating an embankment nearly 3.9 kilometers long for the Interstate 95 project which was never completed. This embankment restricted tidal flow to approximately 180 hectares of salt marsh, as only one opening was created for tidal flow and drainage across the width of the marsh. Removal of the abandoned highway embankment and restoration of the marsh are included as goals in the 1988 designation of the marsh as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern. To date, approximately 31 percent of the original embankment footprint (15 hectares) have been restored as mitigation for aquatic impacts elsewhere. All restoration efforts, however, have been required to maintain a continuous flood control berm across the marsh, based on the belief that the narrow opening of the embankment was restricting the tides, and thereby, was

providing flood protection to properties abutting the marsh. Completed around 2013, the reconstruction of three bridges along the Pines River by Massachusetts DOT included increased bridge spans as well as higher bridges to improve tidal flushing, control invasive species, decrease erosive high velocity conditions, and improve recreational boating. In order to evaluate whether the abandoned I-95 highway embankment itself was restricting the high tides, EPA undertook bathymetric and water level studies. Our bathymetric study documented significant scour holes at each of the three major crossings of the Pines River. Our water level study documented that the area above the embankment has only slightly lower maximum daily tide levels as compared to the unrestricted Pines River. While the reconstructed Route 107 bridges have restored a more normal tidal hydrology to the marsh, these bridges still restrict tides. This restriction will continue to help protect upstream areas from tidal flooding as well as storm surges. We conclude that removal of the upstream abandoned embankment from the marsh can be done in a manner that restores the previous flow patterns, decreases erosive water velocities, improves drainage, restores clam flats, salt marsh, and fish and wildlife habitat, all without increasing flooding problems in the community. Addressing the fundamental flow and drainage impairments caused by the embankment will improve marsh resiliency to sea level rise. This abstract represents the views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the position of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. No official endorsement by EPA is intended or inferred. n

Presented during CS12: Restoration

RESTORATION OF A SPHAGNUM-DOMINATED PEATLAND DISTURBED BY A ROAD: DO PEAT AMENDMENT THICKNESS AND FERTILIZATION MATTER?

Isabel, Christine Rochefort, Line LeBlanc, Marie-Claire Northern Alberta is covered by a great proportion of peatlands that coincides with important oil sand deposit. A vast network of access roads was developed on these peatlands due to oil sands mining. Roads as well as seismic lines are part of linear disturbances which reaches over than 600 000 km in the Canadian boreal region. Roads in peatlands disturb crucial ecosystem services such as biodiversity, wildlife habitat, peat accumulation and herewith also carbon sequestration. We restored a Sphagnum-dominated peatland impacted by a road located on an in situ oil sand mining site. Restoration included (1) the partial removal of the mineral soil to 20 cm, 50 cm and 75 cm below the adjacent peatland’s surface level, (2) filling with peat from a nearby donor-peatland, (3) diaspores and (4) straw spreading across the entire peat surface and (5) phosphorus fertilization on half of each peat amendment. Research objectives were to evaluate the optimal amendment for bog characteristic vegetation to return. One year post-restoration, fertilization did not show any effect on plant establishment. Two distinct vegetation communities were identified on the restored area, which greatly differed from the targeted bog community. Differences observed in plant establishment may be due to an asynchronous storage time of the peat material as well as time gaps between soil amendments and vegetation introduction. Two years post-restoration, there was a higher cover of non-bog species in the 20 cm and 50 cm peat depth amendment compared to the 75 cm amendment. This study is a novel approach of linear peatland restoration and a first step to develop best management practices for the linear disturbances. It also highlights the importance of long-term post-restoration monitoring. n

Presented during CS12: Restoration

RESTORING ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONING OF WETLANDS WITHIN CULTURAL LANDSCAPES

Orloff, Alishia, Yale Indigenous and local knowledge serves as a robust lens for sustainable ecosystem management and restoration. Through agro-ecological practices, Indigenous peoples of Hawaiʻi have developed comprehensively complex strategies and traditions for maintaining the resilience of wetland ecosystems. Traditional practices such as agro-ecological systems involving kalo (taro) has been exercised in Hawaiian wetlands for centuries particularly because of its capacity to optimize multiple wetland ecosystem services. While often underestimated, these longstanding connections and adaptive strategies are crucial in local bird conservation and water management efforts especially under current environmental pressures. In order to better understand the extent of local management approaches in maintaining ecosystem functioning on the Heʻeia National Estuarine Research Reserve, three management sites were surveyed for habitat structure, water quality, and waterbird utilization. Radial surveys (15 m) were conducted at 30 randomly selected point locations at two IRM sites, a hybrid managed wetland site, and an unmanaged control site. Explanatory factors of bird detections used in GLM analyses reveal that Managed agro-ecological lo’i sites are positively associated with waterbird detections. Additionally, individual bird species were associated with unique habitat features. Open water and understory canopy were the primary predictors of endangered waterbird detections in the wetlands. This

data provides insights to habitat structure and function for the conservation of waterbirds that are maintained by Indigenous Resource Management. Recovery efforts of these species and integration of adaptive management perpetuate avenues for conservation and cultural revitalization. Ultimately Indigenous Resource Management presents a sustainable model for contemporary wetland management that values and maintains vital connections to the socio-ecological dimensions of our ecosystems. n

Presented during CS4: Vegetation II, 6/3/2021 6:55PM - 8:45PM ET

DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF AN ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK FOR EUROPEAN FROG-BIT MANAGEMENT

Cahill, Blake, Central Michigan University Monfils, Anna Hansen, Sara European frog-bit (Hydrocharsis morsus-ranae L.; EFB) is a free-floating aquatic plant invasive to North America. The species forms dense floating mats and has the potential to reduce the diversity of native plant, fish, and invertebrate communities; alter the physicochemical properties of wetlands; and inhibit the recreational and commercial use of wetlands and waterbodies. First recorded outside of cultivation in North America in Ontario in 1939, EFB has been documented in seven U.S. states and two Canadian Provinces. In 1996, EFB was first documented in Michigan in the Detroit River and has since rapidly expanded its distribution in Lake Erie and Lake Huron Coastal Wetlands and since 2013 has been detected in an increasing number of inland waters. In Fall of 2018, a team of biologists, land managers, and state and federal agencies formed a European Frog-bit Collaborative with the goal of integrating EFB management, monitoring, and research efforts in Michigan into an adaptive management framework (AMF). The resulting AMF contains strategies to address priority EFB management needs, including delimiting high-risk EFB infestations, assessing ongoing control efforts, educating recreational and professional stakeholders about EFB, and addressing critical information needs for EFB management. These strategies inform and support on-the-ground management to contain existing high-risk infestations, mitigate impacts in invaded high-value wetlands, and protect uninvaded high-value wetlands from invasion. We will present on the current state of knowledge on EFB biology and ecology, provide an overview of the EFB AMF, and discuss efforts to apply the AMF and its strategies on a local jurisdiction level (e.g., Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas). n

Presented during CS5: Worldly Wetlands II, 6/3/2021 6:55PM - 8:45PM ET

ASSESSING THE FEASIBILITY OF RED LISTING COASTAL SWAMP FOREST HABITATS OF SOUTH AFRICA

Van Deventer, Heidi, CSIR Kelbe, Bruce Jewitt, Debbie MacKay, Fiona Durand, Francois Adams, Janine Nel, Jeanne van Niekerk, Lara Naidoo, Laven Pretorius, Lulu Grundling, Piet-Louis Grobler, Retief Janse van Rensburg, Susan Ridden, Taryn South Africa’s coastal swamp forests are range-restricted, transitional forested wetlands, facing threats of climate and anthropogenic pressures. To improve the understanding of their range and habitat loss to date, we have integrated available spatial data, back casted it to the epoch 2000 and assessed changes in these systems for the epochs 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2017. The resultant layer totalled 120 km², with two distinct regions between the uMtamvuna Estuary on the border between the Eastern Cape Province and the uThukela Estuary in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province where systems occur in narrow gorges, as opposed to the Maputaland Coastal Plain (MCP) northwards to the Kosi Bay Estuary on the border to Mozambique, where 97% of the extent occur in broader systems in both valleybottom wetlands and depressions. Based on the dominant tree species, two International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) transitional forest wetland categories are identified: tropical and sub-tropical. Land cover changes showed that an estimated 20% of the areal extent of coastal swamp forests had been lost between 2005 and 2017. Of the total extent, only 19% is located completely within protected areas and Ramsar sites, although severe degradation, in places up to 50% of the patch, has been observed inside these areas too. Fragmentation analysis showed that forest patches became more fragmented, increasing from 817 to 1145 patches between 2005 and 2017. Although the systems would potentially qualify as the first aquatic ecosystems for red listing under the South African National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004, a bottom-up community approach is recommended in line with the latest IUCN criteria. Several research gaps need to be addressed for the red listing process, including improved

understanding of floristic variation along latitudes, faunal species associations, and improved quantification of degradation trends over time. n

Presented during CS7: Identification, Delineation, and Functional Assessment, 6/8/2021 8:35AM - 10:25AM ET

AN EVALUATION OF THE CHARACTERISTICS AND FUNCTIONS OF PROBLEMATIC WETLANDS: ALPINE SWALES, CHUGACH MOUNTAINS, SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA

Johnson, Charlene, 673d Civil Engineer Squadron- Conservation Element Problematic wetlands are designated as such due to, typically, naturally occurring complex circumstances which may mask one or more features of a landform which otherwise performs the functions of a wetland. In Alaska, Alpine Swales have been identified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and National Technical Committee on Hydric Soils as being problematic due to seasonal hydrology dependent on snowbeds and lack of typical hydric soil indicators. The problematic features are a function of the geologic, biologic, and climatic conditions in high latitude and high elevation alpine ecosystems. This study evaluated the vegetation, hydrology, and soil characteristics of alpine swales in Snowhawk Valley, Chugach Mountains in Southcentral Alaska, part of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The study was conducted in two parts. The vegetation, hydrology, and soil features of eighteen shallow, concave snowbeds in a ridge-and-swale complex were evaluated according to USACE Wetland Delineation Manual and Alaska Regional Supplement in accordance with the protocols for “Problematic Wetlands” and using test indicator for Alaska Alpine Swales (TA5). In a separate sample of four snowbed depressions, soil and moisture sensors were installed at 5cm, 15cm, and 30cm to evaluate seasonal hydrology below the ground surface and remote cameras were set up to evaluate snowcover timing and duration as well as the duration of surface water, if present. Preliminary analysis indicates that while persistent surface water inundation in these landforms is rare, there is a persistence of saturated conditions in the upper root zone of the soil profile, driven by capillary action in the early part of the growing season. Distinctive vegetation communities comprised of species known to occur predominantly in wetlands are prevalent in these concave landforms, compared to adjacent convex landforms. While typical hydric soil indicators are frequently absent, the presence of saturation and a hydrologically influenced vegetation community is consistent with the federal definition of a “wetland”. The persistence and functions of these unique ecosystems, particularly to moderate seasonal stream discharge and provide critical water quality support to fish habitat downstream, is at risk due to changes in climate such as quantity of snowfall in winter and rate of melt in spring and early summer. n

Presented during CS7: Identification, Delineation, and Functional Assessment

SIMPLY MEASURABLE HYDROPHYSICOCHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH SOIL REDOXIMORPHIC FEATURE & COLOR CHARACTERISTICS IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA WETLANDS

