Recent Advances in the Science of Restoring Wet Meadows

Michael Pollock^1*Laura Norman²

• ¹Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, Seattle, United States
• ²United States Geological Survey, Western Geographic Research Center, Tucson, United States

Wet meadows are globally distributed ecosystems that play a critical role in water cycling, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity support. Despite their ecological significance, these systems face widespread degradation, driven primarily by stream incision, which lowers water tables and desiccates the hydric vegetation that defines them. Found in diverse environments from temperate regions to arid landscapes, these formerly abundant ecosystems are increasingly vulnerable to both anthropogenic activities and climate change. This review synthesizes the hydrogeomorphic and biological processes that shape the formation, persistence, and degradation of wet meadows, with a focus on alluvial wet meadows how incision and related sedimentary processes destabilize these systems and how they can be restored. We assess the effectiveness of various restoration techniques-including beaver-mediated strategies, incision trench filling (stage zero restoration), grade control elevation, and natural infrastructure-that aim to restore natural hydrological conditions by raising water tables and storing sediment. These approaches have demonstrated the potential to enhance water storage, increase carbon retention, and support the recovery of diverse hydric plant communities, although their success is influenced by sitespecific hydrologic and geomorphic factors. The global distribution and ecological importance of alluvial wet meadows underscore the need for targeted restoration strategies that account for local conditions while contributing to broader environmental sustainability. This study highlights the urgency of restoring these ecosystems, which serve as vital buffers against climate change and biodiversity loss.