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Phosphorus Optimal Wetland Demonstration

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Published Feb. 8, 2024
Updated: March 4, 2024
Birds eye view of a floodplain detailing the process of a phosphorus optimal wetland demonstration.

Layout of a phosphorous optimal wetland demonstration in Defiance, Ohio.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has constructed a 10-acre demonstration wetland in Defiance, Ohio, to serve as a model for optimizing phosphorus retention and nonpoint source reduction in agricultural settings. Excess phosphorus runoff in Great Lakes tributaries can contribute to the development of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), with the potential to harm coastal ecosystems, local economies, and threaten human health.

Funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, this project employs a novel approach to improving Great Lakes tributary water quality by constructing a wetland system in a location identified as having high potential to capture and retain phosphorus sorption capacity. An interagency project team from the Army Corps' Engineer Research and Development Center and the U.S. Geological Survey partners to operate, research, and monitor the demonstration wetland. The wetland captures high tributary flows and associated legacy phosphorus loads and filters them through a series of treatment cells.

Phosporus Optimal Wetland Demonstration 6th Grade Field Trip

Construction was completed in the late winter of 2021, with monitoring, control, and field research planned to continue for five years. This project builds on several years of research on soil phosphorus storage capacity and contributes to a better understanding of how phosphorus can be retained on the landscape and kept out of Great Lakes tributaries. The innovative project coordinates with federal partners, including USEPA, NRCS, and USGS, as well as partners at the state and local level, to share lessons learned and inform other wetland restoration project designs to maximize efficiency.

1:02:15
VIDEO | 1:02:15 | Phosphorus Optimal Wetland Demonstration webinar

03:31
VIDEO | 03:31 | Soil Protocol Video

Demonstration Dashboard
Project Partners

Landscape shot of a brown wetland with text in the upper right and left hand corner.
Live video and interactive hydrograph See live video and data of the inflow to wetland near Winn Road in Defiance, Ohio, WET2. Powered by the U.S. Geological Survey's Hydrologic Imagery Visualization and Information System.
Landscape shot of a brown wetland with text in the upper right and left hand corner.
Live video and interactive hydrograph
See live video and data of the inflow to wetland near Winn Road in Defiance, Ohio, WET2. Powered by the U.S. Geological Survey's Hydrologic Imagery Visualization and Information System.
Photo By: U.S. Geological Survey
VIRIN: 240304-F-IQ439-001

Publications

Berkowitz, J. F., Schlea, D. A., VanZomeren, C. M., & Boles, C. M. (2020). Coupling watershed modeling, public engagement, and soil analysis improves decision making for targeting P retention wetland locations. Journal of Great Lakes Research.

Berkowitz, J. F., VanZomeren, C. M., Hurst, N. R., & Sebastian, K. J. (2021). An evaluation of soil phosphorus storage capacity (SPSC) at proposed wetland restoration locations in the western Lake Erie Basin. Environmental Laboratory (U.S.); Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.).

Currie, S. J., VanZomeren, C. M., & Berkowitz, J. F. (2017). Utilizing wetlands for phosphorus reduction in Great Lakes watersheds : a review of available literature examining soil properties and phosphorus removal efficiency. Environmental Laboratory (U.S.); Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.).

Hurst, N. R., VanZomeren, C. M., & Berkowitz, J. F. (2022). Temperature, redox, and amendments alter wetland soil inorganic phosphorus retention dynamics in a Laurentian Great Lakes priority watershed. Journal of Great Lakes Research.

Lemke, A. M., Kirkham, K. G., Wallace, M. P., VanZomeren, C. M., Berkowitz, J. F., & Kovacic, D. A. (2021). Nitrogen and phosphorus removal using tile-treatment wetlands: A 12-year study from Midwestern USA. Journal of Environmental Quality.

VanZomeren, C. M., & Berkowitz, J. F. (2020). Evaluating soil phosphorus storage capacity in constructed wetlands : sampling and analysis protocol for site selection. Environmental Laboratory (U.S.); Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.).

VanZomeren, C. M., Berkowitz, J. F., Lemke, A. M., & Kirkham, K. G. (2019). Soil P Storage Capacity in Agricultural Treatment Wetlands: Can a System Designed for N Reduction Also Retain P? Wetlands.