Schmidt, Stephanie, George Mason University Ahn, Changwoo Soil color patterns called redoximorphic features (RMFs)—concentrations, depletions, and reduced matrices—are often requirements for soils to be classified as hydric (i.e., able to support wetland ecosystems), but require extensive training to be properly identified. In this study, we characterized RMF and soil color attributes in plots from four wetland sites in Northern Virginia based on watershed urbanization degree and physiographic region. To develop a method capable of assessing and tracking presence and development of hydric soils, we assessed four simply measurable hydro-physicochemical (HP) attributes at each plot and compared both HP and 10 RMF and color attributes between sites. To enhance cohesion of RMF and color attribute characterization, we also conducted a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) on all HP attributes and used k-means clustering to compare RMF and soil color attributes by distinct HP-based clusters. When compared by site, differences were found in two HP attributes (inundation/saturation frequency and soil moisture); additionally, only four out of ten significant or marginally significant differences in RMF and color attributes were found between sites, including color values, frequencies of depletions, depth to depletions (p < 0.05), and frequencies of concentrations (p < 0.10). In contrast, PCA Dimensions 1 and 2 explained over 80% of variability in HP attributes, and a comparison between three HP-based clusters identified six significant or marginally significant differences in RMF and color attributes: chromas, depth to concentrations, and frequencies of concentrations (p < 0.05) along with non-matrix color frequencies and RMF contrasts (p < 0.10). Our results highlight that simply measurable HP attributes are closely associated with certain soil RMF and color characteristics unrelated to site identity, thus providing a suite of measurements to assess and track soil biogeochemistry and characteristics of hydric soils. n

Presented during CS8: Animal Biodiversity, 6/8/2021 8:35AM - 10:25AM ET

BEAVERS ROLE IN RESTORING SEDIMENT PONDS AND WATER QUALITY OF RECLAIMED MINE SITE

Hass, Amir, West Virginia State University Wolford, Isaac Lester, Randall Cantrell, Robert Haynes, Warren Sediment ponds constructed downstream from surface mining operations to trap sediments from mining activities are usually removed upon site reclamation and final bond-release phase of the mining permit. Opportunistic as they are, beavers sometimes move in and restore damaged ponds into wetlands. In this study, we evaluate the role of such headwater-restored pond on stream water quality downstream from a mountaintop-removal valley-fill surface mining site at the Central Appalachian broadleaf forest ecoregion in south-central WV, 15 years after reclamation. In-situ stream water measurements of pH, dissolve oxygen, oxidation-reduction potential, temperature and electrical conductivity (EC) were conducted every two weeks at the time of grab-samples collection at selected longitudinal locations upstream and downstream from the restored pond. Water samples were further analyzed for alkalinity, dissolved carbon, and major ionic and metal content. Significant longitudinal and temporal variation and elevated levels of all measured parameters were observed upstream from the wetland area but not downstream from it. With EC, for example, exceeding at times regulatory thresholds upstream (seasonally fluctuating from 229 to 560 µS cm-1), while averaging 153 ± 38 µS cm-1 (fluctuating from 123 to 253 µS cm-1) downstream from the wetland area. Moreover, and while following the same temporal trend upstream (fluctuating from 4.0 to 15.2 mg L-1), nitrate levels downstream from the wetland area were consistently low (2.95 ± 1.60 mg L-1) and not significantly different from that of adjacent stream draining non-disturbed headwater basin (2.56 ± 1.21 mg L-1). The elevated levels of measured parameters occurred during periods of high evapotranspiration potential demand and low precipitation, where limited surface and subsurface runoff contributed to the dilution of the valleyfill base flow. The wetland effect of attenuating headwater composition and levels thereof was greater than could be explained by incremental longitudinal drainage basin dilution. The results are discussed with respect to current practices and regulations, and the invaluable role of beavers in restoring/converting sediment ponds into wetlands and their benefit in regulating downstream water quality. n

Presented during CS8: Animal Biodiversity

HOW DOES WETLAND SOIL CONTAMINATION RELATE TO FRESHWATER TURTLE HEAVY METAL BIOACCUMULATION?

Lozon, Darien, West Virginia University Brown, Donald Anderson, James Hubbart, Jason Underground and surface coal mining have resulted in heavy metal contamination such as iron sulfide, selenium, and mercury in West Virginia wetlands. Agricultural runoff such as pesticides can also cause zinc, cadmium, chromium, and lead accumulation in wetland systems over time. Heavy metals can pose a threat to the health and safety of humans who interact with contaminated water or consume animals with accumulated levels higher than the EPA regulation. Freshwater turtles can serve as a biological indicator for quantifying environmental health because their life expectancy and high trophic status increase their bioaccumulation potential. It is important to monitor heavy metals in turtles as high levels can cause lethal defects in embryos and decrease life span. We assessed 33 painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) and 24 snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) for heavy metal concentrations (cadmium, chromium, total mercury, lead, selenium, and zinc) through non-destructive tissue sampling. Heavy metals were compared between species, tissue types, and percent agriculture within 30, 250, 500, and 1000 m of wetlands (n = 16 redundancy analyses). Concentrations in soil adjacent to wetlands were also compared to turtle heavy metal levels. All metals were higher in nails than blood as expected, but differences in levels between species varied across metals. Top redundancy analyses included percent agriculture within 30 and 1000 m for painted turtle blood and nails, respectively, and within 250 and 500 m for snapping turtle blood and nails, respectively. The top redundancy analysis for soil heavy metal levels included percent agriculture within 250 m. Selenium levels in soil and turtle nail samples were positively correlated with proximity to mine land. Lead concentrations found in turtle nails were positively correlated with lead levels found in wetland soil. Percent agriculture was negatively correlated with mercury in turtle blood but positively correlated in turtle nails, and 25% of the samples analyzed had mercury levels that exceeded EPA consumption limits. Mining activity, whether current or historic, has an impact on the environment that could be seen for decades in freshwater turtles and should be considered when implementing and managing wetland buffer areas. Turtle harvesting limits should be investi-

gated further to ensure the safety of residents who choose to consume turtles within the watershed. n

Presented during CS8: Animal Biodiversity

HYDROACOUSTIC SONAR DATA QUANTIFY FISH PASSAGE IN A HYDROLOGICALLY RECONNECTED WETLAND AT THE SHIAWASSEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, SAGINAW, MI, USA

Bozimowski, Alexandra (Sasha), U.S. Geological Survey - Great Lakes Science Center Greenberg, Anna Lugten, Eliza Dunton, Eric Dellick, Julie Kowalski, Kurt Salem, Maria Liu, Xinmiao Reestablishing hydrologic connectivity between an impounded wetland and a parent waterbody is an important process in restoring fish habitat. However, it is difficult to quantify fish usage of reconnection structures and fish passage into and out of reconnected sites given limitations caused by low light conditions, poor water clarity, and gear-type specificity associated with common capture methods. High-resolution sonar, such as the Adaptive Resolution Imaging Sonar (ARIS; Sound Metrics, WA, USA), allows researchers to non-invasively view the water column and its contents in high turbidity and/or low or no light conditions. Fish can be differentiated against background features, thus allowing characterization of fish movements. An ARIS sonar was installed at a water control structure connecting a formerly diked wetland to the Shiawassee River and ultimately, Saginaw Bay, at the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in Saginaw, MI, USA. The unit collected continuous footage, output in hourly files, from March 18 to November 18, 2020. Simultaneously, a machine learning model was built to process the approximately 3,167 hours (18.5 TB) of sonar data collected during the study. Preliminary results shed light—and sound—on fish passage into hydrologically reconnected wetlands and utilization of restored habitat. Model output suggests hundreds of fish pass through the water control structure into and out of the wetland unit at all hours of the day. Sonar imagery also shows movement of both large- and small-bodied fish between the wetland and parent waterbody. These data show the benefits of hydrologic reconnection of impounded wetlands in that fish are nearly constantly utilizing the structure to access available habitat. n

Presented during CS8: Animal Biodiversity

OPTIMIZING SPRING FLOWS FOR JUVENILE CHINOOK SALMON SURVIVAL THROUGH THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER DELTA

Wohner, Patti, Oregon State University Duarte, Adam Peterson, James Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) were once abundant throughout California’s Central Valley watershed and supported economically and culturally significant fisheries. Land development, river modification, and water use have led to widespread habitat degradation resulting in significant declines in Chinook salmon and other anadromous fishes. In 1992, the U.S. Congress passed the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) that required a doubling of the number of naturally produced anadromous fishes in the Central Valley by 2002 that remains unfulfilled today. The timing, magnitude, variation, temperature, and turbidity of river discharge are highly altered in the Central Valley, and largely driven by managed reservoir releases. For example, anthropogenic alterations of the Stanislaus river which provides ~80% of water to the San Joaquin River Delta have created flows that are 65% less variable and annual peak flows that are significantly reduced. Regulated rivers can negatively affect migrations of Chinook salmon by reducing their survival. Flow reductions are the most extreme in winter, coinciding with peak fry emigration. Juvenile Chinook salmon in the Central Valley out-migrate from natal tributaries through the Delta, a network of natural and manmade channels linked to the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The Delta is the core of California’s water delivery system providing agricultural and domestic water and necessitating flow regulation. Juvenile out-migrating salmon are particularly vulnerable during the transition to the Delta tidal environment because they undergo physiological changes in preparation for seawater entry. Juvenile survival has been estimated to be very low in studies of hatchery raised juvenile Chinook salmon through the south Delta, but survival increases with lowered water temperature and higher flow velocities. To help reach the CVPIA restoration objectives, we developed a juvenile salmon routing and survival model by conducting a meta-analysis of published Chinook salmon smolt survival and migration estimates. Results of the 2008-2015 meta-analysis confirmed survival in the south Delta is related to San Joaquin River flow and temperature. We then used the model to estimate optimal flows during juvenile outmigration from February to May. Using actual flow and temperature data from 2008-2018, we found that large flow pulses at predictable times during the spring are projected to be optimal for

increasing juvenile Chinook salmon survival to the Bay and that optimal scenarios differed with water year. n

Presented during CS9: Policy, 6/8/2021 10:55AM - 12:45PM ET

INVASIVE SPECIES AND COMPENSATORY MITIGATION: ENVIRONMENTAL DRIVERS, PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, AND BEST PRACTICE

DeBerry, Douglas, William & Mary Hunter, Dakota One of the most important and pervasive contemporary issues in the field of ecological restoration is that of biological invasion. From first principles, we know that disturbance represents a mode of introduction for invasive species, and ecological restoration sites can be particularly susceptible to biological invaders because the practices used to create, restore, or enhance ecological conditions are often the same types of disturbances that leave a site vulnerable to invasion. This is especially true of compensatory wetland and stream mitigation sites, where invasive plant species present one of the greatest challenges to managers, designers, and agency reviewers alike. The capital outlay for invasive plant management on mitigation sites has increased considerably over the past couple of decades, and in some cases it can represent the largest investment of money and resources during postconstruction maintenance. Despite these circumstances, a comprehensive review of the literature reveals a conspicuous lack of applied research on invasive plant species in compensatory mitigation.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate impacts of plant species invasion and characterize important environmental factors that contribute to invasion on mitigation sites. We sampled vegetation and environmental variables (site hydrology, light availability, soil physiochemistry, site age) across invasion gradients at multiple wetland and stream mitigation sites in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont physiographic provinces of Virginia. Data analysis involved a multimetric statistical approach combining correlation, AIC, and CCA to arrive at a plausible model for invasion risk by species. On wetland sites, we targeted Arthraxon hispidus (joint-head grass), Microstegium vimineum (Japanese stiltgrass), and Typha spp. (cattail); on stream sites, we studied Lespedeza cuneata (sericea lespedeza), Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle), and M. vimineum invasions. Our analysis revealed species-specific environmental drivers of invasion with a few factors consistently important across all targeted invaders – notably, canopy cover, hydrology, and a handful of important physiochemical variables. The results of this research have been used to develop recommendations for ecological performance standards, as well as a suite of best practices that can be implemented at the outset of a stream or wetland mitigation project to reduce the risk of invasion. n

