Oklahoma wetlands reference guide

              Oklahoma Conservation Commission
The Oklahoma
Wetlands
Reference Guide
i
Oklahoma Conservation Commission
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
James E. Henley
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Mark S. Harrison
Oklahoma Conservation Commission
The Oklahoma
Wetlands
Reference Guide
ii
This publication, printed by Heritage Press of El Reno, Oklahoma, is issued by the Oklahoma Conservation Commission
as authorized by Executive Director Mike Thralls, with funding through a grant from the U.S. Enviromental Protection
Agency. Two thousand copies were prepared at a cost of $10.78 each. Copies have been deposited with the Publications
Clearinghouse of the Oklahoma State Department of Libraries. All programs and services of the Oklahoma Conservation
Commission and Oklahoma’s Conservation Districts are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color,
national origin, religion, gender, marital status or physical disability.
Suggested citation:
Oklahoma Conservation Commission. 2000. The Oklahoma Wetlands
Reference Guide (James E. Henley and Mark S. Harrison, authors). Oklahoma
Conservation Commission, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Oklahoma Conservation Commission
2800 North Lincoln Boulevard, Suite 160
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105-4201
http://www.okcc.state.ok.us
Copyright © 2001, Oklahoma Conservation Commission
2800 N. Lincoln Blvd., Suite 160, Oklahoma City, OK 73105
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Contents
Acknowledgments ............................................................................................ iv
Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1
Closed Depression ............................................................................................ 9
Ames Closed Depression................................................................................. 10
Cimarron Terrace ............................................................................................ 14
Big Lake ........................................................................................................... 18
Forested Wetlands .......................................................................................... 19
Grassy Slough Hill Side Seep .......................................................................... 22
Little River National Wildlife Refuge .............................................................. 24
Red Slough WRP ............................................................................................ 28
Oxbow Lake .................................................................................................... 30
Okmulgee Wildlife Management Area ............................................................ 33
Red River Oxbow ............................................................................................ 34
Playa Lakes ..................................................................................................... 38
High Plains Playa ............................................................................................. 39
Arcadia Lake .................................................................................................... 42
Riparian Corridor .......................................................................................... 43
Beaver River Wildlife Management Area......................................................... 47
Cloud Creek .................................................................................................... 48
Fort Cobb State Park ....................................................................................... 53
Little Sahara .................................................................................................... 55
Okmulgee Wildlife Management Area ............................................................ 58
Swamp............................................................................................................. 62
Grassy Slough WRP ........................................................................................ 63
Little River National Wildlife Refuge .............................................................. 66
Appendix
Ecoregions ......................................................................................................... v
Major Land Resource Areas .............................................................................xx
Glossary ......................................................................................................... xxvi
Fauna ........................................................................................................... xxxii
Flora ........................................................................................................... xxxvii
References ................................................................................................... xxxix
Index .............................................................................................................. xlii
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Acknowledgments
This Wetlands Reference Guide for the State of Oklahoma is published by the
Oklahoma Conservation Commission and was made possible through a grant
from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. An integral collaborator in
this endeavor has been the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in
Oklahoma. Technical descriptions were written by James E. Henley, USDA
Natural Resources Conservation Service, and editing, design, layout and all
photography was done by Mark S. Harrison, Oklahoma Conservation
Commission. Matthew Mercer, Oklahoma Conservation Commission
Wetlands Program coordinator, assisted with final gathering of data and
resources and grant coordination. All maps for this publication were generated
by the Oklahoma Conservation Commission’s Geographic Information
Systems division.
