Introduction

This combined area has been our largest research investment over time and has been active for over ten years. The long-term project (10+ years) has been collaborative between Virginia Tech, Old Dominion University and the University of Kentucky. The program was originally motivated by numerous agency reports and scientific articles that indicated that the primary reason created wetland compensatory mitigation projects had failed to meet regulatory requirements was primarily related to their failure to achieve the timing, depth and duration of water (e.g. the “hydroperiod”) necessary to support the desired wetlands type(s). The primary goal of this research effort is to develop a user-friendly PC-based water budget model that can model a range of non-tidal wetland types including depressional basins, interconnected cells, and sloping wetlands. The model(s) need to account for both groundwater and surface water driven hydrologic conditions, calculate PET, and provide a statistically based system for selecting appropriate rainfall data for use in the model. Funded has included a wide range of field model calibration/testing sites including local and state parks and mitigation bank sites.

An additional area of active investigation is the development of a library of “target hydroperiods” for commonly restored wetlands system types when reference data is not available to utilize with the water budget model to inform initial site design decisions. These target hydroperiods are based on a wide range of data sets from relatively undisturbed wetland systems in the region including mineral flats, riparian wetlands and Carolina bays and will include an expected range of water levels under dry, normal and wet year conditions.

The primary output of this effort to date has been the development of the Wetbud program, which is available in two versions. The Basic Model assumes a flat basin type system and includes a “Wizard” module with preset defaults that can run a simple model in less than 10 minutes. The Advanced Model requires more input effort and data, but models a much wider range of complex wetland systems including sloping sites.

Request for Proposals

• Original Request for Proposals: Water Budget Modeling and Monitoring, 2008

Amount awarded to date for main project: $1,697,602

Amount awarded for ongoing maintenance/improvement (University of Kentucky): $105,343

Research Reports

• 2012-2017 Monitoring and Research Final Report Wetlands Restoration and Water Budget Modeling at Huntley Meadows Park. 2020. W. Lee Daniels, Sara Klopf, Kathryn Haering, and Pat Donovan (Virginia Tech); Tess Thompson, James Jones, and Laura Lehmann (Virginia Tech); G. Richard Whittecar, Ben Hiza, and Stephen Stone (Old Dominion University); Zach Agioutantis (University of Kentucky).
• 2012-2015 Monitoring and Research Summary: Wetlands Restoration at Huntley Meadows Park. 2015. W. Lee Daniels, Sara Koropchak, Kathryn Haering, Pat Donovan, Daniel Evans, Tess Thompson, James Jones, Laura Lehmann (Virginia Tech); G. Richard Whittecar, Ben Hiza, Stephen Stone (Old Dominion University); and Zach Agioutantis (University of Kentucky).

Progress Reports

• Progress Report for Wetland Water Budget Modeling. April 2012.

Journal Articles

• Use of the Effective Monthly Recharge model to assess long-term water-level fluctuations in and around groundwater-dominated wetlands. 2017. G. Richard Whittecar, Kerby M. Dobbs, Stephen Stone, John M. McLeod, Tracy L. Thornton, and John C. Smith. Ecological Engineering 99: 462-472.

Theses and Dissertations

• The Effect of Evapotranspiration on the Groundwater Dome and Past Drought Conditions at Cape Henry, Virginia. Bryce O. Shoup. M.S. thesis, Old Dominion University, 2019.
• Estimating Flow Through Rock Weirs. Suraye Rori Solis, M.S. thesis, Virginia Tech, 2019.
• Evaluation of a Water Budget Model for Created Wetland Design and Comparative Natural Wetland Hydroperiods. Ethan P. Sneesby, M.S. thesis, Virginia Tech, 2019.
• Hydrologic Response Caused by Wetland Expansion at Huntley Meadows Park in Hybla Valley, Virginia. Stephen F. Stone, M.S. thesis, Old Dominion University, 2017.
• Groundwater and Tidal Controls on Wetland Hydrology, Julie J. Metz Wetland Mitigation Bank, Woodbridge, Virginia. Benjamin S. Hiza, M.S. thesis, Old Dominion University, 2017.
• Evaluating the Contribution of Groundwater to Wetland Water Budgets, Central Piedmont, Virginia. Kerby Dobbs, M.S. thesis, Old Dominion University, 2013.
• Evaluation of a Water Budget Model for Use in Wetland Design. Eric Neuhaus, M.S. thesis, Virginia Tech, 2013.
• Hydrogeological Analysis of Factors That Influence Pitcher Plant Bog Viability at the Joseph Pines Preserve, Sussex County, Virginia. John M. McLeod, M.S. thesis. Old Dominion University, 2013.
• Evaluating a Process-Based Mitigation Wetland Water Budget Model. Matthew A. Gloe. M.S. thesis, Virginia Tech, 2011.

Conference Proceedings

• Wetbud – A Free Water Budget Modeling Tool for Created Wetland Design. 2017. Stephen Stone, Zach Agioutantis, G. Richard Whittecar, W. Lee Daniels, Tess Thompson, and Kerby Dobbs. p. 182-188. In Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Sustainable Development in the Minerals Industry, Volume 2.

