TY - JOUR T1 - Wetland hydrology at a watershed scale: Dynamic information for adaptive management JF - Journal of Soil and Water Conservation SP - 49A LP - 49A DO - 10.2489/jswc.63.2.49A VL - 63 IS - 2 AU - Megan W. Lang AU - Greg W. McCarty AU - Martha C. Anderson Y1 - 2008/03/01 UR - http://www.jswconline.org/content/63/2/49A.abstract N2 - Wetlands provide many beneficial functions, including the reduction of pollutants and floodwater mitigation. These functions are performed through the interaction of multiple landscape components (e.g., agricultural fields, forests, urban areas, and wetlands) and therefore should be considered at the watershed scale. Wetland hydrology (i.e., flooding and soil moisture) controls ecosystem function and must be better understood to conserve remaining wetlands, monitor wetland function, and improve water quality management. The ability to monitor forested wetlands is particularly important because these ecosystems make up over half of all freshwater wetlands in the United States and are often found adjacent to croplands, where they are well-situated to reduce agrochemicals in runoff from nearby fields. Wetland hydrology is dynamic, varying at multiple temporal scales (e.g., seasonal and inter-annual) and therefore should be assessed regularly. Unfortunately, broad-scale forested wetland hydrology is difficult to monitor at all temporal scales using ground-based and traditional remote sensing methods (i.e., aerial photography). Satellite-borne radar data can provide both high spatial and temporal resolution information on wetland hydrology in forested areas, but the full potential of this approach needs further investigation. Research is being conducted to evaluate the use of radar data for monitoring forested wetland hydrology in the Choptank … ER -