This dataset provides a compilation of the wetland characteristics, water quality, and aquatic macroinvertebrate community metric data collected from 159 wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of Montana and North Dakota.

A study was conducted during 2004 to examine soil carbon storage of Prairie Pothole Region wetland catchments. These data represent the soil profile descriptions performed during that study; the remaining data were published previously (https://doi.org/10.5066/F7KS6QG2). Soil profile descriptions were performed at 270 temporary, seasonal, and semipermanent wetland catchments distributed throughout the Glaciated Plains and Missouri Coteau physiographic regions of the Prairie Pothole Region. Data were collected from four to six wetland and upland zones of the catchment. Study sites included cropland, restored grassland (formerly cropland), and native prairie (no cultivation history) catchments located in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

A study was conducted during 2004 to examine soil carbon storage of Prairie Pothole Region wetland catchments. These data represent the soil profile descriptions performed during that study; the remaining data were published previously (https://doi.org/10.5066/F7KS6QG2). Soil profile descriptions were performed at 270 temporary, seasonal, and semipermanent wetland catchments distributed throughout the Glaciated Plains and Missouri Coteau physiographic regions of the Prairie Pothole Region. Data were collected from four to six wetland and upland zones of the catchment. Study sites included cropland, restored grassland (formerly cropland), and native prairie (no cultivation history) catchments located in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

This dataset contains aquatic macroinvertebrate data collected from 159 wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of Montana and North Dakota.

This dataset contains aquatic macroinvertebrate data collected from 159 wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of Montana and North Dakota.

A field study was conducted in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota to examine potential effects of localized subsurface drainage systems on wetland hydrology. As part of discrete studies utilizing the study sites (wetland catchments) from this study, samples of wetland surface water and subsurface drainage system effluent were collected from 2013–2016 and analyzed for standard water-quality variables (ions, elements, nutrients), agricultural chemicals (herbicides, pesticides), and metals. This data release presents water-quality data associated with these samples. Surface-water samples were collected from five wetlands and effluent was collected from the two drainage-system outlets from wetland Beck 6 and the lone outlet from wetland Beck 5. The number and frequency of samples were constrained by the lack of effluent from the subsurface drainage systems, as well as by the fact the wetlands only contained surface water during portions of the study. Formal analyses were not conducted on these data due to low sample replication and since the data were intended for inclusion in discrete studies. Qualitative examination of the standard water-quality data (e.g., ions, elements, nutrients) suggested that the ratio and concentrations of the dominant ions and elements varied temporally in conjunction with wetland water levels, as well as among wetlands and water sources (surface water, effluent). Similar variability was observed for nutrients (e.g., ammonia) and other water-quality variables such as total dissolved solids and pH. In addition to the standard water-quality variables, water samples were analyzed for 93 agricultural chemicals and metals, and concentrations of seven of these analytes were above the laboratory reporting limit for at least one sample; thus, a majority of the analytes were considered non-detects. The seven detected analytes represent common agricultural herbicides.

A field study was conducted in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota to examine potential effects of localized subsurface drainage systems on wetland hydrology. As part of discrete studies utilizing the study sites (wetland catchments) from this study, samples of wetland surface water and subsurface drainage system effluent were collected from 2013–2016 and analyzed for standard water-quality variables (ions, elements, nutrients), agricultural chemicals (herbicides, pesticides), and metals. This data release presents water-quality data associated with these samples. Surface-water samples were collected from five wetlands and effluent was collected from the two drainage-system outlets from wetland Beck 6 and the lone outlet from wetland Beck 5. The number and frequency of samples were constrained by the lack of effluent from the subsurface drainage systems, as well as by the fact the wetlands only contained surface water during portions of the study. Formal analyses were not conducted on these data due to low sample replication and since the data were intended for inclusion in discrete studies. Qualitative examination of the standard water-quality data (e.g., ions, elements, nutrients) suggested that the ratio and concentrations of the dominant ions and elements varied temporally in conjunction with wetland water levels, as well as among wetlands and water sources (surface water, effluent). Similar variability was observed for nutrients (e.g., ammonia) and other water-quality variables such as total dissolved solids and pH. In addition to the standard water-quality variables, water samples were analyzed for 93 agricultural chemicals and metals, and concentrations of seven of these analytes were above the laboratory reporting limit for at least one sample; thus, a majority of the analytes were considered non-detects. The seven detected analytes represent common agricultural herbicides.

This data release encompass numerous studies examining soil properties and greenhouse gas fluxes of Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) wetland catchments. The PPR is one of the largest wetland ecosystems in the world, encompassing approximately 770,000 square kilometers of the north-central U.S. and south-central Canada, with the U.S. portion including parts of Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Montana. The data included in this release span a 19-year period (1997–2016) and represent a diversity of studies ranging from localized (e.g., wetland catchments and complexes) to region-wide efforts that span the PPR’s climate and land-use gradient. Data from individual wetland catchments encompass a variety of wetland classes ranging from small, ephemerally-ponded wetlands to large, shallow lakes. Although study designs and methodologies differ slightly among the studies, the overarching methods are comparable and allow the data to be combined into a single data release. The data release consists of combined datasets (i.e., all studies) for soils, greenhouse gases, topography, water chemistry, weather, and covariate or explanatory variables such as water depth, soil moisture, and temperature. A majority of the studies also present data from the entire wetland catchment, with data collected from numerous landscape positions along transects spanning from the wetland center to the catchment boundary. Sample frequency among the studies ranges from a single site visit per year, to season-long, biweekly sample events across multiple years.

This data release encompass numerous studies examining soil properties and greenhouse gas fluxes of Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) wetland catchments. The PPR is one of the largest wetland ecosystems in the world, encompassing approximately 770,000 square kilometers of the north-central U.S. and south-central Canada, with the U.S. portion including parts of Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Montana. The data included in this release span a 19-year period (1997–2016) and represent a diversity of studies ranging from localized (e.g., wetland catchments and complexes) to region-wide efforts that span the PPR’s climate and land-use gradient. Data from individual wetland catchments encompass a variety of wetland classes ranging from small, ephemerally-ponded wetlands to large, shallow lakes. Although study designs and methodologies differ slightly among the studies, the overarching methods are comparable and allow the data to be combined into a single data release. The data release consists of combined datasets (i.e., all studies) for soils, greenhouse gases, topography, water chemistry, weather, and covariate or explanatory variables such as water depth, soil moisture, and temperature. A majority of the studies also present data from the entire wetland catchment, with data collected from numerous landscape positions along transects spanning from the wetland center to the catchment boundary. Sample frequency among the studies ranges from a single site visit per year, to season-long, biweekly sample events across multiple years.

This data release includes characteristics of wetland catchments associated with U.S. Fish and Wildlife conservation easement lands located in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota. Characteristics include wetland catchment areas, slope length, land use, soil mapping unit, and slope grades of representative soils. County and ecoregion also are included. Summary data pertaining to lateral setback distances, or drainage setbacks, also are presented by county and soil mapping unit for a range of subsurface drainage system characteristics (i.e., drain pipe depth and diameter). Additionally, calculated variables used for data analyses and presentation in the manuscript associated with this data release are included.