Presented during CS9: Policy

WETLAND ASSESSMENT: BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL WATER QUALITY PERSPECTIVE

Nahlik, Amanda, US EPA Office of Research and Development Kentula, Mary Paulsen, Steven Magee, Teresa Water chemistry or water quality is often used to determine if aquatic ecosystems meet restoration objectives or Clean Water Act criteria. However, it is not consistently possible to collect water in wetlands because surface water presence varies across wetland types. Using data from the National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA), a survey of 967 sites representing 25,153,681 hectares of wetland across the conterminous US, we found surface water could be collected at only 537 of the sampled sites, representing only 41% of the wetland population area and under-representing particular wetland types. We use wetlands to introduce the concept of aquatic resource quality, the condition of an ecosystem based on the collective assessment of physical, chemical, and biological indicators, to meet monitoring and assessment goals for aquatic ecosystems. Wetland condition was evaluated through the NWCA based on a biotic indicator (vegetation multimetric index) at each sampled site. Results indicated wetland resource quality was good for about half of the area of the sampled population, with the remainder of the wetland area in fair and poor quality. Ten physical, chemical, and biological indicators measured at every site were used to report the relative extent and relative risk of stressors on wetland resource quality. Physical stressors, especially vegetation removal and surface hardening, are commonly observed and have negative impacts on aquatic resource quality. Because aquatic resource quality can be consistently evaluated, regardless of surface water presence or aquatic ecosystem type, we propose that this concept be used as the basis for aquatic ecosystem monitoring and assessment. n

Presented during S1: Working in Wetlands I - Leveraging Non-traditional Experiences as a Student & Early Careers in Private Sector, GIS & Academia (Co-Sponsored by South Central Chapter and Student Section), 6/1/2021 8:35-10:25AM ET

BEGINNING A CAREER IN ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION AND PLANNING: PERSPECTIVES FROM AN ENTRYLEVEL ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST

Garner, Joe, GreenVest When I learned in college that you could make a career out of designing and restoring ecosystems, I was hooked. While I was in school, I accepted a position with a restoration construction company that allowed me to get my hands dirty and learn the basics about ecological restoration. This led to a career in construction oversight and GIS on a multitude of restoration projects as an environmental scientist. I have a passion for restoring degraded ecosystems and love working in an industry that is so innovative and relevant in environmental stewardship. This presentation focuses on my experiences as an entry-level environmental scientist at GreenVest, LLC. GreenVest, LLC is an environmental development and consulting firm that specializes in ecological restoration, mitigation services, and sustainable land planning. Although most of my time is spent in GIS, I wear many other hats as a project manager, construction supervisor, compliance inspector, and even cow wrangler! So please join me to learn about my experiences working on innovative restoration projects and how students and recent graduates can better prepare themselves for an exciting and rewarding career in ecological restoration. n

Presented during S1: Working in Wetlands II - How to Transition Your Career into Non-Traditional Wetland Work through Mentorship, Drones, Advocacy and Ecopreneurship (Co-Sponsored by South Central Chapter and Student Section), 6/1/2021 10:55AM- 12:45PM ET

EXPLORING THE ECOTONE OF WETLAND SCIENCE & ENTREPRENEURISM

Schewe, Jeremy, Ecobot Inc. My favorite places on the planet are ecotones. I love edge places where “worlds” cross and exchange takes place. In navigating the pathways through life as a wetland scientist, biologist, ecologist, or natural resources manager, one often may find themselves on a clearly defined path that leads them into academia, conservation planning, consulting, policy, or activism. And sometimes, especially for those of you who have spent ample time in the field, getting from location “A” to “B” through a swamp is not always a direct path. Come explore the ecotone of wetland science and entrepreneurism with a seasoned wetland scientist and botanist.

In this presentation, we will take a look at the journey of my commitment to the protection of sensitive habitats and threatened & endangered species while navigating the multi-pathways through the swamp of life. How do academia, non-profit organizations, international NGOs, consultancies, grassroots organizations, venture capital, tech, and entrepreneurism come to the same watering hole? In my career, I have helped to protect thousands of acres of natural habitat; run in front of bulldozers to conduct T&E studies; conducted multi-team biological assessments before fracking companies could wreak havoc on a natural community; contracted with multiple federal agencies as an independent contractor; managed corporate natural resource teams; and, took an unrealized idea, convinced a bunch of folks to work on it with me, gathered a lot of investment, and created a suite of tools and a new business from nothing. n

Presented during S1: Working in Wetlands II - How to Transition Your Career into Non-Traditional Wetland Work through Mentorship, Drones, Advocacy and Ecopreneurship (Co-Sponsored by South Central Chapter and Student Section)

WETLANDS, DRONES, AND GIS: COMBINING YOUR PASSIONS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR

Gay, Ryan, Whitenton Group While traveling around the world and serving in the United States Navy, I discovered my first passion and appreciation for diverse ecosystems. Through my travels, I received a firsthand experience of our planet’s beauty and majesty and the need to conserve and protect the natural world while ensuring sustainable forward progress. These experiences ultimately led to a career as an environmental consultant. Over the course of my educational career at Texas A&M University at Galveston, I discovered specific areas of interest I became passionate about. I was fascinated by wetlands. Remote sensing became my wetland assessment tool, and GIS helped me tell each wetland’s story. As an environmental consultant for Whitenton Group Inc. I have been able to take my passions and combine them to tell the stories of various types of wetlands from different regions in Texas. Each region and project presented its own set of challenges, and my knowledge and passion in all these areas have helped to overcome these challenges and help tell the story in an efficient manner. I was 28 when I went back to college the first time. I am a Navy veteran, wetland scientist, Part 107 licensed drone pilot, and currently attending Sam Houston State University seeking a second Masters in GIS. My presentation will remind you to find your passions, make them work for you, and never stop learning. While traveling around the world and serving in the United States Navy, I discovered my first passion and appreciation for diverse ecosystems. Through my travels, I received a firsthand experience of our planet’s beauty and majesty and the need to conserve and protect the natural world while ensuring sustainable forward progress. These experiences ultimately led to a career as an environmental consultant. Over the course of my educational career at Texas A&M University at Galveston, I discovered specific areas of

interest I became passionate about. I was fascinated by wetlands. Remote sensing became my wetland assessment tool, and GIS helped me tell each wetland’s story. As an environmental consultant for Whitenton Group Inc. I have been able to take my passions and combine them to tell the stories of various types of wetlands from different regions in Texas. Each region and project presented its own set of challenges, and my knowledge and passion in all these areas have helped to overcome these challenges and help tell the story in an efficient manner. I was 28 when I went back to college the first time. I am a Navy veteran, wetland scientist, Part 107 licensed drone pilot, and currently attending Sam Houston State University seeking a second Masters in GIS. My presentation will remind you to find your passions, make them work for you, and never stop learning. n

Presented during S1: Working in Wetlands III - Pearls of Wisdom from Recent Post-Doc’s, Hiring Managers, and Seasoned Professionals (CoSponsored by South Central Chapter and Student Section), 6/1/2021 1:15PM - 3:05PM ET

YOU GOT THE JOB INTERVIEW, YOU GOT THE JOB OFFER…NOW WHAT?

Jecker, Scott, Whitenton Group, Inc. Environmental Consultants The Interview Ok. So you have landed a job interview with one or more companies. Now it’s time to prepare for the interview as much as possible. You need to know about the company that you are interviewing with and understand the job description/responsibilities. If possible, you need to know about the hiring managers that will be conducting the interview. This presentation will cover how to approach your first professional interview. Does your resume reflect or at least somewhat align with the job description you are being interviewed for? How will you make yourself stand out from the other applicants? What questions do you ask the hiring manager about the position, the company, and the expectations? This presentation will cover those topics, possibly with a “mock” interview. The Job Offer You have been offered a position. This presentation will cover how to negotiate your hourly rate/salary, benefits, and the job potential for growth. Keep your eye on the ball, your first job is often the stepping-stone to the rest of your career! Now What is Expected of You? Your supervisor will have expectations for your performance. Depending on what type of business, government, or industry you are working in, the expectation will be different. This presentation will cover what those typical expectations are for new hires, how you can grow within a company, and how you can “grow” your resume as you gain experience. n

Presented during S10: Ecological Restoration through Policy Change: Restoring and Managing Beaver in Washington State, 6/8/2021 1:15PM - 3:05PM ET

LIVING WITH BEAVERS: IN-PLACE MANAGEMENT OF ECOSYSTEM ENGINEERS

Kerr, Elyssa, Beavers Northwest The ability of beavers to modify stream systems and create wetland complexes provides a suite of ecosystem services to improve watershed health including slowing streams, recharging groundwater, and adding complexity to riparian ecosystems. However, when beavers build along streams in urban and rural settings, the impoundment of water often has adverse impacts on roads, homes, and agricultural lands built in historic floodplains. A growing number of programs seek to mitigate these beaver conflicts while retaining the benefits to biodiversity, water quality and quantity, and climate change resilience that beaver complexes provide. Managing beavers in the densely populated Puget Sound region, Snohomish Conservation District and Beavers Northwest have both developed strategies for in-place management of beavers to encourage coexistence. We will discuss the strategies that these organizations employ to retain beavers on the landscape and build capacity for non-lethal beaver management throughout the region. We will provide guidance on inplace management to protect vegetation, prevent blockages of critical conveyance infrastructure, and mitigate localized flooding. We will highlight the impacts of beaver to private landowners, jurisdictional land managers, and restoration practitioners as well as share strategies for engaging communities, providing beaver conflict management services, and planning for beavers from project inception. With appropriate policies and best management practices, these strategies for coexistence are widely applicable in communities where beavers have impacts on human infrastructure. n

Presented during S11: Microbes: Small Players with Big Impacts on Invasive Species Management and Wetland Restoration I, 6/10/2021 3:35PM - 5:25PM ET

ABOVE- AND BELOW-GROUND MICROBES AND THEIR POTENTIAL ROLE IN PHRAGMITES AUSTRALIS INVASIONS

Clay, Keith Schroeder, Carolyn Birnbaum, Christina Farrer, Emily Smith, Mckenzie Waryszak, Pawel Halbrook, Susannah Shearin, Zackery

Research has revealed great microbial diversity associated with plants, roles as symbionts or pathogens, and potential for mediating plant invasions. While initial research has elucidated microbial diversity, the current challenge is to evaluate the effects of individual microbes and microbial communities on plant performance through experimental manipulations or sampling across environmental gradients. The objective of our research is to describe patterns of fungal diversity associated with invasive Phragmites australis, an important wetland invader, and to explore how microbes affect plant performance using both fungal isolation and direct sequencing. We obtained 173 endophyte isolates from Phragmites collected in the Great Lakes region, corresponding to 55 OTUs. While more OTUs were isolated from stems, diversity was highest in rhizomes. One-third of seeds also yielded endophyte isolates where colonized seedlings grew faster than endophyte-free seedlings and one common OTU was associated with higher seed germination. In an independent experiment where sterile cuttings were inoculated with one of four isolates, inoculation had marginal effects on plants grown in an environmental chamber, but no effect in a common garden due to rapid endophyte colonization from the local environment. In a Gulf Coast field survey, metabarcoding methods showed that Phragmites roots had higher endophyte richness and putative pathogen abundance compared to native plants. However, proximity to Phragmites did not alter microbial communities in native plants. A culturebased study obtained 112 fungal isolates corresponding to 83 OTUs from Phragmites roots and found that endophyte communities varied with marsh salinity, with highest richness in brackish marshes and highest pathogen abundances in saltmarsh. Plant growth promotion assays suggest that ~40% of tested Phragmites endophytes are phosphate solublizers and many have high salinity tolerance. In total, our results demonstrate high fungal diversity associated with Phragmites and evidence of altered plant performance, but further experimental research is required. n

Presented during S11: Microbes: Small Players with Big Impacts on Invasive Species Management and Wetland Restoration I

ARE MICROBES THE KEY TO A NEW FORM OF PHRAGMITES CONTROL?