Presentations

Presentation Title

Year

Authors

Conference

Location

Type

Optimizing phosphorus retention in wetland soils: Case-study in Maumee River Basin, Ohio

2022

Kaufman S, Berkowitz JF, Bufkin, S, Hurst NR

American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting

Chicago, IL

Poster

Optimizing wetlands to reduce excess nutrients

2022

Bufkin, S, Berkowitz JF, Kaufman S, Hurst NR

Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting

Baltimore, MD

Poster

A proposed framework for optimizing P retention in wetland soils

2022

Berkowitz JF, Bufkin, S, Hurst NR, Kaufman S

Society of Wetland Scientists Annual Meeting

Grand Rapids, MI

Oral

A multi-scale framework for evaluating wetlands in a nutrient reduction context

2022

Berkowitz JF, Bufkin, S, Hurst NR, Kaufman S

International Association of Great Lakes Research

Cleveland, OH

Oral

Phosphorus Sorption in Agricultural Wetland Soils: A Multi-Method Approach to Optimize Constructed Wetland Operation

2021

Hurst, NR, VanZomeren CM, Berkowitz JF

Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting

Salt Lake City, UT

Oral

A sticky situation: The challenge of optimizing P sorption dynamics in restored wetlands

2021

Berkowitz JF, Vanzomeren CM, Hurst NR, Sebastian KJ

13th International Symposium on Biogeochemistry of Wetlands

Virtual

Oral

Improving public engagement in hydric soils studies

2020

Berkowitz JF, Vanzomeren CM

Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting

Virtual

Poster

Phosphorus sorption in agricultural wetland soils: A multi-method approach to optimize nutrient retention

2020

Hurst N, VanZomeren CM, Berkowitz JF

Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting

Virtual

Oral

Phosphorus sorption in agricultural wetland soils - temperature, redox, and amendment effects

2019

Hurst NR, VanZomeren CM, Berkowitz JF

Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting

San Antonio, TX

Oral

Coupling watershed modeling with wetland soil data improves identification of target locations for P reduction

2019

Berkowitz JF, VanZomeren CM, Schlea D, Bowes C, Hurst N

Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting

San Antonio, TX

Poster

P optimal wetlands and soil phosphorus storage capacity

2019

Berkowitz JF, VanZomeren CM, Schlea D, Bowes C, Hurst N

Great Lakes Sedimentation Workshop

Chicago, IL

Oral

Phosphorus fate in wetlands - a tale of sources, sinks, and soils

2019

Berkowitz JF, VanZomeren CM, Schlea D, Friona T

International Association of Great Lakes Research Annual Meeting

Brockport, NY

Oral

Emerging issues in wetland soils research - engineering approaches to maximize soil function

2019

Berkowitz JF, Vanzomeren CM

Soil Science Society of America International Soils Meeting

San Diego, CA

Oral

Can a treatment wetland designed for N removal retain P?

2018

Berkowitz JF

Society of Wetland Scientists 1st Annual Twitter Symposia

Virtual

Virtual

Incorporating soil functions into wetland restoration projects - lessons learned across diverse geographic regions and wetland types

2018

Berkowitz JF, Vanzomeren CM, White JR

Society of Wetland Scientist Annual Meeting

Denver, CO

Oral

P-Optimal Wetlands: Assessing the Capacity of Wetlands to Improve Water Quality in Great Lakes Agricultural Watersheds

2018

Bell, S., D. Schlea, C. Boles, B. Lord, M. Voorhees, and A. Friona

Sixth Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds

Shepherdstown, WV

Oral

Assessing the Maumee River Watershed for Targeted Wetland Placement

2018

Boles, C., D. Schlea, S. Bell, G. Peterson, and B. Lord

American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting

Detroit, MI

Oral

Phosphorus-Optimal Wetlands: Summary of Location and Design Criteria

2017

Schlea, D., S. Bell, C. Boles, B. Lord, M. Voorhees, and A. Friona

Great Lakes Sedimentation Workshop

Chicago, IL

Oral

Assessing the Large-Scale Feasibility of Wetlands as Agricultural BMPs: A Literature Review

2017

Boles, C., S. Bell, D. Schlea, G. Peterson, M. Voorhees, and A. Friona

American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting

Spokane, WA

Oral

Assessing the Large-Scale Feasibility of Wetlands as Agricultural BMPs

2017

Schlea, D., S. Bell, C. Boles, M. Voorhees, and A. Friona

60th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research

Detroit, MI

Oral

Soil phosphorus sorption capacity - Everglades to the Great Lakes

2017

Berkowitz JF, Vanzomeren CM

Great Lakes Sedimentation Workshop

Chicago, IL

Oral

Wetlands as a Strategic BMP in the Maumee Watershed

2016

Boles, C., T. Redder, G. Peterson, and J. Bratton

Great Lakes Sedimentation Workshop

Ann Arbor, MI

Oral


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