North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute

Home ][ 2004 Fellows ] [ 2003 Fellows][ 2002 Fellows] [ 2001 Fellows ] [ 2000 Fellows ] [ 99 Fellows ] [ 1997-1998 Graduate Student Summer Research Fellowship Program ] [ ND WRRI Administrative Personnel ] [ State Advisory Committee ] [ Wetlands-Flooding Reports ] [ 2004 ND WRRI Fellowship Applications ] [ Fellowship List ] [ News Archive ] [ FY 1993-1997 Research Projects ] [ Education Links ] [ Nearby Water Institutes Links ] [ Newsletter Links ] [ Report Links ] [ Special Water Program Links ] [ Water Agency Links ] [ CSREES Water Quality RFA ] [ Interbasin Biota Transfer Study ]

Title: Wetland Hydrology of Minelands in West Central North Dakota 

Focus Categories:  Wetlands, Hydrology

Project No.  ND93-04

Principal Investigators

Completion Report

Sharma, P.P. and J.L. Richardson, 1996, Wetland Hydrology of Minelands in West Central North Dakota, Rept. No. ND-93-04, North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute, North Dakota State University, Fargo, 87 pages.

Publications

Sharma, P. P., F. S. Carter, B. J. Baker, and J. L. Richardson. 1995. Hydrology of prairie wet­lands in surface coal minelands of North Dakota.  Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science,  59, 6 pages. 

Baker, Barbara J., 1996. Soil Formation of Wetlands in Abandoned Mine Lands of North Dakota. “M.S. Thesis”, Department of Soil Science, North Dakota State University, Fargo, 91 pages.

Sharma, P.P. 1995.  Hydrologic characterization of wetlands in surface coal minelands of North Dakota. Proceedings of the annual Meeting of the American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation, Gillette, Wyoming, June 5‑8. pp. 839. 

Sharma, P. P., F. S. Carter and J. Solc. 1996. Hydrologic characteristics of natural and recon­struct­ed prairie wetlands, in Proceedings of the Fifth Biennial North Dakota Water Quality Symposium, B.D. Seelig, ed. NDSU Extension Service, pp. 22-23. 

Sharma, P.P. and J.L. Richardson, 1993, Wetland hydrology of minelands: A research initiative, in  1993 Proceedings of Mineland Reclamation Research Review, Land Reclamation Research  Center and Northern Great Plains Research Center, March 15, Mandan, ND, pp. 59‑65.

The study led to an improved understanding of wetland functions in natural and constructed wetlands in the minelands in Central North Dakota. The wetland ponds used in the study were recharge wetlands, exclusively, with very low dissolved salt content. The fact that one of the wetlands is a permanent pond suggested that in the saline and sodic orphan spoil landscapes, runoff occurs rapidly with little infiltration. These wetlands do not appear to receive ground water from  any sources. In nearby rangeland, runoff water is not common. The soil development represents the recharge conditions. The edges have more development than the wetland centers.

Return to ND WRRI Home Page