At a Glance
Post-construction groundwater monitoring helps determine the effectiveness of ecological restoration.
Project Description
In 2004, the government of Anne Arundel County, MD restored degraded wetlands located at the headwaters of Gray’s Creek, tributary to the Magothy River and ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. The wetlands, which had been degraded by the dumping of dredged material, once provided habitat for many species known to be rare, threatened, or endangered.
The restoration of this two-acre stream, wetland and tidal marsh complex also involved the removal of invasive Phragmites. Biohabitats conducted post-restoration monitoring to help the County determine the effectiveness of the restoration. This involved the installation of three groundwater monitoring wells, and the collection and analysis of data from those wells for a period of three years.
The monitoring results revealed that the restoration project was successful in restoring the wetland hydrology of the site.