Quantifying the Role of Wetlands in Achieving Nutrient and Sediment Reductions in Chesapeake Bay

Most wetland projects in the Chesapeake watershed involve enhancement of existing wetland acreage, raising the question of whether wetlands that are enhanced in function are better able to retain nutrients and sediments than degraded wetlands, and if so, to what extent these projects should be credited toward implementation of State Tributary Strategies. The objective of this organized session was to determine if a scientific foundation exists to quantify the beneficial effects of wetland enhancement on nutrient and sediment processes. Outcomes of the workshop inlcude a summary matrix of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment removal rate results normalized for wetland class, drainage area, residence time, flow rate, physiographic region, etc.