Other agencies and organizations who have contributed to this publication
include the following:
Office of the Secretary of Environment, State of Oklahoma
Oklahoma Biodiversity Task Force
Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
Oklahoma’s Wetlands Working Group
University of Oklahoma Biological Survey
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Special acknowledgment is deserved by the following individuals for their
assistance in completion of this project:
Bob Springer, Oklahoma Conservation Commission
Shanon Haraughty, Oklahoma Conservation Commission
Derek Johnson, Oklahoma Conservation Commission
Wes Shockley, Oklahoma Conservation Commission
Brooks Tramell, Oklahoma Conservation Commission
Steve Tully, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Dwaine Gelnar, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Jennifer Lee Myers, Office of the Secretary of Environment
Bruce Hoagland, Oklahoma Biological Survey and the University of Oklahoma
And thanks to the staffs of Oklahoma’s local conservation districts and NRCS
field offices for their assistance in accessing the wetland reference sites.
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Introduction
The Oklahoma Wetlands Reference Guide has been developed to help a
variety of users in identifying and understanding the ecology of the most
common natural wetland types found in Oklahoma. It is the authors’ intention
that this book provides natural resource professionals, educators and private
landowners with a guide that can be used to evaluate changes in similar wetland
types, measured against a common standard.
This guide is not intended for use as a wetland delineation manual nor is it a
substitute for wetland determinations performed by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service.
The term “wetland” is an umbrella term, and includes marshes, swamps,
bogs, playas and other areas that are wet enough to support hydrophytic
vegetation. Wetlands represent a transitional zone between upland and deep
water ecosystems, supporting rich biodiversity and providing unique habitat to
many plants and animals (e.g., Odland, 1997; Barry et al., 1996; Bawa and
Seidler, 1998). Therefore, wetlands are one of the most important ecological
features on the landscape, providing benefits to humans and nature alike (e.g.,
Wakeley and Roberts, 1996; Killgore and Baker, 1996; Reedy et al., 1996).
Wetlands often contain features common to upland and deep water ecosystems,
and as a result may be difficult to recognize by the untrained eye.
Wetlands exist in nearly every climatic zone and on every continent, except
Antarctica (Mitsch and Gosselink, 1993). Estimates suggest that more than half
of the wetlands nationwide have been lost since the mid-1800s, leaving
approximately six percent of the Earth covered by wetlands today (Mitsch and
Gosselink, 1993). In 1988 the U.S. Department of Interior determined that 87
percent of wetland conversion was due to agriculture, eight percent to urban
development and another five percent for various reasons (Steiner et al., 1994).
However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has attempted to reverse
this trend. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS)
Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) restored 915,000 acres of wetlands
nationwide between October 1996 and July 2000 (NRCS, 2001).
There are a wide variety of wetland types found across the state of Oklahoma.
The climate tends to get warmer and wetter as one moves across the state from
northwest to southeast. As a result, the predominant wetland type changes from
playas in the panhandle to riparian areas and depressions throughout the
prairies to the bald cypress swamps of McCurtain County in the extreme south-eastern
corner of the state. In Oklahoma, as in many areas of the country,
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wetlands have been drained because of the perception that these lands offered
no value. As a result, approximately 67 percent (1.9 million acres) of wetlands
were removed from the landscape over the past 200 years (Mitsch and
Gosselink, 1993). Both on nationwide basis and in Oklahoma, bottomland
hardwood forests (BLH) have been especially hard hit. Estimated decreases in
forested wetlands in LeFlore and McCurtain Counties suggest that approxi-mately
84 percent of BLH have been destroyed since 1960 (Brabander et al.,
1985).
The Oklahoma Conservation Commission has a variety of ongoing wetland
projects to meet the goals and objectives of Oklahoma’s Comprehensive
Wetlands Conservation Plan, as do other agencies in the state wetland
responsibilities or interests. Many of these projects receive funding through the
Wetlands Program of the Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6. The
ultimate goal of each of the Conservation Commission’s projects is to
“conserve, protect and restore the quantity and biological diversity of all
wetlands in the state” (Oklahoma Conservation Commission, 1996) through
education, demonstration and restoration.
