Groundwater contamination is devastating to human, economic and environmental health. Remediation costs for such sites are often prohibitive especially for developing nations or rural communities. Fortunately, phytoremediation, the use of vegetation for remediation, has recently emerged as a cost effective option. However, the management of phytoremediation plantations has not been optimized for maximum performance. It was hypothesized that increased plantation management can improve root development and reduce the time to gain hydraulic control of a groundwater plume. A decommissioned chemical waste landfill in Manhattan, Kansas served as a phytoremediation case study site. In spring 2005, seven rows of cottonwood trees (Populus deltoides, Marsh.) were planted down gradient from the landfill to impede plume migration. By assessing the water balance at the site, it was possible to estimate the required evapotranspiration for plume control. A secondary plantation site was used to understand the potential of increased management (i.e. nutrient applications) to increase hydraulic control of a groundwater plume. After receiving animal waste treatments over the summer, there was no significant difference in poplar growth due to the nutrients. The expected treatment effect was most likely masked by the inherent high fertility of the site. In addition to offering a valuable management strategy for phytoremediation applications, this technique can be used to reduce the ecological impacts of animal feeding operations by providing beneficial reuse of animal waste.