Six months ago, we worked with several partners to build two wetlands at Feather Prairie Farm near Dwight, IL. The construction process was impressive. Over 5,000 cubic yards of earth were moved and precisely shaped into a wetland in a few days. Our partners at the Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association, the builders of most of our wetlands, make it look so easy. However, looking at all that newly moved soil doesn’t allow the wetland’s actual shape to be easily seen up close or even from above. However, once water fills a new wetland, its features are clear.

Since all of our wetlands are designed and built to account for the existing landscape at a particular location, Dr. Jill Kostel, our wetland engineer, uses her expertise to develop a plan that takes advantage of the existing landscape. In the case of the Feather Prairie Farms wetland, the right design required a much narrower curving layout to be built than any of our previous wetlands. In addition, it includes a couple of islands to ensure that the nitrogen-laden ag tile drainage water moves through the wetland slowly enough to encourage the breakdown of nitrate.

While the wetland was built in August of 2022, there are still finishing touches being added in 2023. Currently, one tile system is draining into the wetland from the east (left side of photo), and another system will be connected to the wetland from the southwest (right side of photo) in the next few months. Once that drainage system is linked, the wetland could treat water from 60 acres of cropland.

The wetland and buffer have been frost-seeded. In late May or early June, various  water-loving plant plugs and bulbs will be installed in the wetland. As the bulbs and plants grow and get established, the water levels will be slowly increased. These plants will support the bacteria needed to break down the nitrate. We will be providing updates on those changes as they occur this year. Also, we will be doing another blog post about the second wetland (dark area in the foreground of the photo) at this location in the future.

Jean McGuire is the Field Outreach Specialist for our program and the face of TWI in the counties where we work. She works with our partners to identify landowners who may have an interest in building a Smart Wetland on their property. She was raised with seven siblings on a row crop-livestock farm which they now co-own and farm.

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