This data release presents data that were collected as part of a larger effort to assess the carbon balance of recently exposed (i.e., no vegetation cover) wetland sediments. This work was part of an international collaborative effort associated with the Dryflux II project. During June and July 2021, data were collected from three artificial ponds located near Jamestown, North Dakota, to estimate carbon dioxide flux, vegetation characteristics, and soil properties. Numerous covariates related to atmospheric and soil conditions also were measured. Water levels of the artificial ponds, which are managed by the U.S. Geological Survey Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, were manipulated to mimic the natural drying cycle of prairie wetlands. This management resulted in exposed sediments where samples were collected. Data from this collaborative study will be used to better understand the carbon balance of wetland soils associated with fluctuating wet and dry conditions, and to refine global estimates of carbon dioxide emissions from dry inland waters.