Conference Presentations

• Evaluation of a Wetland Water Budget Model for Non-Tidal Created Wetland Design (poster). 2019. Ethan Sneesby, W. Lee Daniels, Tess Thompson, Zacharias Agioutantis, G. Richard Whittecar, and Sara Klopf. Presented at 2019 Society of Wetland Scientists Conference.
• Wetbud – A New Water Budget Modeling Program for Created Wetland Design. 2018. W. Lee Daniels and Rich Whittecar. Presented to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Belvoir, VA.
• Using Wetbud: Regional Data Stations, WND Years, W_em, and Advanced Models. 2018. Rich Whittecar, Ben Hiza, Stephen Stone, Kerby Dobbs, John McLeod, Mathew Richardson, Tracy Thornton, and Cal Smith. Presented to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Belvoir, VA.
• Evaluation of a Wetland Water Budget Model for Non-tidal Created Wetland Design (poster). 2018. Ethan Sneesby, Lee Daniels, Tess Thompson, Zacharias Agioutantis, G. Richard Whittecar, and Sara Klopf. Presented at 2018 Virginia Association of Wetland Professionals Conference.
• Mine Reclamation Applications of a New Water Budget Model: Wetbud. 2017. W. Lee Daniels, G. Richard Whittecar, Tess Thompson, Zach Agioutantis, Stephen Stone. Presented at American Society of Mining and Reclamation National Meeting.
• Wetbud – A New Water Budget Modeling Program for Created Wetland Design. 2016. W. Lee Daniels. Presented at 2016 Society of Wetland Scientists Conference.
• Wetbud: A Wetland Hydrologic Design Model. (poster) 2016. Tess Thompson, Lee Daniels, Rich Whittecar, Zach Agioutantis. Presented at Environmental & Water Resources Institute.
• Evaluation of a Water Budget Model for Use in Wetland Design (poster). 2013. Eric Neuhaus. Presented at American Ecological Engineering Society Annual Conference.
• New Methods for Water Budgeting: Wetbud. 2013. Tess Wynn Thompson, W. Lee Daniels, Rich Whittecar, Zach Agioutantis, Kerby Dobbs, Matt Gloe, John McLeod, Eric Neuhaus, O. Waverly Parks, Candice Piercy, Tracy Thornton, Cal Smith. Wetland Studies/Peterson Foundation Wetland Mitigation Research Symposium.
• Evaluating a process-based mitigation wetland water budget model. 2011. Matthew A. Gloe, T.M. Thompson, W.C. Hession, W.L. Daniels.
• Feedbacks between Wetland Vegetation and Hydrology. 2010. Candice Piercy. Seminar. Presented at Engineer Research and Development Center – Environmental Lab Seminar.
• Wetbud Lee Daniels, Rich Whittecar, Tess Thompson, Zach Agioutantis. 2011. Presented at South Atlantic/Mid-Atlantic SWS Joint Chapter Meeting.
• Simulation of Historical Groundwater Input at Mitigation Wetland Sites Using Effective Monthly Recharge (W_em) Model. 2010. Rich Whittecar, Tracy Thornton, John McLeod, and Cal Smith. Presented at Society of Wetland Scientists Annual Meeting.

Symposia and Workshops

• 2016 Wetland Mitigation Research Symposium. Sponsored by Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. and the Resource Protection Group. April 14, 2016, Gainesville, VA.
  • Introduction and Overview of Wetbud. W. Lee Daniels, PhD, Virginia Tech, Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences.
  • Programming Structure and Data Requirements for Wetbud. Zach Agioutantis, PhD, University of Kentucky, Department of Mining Engineering.
  • Using Wetbud Wizard. Rich Whittecar, PhD, Old Dominion University, Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.
  • Wetbud: Advanced Scenarios I. Stephen Stone, Graduate Research Assistant, Old Dominion University, Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.
  • Wetbud: Advanced Scenarios II. Stephen Stone, Graduate Research Assistant, Old Dominion University, Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.
  • Wetbud: Surface Water Components in the Basic Model. Tess Thompson, PhD, Virginia Tech Department of Biological Systems Engineering.

• 2015 Wetland Mitigation Research Symposium. Presented by Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. and the Peterson Family Foundation in conjunction with the Virginia Association of Wetland Professionals’ Annual Fall Meeting. October 15, 2015. Fredericksburg, VA.
  • Introduction and Overview of Wetbud. W. Lee Daniels, Virginia Tech, Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences.
  • Programming Structure and Data Requirements for Wetbud. Zach Agioutantis, PhD. University of Kentucky, Department of Mining Engineering.
  • Wetbud Surface Water Components in Basic Model. Tess Thompson, Virginia Tech, Department of Biological Systems Engineering, and Zach Agioutantis, University of Kentucky, Department of Mining Engineering.
  • Using Wetbud: Initial Data Requirements. Rich Whittecar, Old Dominion University, Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, with Ben Hiza, Stephen Stone, Kerby Dobbs, John McLeod, Mathew Richardson, Tracy Thornton, and Cal Smith.

• An Introduction to Wetbud. On-site Program. January 29, 2014. Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc., Gainesville, VA.
  • Introduction and Overview of Wetbud. W. Lee Daniels, Virginia Tech, Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences.
  • Building Basic and Advanced Model Scenarios in Wetbud. Kerby Dobbs, Old Dominion University, Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.
  • Understanding Groundwater Components for Wetbud. Rich Whittecar, Kerby Dobbs, Mathew Richardson, Tracy Thompson, Cal Smith, Old Dominion University, Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.
  • The Programming Structure and Data Requirements for Wetbud. Zach Agioutantis, University of Kentucky, Department of Mining Engineering.
  • Using Wetbud: Surface Water Considerations. T.M. Thompson, W.L. Daniels, Matthew A. Gloe, Karen Hall, Eric Neuhaus, O. Waverly Parks, Candice Piercy. Virginia Tech, Department of Biological Systems Engineering.