Discharge into the Talladega Wetland has been continuously measured at Payne Creek since 1994.
Although seasonal precipitation is relatively constant, stream flow into the wetland exhibits distinct seasonal differences. Winter high flows are a response to somewhat elevated precipitation and little E-T. Low summer flows occur due to high summer E-T.
While hydrologic inputs to the wetland are perennial, hydrologic exports from the wetland are intermittent, continuing during the July to October period only during high rainfall years or during storm events.
Mean discharge into the Talladega Wetland from Payne Creek is 0.022 m3/s. Inflow is perennial, but clearly reveals the impacts of drought years (2000, 2007) and legacy effect in 2008 from the 2007 drought.
On average, approximately 240 mm of precipitation enters the Talladega Wetland annually as surface flow. This is approximately 20% in rainfall.
