A study was conducted to assess the efficacy of drainage setbacks for limiting effects to wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region, USA. Surface-water levels, along with primary components of the wetland water balance, were monitored at four wetland catchments over 3 years. During the second year of the study, subsurface drainage systems were installed in two of the wetland catchments using drainage setbacks, and the drainage discharge volumes were monitored. A catchment water-balance model also was used to assess the potential effect of subsurface drainage (i.e., reduced precipitation runoff) on wetland hydrology, and to assess the efficacy of drainage setbacks for mitigating these effects. These data directly support the associated publication “A case study examining the efficacy of drainage setbacks for limiting effects to wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region, USA” which is referenced within the Metadata.

Data used to estimate models relating climate and land cover to wetland densities. Data derived from historical climate data, estimates of hydrological processed based on the Variable Infiltration Capacity model, National Wetlands Inventory, and National Land Cover Database (2006 version). Wetland densities based on observations from the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey.

Data used to estimate models relating climate and land cover to wetland densities. Data derived from historical climate data, estimates of hydrological processed based on the Variable Infiltration Capacity model, National Wetlands Inventory, and National Land Cover Database (2006 version). Wetland densities based on observations from the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Effective monitoring and prediction of flood and drought events requires an improved understanding of how and why surface-water expansion and contraction in response to climate varies across space. This paper sought to (1) quantify how interannual patterns of surface-water expansion and contraction vary spatially across the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) and adjacent Northern Prairie (NP) in the United States, and (2) explore how landscape characteristics influence the relationship between climate inputs and surface-water dynamics. Due to differences in glacial history, the PPR and NP show distinct patterns in regards to drainage development and wetland density, together providing a diversity of conditions to examine surface-water dynamics. We used Landsat imagery to characterize variability in surface-water extent across 11 Landsat path/rows representing the PPR and NP (images spanned 1985-2015). The PPR not only experienced a 2.6-fold greater surface-water extent under median conditions relative to the NP, but also showed a 3.4-fold greater change in surface-water extent between drought and deluge conditions. The relationship between surface-water extent and accumulated water availability (precipitation minus potential evapotranspiration) was quantified per watershed and statistically related to variables representing hydrology-related landscape characteristics (e.g., infiltration capacity, surface storage capacity, stream density). To investigate the influence stream connectivity has on the rate at which surface water leaves a given location, we modeled stream-connected and stream-disconnected surface water separately. Stream-connected surface water showed a greater expansion with wetter climatic conditions in landscapes with greater total wetland area, but lower total wetland density. Disconnected surface water showed a greater expansion with wetter climatic conditions in landscapes with higher wetland density, lower infiltration and less anthropogenic drainage. From these findings, we can expect that shifts in precipitation and evaporative demand will have uneven effects on surface-water quantity. Accurate predictions regarding the effect of climate change on surface-water quantity will require consideration of hydrology-related landscape characteristics including wetland storage and arrangement.