Wetland help

[archer100]

Attached is a pic of a wetland that I would like to get drainage better but I believe it would take a lot more work and money then I want to put into it. This year we had a lot of snow which filled the spot up and weeds are terrible in the higher areas that had some food plots.

Just needing some ideas from some of you on what could do or maybe even just possibly grow that would be better off when it does flood again if get bad winter. Wasnt able to get in with machinery until late this summer as it was wet forever.

Could redo drainage some and maybe build up the fronts and side of the wetland so stays in certain areas.

Any other ideas, fairly new at all this. The black is where water drains in/out of.

Thank you

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tap]

Attached is a pic of a wetland that I would like to get drainage better but I believe it would take a lot more work and money then I want to put into it. This year we had a lot of snow which filled the spot up and weeds are terrible in the higher areas that had some food plots.

Just needing some ideas from some of you on what could do or maybe even just possibly grow that would be better off when it does flood again if get bad winter. Wasnt able to get in with machinery until late this summer as it was wet forever.

Could redo drainage some and maybe build up the fronts and side of the wetland so stays in certain areas.

Any other ideas, fairly new at all this. The black is where water drains in/out of.

Thank you

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Be careful with "wetlands". Bureaucrats love fining people that drain wet spots.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Boll Weevil]

I'll never forget what an old timer told me many years as I was helping him work on drainage projects. Regarding my question about how exactly we planned to tackle this particular issue he responded in his gravelly voice, "Last time I checked, water always flows downhill." Clearly a Caption Obvious statement but from that moment on I was far more able to predict how water would would respond to any given intervention.

Carefully studying the topography should reveal gradient to show you the direction(s) surface water approaches that low spot. If you place a shallow waterway "uphill" of your low spot, you may be able to contain it and divert much of the runnoff around that spot such that you can convert is into a plot. Good luck to you...looks like a neat spot!

 

[archer100]

It all flows into a big lake just at bottom corner of picture. Just trying to figure what can either do construction wise or even planting to fight the wetness and wetland weeds. Maybe plant something that can survive being under some water?

I may go in and mow a bunch of it this fall and then spray the weeds as well


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ats002]

Be extremely careful doing any of this. Especially posting it online.

I am personally trying to do something similar. I am going thru the the proper channels. Still have a lot to learn but have learned quite a bit.

Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[j-bird]

Wetlands can be a touchy subject depending on where this is at from a government perspective. There tends to be lots of rules and regulations and the like as far as what you can and can't do. If it's allowed drainage ditches would be an option - both to divert surface flow to this area as well as to get the water in the area out. if the water table is high in that area the only answer would be tile - and even then the water has to have some place to go. Also keep in mind a water hole isn't a bad option either, with some food and cover around.

 

[archer100]

Ok. Guess i better look into the rules as wasn't really aware of much. Thanks. Prolly will just learn to live with it some and plant some fall plots here when dries up more. Wanted to put perennial in there but maybe will rethink


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tree Spud]

It all flows into a big lake just at bottom corner of picture. Just trying to figure what can either do construction wise or even planting to fight the wetness and wetland weeds. Maybe plant something that can survive being under some water?

I may go in and mow a bunch of it this fall and then spray the weeds as well


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Draining/modifying a wetland within 500' of a navigable body of water?

Unless you are getting all of the proper permits, this could be a very expensive mistake. The DNR does satellite monitoring of all lake shores along with wetlands. Extend your pier 20' longed than allowable and they will no it.

 

[archer100]

It is only a 5 acre lake and all owned by myself. Guess all a learning process and should have investigated some before I posted.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tap]

There was a couple in Idaho a few years ago that wanted to build their dream home. They got all of the permits and were good to go. The EPA rained hell upon them for draining a "wetland". The feds pretty much ruined their lives.
Google Mike and Chantell Sackett

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Tap]

You still may be able to make the best of that area, though. I've never tried this but I've read people "build" some mounds in wet areas to create small bedding sites. If you can't drain it and farm it, you may still be able to turn it into a sweet bedding area/sanctuary. Start off by planting some water loving shrubs and trees. Alder, willow, dogwood...there's a bunch of stuff that can create cover and food in wet areas.
More than one way to skin a cat.

 

[Tree Spud]

It is only a 5 acre lake and all owned by myself. Guess all a learning process and should have investigated some before I posted.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Does not matter who owns, the fact that it has navigable water and a shore line puts it under the DNR's jurisdiction. They can even control what you do toi the vegetation around the lake.

A neighbor built a new home on the lake. Wanted a better view so he removed 18 mature trees. The DNR swarmed in and shut his house building project down, environmental impact assessments he had to pay for, replacement of the trees, had t hire an attorney to deal will all of it.

Good that you started here, you now have some feedback on possible issues.

 

[buckdeer1]

Better not to bring up,if it's a 5 acre lake maybe it would be easier to clean out and have a nice lake.I have a few spots in my crop field right now that stay wet if we are getting rain and I have been working on getting them where I can farm and not lose crops now they want me to get them test to see if they are wetlands.Should have never asked about them and just fixed it

 

[archer100]

The lake is cleaned out good with shoreline access, I just wanted to somehow divert this one wetland area to make more go to the lake instead of flooding some of the food plots in place when get a bunch of snow in the hills


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[FarmerDan]

Just a quick look at your picture tells me you are extremely hopeful, probably unrealistically, that what you want to accomplish can be done. Oh sure, there are engineering procedures, but at a price you probably don't want to pay. I don't know you and I mean no offense, but you can't do this yourself. Water does flow downhill, but it doesn't always come from the up slope! What happens beneath the surface is as important as what happens on the surface. It's entirely possible to do things to drain an area that can make the situation even worse! Don't fight it. Embrace your wetland. They really are good things.

 

[almanac12]

What's in the wetland now? If it's invasive crap like reed canary grass / phragmites, cattails, or purple loosestrife, then a government agency may try to help you. I had a contract with the NRCS to remove buckthorn, garlic mustard, and RCG. The contract required me to plant trees to finish up. We selected species which were appropriate for the site - soft maple, swamp white oak, bur oak (yes, it's flood tolerant), tamarack, and white cedar. This was in a poorly drained area. Had two DNR foresters and two NRCS conservationists walk my property throughout the project.

My neighbor was able to install a permitted wildlife scrape (a shallow pond) through the same channels. The justification was to help break up his monoculture 5 acre stand of reed canary grass.

Here's my former reed canary grass monoculture. Tree tubes and wildflowers. The wildflowers are awesome. They just grew on their own. Boneset and swamp milkweed. 6 feet tall. Walked the site today and there were thousands of honeybees. I'll be over the moon if my trees grow.

 

[H20fwler]

Wetlands are wildlife magnets here. Buttonbush and red osier willow/dogwood grow great in them and deer and wildlife love them.