Kowalski, Kurt Snow, Danielle White, James Kingsley, Kathryn Clay, Keith Bickford, Wesley Bacteria, fungi, and other microbes promote growth, accelerate nutrient acquisition, increase stress tolerance, enhance disease resistance, and confer many other benefits that can help invasive plants outcompete native plants. Wetland managers apply many tools to control Phragmites australis spp. australis including combinations of herbicide, cutting, burning, and flooding. The Great Lakes Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (https://www. greatlakesphragmites.net/pamf) and other research studies are reducing the uncertainty about the efficacy of treatment combinations given site conditions, but the optimal approach is unclear and managers continue to identify the need for additional non-toxic treatments. Therefore, new treatments that target the microbiome are in development and will complement both existing management options and other developing approaches (e.g., insect biocontrol, genetic biocontrol). A group of scientists from several agencies formed a Phragmites Symbiosis Collaborative and in 2015 published a research agenda for how we can advance the science of microbial symbiosis to support invasive species management (https://doi.org/10.3389/ fmicb.2015.00095). We now have a much better idea of what microbes are associated with Phragmites and how they impact plant growth. This information is being used to develop new treatments (i.e., bioherbicides) that target the relationships between the invasive plants and their microbiome to disrupt plant growth. Expanded collaborations among federal and academic partners now support field testing of potential new treatments, even as other work continues to build out our base knowledge of the Phragmites microbiome. A collective impact approach is guiding the development of these innovative new treatments and leading to more options for resource managers. n

Presented during S11: Microbes: Small Players with Big Impacts on Invasive Species Management and Wetland Restoration II, Thursday, June 10, 2021 5:55PM - 7:45PM ET

THE EFFECTS OF ORGANIC INPUTS ON MICROBIAL DYNAMICS IN SATURATED SOILS: WHAT (LITTLE) WE KNOW

Scott, Brian, University of Maryland Baldwin, Andrew Yarwood, Stephanie Organic soil amendments, including transplanted topsoil, are widely used in wetland creation. In addition to being a source of nutrients, amendments can alter soil microbial dynamics directly through bioaugmentation and indirectly by modifying the soil biogeochemistry. Through a combination of lab and field studies, we have been investigating the impact of organic amendments on biogeochemical processes. Our sites are wetlands and therefore our focus is on iron reduction and methanogenesis. Organic amend-

ments alter the ferrous iron and methane expression due to the (energetic) quality of the amendments and changes in soil pH. Fresh organic material increases the concentration of ferrous iron in saturated soils whereas aged material attenuates soluble iron. Iron toxicity may have a strong impact on wetland plant selection: some native wetland plants are iron tolerant, whereas non-native plants, such as Phragmites australis, are highly intolerant. We measured methane gas produced from organic amendments in newly constructed wetlands and found that the radiative forcing may cause net warming for decades or longer. Because methanogen populations in saturated soils are very stable, even when subjected to anoxic and dry conditions, they can begin producing methane almost immediately after wetting and extended saturation significantly increases methane flux. As revealed by these examples, the effects of organic amendments on wetland soil biogeochemistry vary and may be considered beneficial or detrimental depending on site conditions and desired outcomes. Our research suggests restoration success can be improved by applying what we know about the wetland soil microbiome and how it is altered by soil amendments. n position, change detection, degradation, and diversity, as well as system threats and pressures. Remote sensing data and techniques can be used to derive wetland classification data, landscape metrics, and vegetative indices, which are useful in evaluating the impacts of biotic and abiotic stressors on wetland form (i.e., composition and zonation) and function (i.e., biomass and quality). This presentation provides an overview of various remote sensing applications, including (1) high-spatial resolution satellite imagery to evaluate hydrologic restoration and marsh creation impacts on wetland structure, function, and migration, (2) airborne hyperspectral imagery and Lidar elevation data for mapping wetland zones and evaluating impacts from long-term water-level changes, and (3) development of a raster-based wetland vegetation condition index for evaluating changes in wetland quality and function. Ultimately, these data and methods provide advanced characterizations that contribute to more comprehensive inventorying and monitoring of wetland resources, improving the ability to forecast resource condition, stability, and adaptive management strategies. n

Presented during S12: Landward migration of tidal wetlands I, 6/10/2021 3:35PM - 5:25PM ET

USE OF REMOTE SENSING TO ASSESS THE IMPACTS OF STRESSORS ON WETLAND CHANGE AND MIGRATION

Suir, Glenn, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sasser, Charles Saltus, Christina Wilcox, Douglas Grimes, Evan Harris, J. Mason Reif, Molly Wu, Wei Wetland zonation, which can be caused by succession (i.e., temporal trends), physical factors (i.e., elevation, hydrology, and salinity gradients), and biological interactions (i.e., competition and predation), can play significant roles in wetland ecosystem goods and services. Additionally, direct and indirect impacts from biotic and abiotic stressors can have short- and long-term influence on wetland zonation and their form and function. Measuring changes in wetland condition and composition, especially as a function of zonation, can be difficult. Monitoring habitat switching or migration has traditionally been time-intensive, costly, and often requires repeat field-based surveys in areas with limited accessibility. Remote sensing data can provide detailed assessments of wetland landscapes, including species and habitat com-

Presented during S12: Landward migration of tidal wetlands II, 6/10/2021 5:55PM - 7:45PM ET

TIDAL MARSH RESILIENCE AT THE LANDSCAPE SCALE: A NATIONAL PRODUCT TO CHARACTERIZE MARSH MIGRATION PATHWAYS AND STRATEGIC ADAPTATION OPPORTUNITIES.

Stevens, Rachel, GBNERR Carter, Jamie Herold, Nate Shull, Suzanne The National Estuarine Research Reserve System and NOAA’s Office of Coastal Management have worked with partners to develop a nationwide assessment of tidal marsh resilience at the landscape scale. The protocol allows systematic comparison of marsh current and future conditions over large areas and evaluation of parcellevel conservation and restoration projects in a realistic and forward-looking way. Characterization of the full range of conditions throughout a region of interest, for example Refuge, National Park or State, allows us to determine how representative a specific marsh is of the system it is located in. This facilitates strategic research and monitoring project design. Systematic evaluation of marsh migration pathways and other future conditions allows managers to locate restoration and land protection projects in areas with the greatest adaptation potential that will be sustainable for the long-term and so be most

cost effective. Used in tandem with field-based protocols, this approach provides an integrated continuum of assessment to inform research, management and protection of tidal marshes at the local, state, regional, and national scales. n

Presented during S13: A Universal Declaration on Rights of Wetlands: Shifting our Paradigm Restores the Human-Wetland Relationship in Support of Wetland Restoration, Conservation and Wise Use, 6/10/2021 3:35PM - 5:25PM ET

THE RIGHTS OF WETLANDS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON BIODIVERSITY & ECOSYSTEM SERVICES: LINKING BIODIVERSITY AND HUMAN WELL-BEING

Fennessy, Siobhan, Kenyon College The Americas Assessment of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) details the critical relationship between biodiversity, ecosystems, and the capacity of nature to provide benefits, while recognizing a diversity of world views and multiple values of nature. The Americas are diverse, hosting 40% of the world’s most biodiverse countries with three times more “biocapacity” per capita than the global average. However, the increasing demand for food, water, and other material goods has increased consumption and intensified land use, continuing a pattern of widespread degradation and destruction of wetlands with regional wetland losses ranging from 20-60% of total wetland area since 1970. The result is the loss of the benefits wetlands provide to food and water supplies, climate regulation, and adaptation to hazardous and extreme events, with a 50% decline in the freshwater supply per person. Overall, there has been a substantial decline in nature’s contribution to people (NCP, a broader term than ecosystem services). Of the 18 NCP evaluated across different wetland types, 66% are in decline, with 30% declining strongly. The intrinsic value of nature is at the heart of the IPBES framework, recognizing the links between biodiversity, nature’s contributions to people, and quality of life, with efforts to incorporate local and indigenous knowledge. The declaration of wetlands rights reflects these linkages, acknowledging the importance of wetlands as a universal heritage. A legal recognition of the inherent rights of wetlands should be considered as an approach to ensure the future of wetlands globally. n

Presented during S14: The Role of Wetland Health and Recovery Assessments in Water Supply Decision-Making I, 6/10/2021 3:35PM - 5:25PM ET

A GENERAL APPROACH TO HYDROLOGIC RECOVERY METRIC DEVELOPMENT WITH APPLICATION TO GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED WETLANDS IN XERIC LANDSCAPES

Schmutz, Dan, Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. Shea, Chris Hydrologic recovery of wetlands impacted by water table drawdown due to groundwater production necessarily involves improvements to wetland hydropatterns (e.g., levels, duration, and return frequency). How much improvement is sufficient to declare a degraded wetland as recovered? We propose here a general approach to establishing a hydrologic recovery metric, and demonstrate a specific application for freshwater, geographically isolated wetlands. Our approach involves • identifying sufficient replicate wetlands, • collecting monthly water level data of sufficient length, • categorizing the wetlands into two groups based on ecological conditions—stressed and unstressed, • calculating median water level offsets relative to the long-term 3 percent exceedance (PE03) elevation at each site, • performing a “crossing point” empirical cumulative distribution analysis to identify a threshold offset that minimizes misclassification errors in separating the water level offsets of the stressed and unstressed groups. Past studies have indicated that there are differences between wetlands in xeric (e.g., sandhill, scrub, scrubby flatwoods) versus mesic (e.g., pine flatwoods) vegetation-dominated landscapes. We developed a hydrologic recovery metric using monthlyaveraged water level data representing 62 stressed and 64 unstressed wetland time series (typically 7 years in length) taken from 89 unique xeric-associated wetlands. Stress classifications were developed using available groundtruthed wetland condition data (e.g., Wetland Assessment Procedure, Wetland Health Assessment) as well as random forest statistical predictions. Other time series were considered for inclusion in the study, but ultimately excluded due to unrepresentativeness (e.g., a period with unusual rainfall, sites still showing stress due to lag time, and sites showing stress but occurring in areas of little drawdown). A hydrologic recovery metric of -3.7 feet (relative to the PE03) was determined for xericassociated wetlands in the Northern Tampa Bay Area (Florida). Assuming similar rainfall, only 16% of truly unstressed sites are expected to have long-term median levels lower than this threshold and only 15% of truly stressed sites are predicted to be above it on a long-term

median basis. To further characterize uncertainty, only 5% of unstressed wetlands are expected to have offsets below -4.3 feet. For stressed wetlands, it is predicted that only 5% would have offsets above -3.0 feet. n

Presented during S14: The Role of Wetland Health and Recovery Assessments in Water Supply Decision-Making I, 6/10/2021 3:35PM - 5:25PM ET

ASSESSMENT OF WETLAND HEALTH AND RECOVERY IN WATER SUPPLY PLANNING AND OPERATION DECISIONS

Hogg, Warren, Tampa Bay Water Shea, Chris Kiehn, Whitney Palustrine wetlands currently make up over 25 percent of the land surface in the Northern Tampa Bay area. Ground water extraction from public supply wellfields began in this area in 1930 and increased as the local population grew. The rate of ground water extraction from 11 wellfields reached 167 million gallons per day on an annual average basis in early 2001. This high rate of sustained extraction was a contributing factor to low or absent water levels in area wetlands and the transition from wetland toward upland plant species. Elected and regulatory officials in the Tampa Bay area made historic decisions in 1998, recognizing the importance of wetlands and reducing the extraction of ground water from these 11 wellfields to no more than 90 million gallons per day. The agreements allowed us to develop alternative water supply sources, reduce ground water extraction, and meet the growing demand for water in our area. Ground water extraction from these wellfields has averaged approximately 80 million gallons per day for the past 10 years. Tampa Bay Water recently completed an assessment of environmental recovery at 1,360 wetlands and lakes in this area. A comprehensive assessment of environmental recovery due to the reduced rate of ground water extraction was necessary to renew the operating permit for these wellfields. Numeric metrics of environmental health or recovery were established for wetland types covered by this study and multiple weightof-evidence analyses were developed. A quantitative assessment of recovery was completed for all sites with long-term water level data and 85% of the lakes and wetlands fully meet their numeric metric of recovery. The remaining sites show substantial water level improvement and most of these sites missed being classified as recovered by less than one foot on a long-term basis. Full hydrologic recovery at many of these remaining wetlands is precluded by new residential development adjacent to the wellfields. Tampa Bay Water has applied to renew the operating permit for these 11 wellfields at the same extraction rate and this assessment of environmental recovery is a critical component of this permit renewal. Tampa Bay Water continues to consider wetland health as we evaluate each potential new water supply project and make weekly decisions on the source allocation of our multiple water supply sources. n Presented during S14: The Role of Wetland Health and Recovery Assessments in Water Supply Decision-Making I

