How To Build A Wetland
Join us on an enlightening journey with Tom Biebighauser, as the great outdoors become our classroom for designing and constructing vibrant wetlands!
Dive into the art and science of building and restoring ecosystems that not only provide sanctuary for a diverse range of flora and fauna but also offer crucial environmental benefits like runoff purification, groundwater recharge, and support for rare species.
With 36 episodes already available for your viewing pleasure, this series unpacks the highly effective methodologies crafted by Tom through his 48 years of experience. Having restored over 3,600 wetlands and streams across farms, rangelands, forests, and educational institutions, these videos are a treasure trove of knowledge and inspiration.
In collaboration with Larry Dixon, a renowned photographer and content creator, we’ve produced a series of videos that delve into innovative restoration techniques such as Surface Water, Groundwater, Compacted Clay Liner, and Aquatic-Safe Liner methods.
Subscribe to our channel to ensure you never miss out on the latest episodes of “How You Can Build a Wetland”. Whether you’re a professional looking to expand your skills or a nature enthusiast eager to contribute to environmental preservation, this series will equip you with the knowledge and inspiration to make a difference. Join our community and be part of the global movement towards ecological restoration and sustainability.
Quick Introduction To Building Wetlands
Series Trailer
You don’t need to be an engineer or hold a Ph.D. to create your own wetland. Inspired by his daughter’s suggestion to create videos rather than writing more books on the topic, Tom, with the help of professional photographer Larry Dixon, has crafted a hands-on guide to designing and building wetlands on your land or the property you manage. Watch these videos and join us on this journey of restoration and discovery.
Wetland Types and Values
Episode 1
Tom introduces you to the many types of wetlands and the plants and animals that depend on them. You’ll see how wetlands are providing critical habitat to rare species of wildlife, and how progressive communities are building wetlands to clean runoff, replenish groundwater, and to control flooding.
How to use a Laser Level and a Dual-Sided Grade Rod
Episode 3
Learn how easy it is to set up a laser level and take elevations with a dual-sided grade rod. Being able to measure elevations using a laser level is an essential skill you’ll need to design and build wetlands of any type or size anywhere in the world.
Marking the Perimeter of a Wetland for Construction
Episode 4
Tom shows how to use a laser level and a rod to measure changes in elevation that is important for marking the perimeter of a wetland project. You’ll see wire flags can be placed in the ground to mark the perimeter of the designed wetland. The steps taken apply to any type of wetland that is being designed and allow you to build the largest possible wetland possible at the lowest cost.
Digging The Test Hole
Episode 5
Building a wetland requires an understanding of soil texture and groundwater elevations unless you’ll be happy with a dry hole in the ground. See how Tom interprets what’s in a test hole to help identify the best technique to use in building a wetland. You’ll learn how to determine clay content and see how various tools can be used to retrieve soil samples and measure the elevation of groundwater.
Office Identification of Possible Wetland Projects
Episode 6
This video shows you how to identify in the office areas where wetlands may be designed and built. You’ll see how photos available on Google Earth, historic aerial photographs that are for sale, Ortho Imagery, and NRCS Soil Survey data can be used to identify multiple sites on large areas of land where it may be possible to restore wetlands.
Wetlands Built Over 2,000 Years Ago!
Episode 7
Come visit Fort Ancient Earthworks and Nature Preserve near Oregonia, Ohio and see vernal pond wetlands that were built by hand 2,000 years ago. Personnel with the Ohio History Connection describe how the largest and most well-preserved hilltop enclosure was built using sticks and baskets to form ridges up to 23-feet high along with many ephemeral wetlands that provide habitat for Wood Ducks, frogs, salamanders, and dragonflies.
Why Wetlands Hold Water and How They Were Drained
Episode 8
Tom uses scale models to show why wetlands hold water and how they have been drained for agriculture. He focuses on natural wetlands found in basins that have thick layers of compacted clay, and wetlands found in basins with permeable soil where groundwater is near the surface . Tom then demonstrates how ditches and buried drainage structures were used to dry wetlands for farming.
