Regional and local hydrology of a created riparian wetland system

The hydrology of a created riparian wetland system was characterized for local and regional conditions. Three methods, two laboratory and one in situ, were used to calculate the hydraulic conductivity of the wetland substrate. Hydraulic conductivity values and measured vertical gradients were used to estimate seepage loss to ground water. Surface-water inflow and outflow dominated the hydrologic budget for the wetland. Precipitation, seepage loss, and evapotranspiration were minor components of the hydrologic budget. Water seeping from the wetland into the ground-water-flow system has characteristics of a local groundwater-flow system. Ground-water modeling and particle tracking show that water originating from the wetland seeps into the ground water and flows in the local ground-water system to the southeast portion of the site. Ground-water travel times were estimated to range from 700 to 1,200 days before being discharged to the Olentangy River.