HYDROLOGIC IMPACTS OF WELL FIELDS ON HUMAN AND WETLAND ENVIRONMENTS IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

Duever, Michael, Natural Ecosystems LLC There are a number of wellfields in South Florida, which I’ve had some involvement with over the last several decades. When human activities are being proposed in south Florida, there is often the perception that the above ground and shallow below ground depth of the wet season water levels is the most (only?) important hydrologic consideration. This is because it is a major factor determining a site’s suitability for agricultural or residential development. With South Florida’s flat topography and porous limestone substrates, one of my concerns has always been about the extent of the above and below ground impacts of well fields on nearby lands, particularly wetlands. Relatively little attention is typically given to the duration of inundation and the depth to which the water table declines below ground as a result of well field groundwater extractions because these parameters are so much more difficult to document. However, they can be a critical factor for both the natural and human environment, particularly in areas like south Florida with its seven-month dry season and high frequency of lightning strikes. Over the years I have been on the lookout for south Florida sites with at least some associated hydrologic information that might shed light on the horizontal and vertical extent of hydrologic effects of wellfields. I will discuss three well field locations that are showing effects or could be expected to affect the duration of surface inundation and depth and extent of dry season water levels in the surrounding landscape. n

Presented during S14: The Role of Wetland Health and Recovery Assessments in Water Supply Decision-Making II, 6/10/2021 5:55PM - 7:45PM ET

DEVELOPMENT OF A RECOVERY METRIC FOR GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED MARSHES

Shea, Chris, Tampa Bay Water Hogg, Warren Kiehn, Whitney Tampa Bay Water’s Consolidated Water Use Permit required a recovery analysis for approximately 380 monitored wetlands. Monitored wetlands were grouped into habitat

types for development of recovery metrics – quantitative standards for identifying continuing impacts from groundwater withdrawals. Twenty-six geographically-isolated marsh wetlands were grouped by wetland condition and water levels standardized by subtraction from a “normal pool” elevation. (The normal pool elevation is based on vegetative or physical indicators of long-term inundation.) Long-term median water levels between stressed and unstressed groups were then compared and a threshold value distinguishing the two groups calculated. In order to determine ecological condition in this study, Wetland Assessment Procedure (WAP) scores were examined. The WAP method (developed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Tampa Bay Water in 2005) focuses on the distribution, abundance and condition of plant species in a wetland, in comparison to their normal patterns of occurrence in unimpacted systems. WAP scores are on a five-point scale, with 5 being the best score (normal vegetative zonation) and 1 being the lowest score (most altered, with upland plant species in the deep zone). WAP scores are determined annually for ground cover, shrub and canopy strata. Various WAP score criteria (based on long-term median scores for ground cover and/or shrubs) were used as grouping variables in separate tests. The recovery metrics calculated, expressed as long-term median water levels below normal pool, bracketed those previously determined by the Southwest Florida Water Management District as a wetland health standard for isolated cypress wetlands. n

Presented during S15: Typha: Current science on genetics to management, 6/10/2021 5:55PM - 7:45PM ET

LEGACIES OF GLYPHOSATE USE FOR INVASIVE CATTAIL CONTROL: LEACHING POTENTIAL FROM DECAYING LITTER AND EFFECTS ON GERMINATION OF NATIVE MACROPHYTES

Sesin, Verena, Trent University Davy, Christina Freelannd, Joanna A major goal of invasive plant management is the restoration of native biodiversity, but because effective methods for invasive plant control may also harm native plants, informed application of control methods is necessary. The herbicide glyphosate, commonly sprayed in invasive plant management, can be toxic to native macrophytes, but is thought to degrade relatively quickly in water and soil. However, glyphosate from spray can accumulate in the tissues of invasive plants where it can persist for a minimum of several weeks. It remains unclear whether this accumulated glyphosate could be released into surrounding substrate as plant tissues decay, and subsequently impair the recolonization of native plants in managed areas. To address these knowledge gaps, we first quantified the concentrations of glyphosate in leachate of Typha × glauca, an invasive macrophyte in North America, that had been sprayed nine weeks earlier with either a 5% or 8% concentration of the formulated product Roundup WeatherMAX®. We then assessed the germination and early growth success of seeds from two co-occurring native macrophytes, Typha latifolia and Ammannia robusta, that had been exposed to T. × glauca leachate either with or without glyphosate residues. We report the results of both experiments, which collectively provide important information about whether glyphosate-based invasive plant control could pose indirect and longer-term risks to native plants, and hence potentially impede restoration efforts. Our results also allow us to provide management recommendations for pesticide-based control of invasive macrophytes, including T. × glauca, that should minimize unintended side effects on nearby native plants. n

Presented during S15: Typha: Current science on genetics to management

MANAGING INVASIVE CATTAIL TO INCREASE BIODIVERSITY AND HABITAT COMPLEXITY IN GREAT LAKES COASTAL WETLANDS

Schrank, Amy, University of Minnesota Sea Grant Lishawa, Shane The diverse plant assemblages in Great Lakes coastal wetlands (GLCWs) provide important ecosystem services including critical habitat for native fish, wildlife, and bird species in and beyond the region. The structural complexity of these wetland systems provides larval, juvenile, and adult fish habitat for > 90% of the fish species in the Great Lakes. Biodiversity and ecosystem function of these GLCWs are threatened by hybrid cattail, Typha X glauca (hereafter Typha), an aggressive invader that homogenizes wetlands by out-competing native plant species and producing copious litter. Though the effects of Typha invasion on higher trophic levels is just beginning to be understood, the effects of Typha management strategies on animal species is less well known. For example, recent research has shown that fish abundance and diversity are reduced in cattail invaded areas of GLCWs compared to native marsh regions; however it is unknown if mechanical harvesting of Typha, an effective strategy to restore plant diversity, can also benefit water quality or other species such as macroinvertebrates and fishes. To evaluate the effects of Typha management on water quality, macroinvertebrates, and fishes, we mechanically harvested Typha in four GLCWs in different configurations designed to increase aquatic connectivity

and structural complexity. We found that both harvested and aquatic connectivity plots had reduced Typha biomass and litter relative to control plots. Furthermore, dissolved oxygen in these managed plots rebounded more quickly during the day compared to control plots. Fish abundance and diversity were significantly higher in harvested plots relative to controls and we suspect this is due to both the absence of litter and the reduced stem density in harvested plots relative to unmanaged Typha stands. These results suggest that mechanical harvesting of Typha can benefit not only plant biodiversity but also higher trophic levels and consequently the larger ecosystem. n

Presented during S2: Building Tribal Wetland Program Capacity and a National Framework for Advancement within the United States I, 6/1/2021 8:35-10:25AM ET

DEVELOPMENT OF A TRIBAL WETLANDS MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

Lewis, Jessica, MS Band of Choctaw Indians - Office of Environmental Protection The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians received an EPA Wetlands Program Development Grant in 2018. The work plan focused on Core Element 1- Monitoring and Assessment and included creating a tribal wetlands inventory, collection of data utilizing drone-based remote sensing, and selecting monitoring and assessment goals. This presentation will provide an overview of the successes, lessons learned, and goals for the development of a Rapid Assessment Method that merges Western Science with Traditional Ecological Knowledge. n

Presented during S2: Building Tribal Wetland Program Capacity and a National Framework for Advancement within the United States I

TRIBAL WETLAND PROGRAMS AND CAPACITY BUILDING TO PROTECT, RESTORE, AND MANAGE WETLAND AND AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS.

Storm, Linda, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 works with tribal partners to support their development of Wetland Programs with grant funding and technical assistance. Tribal Wetland Program Plans (WPP) often include and address tribal cultural values and traditional ecological knowledge to achieve tribal program goals and objectives. Core elements of WPPs, such as monitoring and assessment, voluntary restoration and protection, regulatory program development, and in some cases development of water quality standards, are all potential elements of a wetland program. Additional elements may also be incorporated into plans, such as educational curriculum, elder and youth knowledge and practice exchanges, and other specific community needs. Actions and activities are identified in WPPs to either develop or strengthen a tribe’s protection of wetland and aquatic resources, both on and off reservation. Tribal wetland data collection, through monitoring and assessment, is used to identify high priority areas to restore, to protect, or to focus development. Collection of monitoring data to assess the condition or functions of wetlands is also foundational for the development of tribal wetland ordinances or water quality standards for wetlands. EPA’s wetland program development grant (WPDG) funds, in combination with other funding sources (such as Section 319 or 106 funding), can be used to support sustaining Tribal program outcomes and needs. This presentation will share a couple of case examples of the powerful and important work of Pacific Northwest tribes who have developed WPPs, who have addressed how tribal cultural values and traditional ecological knowledge are integrated into their wetland protection, ecosystem management, and restoration programs, and how peer-to-peer tribal networks support them. n

Presented during S2: Building Tribal Wetland Program Capacity and a National Framework for Advancement within the United States II, 6/1/2021 10:55AM- 12:45PM ET

MAPPING FORT BERTHOLD’S WETLANDS: A GEOGRAPHICAL APPROACH TO PROTECTING OUR WATER AND OUR HISTORY

Lorio, Mary Cunningham, Joshua The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation’s relationship with water is historically unique, from its cultural connection to aquatic plants and animals to the formation of Lake Sakakawea in the 1950’s. Even today, with significant oil production activities occurring on the Fort Berthold Reservation, including the use of hydraulic fracturing, the Three Affiliated Tribes’ complex relationship with water continues. Since 2018, the Three Affiliated Tribes Environmental Division has been developing a Wetland Program Plan to construct an administrative, legal and regulatory framework to facilitate the assessment, monitoring and protection of Fort Berthold’s wetland resources. In collaboration with St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, important GIS data will be used to identify at-risk wetlands as well as potential wetland protection or restoration projects, and a Story Map is being developed which will incorporate historical, cultural and scientific information about the Reservation’s wetlands. n

Presented during S2: Building Tribal Wetland Program Capacity and a National Framework for Advancement within the United States II

USING NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO MEET TRIBAL WETLAND PROGRAM NEEDS

Davis Anderson, Ferin, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC), located 30 miles southwest of Minneapolis, MN, was awarded an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tribal Wetland Program Development Grant in 2019. The proposal was developed with the intent to advance and refine the SMSC’s existing wetland program by focusing on an EPA core element involving monitoring and assessment. SMSC plans to incorporate LiDAR (light detection and ranging) data to examine the location of current and potentially historic wetlands. They will be using a drone (UAV) mounted LiDAR system that collects derivatives based on hydrologic, surface, terrain and landform features with accuracy in the range of 5-10cm. SMSC seeks to demonstrate how UAV-mounted LiDAR can be used as a tool to further prioritize ecologically significant wetlands and identify potentially restorable wetlands. Key words: Science and technology LiDAR Monitoring Tribal wetland programs. n

Presented during S2: Building Tribal Wetland Program Capacity and a National Framework for Advancement within the United States II

WETLANDS BY DESIGN: ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS FOR WETLAND PROGRAM PLANNING IN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES

Robertson, Andrew, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Drawing on examples from a variety of tribal communities, this presentation focuses on the elements of success for Wetland Program Plan design and implementation. Designing a successful wetland plan is a thoughtful and deliberate process that relies on communication, cooperation, applied science, technology and community support. The integration of community goals and objectives and the recognition that partnerships and education are key components are important elements that cannot be understated. Understanding the role that wetlands have traditionally played in tribal culture as well as the importance of wetlands for both current community needs and future goals provides consistency and continuity for a successful plan. Working within the EPA Core Elements Framework to generate base funding and federal support provides a scientific basis for plan design and a jumpstart for future efforts such as Treatment As A State and assumption of Clean Water Act permitting responsibility. n

Presented during S2: Building Tribal Wetland Program Capacity and a National Framework for Advancement within the United States III, 6/1/2021 1:15PM - 3:05PM ET

ADAPTING A FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT TOOL AND INCORPORATING A CULTURAL COMPONENT TO ASSESS WETLANDS ON THE NEZ PERCE TRIBE’S RESERVATION

Hewett Hoover, Rue, Nez Perce Tribe The 770,470-acre Nez Perce Reservation is located in the Columbia-Snake River Plateau in North Central Idaho. Over 300 wetlands are found on the reservation in the headwaters and riparian zones of streams and rivers and in depressions in farmland. The Nez Perce people (Nimiipuu) have traditionally derived much of their food, fiber, and medicines from wetland plants making wetlands a great importance to the Tribe. While most of the wetlands have been delineated and assessed, what the Nez Perce Tribe (NPT) needed was a functional assessment tool to evaluate the functions and benefit values of each wetland, one that included a cultural component to include the cultural importance of each wetland to the Tribe. The NPT Wetlands Program has adapted a functional assessment tool, the Wetland Ecosystem Services Protocol (WESP), created by Dr. Paul Adamus, for tribal use on the NPT Reservation. This tool will be used to determine the functions and values (both ecological and cultural) of reservation wetlands to make decisions and prioritize actions in our approach to future wetland management. The WESP will have several uses for the Tribe’s and other tribes and agencies in the region as a tool for identifying functions, benefits, and values of individual wetlands; prioritizing wetlands restoration and protection; evaluating restoration results; and monitoring the long-term effects of wetland restoration. The NPT Wetland Program staff have worked with Dr. Adamus to adapt the tool for use on the reservation and to add a cultural component using the Tribe’s traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). With this tool, the Wetland Program has been able to start prioritizing wetland restoration projects within the Tribe. This presentation will address how we adapted WESP and calibrated the tool for this region, and how we created the cultural value assessment component for the NPT. n

Presented during S2: Building Tribal Wetland Program Capacity and a National Framework for Advancement within the United States III

DEVELOPING A WETLAND PROTECTION PROGRAM WITHIN THE QUINAULT INDIAN RESERVATION

Martin, Janice, Quinault Indian Nation Eide, Greg Research problem and objectives [Developing and implementing tribal wetland programs, including wetland program plans that address various core elements (Monitoring and Assessment, Volunteer Restoration and Protection, Regulatory and Wetland Water Quality Standards)] Abstract Summary (Quinault Indian Nation) The Quinault Indian Nation (QIN) strives to protect wetland ecosystems within and beyond the reservation boundaries. The QIN Division of Natural Resources (QDNR) employs staff knowledgeable on the subject of wetlands, reviewing internal and external project proposals. Staff provide technical assistance by interpreting tribal and federal regulations to protect aquatic resources. QIN supports and participates in the Timber, Fish and Wildlife Agreement, a cooperative process for regulating forest practices in Washington State. This agreement allows Tribal review and technical input, regarding proposed projects that have the potential to impact streams and wetlands within our area of interest. QIN has been fortunate to receive EPA Wetland Program Development funds over the past 5 years in support of this effort, and has maintained a Wetland Specialist position. Recently, the Quinault Nation gained authorization to regulate Waters of the United States, and is drafting regulations that will be adopted to administer them, including development of water quality standards. This milestone will strengthen our efforts towards two of EPA’s Core Elements, regulatory activities and water quality standards for wetlands. Tribal staff continue efforts to fulfill EPA Core Elements identified in the Quinault Wetland Program Plan. Notably, QIN recently updated the National Wetland Inventory maps within the reservation and is in the process of developing a GIS wetland database. We are developing an auditing program that will measure project permit compliance within the reservation and a Wetland Management Plan, two more efforts towards fulfilling EPA Core Elements, Restoration and Protection and Monitoring and Assessment. We will present these tools, how they fit into the QIN Wetland Program Plan for the next 6-year period and the status of future management of wetlands on the reservation. n

Presented during S4: Novel approaches to quantifying synergistic interactions between climate and land-use change on prairie-pothole wetlands I, 6/1/2021 8:35-10:25AM ET

USING STRATEGIC SCIENCE TO BUILD A CONSERVATION CONSTITUENCY FOR ADDRESSING LARGE-SCALE STRESSORS ON WETLANDS

Anteau, Michael, U.S. Geological Survey Post van der Burg, Max Mckenna, Owen Wetland conservation in the Prairie Pothole Region is primarily motivated by waterfowl conservation goals and interests and is largely accomplished with conservation easements and fee title purchases funded by waterfowl hunters. Even with these tools and an engaged user group, wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region face a myriad of threats due to interacting pressures from climate and land-use practices. Land-use stressors such as sedimentation, runoff, and agricultural drainage, coupled with climate changes, have likely altered dynamics of the Prairie-Pothole ecosystem and increased issues with invasive species. There is mounting evidence that some of these interacting change drivers have progressively chronic effects, which suggest that some stressors may continue to degrade the region even if land-use changes cease. We will discuss examples of these interactions, which call to question whether current tools used for conservation of wetlands are adequate to protect ecosystem services provided by remaining wetlands. However, a number of these stressors also threaten or influence other societal interests, which create opportunities to craft new conservation strategies that not only benefit waterfowl and wetlands, but provide benefits to a broader community, for example agricultural producers, pollinators, and people living in cities. This approach requires research to better quantify ecosystem services provided by prairie-pothole wetlands, how those services are threatened by climate and land-use changes, and improved communication of research efforts to inform a more diverse array of interest groups. n

Presented during S4: Novel approaches to quantifying synergistic interactions between climate and land-use change on prairie-pothole wetlands II, 6/1/2021 10:55AM- 12:45PM ET

NOVEL APPROACHES IN WETLAND RESTORATION: THROWING EVERYTHING AT THE WALL

DeKeyser, Shawn, North Dakota State University Nearly all wetland restoration efforts are met with certain successes and failures. Determining success or failure is dependent on the goals set and the level of

effort put into the restoration, and constrained by the ecological realities of the site. We restored a wetland/ upland area of approximately 19 hectares in southeastern North Dakota, with a goal of restoring a highly diverse native plant community that is functionally similar to intact “natural” wetland plant communities of the ecoregion. Since 2013, the restoration process has involved continuous monitoring, interdisciplinary collaboration, prompt adaptive management in response to emerging challenges, and patience. To date, we have employed: Roundup Ready ® crops as a pre-treatment prior to restoration to manage seedbank dynamics; a variety of restoration treatments including high-diversity seeding, seeding plus native hay mulch, and seeding, hay mulch, and donated vegetation plugs; and invasive species management of reed canarygrass and cattail through non-traditional chemical applications, mechanical methods, and high-diversity spike seeding. In addition, we recently utilized precision restoration techniques by incorporating seeds and vegetation plugs grown in the greenhouse from hand-collected native graminoid and forb seeds from nearby wet meadows. Our results suggest: certain efforts might not be worth the additional costs; there are non-traditional chemical alternatives for invasive species control; and novel methods, such as donated vegetation plugs from high quality wetlands, warrant further exploration. We believe management and monitoring should continue for several years and novel interdisciplinary approaches should be considered in the future. n

Presented during S4: Novel approaches to quantifying synergistic interactions between climate and land-use change on prairie-pothole wetlands III, Tuesday, June 1, 2021 1:15PM - 3:05PM ET

IDENTIFYING STRUCTURAL SHIFTS IN AREAPERIMETER RELATIONS OF PRAIRIE WETLANDS USING REMOTE SENSING

Krapu, Christopher, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Borsuk, Mark Kumar, Mukesh Artificial drainage of wetlands is commonly employed to manipulate the number and size of wetlands for agricultural purposes. Within the context of the North American Great Plains, ongoing shifts in crop types and associated agricultural practices have the potential to lead to drastic alterations to the region’s wetlands. Using long-term remote sensing analysis of the entire USA state of North Dakota via Landsat data products, we identify a strong signature of change to wetland ponded size / area distributions manifested in a dimensionless ratio of area to shoreline. Extensive hydrologic simulations show that this quantity is highly robust to natural shifts in precipitation. Employing this signature, we find an abrupt shift in the area/perimeter properties of the region’s wetlands around the year 1999 (+/-1 year) and also find that the severity of this shift is highly correlated with changes in agricultural practices after controlling for number and size of wetlands previously present. These findings point to a potential interaction between ongoing climatic shifts across the northern Great Plains with agricultural water management practices. n

Presented during S4: Novel approaches to quantifying synergistic interactions between climate and land-use change on prairie-pothole wetlands III

UNDERSTANDING LAND CHANGE IN WETLAND LANDSCAPES

Rover, Jennifer, USGS EROS The US Geological Survey recently released a suite of remotely sensed land change products for the conterminous United States. The Land Change Monitoring, Assessment, and Projection (LCMAP) initiative developed ten science products by modeling and classifying Landsat analysis ready data. The ten annual products start in 1985 and describe various land cover and land change attributes. The products are complimentary, inform one another, and can be leveraged to develop a multitude of derivatives. The release of this product suite offers an opportunity to investigate changes occurring within wetlands and their uplands at a temporal frequency not previously available. In the prairie pothole region, the impact of humans on the landscape is evident. The changes in land cover across this unique wetland landscape are documented by the product suite. Understanding how land use influences wetlands in a region with considerable shifts in weather and climate presents a challenge. To better understand the interaction of these variables, LCMAP science products can be utilized to analyze the timing associated with land cover change. Changes in spectral response are tracked and provide an estimate of the day of year a change occurred. Wetlands typically change between land cover classes in response to weather or land use, including shifts to and from other cover types such as open water, grassland, or even barren. Over the past three decades, uplands displayed an increase in conversions from grassland to cropland and grassland to wetland or water, the latter resulting from the shift to a wetter regional climate regime. The suite of products offered by LCMAP provide higher frequency information for insight into wetland landscape change resulting from both climate and human activities. n

Presented during S4: Novel approaches to quantifying synergistic interactions between climate and land-use change on prairie-pothole wetlands III

USING OPTICAL AND SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR (SAR) SATELLITE DATA TO MONITOR PRAIRIE WETLAND INUNDATION DYNAMICS

Devries, Ben, University of Guelph Wetlands play an important role in hydrological regulation across landscapes. The seasonal inundation “signature” of these wetlands is an important indicator of wetland function and the resilience of wetland-dominated landscapes to environmental change. The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) is characterized by myriad small, depressional wetlands, many of which exhibit inundation dynamics on short timescales. While image data from optical satellite sensors like Landsat and MODIS have been playing a critical role in characterizing the long-term inundation dynamics in the PPR, limitations in the spatial and temporal resolution of these datasets present a barrier to the detailed understanding of seasonal and event-scale inundation dynamics at landscape scale. More recently, data from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite missions have been shown to be effective in quantifying rapid inundation dynamics, given the ability of SAR sensors to image the Earth’s surface regardless of cloud and illumination conditions. Current research in SAR remote sensing of inundation dynamics in PPR wetlands shows that although regular SAR acquisitions can provide a reliable record of inundation through time, detecting very small wetlands remains a challenge, even with fine-resolution SAR sensors like Sentinel-1 and RADARSAT-2, due to the effects of SAR speckle. The recent launch of the very high temporal-resolution Canadian RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) presents an opportunity to overcome some of the spatial and temporal limitations associated with wetland inundation monitoring in the PPR. Future research in SAR remote sensing of wetland dynamics is needed to develop methods that exploit such high-density SAR time series imagery to better understand hydrologic dynamics in small PPR wetlands. Specifically, the development of multi-temporal speckle filtering and classification methods using RCM’s compact polarization mode will improve the ability of multi-temporal SAR missions to quantify wetland dynamics in the PPR. n