How Streams were Moved to Drain Wetlands
Episode 9
The most effective action people took to convert wetlands into farmland was to divert the source of water. This was done by digging ditches down the center of valleys, and by moving streams into ditches that were dug along the base of hills and mountains. Tom compares natural streams that have sheet-flow of water on the surface with moved and channeled streams in deep ditches with vertical banks that are eroding. He describes how wetlands were drained and the elevation of groundwater was lowered over vast landscapes by placing streams in ditches.
Digging Deep Test Holes for Wetland Design
Episode 10
The information you gain from digging deep test holes will help you choose the best technique for building a wetland (Surface Water, Groundwater, Compacted Clay Liner, or Aquatic-safe Liner). You’ll also be able to determine if it’s possible to build a groundwater dam, identify soil texture by layer, and see if groundwater is near the surface. Tom shows you how to dig and analyze the results of test holes dug on various sites.
Wetland Workshop at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana
Episode 11
See what goes on at a Hands-on Wetland Restoration Workshop where 43 participants work with Tom Biebighauser to design and build a wetland on the Cooper Farm at Ball State in Muncie, Indiana.
Rough and Loosen Technique
Episode 12
This video shows how the Rough and Loosen Technique combined with pit and mound topography can be used to control erosion and rapidly establish an impressive diversity of native plants within and surrounding constructed wetlands and streams. This simple practice of loosening compacted soil can save you thousands of dollars.
Wetlands Construction using the Groundwater Technique on the Putnam Farm
Episode 13
See how the Groundwater Technique was used to restore two small wetlands on the Putnam Farm Conservation Area located in the Town of Orleans on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. You’ll learn how and where the Groundwater Technique can be used to build naturally appearing and functioning wetlands that improve habitat for pollinators, control flooding and recharge groundwater at a reasonable cost.
Groundwater Dam Construction
Episode 14
The most effective way to restore surface water and groundwater elevations and hydroperiods in a wetland, lake, or pond is to use a groundwater dam. Tom Biebighauser shows in detail how groundwater dams can be used to restore wetlands of any size at a reasonable cost where clay texture soil is present. He has been using the groundwater dam technique since 1979 to successfully restore thousands of wetlands and streams around the world.
Compacted Clay Liner Technique for Building Wetlands
Episode 15
The Compacted Clay Liner Technique is one of the main ways you can build a wetland on a site where it is not possible to construct a groundwater dam. Using the technique has its challenges because of the need to cover the wetland basin with clay that is at least 24-inches thick and compacted in layers under optimum moisture content. This revised and improved video shows detailed examples of building wetlands using the Compacted Clay Liner Technique in Kentucky, New Mexico, Ohio, and British Columbia, Canada.
Using Aquatic Safe Liners to Build Wetlands
Episode 16
This video shows how to build a wetland using an aquatic-safe liner that’s buried in the ground. Fish-grade and aquatic-safe liners allow you to build a naturally appearing and functioning wetland where the soil texture is low in clay, and groundwater is far below the surface. I’ve built over 400 wetlands using aquatic safe liners in the past 34 years. We’re using aquatic safe liners to build wetlands that provide breeding habitat for the federally threatened California red-legged frog, and the Chiricahua leopard frog. You’ll see how it is possible to build a wetland just about anywhere that should last for hundreds of years by using an aquatic-safe liner.
Wetland Spillway Construction
Episode 17
This video will show you how to build and maintain a spillway for a wetland. Every wetland you build should have a spillway. The spillway is a stream that carries water out of the wetland when it fills. A well-constructed spillway will protect natural and restored wetlands from erosion, while a poorly constructed spillway will cause erosion and the destruction of any wetland.
Head-cut Control for Restoring Wetlands and Streams
Episode 18
A head-cut is like a waterfall, only you find them where water flows over soil, not rock. Head-cuts form in ditches and streams. They cause significant deepening and widening of the stream channel as they move uphill. The problem with head cuts is that they drain surface water, lower the elevation of groundwater, and cause major erosion in valleys. It’s of critical importance to control head-cuts if you want to protect wetlands from being destroyed, and if your goal is to restore wetlands and streams. This video will show you how to use highly effective techniques for stopping head cuts. The knowledge you’ll gain will help you build wetlands that can last for thousands of years.
