PRI conducts research on wetlands, providing vital data for land management and stewardship. Our work supports conservation, guides sustainable development and agriculture, and informs policymakers and communities.
Wetlands are an important part of our landscape. They help control flooding and reduce pollution for nearby communities and agricultural land. They also provide habitat for specialized plants and animals as well as opportunities for hunting and outdoor recreation.
Illinois has lost approximately 90% of its wetlands.
PRI scientists identify, map, and evaluate the quality of Illinois’ wetlands — work that enables the Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois Tollway to comply with environmental regulations. PRI staff also collect vital data on water quality, wetland plants, and wildlife to monitor the effectiveness of conservation efforts and gauge the impact of environmental stressors.
Protecting Water Resources
PRI researchers have monitored groundwater and surface water in Illinois nature preserves for more than 30 years, both to study the effects of human activities on the quality and quantity of our water resources and to help protect wetlands that depend on them. Knowing these effects helps land managers and owners balance conservation with other land uses and economic development.
This research has also provided insights into how environmental stressors — such as excess chloride from road salt or excess nutrients from fertilizers and septic systems — can affect water resources and aquatic ecosystems.
PRI geologists assessed groundwater vulnerability at 65 Illinois nature preserves across 28 Illinois counties over three years. These data will help the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission and local site stewards prioritize groundwater protection efforts among the preserves.
PRI researchers are also studying whether wetland plants can be used to address excess nutrients and sediment in lake systems, thereby improving water quality.
Wetlands & Agriculture
PRI researchers provide monitoring and data for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, an initiative that aims to improve water quality, control soil erosion, and address other high-priority concerns. Through CREP, private landowners are compensated for taking flood-prone and environmentally sensitive croplands out of production and adopting conservation practices, such as establishing woodlands and wetlands along streams.
One PRI team helps monitor the impact of CREP’s efforts on stream ecosystems. They conduct biannual stream surveys of the Illinois and Kaskaskia river basins, gathering data on water quality and chemistry, stream flow, stream habitat, macroinvertebrates, and fish at CREP sites.
Balancing Transportation & Conservation
PRI researchers work closely with the Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois Tollway to monitor wetlands, restoration and mitigation efforts, and roadway runoff.
In nearly 40 years of work for IDOT, PRI scientists have conducted approximately 3,000 wetland determination projects, 100 wetland monitoring projects, and 100 wetland mitigation site assessments. Work across every Illinois county has resulted in mapping more than 20,000 wetlands totaling 7,200 acres.
Learn more about PRI’s wetlands work for IDOT.
PRI geologists also monitor water quality at 36 sites in wetlands and waterways along the Illinois Tollway. Their data help Tollway and municipal stakeholders evaluate how well run-off treatments, such as artificial wetlands (bioswales), protect aquatic resources downstream.
Sustainable Hunting & Recreation
For more than 75 years, PRI scientists at Forbes Biological Station have taken to the sky to count waterfowl and shorebirds along the Illinois and central Mississippi rivers. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources relies on these long-term data to set waterfowl hunting dates and zones, identify peak waterfowl migration windows for hunters, and evaluate management practices at state wildlife areas.
PRI staff also visit dozens of wetland easements across Illinois each year, collecting data and offering recommendations on how to improve habitat quality and management.
Safeguarding Species & Habitats
PRI researchers study the unique array of plants and animals that rely on wetlands, from waterbirds and amphibians to dragonflies and carnivorous plants. Many of these species are rare — about 35% of the nation’s threatened and endangered species depend on wetlands in some way.
PRI research was integral to the design and development of the Emiquon Preserve, a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance, and continues to inform the preserve’s management through fish, waterfowl, and vegetation monitoring.
Learn more about PRI’s threatened and endangered species research.