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The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) has restored over one million acres of wetlands nationwide since the program’s inception. Many of the lands were previously diked to keep floodwaters from destroying crops or were land leveled for irrigation or ease of farming. These alterations limit the micro and macrotopography of sites once hydrology has been restored. For instance, large leveled rice fields diked around their perimeter produce large, square bodies of water with no variation in topography when flooded to create wetlands. While these areas provide habitat for many wildlife species and aquatic plants, providing variations in shape and topography further enhance the wetlands value to other species as well as its esthetic qualities.

The problem (or opportunity) was to develop standardized designs for enhancement features that were easy to plan, stake, build, and quantify, but that would blend into the landscape and mimic features found in natural wetlands. NRCS in Oklahoma developed guidelines for nesting and submerged islands and swales that can be randomly located and positioned such that they appear natural. The earthfill or excavation yardage required to build such features are standard if certain dimensions are met. These dimensions are easily checked during construction with little survey data or calculations.