Identifying Drained and Filled Wetlands
Episode 19
Watch this video and you’ll be able to identify the ghosts of drained wetlands while you’re driving at 70mph! There are signs of destroyed wetlands wherever you travel. These can include ditches, moved streams, horizontal and vertical pipes, and puddles in fields. Join Tom on a journey to examine the many places where wetlands used to be located. You’ll see where if someone has done a professional job draining and filling a wetland the site doesn’t look like a wetland anymore.
Logs Can Keep You from Sinking!
Episode 20
This video will show you how we built six large wetlands for the Northern leopard frog and the Western Painted Turtle in old fields where everyone was sure the heavy equipment would get stuck! You’ll learn how to plan and implement wetland projects using logs to keep the excavators from sinking and low ground pressure dozers that stay afloat on quicksand. Building wetlands that are supplied with groundwater is an excellent way to provide a habitat for rare species of animals and plants in arid regions where there isn’t enough precipitation to fill wetlands.
Impoundment Construction and Management
Episode 21
This video will show you why you shouldn’t let anyone talk you into building an impoundment instead of a naturally appearing and functioning wetland! Wildlife Managers have been building artificial impoundments since the 1930’s. I’ve personally designed and supervised the construction of over 1,500 impoundments across the United States and Canada in the past 47-years. This episode will show you how impoundments are constructed, and why the majority fail to hold water as planned. I’ve found that it is not possible to build an impoundment that does not require frequent and expensive maintenance. What you learn in this episode can save you hundreds of thousands of dollars, along with tons of embarrassment.
Restoring Wetlands and Streams from Constructed Impoundments
Episode 22
Naturally appearing and functioning wetlands that provide habitat to a diversity of animal and plant species can be restored from artificial impoundments. This video shows how wetlands, streams, and rivers were restored from a large, failed impoundment on the Yaqan Nukiy First Nation Lower Kootenay Band Reserve near the town of Creston, in British Columbia, Canada. Over 1.9 km of dams were removed to reconnect restored wetlands, streams, and cut a cut off river channel with annual flooding from rivers. The wetlands and streams were built with features to provide habitat for the Northern leopard frog, Western Painted turtle, White Sturgeon, and burbot, all Species at Risk. Techniques are shown for restoring the natural rims and basins of wetlands that do not involve the use of dams, berms, water control structures, drainpipes, pumps, or diversions that require frequent and expensive maintenance.
Restoring Isolated Lakes and Wetlands
Episode 23
See how water can be returned to wetlands and lakes in arid regions that have no stream inlet or outlet. There are many wetlands and lakes across the Western part of Canada and the United States that used to contain water but have been dry for many years. The main reason many of these water bodies have gone dry is that groundwater can no longer rise to the surface because of a thick layer of compacted clay. You’ll see how groundwater is being returned to dry lakes and wetlands by using heavy equipment to remove and loosen the compacted clay, restoring the historic connection between groundwater and surface water. This episode features the restoration of Shottanana Lake on the Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it First Nation Reserve near Grasmere in British Columbia, Canada.
Wetland Construction within Timber Harvest Areas in the Mountains
Episode 24
See how small wetlands can be built in forested areas to improve habitat for frogs, toads, salamanders, dragonflies and butterflies. This video shows how four wetlands with open water were built from log landings in the Coastal Mountains of Northern California. The wetlands were constructed at a low cost without government assistance using an excavator owned and operated by the landowner. You’ll learn how to select good places for building wetlands in the mountains and how to construct them, so they create high quality habitat for wildlife and do not require maintenance.
Inspection and Maintenance of Wetland and Pond Dams
Episode 25
When a dam fails there’s often catastrophic erosion, damage to fields, fences, and homes. Every dam needs maintenance, or it will wash away. It doesn’t matter if the dam was built for a wetland, ranch pond, fishing pond, or lake. It also doesn’t matter if you call the dam a berm, dike, embankment, levee, or weir. I’ve built over 1,400 dams in my life and still have not been able to figure out how to build one that doesn’t require maintenance. This video will show you how to inspect and repair a dam so it will provide beauty and enjoyment for years to come.
