UNDERSTANDING HYDROLOGIC, GEOLOGIC, AND CLIMATE CONTROLS ON WETLAND WATER STORAGE: A DIAGNOSTIC STUDY

Wetlands are critical components of the natural infrastructure, affording ecosystem services such as flood control, wildlife habitat, and nutrient processing. The general role of wetlands in modulating the watershed hydrologic budgets is well-known, but remains poorly quantified in most places. Adaptive watershed management can substantially benefit from the quantification of wetland functions related to surface hydrology, specifically water storage, through related modeling and analysis. Analyses of storage dynamics can support decisions related to public safety, infrastructure design, and non-point source pollution control. In this study, we investigate the nature and types of wetlands in northeastern United States using topography, land cover, soil, and climatic data to estimate the effects of water storage by wetlands in river corridors draining to the Gulf of Maine. Preliminary analysis of the watershed-scale controls is done using the Topographic Wetness Index and Groundwater Depth Index. Preliminary estimates of wetland storage and water budget for the Sheepscot River watershed in Maine are presented.