Hydrologic Monitoring of a Hardwood Encroached, Isolated Depressional Wetland, Southwest Georgia

Abstract

Hardwood encroachment into isolated depressional wetlands may change their hydrologic function. To gain a better understanding of this process we installed 12 shallow wells (5-12 ft. deep), in December 2005, on 2 transects crossing a 2.2 acre wetland in southwest Georgia. From March to October 2006, we collected hourly data in the wells and the wetland. Soil boring data showed that soil permeability increased close to the wetland and decreases up-gradient in the catchment. The deeper sandy soils in the ecotone store water which may be hydraulically connected to the wetland. Daily diurnal fluctuations in the water-level of the shallow wells in the ecotone suggests that the vegetation may have an effect on the shallow groundwater.