Preliminary water quality assessment of Spunky Bottoms restored wetland

The approximately 1200-acre “Spunky Bottoms” wetland in Southern Illinois has been undergoing restoration to conditions prior to levying of the Illinois River and draining of adjacent floodplain for intensive agriculture (circa 1900). As part of a long-term water quality impact assessment of this restoration project, baseline water quality monitoring was conducted soon after restoration began. During this baseline/preliminary assessment, water samples were taken every 2–4 weeks from 10 sampling wells and seven surface water sites throughout the wetlands area for a period of 18 months. Measured parameters include nutrients (nitrate (NO3 −) and phosphate (PO4 3−), cations and anions (SO4 2 −, Cl−, Na+, K+, Mg2 +, Ca2 +) commonly found in surface and well water, trace metals (Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Zn), total dissolved solids (TDS), pH, and trace organics (triazine herbicides and their metabolites). In general, highest concentrations of ions were found in the southwest and northeast perimeter of the...