Building Wetlands and Ponds in the Desert of New Mexico
Episode 26
Learn how you can build wetlands and ponds in arid regions that provide water for a diversity of wildlife species. This video features the repair of three dry ponds in the Peloncillo Mountains in New Mexico on the Coronado National Forest. Fifty-one dedicated individuals worked long days in oppressive heat for one week to build these oases to provide habitat for the federally threatened Chiricahua leopard frog and rare Sonoran Mud Turtle. You’ll see how the aquatic safe liner technique, compacted clay liner technique, and the groundwater technique are effective for building wetlands in the desert at a low cost that require little if any maintenance.
How to Build a Wetland in Your Backyard-by Hand!
Episode 27
Learn how you can hand-dig a beautiful wetland in your own backyard using just shovels and rakes! In this episode, you’ll see homeowners get hands-on building a small wetland that attracts frogs, toads, dragonflies, and butterflies — all while improving your landscape and helping the environment. You’ll be surprised how simple and rewarding it is to build a wetland that looks natural, supports wildlife, and can last for thousands of years — even when built entirely by hand! Watch now and get inspired to start your own backyard wetland project.
Using Hand Tools to Build Small Wetlands
Episode 28
Discover how you can build a beautiful, wildlife-friendly wetland using just a shovel and a rake! This video shows dedicated conservationists rolling up their sleeves to create small wetlands by hand — no heavy equipment required. With hard work, a few friends, and a free weekend, you can restore vital habitat for frogs, toads, butterflies, birds, and even rare species like fairy shrimp. Learn how simple, low-cost actions can make a big difference for wildlife — and give you an inspiring place to watch nature thrive.
Slabcamp Stream and Wetland Restoration
Episode 29
Discover how the Slabcamp Stream and Wetland Restoration Project has flourished 14 years after construction in this new video. This pioneering restoration effort, designed and implemented by Dr. Art Parola, former Director of the University of Louisville Stream Institute, transformed over three miles of ephemeral and intermittent channels on the Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky into a naturally functioning stream system with perennial flow. This landmark project was the first to use full-length trees harvested onsite for vertical grade control and to remove over four feet of historic alluvium to reestablish the original floodplain. These actions successfully reconnected Slabcamp Creek, Stonecoal Branch, and their tributaries with groundwater, restoring natural hydrology across the valley. Hundreds of wetlands were created as part of this large-scale valley restoration, with massive amounts of wood strategically placed throughout the streams, floodplains, and wetlands to enhance habitat for fish and wildlife. This episode is a must-see for biologists, engineers, hydrologists, and anyone interested in large-scale, natural stream and wetland restoration.
Vernal Pond Wetland Restoration at Wellesley College Botanic Gardens in Massachusetts
Episode 30
This episode documents the remarkable restoration of a buried vernal pond wetland at the Wellesley College Botanic Gardens in Massachusetts. Once covered by a thick concrete liner installed more than a century ago, the historic vernal pool had been unable to fill with groundwater or support native wetland habitat. The video follows the entire project from early assessment through construction. Viewers will see how staff at the Botanic Gardens, the Paulson Ecology of Place Initiative, engineers, contractors, and volunteers came together to overcome regulatory challenges, remove nearly eight inches of concrete, uncover buried clay drain tiles, and shape a naturally functioning wetland basin connected to groundwater. This episode celebrates the dedication, coordination, and hard work required to bring back a long-lost wetland, and highlights what is possible when people work together to restore natural ecosystems.
Dam Removal and Valley Restoration
Episode 31
Come journey with me to Cambridge Creek near Trail, British Columbia, where a 100+ year-old reservoir dam was removed and an entire valley was restored, not just the structure. You’ll learn the history of the site from early sawmill dams to the modern drinking-water system, and why the City of Trail ultimately chose dam removal over costly repairs and ongoing liability, and how our team worked through an extensive permitting process to make the project possible. I’ll walk you step-by-step through the restoration; draining the reservoir safely, identifying and stopping severe head-cut erosion, determining original valley elevations, and using excavators, a dozer, and salvaged rock to rebuild a wide floodplain and a shallow stream that was reconnected with its floodplain and resisted erosion. You’ll also see how we used buried grade-control structures made from rock and logs, restored wetlands of different depths using both groundwater and compacted-clay techniques, added woody debris, and used the “rough and loosen” soil treatment to improve habitat and prevent illegal vehicle access, and revegetated the site with native plants. The video ends with before-and-after results showing a natural-looking mosaic of streams, wetlands, and recovering forest, all built without berms, pipes, pumps, or other high-maintenance infrastructure that will provide lasting habitat, groundwater recharge, and flood attenuation.
