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| colspan="2" | '''Zone 2 - Emergent zone (0 - 18 inches of water)'''
 
| colspan="2" | '''Zone 2 - Emergent zone (0 - 18 inches of water)'''

Revision as of 18:59, 23 March 2018

Zone 2 - Emergent zone (0 - 18 inches of water)
Scientific name Common name
Forbs and ferns
Acorus calamus Sweet flag
Alisma trivale Water plantain
Caltha palustris Marsh marigold
Polygonum amphibium Water smartweed
Pontederia cordata Pickerelweed
Sagittaria latifolia Broadleaved arrowhead
Sparganium eurycarpum Giant burreed
Grasses, sedges, and rushes
Carex aquatilis Water sedge
Carex lacustris Lake sedge
Carex stricta Tussock sedge
Juncus balticus Baltic rush
Juncus effusus Soft rush
Scirpus acutus Hardstem bulrush
Scirpus Fluviatilis River bulrush
Scirpus pungens Three-square bulrush
Scirpus validus Soft-stem bulrush

The tables and content on this page have been adapted from [“Plants for Stormwater Design: Species Selection for the Upper Midwest” (Daniel Shaw and Rusty Schmidt, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 2003). To obtain a free copy of this guidebook, telephone (651) 297-8679 or write to Operations and Environmental Review Section, Regional Environmental Management Division, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 520 Lafayette Rd. N., Saint Paul, MN 55103-1402.

  • Zone 1: Submergent zone; 1.5 to 6 feet of water
  • Zone 2: Emergent zone; 0 to 18 inches of water
  • Zone 3: Wet meadow zone; permanent moistue
  • Zone 4: Floodplain zone; flooded during snowmelt and large storms
  • Zone 5:Upland zone; seldom or never inundated (the upland zone includes prairie and forest plant communities)

Zone 1 (Submergent zone) – The submergent zone is found in areas of 3-6 feet of water in wet ponds. Therefore, it is an unlikely zone to include in a Swale design, though exceptions may occur. Submergent vegetation makes up this zone because emergent vegetation generally does not grow deeper than 3 feet. Submergent species may float free in the water column or may root in the pool bottom and have stems and leaves that generally stay under water. Submergent species are important for wildlife habitat and pollutant removal, especially nitrates and phosphorus. Submergent species are not readily available from native plant nurseries and can be difficult to plant. Many submergent species establish on their own (Ogle and Hoag 2000).

Zone 2 (Emergent zone) – The emergent zone of a wet pond is generally 0 to 18 inches deep. It is often designed as benches within ponds to optimize the area for emergent plants. This zone is most common to Swale designs from the center of the Swale to, typically, the water quality stage elevation. Emergent plants are important for wildlife and evapotranspiration. They also provide habitat for phytoplankton, which play an important role in nutrient removal (Ogle and Hoag 2000). A wide variety of wetland species are adapted to the emergent zone. However, large fluctuations in water level and pollutants within wet ponds may limit the number of species.

Zone 3 (Wet meadow zone) – The wet meadow zone is a constantly moist area that can become inundated. The transition area between open water and the shoreline is prone to erosion. Therefore, it is an important area for plant establishment. This zone extends from Zone 2 to the Zone 4 and is common in swale designs. In addition to wet-meadow grasses, sedges, flowers and shrubs, such as dogwoods, willows, buttonbush and chokeberry, are well suited to this zone.

Zone 4 (Floodplain zone) – The floodplain zone is normally dry but may flood during snowmelt and after large storms. This zone can occur in Swales designed with 2-stages of inundation; one for water quality storage and the second for channel protection storage. It should be noted that small depression storage can be built into this zone as wetland storage areas for additional treatment and habitat enhancement. These depressions would be considered either Zone 1-3, depending on depth and duration of inundation. Floodplain zones are generally flat terraces and are common along rivers and streams. If a wet pond has a steep side slope, it may go directly from zone 3 (wet meadow zone) to zone 5 (upland zone) without having a floodplain zone. Floodplain species must be adapted to extremes in hydrology; they may be inundated for long periods in the spring and be dry during the summer. The ability of floodplain species to handle extremes in hydrology make them well suited to the edges of wet ponds and detention ponds.