Presented during S5: Exhibiting Ethics in Wetland Restoration and Creation: Case Studies and Lessons Learned - hosted by the SWS Professional Certification Program & SWS Wetland Restoration Section I, Thursday, June 3, 2021 4:35PM - 6:25PM ET

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO DELIVER EFFECTIVE WETLAND RESTORATION – A PARTNERSHIP PROJECT ON THE RIVER SWILGATE, UK

Simpson, Matthew, 35percent The River Swilgate flows through Tewkesbury in the South West of England. In 2007 severe flooding impacted residents living within the floodplain and subsequent floods have raised the profile of river floodplain and wetland management among a disparate group of stakeholders. Environment Agency assessment of the river identified the flood mechanisms responsible but also indicated that the river was failing to achieve the target of good ecological status, under the European Union’s Water Framework Directive, due to physical alterations to the river, diffuse pollution and a loss of floodplain connectivity. This has impacted macroinvertebrate, fish and macrophyte populations and reduced the aesthetic value of the area for local residents. The river catchment includes both rural and urban stretches with different pollution sources and degradation issues such as diffuse agricultural pollution, bank erosion from cattle, urban road drainage pollution and straightening and morphological alteration through urban areas. Extensive community consultation led to the establishment of a partnership project which brought together government agencies, local wildlife charities, community groups and consultants to consider river and wetland restoration options for the Swilgate. This paper examines the ethical challenges and successes of the project and assesses the various community engagement mechanisms undertaken such as visioning workshops, community and professional ecological survey days and community volunteer days. It looks at the ethics around engagement activities throughout the design and construction phases of the project and presents lessons learnt on a technical and communications basis. n

Presented during S5: Exhibiting Ethics in Wetland Restoration and Creation: Case Studies and Lessons Learned - hosted by the SWS Professional Certification Program & SWS Wetland Restoration Section I

ETHICAL PRACTICES AND ETHICAL DILEMMAS: REAL WORLD SCENARIOS FROM MASSACHUSETTS

Davies, Gillian, Senior Ecologist and Natural Climate Solutions Specialist and Visiting Scholar, Senior Ecological Scientist This presentation will present specific real-world scenarios involving ethical dilemmas or ethical challenges that wetland scientists face, including during wetland restoration projects. Ethical challenges can come from a variety of people with whom we interact: employers, clients, engineers who are on our teams, contractors, colleagues, and community members. Examples from each of these groups will be discussed. In addition, emerging ethical practices and thinking will be discussed, including the ethical practice of acknowledging Indigenous Peoples who live or lived on land where a presenta-

tion is occurring, and consideration of re-framing our ethical relationship with wetlands and Nature. Could re-framing our ethical relationship to wetlands lead to the step-change that is necessary to change the downward trajectory of wetland and boidiversity degradation and loss and global climate destabilization? Information on the recent Universal Declaration of the Rights of Wetlands will be shared (see www.rightsofwetlands.org), as well as specific approaches to addressing or resolving ethical challenges. n

Presented during S5: Exhibiting Ethics in Wetland Restoration and Creation: Case Studies and Lessons Learned - hosted by the SWS Professional Certification Program & SWS Wetland Restoration Section I

INCORPORATING COMMUNITY GROWTH AND WANTS INTO MITIGATION DESIGN

Cleveland, Leandra, HDR Wetland mitigation is more than compensating for lost functions and values of wetlands and streams. While that is the fundamental premise, the larger landscape setting, future community growth, and stakeholder needs are also important aspects of the design and site selection. A mitigation site located in a natural setting today, may quickly become surrounded by development, thereby making it an isolated feature in the larger landscape setting. Still more challenging is balancing community and stakeholder wants into mitigation design. Why are these non-science based components important when siting and designing a mitigation site? The reason is that applying good science and practice in the real world is a challenge. As wetland scientists, we are not always making the final decisions. Project costs, schedule constraints, availability of property, balancing multi-agency needs, and incorporating stakeholder wants are also part of the decision process. However, as wetland scientists, it is our job to work collaboratively to educate others on the science, and ultimately provide the best mitigation design and location possible. Lessons learned from good and poor examples of mitigation design and location from real world examples will be discussed. For each example, the reasons for why a specific design or location was selected will be described. This will include measures for avoiding problems in the future with a focus on the positive outcomes that can be achieved with a collaborative approach. n

Presented during S5: Exhibiting Ethics in Wetland Restoration and Creation: Case Studies and Lessons Learned - hosted by the SWS Professional Certification Program & SWS Wetland Restoration Section I

SUCCESSFUL WETLAND RESTORATION THROUGH A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

Slowinski, Thomas, Wetlands & Ecology, V3 Companies V3 Companies has been involved in two successful wetland restoration/mitigation banking projects through a PublicPrivate Partnership with Campton Township, located in Kane County, Illinois. The Township purchased the Blackberry Creek Headwaters Conservation area in 2003 as part of their open space program and they felt that wetland mitigation banking would be an effective vehicle to fund ecological restoration of the property. V3 entered into a Design/Build/Manage Private-Public Partnership with Campton Township, where the Township provides the property and V3 funds the design, permitting, construction and required ecological monitoring, management and reporting. Mitigation bank credit sales funds the work and long term management of the restoration, with an agreed upon distribution of eventual revenue if the mitigation projects are successful. Details of both mitigation banks will be provided as summarized below. Blackberry Creek Headwaters Mitigation Bank: 220 acre property with park and trail, 134.5 acres restored in 2 phases, 86.66 acres/mitigation credits. Phase 1 met all performance standards in 2013 and all credits sold by 2015. Phase 2 met hydrology and interim vegetation standards in 2020 with sale of 15 of 17 released credits. Gray Willows Farm Mitigation Bank: 208 acre property, 95.76 acres restored, 52.37 credits, approved April 2017, construction in 2018, planting in 2019. Three V3 PWSs are involved in the project. There have been many logistical, technical and regulatory issues, but no real ethical issues, other than dealing with our public partner, agency personnel and ourselves on technical and financial issues in an ethical and truthful manner. n

Presented during S5: Exhibiting Ethics in Wetland Restoration and Creation: Case Studies and Lessons Learned - hosted by the SWS Professional Certification Program & SWS Wetland Restoration Section I

THE ROLE OF PROFESSIONAL WETLAND SCIENTISTS ON WETLAND PROJECTS UNDER GLOBAL CHANGE SCENARIOS

Lepage, Ben, National Taiwan University and Academy of Natural Sciences All living organisms need fresh clean water to survive and we’ve forgotten that water is life and anthropogenic impacts contribute to the to the naturally-occurring processes that impact our planet, ecosystems, and the services they provide. Climate and global change are real and if we are to prevail as a species, we then need to use our resources much more wisely, adapt to the changing conditions, and be much more sustainably and environmentally innovative. Society has become numb to hearing about global change and expects science to resolve the issues to maintain our

standard of life. Although the science is sound, our ability to communicate complex ecological and geological processes with stakeholders needs to be improved to gain stakeholder support and trust. Wetland scientists must be ambassadors and help all stakeholders understand the importance of wetlands, the work hat we do, and the work that needs to be done. Restoration programs need to provide resiliency and the flexibility to adapt to quickly changing physical conditions and policy decisions. Stakeholders are an important and essential element of any project and it’s our responsibility to include the community and their diverse points of view as part of the solution. But this role comes with risk. Consensus requires compromise and PWS’ need to be cautious about making decisions that could be considered unethical. n

Presented during S5: Exhibiting Ethics in Wetland Restoration and Creation: Case Studies and Lessons Learned - hosted by the SWS Professional Certification Program & SWS Wetland Restoration Section II, Thursday, June 3, 2021 6:55PM - 8:45PM ET

ETHICAL DILEMMA IN WETLAND CREATION IS DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF GENUINE MOTIVATION AND PROACTIVE PLANNING

Paul, Swapan, Sydney Wetland Institute, Sydney Olympic Park Authority, Australia New landscapes have been increasingly installing ‘wetlands’, which has become a fashion rather than a true venture. Whilst the benefits and constraints of wetland creation can be several, many are not considered until after because of two main reasons: an absence of genuine motivation for wetland creation and a lack of proactive planning. Examples will be cited from Australian landscapes and the presentation will advocate for a systemic approach in landscape management so that the wetlands thus created can last long. n

Presented during S5: Exhibiting Ethics in Wetland Restoration and Creation: Case Studies and Lessons Learned - hosted by the SWS Professional Certification Program & SWS Wetland Restoration Section II, Thursday, June 3, 2021 6:55PM - 8:45PM ET

WETLAND RESTORATION TECHNIQUES AND ETHICAL CHALLENGES: CASE STUDIES FROM THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, USA

Herb, Andy, AlpineEco Ethics play a role in our everyday decision-making whether we realize it or not. As a wetland scientist who spends his days (and many nights!) focused on restoration projects, I am frequently attempting to find the magical balance of employing scientific principles, restoring ecological processes, minimizing cost, maximizing practicability, and staying true to stakeholder requests. All too often, there are serious conflicts between sound science and project requirements, and between project costs and desired outcomes. Deciding what restoration actions “should” be taken is the essence of striking this balance and is ultimately based on ethics, which in this context is essentially the act of prioritizing different aspects of the project. In this presentation, I will briefly summarize some of the more prominent ethical dilemmas I have faced on recent projects in the Rocky Mountains, USA, including those associated with wetland impact assessments as well as restoration design, implementation, and monitoring efforts. Then, I will provide a brief evaluation of the outcomes of those decisions as they relate to meeting overall project expectations. n

Presented during S6: Wetland Wildlife in Natural, Managed, Reclaimed and Restored Wetlands I, 6/8/2021 8:35AM - 10:25AM ET

INTERIOR WETLANDS OF MEXICO: STATUS AND ISSUES OF WATERBIRD HABITATS

Cantu, Antonio, Louisiana State University Donnelly, J. Patrick King, Sammy Wetlands of Mexico’s Highlands have historically been key habitats for migratory birds of North America, providing wintering, stopover, and breeding grounds for populations of waterfowl, shorebirds, and other wetlanddependent wildlife. However, major wetland habitats in this region are exposed to multiple threats related to human activities. We identified 10 priority wetlands for migratory birds in Mexico’s Highlands based on longterm records by mid-winter aerial surveys conducted by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Our objective was to evaluate the status and major threats to these sites and identify factors limiting their restoration potential. Our results indicate that overall water diversion and the poor water quality due to pollution are the major threats in Mexico Highlands, yet some site-specific issues were also determined. These environmental stressors have also occurred at various sites in Canada and United States, but in many cases, these issues have been effectively addressed. For Mexico, our results suggest that current efforts conducted by private, academic, and government organizations are insufficient to meet the demand of wetland issues. Furthermore, a general deficiency of professionals with the ability to develop and implement management plans for Mexico’s wetlands hinder wetland restoration, as only a few organizations have adequately trained staff. Greater international collaborative efforts between ecologists and land managers within North America’s arid lands would increase collective capacity

for wetland ecosystem understanding, management, and restoration, magnifying habitat outcomes for migratory birds at a continental scale. n

Presented during S6: Wetland Wildlife in Natural, Managed, Reclaimed and Restored Wetlands I

OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS FOR WETLAND CONSERVATION IN AN IRRIGATED WORLD

King, Sammy Vradenburg, John Fredrickson, Leigh Laubhan, Murray Tashjian, Paul Agriculture and wetland and wildlife conservation are closely linked through state and federal policies, agricultural conversion of wetlands, and wetland and wildlife benefits provided by certain farm practices. In the last few decades, irrigated agriculture has rapidly expanded placing tremendous pressure on water and wetland resources throughout the United States resulting in widespread and often irreversible groundwater declines and surface water shortages. Some conservation practices, such as improved irrigation efficiency, have led to increased water use. Some purported solutions, such as interbasin transfers and conversion of wetlands to on-site irrigation reservoirs, create further problems and additional wetland modifications. An understanding of water use behaviors necessitates consideration of farm economics, water law, and farm policy structures. Our findings indicate that antiquated water law systems, combined with over allocation of water resources, constrains our ability to control water use whereas federal subsidies provide an economic stimulus to intensify and expand conflict among agricultural practices and water and wetland conservation. A new approach is needed that embraces the combined reality of globalized agriculture, the need for food and water security, and the value of environmental benefits provided by wetland and aquatic systems. We argue that changes in agricultural practices are coming regardless of whether they are planned or not because water use practices are not sustainable. However, if addressed now, we have a fleeting opportunity to minimize the collective impacts to wetland and aquatic resources and local agricultural communities. n

Presented during S6: Wetland Wildlife in Natural, Managed, Reclaimed and Restored Wetlands I

RECENT CHANGES AND FUTURE UNCERTAINTY IN WHOOPING CRANES AND THEIR HABITATS ALONG THE TEXAS GULF OF MEXICO COAST

Smith, Elizabeth, International Crane Foundation Endangered Whooping Cranes migrate 4,000 km annually from breeding grounds in Northern Territories, Canada, to wintering grounds in coastal Texas, United States, and require vast expanses of fresh, brackish and saline wetlands. After reaching a record low of 16 individuals in 1941, the Whooping Crane population has grown to about 500 individuals through international species protection, habitat conservation, and public awareness efforts. However, wetland habitat loss and degradation on coastal wintering grounds remains the primary limiting factor for continued Whooping Crane recovery. Sea-level rise (SLR) along the Texas coast in United States is ~4 mm/yr, twice the global SLR rate due to regional land subsidence. Land change projections indicate a 50% loss of coastal marsh from 1-m SLR in next 75 years before increasing at about 2 m SLR. These changes exacerbate current wetland habitat loss due to urban and industrial expansion and increasing water offtake in river basins, further reducing coastal habitat quality. Heritage ranching families comprise a large proportion of the 85% privately owned lands along the Texas coast and are striving to continue their land legacy while providing high-quality, wildlife habitat. We introduce diverse opportunities to offset the cost of maintaining these working landscapes through conservation easement purchases, wetland/grassland restoration, improved water availability, and promoting ecotourism and carbon exchange programs. To mitigate for climate change, particularly sea level rise, we aim to conserve 51,000 ha of coastal marsh and 152,000 ha of coastal prairie, now and in the future. This long-term approach necessitates maintaining low-lying coastal prairie and managed weltand habitat that will become prime coastal marsh habitat in the next century. Envisioning and implementing conservation at this spatial and temporal scale will ensure the recovery of the Whooping Crane as well as maintain the preferred livelihoods in an agricultural environment. n

Presented during S6: Wetland Wildlife in Natural, Managed, Reclaimed and Restored Wetlands II, 6/8/8, 2021 10:55AM - 12:45PM ET

AVIAN USE OF MARSH TERRACES IN GULF COASTAL WETLANDS

McFarland, Madelyn, Mississippi State University Davis, Brian Reynolds, Larry Woodrey, Mark Brasher, Mike Coastal wetlands of the Gulf of Mexico support millions of migratory birds annually. However, between 2004 and 2009, Gulf states experienced 71% of the total decline of

coastal wetlands within the conterminous United States; Louisiana accounted for most of this loss. Marsh terracing is one method used to combat coastal wetland loss. This restoration technique uses in situ sediment to construct segmented ridges in open water areas of shallow, coastal wetlands to dissipate erosive wave energy, reduce turbidity, increase submerged aquatic vegetation production, and provide habitat for a diversity of avian and other wildlife species. Despite widespread use of marsh terraces in coastal restoration efforts, past research and monitoring have provided limited and inconclusive results on their value as avian habitat. Using both ground and aerial surveys, our study evaluates avian use of marsh terraces across 24 paired sites (terraced and non-terraced) in coastal Louisiana. Avian surveys focused on two guilds of birds: breeding secretive marsh birds and wintering waterfowl. Preliminary results from our first field season indicated: 1) overall, nonterraced sites were used by a greater abundance of secretive marsh birds than terraced sites 2) terraced sites had less secretive marsh bird species diversity than non-terraced sites, 3) and generally, wintering waterfowl species abundances varied spatially and temporally across terraced and non-terraced sites. Field efforts are ongoing, and data collection will be completed by July 2021. Future analysis will examine the relationship between avian use and habitat characteristics of study sites (e.g., submerged aquatic vegetation, diversity and structure of emergent vegetation). Our results will better inform decisions on restoration techniques used to minimize marsh loss and improve avian habitat at local and regional scales. n

Presented during S6: Wetland Wildlife in Natural, Managed, Reclaimed and Restored Wetlands II

THE HISTORY AND IMPORTANCE OF PRIVATE LANDS FOR NORTH AMERICAN WATERFOWL CONSERVATION

Brasher, Mike, Ducks Unlimited, Inc. Waterfowl conservation in North America provides an example of an abundant wildlife resource that was driven to alarmingly low levels due to unregulated exploitation of its populations and habitats, but which has since recovered due to cooperative efforts across multiple countries. Waterfowl conservation in North America began in earnest during the late 19th and early 20th Century and has developed through international treaties and national policy as well as regional partnerships and supporting efforts of private landowners. In recent years, significant accomplishments have been realized through public/private partnerships that use local knowledge and engagement with stakeholders to develop conservation programs that are compatible with landowner interests and existing farming or ranching operations. Case studies from across North America demonstrate there exists no single “best” program for conserving waterfowl habitat (wetlands) on private lands, although a common denominator for success is robust support from an energized and resourceful partnership. Financial incentives provided a positive encouragement for participation, but private land programs will be most effective long-term when they incorporate the needs of private landowners and generate benefits beyond provision of wildlife habitat. Successful conservation of waterfowl populations into the future will require a suite of programs and strategies and will hinge on our ability to develop conservation solutions that provide mutual benefits to waterfowl and an increasingly diverse private landowner base. n

Presented during S6: Wetland Wildlife in Natural, Managed, Reclaimed and Restored Wetlands II

WESTERN YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO NESTING HABITAT RESTORATION

Stanek, Jenna, Los Alamos National Laboratory Wohner, Patti Cooper,Robert King, Sammy Laymon,Stephen Western Yellow-billed Cuckoos are a riparian obligate species and are listed as federally threatened under the Endangered Species Act in the United States. Their populations continue to decline despite efforts to increase availability of riparian forest. Breeding habitat requirements include large contiguous tracts of riparian forest (>80 ha), large estimated home ranges (16–90 ha), and dense canopy cover. However, local habitat scale features required for nesting may be missing in landscapes of predominantly mature riparian forest in California. We used historical nest data (n = 95) from the South Fork Kern River Valley, California from 1985–1996 to identify important vegetation features that may be missing in current riparian forests. We found yellow-billed cuckoos selected nest sites based on increased canopy cover within a 5 m radius of the nest and decreasing mean quadratic diameter at breast height; both of which are characteristics typical of young dense riparian vegetation. The absence of natural processes in the riparian systems studied results in a lack of early successional stage forest selected for nesting by this federally threatened species. While full hydrologic restoration in these systems is currently unfeasible, adaptive management strategies that use local hydrologic and forest management techniques implemented over a landscape scale

with temporal and spatial targets for early successional habitat could improve nesting conditions and potential recovery of this species. n

Presented during S7: Floating Treatment Wetlands, 6/8/2021 8:35AM - 10:25AM ET

DUWAMISH RIVER FLOATING WETLANDS PROJECT: SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIAL INNOVATION

Rottle, Nancy, University of Washington Engelke, Jen Andrews, Leann Bowles, Mason A third of Puget Sound’s coastline and 97% of Seattle’s urban core shoreline is armored, replacing historic wetland and riparian habitats that once lined the edges of rivers and estuaries and removing the food source, refuge, and ecological estuarine processes that five species of salmon require to survive. In the Duwamish River, juvenile salmon must swim from their natal streams through a gauntlet of urban industry and a toxic cocktail Superfund site to reach Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean. Since traditional restoration is not possible where riverside industry provides essential services, innovative habitat restoration techniques for urban salmon migration corridors are required. The Duwamish River Floating Wetlands project combined design, research and community science to determine if constructed floating wetlands (CFWs) can increase salmon habitat and improve water quality to support the survival of outmigrating salmon smolts in these constrained environments. The scientific objectives of the project were to gather information about how floating wetlands could influence juvenile salmon and other fish behavior, invertebrate food source production, plant growth, and water quality related to fish habitat. At the same time, social objectives of the program were to engage community scientists in research activities, connect local residents to the river, and break through regulatory barriers to the implementation of floating wetlands. The project team designed, fabricated and deployed four “BioBarges” supporting two different floating wetland prototypes, testing both structure and several wetland plant species. Graduate students and community scientists monitored plant growth, invertebrates, fish and water quality effects of the prototypes at four shoreline sites in the estuary of the Duwamish River from March 2019–July 2020. Our suite of four presentations for the symposium will include 1) an introduction to the context, design and deployment, and research methods to assess the floating wetland prototypes; 2) our research results on plant growth, fish use, invertebrate production and water quality measures; 3) our two-year community science program and 4) implications for scaling up, funding and adapting these prototypes for application in a variety of shoreline conditions, to address the wicked problems that climate change, urbanization and legacy pollution present for salmon survival, ecological function and environmental justice. n

Presented during S7: Floating Treatment Wetlands

THE DUWAMISH RIVER FLOATING WETLANDS PROJECT: RESEARCH OUTCOMES

Engelke, Jenn, University of Washington Andrews, Leann Bowles, Mason Rottle, Nancy The Duwamish River Floating Wetlands project deployed and monitored constructed floating wetlands (CFWs) during the 2019 and 2020 seasons of outmigrating juvenile salmon runs on the urban Duwamish River. CFWs are an innovative form of green infrastructure that may be used to enhance water quality and provide a range of other ecosystem services, including providing wetland and aquatic habitat along armored shorelines where traditional restoration is not feasible. The scientific objectives of the monitoring program were to gather information about how CFWs influence juvenile salmon behavior, invertebrate production, plant growth, and water quality in a proof-of-concept research study. Monitoring results included the growth of eight different species of native bulrush, the presence of terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates which are known food sources for juvenile salmon smolts, observations of nearby juvenile salmon, and visits by river otters. Data from the first year (2019) showed low numbers of salmon compared to surrounding natural shorelines. Despite missing salmon, biofilters produced invertebrates and plant growth of four species that would theoretically create salmon habitat. A laboratory analysis of the biofilters also showed promise in remediating copper, lead, zinc, and nitrogen from the Duwamish River, an EPA superfund site. After the initial season, the biobarges were relocated closer to the shoreline, transferred to less saline conditions but still an estuary location, and redesigned to include a biofilter 2.0 prototype on the biobarge. Year two (2020) monitoring season included observations of juvenile salmon interacting with the biobarges and observation results trended toward greater salmon use of the biofilters than the control sites. The year one plant species thrived in a year two growth and new locations, while four new plant species showed promise in the new biofilters. Terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates trended toward greater collection at the biofilters than the control sites. Metal uptake was found in both types of biofilters. During field research and deconstruction of the biofilters, river otters, eels, and other wildlife were also found using the biobarges. The biobarges served as living