The influence of rainfall patterns is evident in results for natural marshes, as well. Estimated mean nitrate concentrations appeared higher in Year 2 (0.76 mg/L) than in Year 1 (0.35 mg/L) and Year 3 (0.34 mg/L; ibid). However, Year 4, which had similar rainfall totals to Year 1, had nitrate levels more similar to Year 2, with the estimated mean being 0.64 mg/L (ibid). This suggests, as was hypothesized even prior to restoration, that factors other than watershed loading may influence nitrate levels such as internal cycling of nutrients from breakdown of organic matter during the dry season. Interestingly, within natural marshes, estimated median nitrate levels appeared to drop after the Pre-Restoration period from 0.70 mg/L to 0.13 mg/L during Passive Restoration (~2007-2008) and then climb slightly again to 0.27 mg/L during the full restoration sampling period (Oct 2008 to Sept 2012), which is a slightly different pattern occurred in the restored wetland.