Dam Removal and Lake Restoration
Episode 32
Episode 32 documents the removal of a century-old dam at Violin Lake in British Columbia and the full restoration of the lake, outlet stream, and wetlands. Tom Biebighauser explains why dams were historically built to enlarge lakes for water supply, how the Violin Lake dam and siphon system served the City of Trail, and why maintenance, safety concerns, and ecological impacts led to dam removal. The video follows planning, permitting, and construction to restore Goodeve Creek to its natural elevation, reuse salvaged materials, and rebuild floodplains and wetlands using low-cost, long-lasting techniques. It concludes with footage nearly two years later, showing thriving wetlands, improved wildlife habitat, and a naturally functioning lake system.
Build a Wetland That Will Last Forever
Episode 33
Tom Biebighauser draws lessons from natural wetlands more than 10,000 years old and human-built wetlands over 2,000 years old to show how wetlands can be designed to function for centuries without maintenance. Using real-world examples from Kentucky, Ohio, British Columbia, California, and beyond, Tom explains why shallow basins with small watersheds, wide spillways on gradual slopes, and the absence of dams, pipes, and water control structures are essential to long-term success. The episode provides step-by-step guidance on site selection, soil and groundwater testing, and proven construction techniques including the use of groundwater dams, compacted clay liners, groundwater, and aquatic-safe liners while demonstrating common failures caused by dams, pipes, pumps, and animal damage. The video concludes with clear principles and practical advice empowering viewers to build wetlands that look natural, support wildlife, resist erosion, and truly last forever.
Wayne National Forest Wetlands After 30 Years
Episode 34
Eddie Park and I were sitting on the tailgate of a Forest Service truck eating lunch, talking through how we were going to fix a large wetland in Gallia County that wasn’t holding water the way we expected. That’s when we were approached by Mr. Ed Miller, an elderly gentleman who confidently told us we were never going to get that “pond” to hold water. Was Ed Miller right? Or were we? Find out in my new video Wayne National Forest Wetlands After 30 Years, where we revisit these restoration sites decades later to see what really happened.
Natural Wetlands Have Their Problems
Episode 35
Natural wetlands are rare and beautiful, like jewels in the landscape. But even these remarkable ecosystems are not immune to damage. In this episode, I take you into natural wetlands across the United States to show how to identify problems that can quietly lead to their destruction. Many wetlands appear healthy at first glance, but a closer look often reveals erosion, drainage, and head-cuts that are lowering water levels and degrading habitat. You’ll learn how to recognize the early warning signs and understand what’s really happening on the ground. This video is based on nearly five decades of field experience designing, restoring, and protecting wetlands across North America. The techniques shown are practical, effective, and designed to create wetlands that function naturally and last for generations. If you care about wetlands, wildlife habitat, and restoring natural systems that will endure, this video is for you.
History of Wetland Drainage, How Wetlands were Drained and Filled
Episode 36
This video explores the history of wetland drainage in North America, showing how vast natural wetlands, once filled with wildlife and shaped by beaver activity, were transformed into farmland. It highlights the challenges early settlers faced farming wet soils and traces the evolution of drainage methods, from hand-dug ditches and “lands” to engineered grassy waterways and buried systems made from wood, rock, clay tile, and plastic pipe.
The video explains how innovations like surface inlets, pumps, and modern plastic drainage systems made it possible to efficiently remove water and lower groundwater levels across entire landscapes. Learn how the drainage systems installed hundreds of years ago are still functioning today, demonstrating their effectiveness and persistence. Understanding how wetlands were drained is essential for successfully restoring them.