Zone 5 (Upland zone) – The upland zone is seldom or never inundated. A wide variety of species are well adapted to the upland zone and their selection will depend on the site conditions.

photo sedge
River bulrush sedge. From Shaw and Schmidt (2003).
Zone 3 - Wet meadow zone; permanent moisture
Scientific name Common name
Trees and shrubs
Amorpha fruticosa Indigo bush
Salex nigra Black willow
Sambucus pubens Red-berried elder
Forbs and ferns
Thalictrum dasycarpum Tall meadowrue
Verbena hastata Blue vervain
Vernonia fasciculata Ironweed
Veronicastrum virginicum Culver's root
Grasses, sedges, and rushes
Andropogon gerardii Big bluestem
Bromus ciliatus Fringed brome
Calamagrostis canadensis Canada blue-joint grass
Carex bebbii Bebb's sedge
Carex comosa Bottlebrush sedge
Carex crinita Caterpillar sedge
Carex hystericina Porcupine sedge
Carex languinosa Wooly sedge
Carex lasiocarpa Wooly needle sedge
Carex retrorsa Retrorse sedge
Carex stipata Awl-fruited sedge
Carex vulpinoidea Fox sedge
Eleocharis obtusa Blunt spikerush
Equisetum fluviatile Horsetail
Glyceria grandis Giant manna grass
Glyceria striata Fowl manna grass
Juncus balticus Baltic rush
Juncus effusus Soft rush
Juncus torreyi Torrey rush
Leersia oryzoides Rice-cut grass
Panicum virgatum Switchgrass
Scirpus atrovirens Green bulrush
Scirpus cyperinus Woolgrass
Scirpus fluviatilis River bulrush
Scirpus pungens Three-square bulrush
Scirpus validus Soft-stem bulrush
Spartina pectinata Prairie cord grass
photo sedge
Awl-fruited sedge. From Shaw and Schmidt (2003).
photo sedge
Canada anemone. From Shaw and Schmidt (2003).


Zone 4 - Floodplain zone; flooded during snowmelt and large storms
Scientific name Common name
Trees and shrubs
Acer saccharinum Silver maple
Alnus incana Speckled alder
Amorpha fruticosa Indigo bush
Aronia melanocarpa Black chokecherry
Betula nigra River birch
Celtis occidentalis Hackberry
Cephalanthus occidentalis Buttonbush
Cornus amomum Silky dogwood
Cornus sericea Red-osier dogwood
Fraxinus nigra Black ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica Green ash
Physocarpus opulifolius Ninebark
Populus deltoides Eastern cottonwood
Quercus bicolor Swamp white oak
Salix discolor Pussy willow
Salix exigua Sandbar willow
Salix nigra Black willow
Sambucus pubens Red-berried elder
Spiraea alba Meadowsweet
Viburnum lentago Nannyberry
Viburnum trilobum High bush cranberry
Forbs and ferns
Anemone canadensis Canada anemone
Aster lucidulus Swamp aster
Aster puniceus Red-stemmed aster
Boltonia asteroides Boltonia
Impatiens capensis Jewelweed
Lobelia cardinalis Cardinal flower
Lobelia siphilitica Blue lobelia
Lysimachia thrysiflora Tufted loosestrife
Physostegia virginiana Obedient plant
Potentilla palustris Marsh cinquefoil
Scutterlaria lateriflora Mad-dog skullcap
Silphium perfoliatum Cup plant
Symplocarpus foetidus Skunk cabbage
Vernonia fasciculata Ironweed
Grasses, sedges, and rushes
Carex comosa Bottlebrush sedge
Elymus virginicus Virginia wild rye
Leersia oryzoides Rice-cut grass
Panicum virgatum Switchgrass
Scirpus atrovirens Green bulrush
Spartina pectinata Prairie cord grass