In the past century, many of Wisconsin’s wetlands were drained for agriculture and development, reducing the ecological benefits provided to surrounding communities. To compensate, the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), gives landowners an opportunity to restore wetlands on their property.

The team worked with the NRCS staff to design a restoration on a property in Jefferson, WI. Critical elements of the design include breaking existing drain tiles and filling ditches to restore the natural water table, excavating areas to provide marshy habitats for wildlife, and establishing native vegetation to restore wetland functions like filtration and flood control.

The team surveyed the site using GPS tools and inspected for concerning characteristics. A hydrologic analysis of the site and surrounding drainage area was conducted using HydroCAD to mitigate negative impacts and AutoCAD Civil 3D was used to develop a construction and seeding plan. All aspects and features of the design aim to accomplish the goals and benefits of wetland restoration and are in accordance with the standards and regulations that pertain to them. Full report available here.