ABSTRACT
Subsurface moisture levels were monitored at three depths within the rooting zone adjacent to, and within, a cedar (Thuga occidentalis) swamp in Kitchener, Ontario. Soil moisture readings, rainfall, and seepage outflow to a pond were measured on 85 days over a 4-month period to evaluate fluctuations in soil moisture around the swamp. The impact of shallow subsurface water flows in the root zone and the nature of land use changes in the catchment basin were investigated. The implications of moisture level fluctuations in upland stands of trees adjacent to wetlands were examined, with special reference to provincial wetlands delineation criteria and setbacks.
