Wetland Restoration Explained

There’s a lot that goes into wetland restoration. From building up levees to digging canals, there are several methods used to reduce the amount of damage that the oil and gas industry does to the coastal wetlands in the south. Believing in wetland restoration is one of the principles that Stan’s lives by. We do everything to ensure that our work does not contribute to the destruction of the wetlands. It’s not just about the earth that is being destroyed, but it’s also about the ecosystem that is being fueled by the many animals and bugs that thrive there. The coastal wetlands also serve as a storage area for floodwaters whenever large storms come through.

Whenever a coastal restoration project begins, the options of restoration will be discussed and options weighed before any ground or water is moved. Usually, the first replaceable substance in a destroyed or drained wetland area is the water. A drained wetland usually comes that way due to the area being ditched or leveed. Careful planning has to be done to ensure that no nearby neighbors or farmlands get flooded when the wetland is restored.

Another restoration option is called a “tile break.” This process deals with removing a section of agricultural tile that is draining the wetland and plugging it with a concrete or clean clay. Water will then fill in the section until it reaches the concrete or clay and flows back into the ditch. Stan’s Marsh Excavation Service can help get this project underway with one of our wetland-friendly excavators.

One more option is called a “ditch plug.” This is the process of building a wall of soil and getting it to act as a water reservoir. Excavation equipment will be used to fill in a section of a drainage ditch to a ground level, which will force water to be moved to a storage area. A dike will be built to prevent the moved water from draining, and a spillway will be constructed to regulate the water. This also prevents the dike from being washed away.

Depending on the severity of the drainage, it could take a fix as simple as getting the water level corrected, or a fix as complex as a full-on wetland restoration. Stan’s can help with these projects by providing levee, dikes, embankments, floodbanks, or stopbanks to the project. We know how to navigate these harsh environments because we have one of the largest selections of airboats and marshland excavating equipment in the U.S. Contact us to learn more.