Definition of Wetlands
There are many definitions of the term “wetlands” used in the United States,
but most are fundamentally alike and generally address three elements —
hydrology, hydrophytic vegetation, and hydric soils. This manual follows the
definition of wetlands used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This definition describes wetlands as:
“Those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency
and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a
prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands
generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar activities.” (33 CFR 328.3, {b})
The hydrology of a land area is a function of the frequency, duration and
volume of saturation by water.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources
Conservation Service (formerly the Soil Conservation Service) defines hydric
soil as:
“A soil that is saturated, flooded or ponded long enough during growing season to develop
anaerobic conditions that favor the growth and regeneration of hydrophytic vegetation.”
(USDA Soil Conservation Service, 1985, as amended by the National Technical
Committee for Hydric Soils in 1986.)
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Hydrophytic vegetation is defined in the Corps of Engineers’ Wetlands
Delineation Manual as:
“The sum total of macrophytic plant life that occur in areas where the frequency and
duration of inundation or soil saturation produces permanently or periodically saturated
soils of sufficient duration to exert a controlling influence on the plant species present.”
“A hydrophyte is any macrophyte that grows in water or on a substrate that is at least
periodically deficient in oxygen as a result of excessive water content.”
To paraphrase, hydrophytic plants are those that grow and thrive in water or in
soil that is wet or saturated to the point that it is at least periodically deficient in
oxygen.
Functions and Values of Wetlands
Historically, wetlands were considered to be areas that should be drained for
farming, residential, or industrial development. Wetlands were not consid-ered
valuable resources and their complex ecological and hydrological functions
were, for the most part, unrecognized.
Only recently have wetlands been recognized as valuable natural resources that
can provide important benefits to the public and the environment. The func-tions
wetlands provide of direct benefit to humans and nature and the value of
those functions will, of course, vary according to the type of wetland system and
the season of the year. Wetland functions and values include the following:
Water Quality Improvement: Wetlands have been referred to as the “kidneys of
the landscape” because they often act as natural filters by decreasing contami-nant
concentrations in the water column (e.g., White and Burken, 1998; Nairn
and Mercer, 2001). Contaminants are removed by a variety of processes, includ-ing
physical settling resulting from long retention times with low-velocity flows,
uptake by hydrophytic vegetation, microbial action and reactions with the
atmosphere (e.g., Buchberger and Shaw, 1995; Tanner, 1996). In fact, wetlands
are commonly constructed explicitly for treatment purposes. For example,
wetlands have been constructed in Oklahoma to treat acidic mine drainages by
using bacterial processes to retain metals and increase buffering capacity. After
treatment, the water was clean and supported a healthy ecosystem (Nairn et al.,
2000).
Flood Protection and Erosion Control: Wetlands can also function like a “sponge”,
absorbing and retaining relatively large volumes of water, and then releasing it
slowly over several weeks or months. By providing temporary storage of storm or
snowmelt water, wetlands can decrease peak flows in receiving waters and lower
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the energy in streams, resulting in reduced flooding and minimized damage
downstream (Kleiss, 1996). In doing so, wetlands help protect adjacent and
downstream property and reduce damage to roads, bridges and crops. In ripari-an
areas, trees and other hydrophytic vegetation help slow the speed of flood
waters and can absorb and dissipate the force of wave action, reducing erosion
along streambanks and shorelines (Kumar et al., 1996).
Groundwater Recharge and Discharge: Although not all wetlands recharge
groundwater, some wetlands serve as a source in replenishing groundwater
supplies, and vice versa (Gerla, 1999; Mitsch and Gosselink, 1993). For
example, approximately 31 percent of water supplied to a constructed wetland
in the Florida Everglades recharged the groundwater beneath it (Choi and
Harvey, 2000). Water that would otherwise end up in downstream rivers and
lakes or evaporate into the atmosphere can percolate through the soil into
aquifers. This is called infiltration. Infiltration rates are dependent on the
condition of the soil beneath the wetland, the physical characteristics
controlling pore space in the soil and the frictional resistance of the soil (Pierce,
1992). Wetlands that intercept an aquifer may serve as a site where groundwater
is discharged to the surface. Because water tables can fluctuate with seasonal
variations, some wetlands may recharge groundwater during dry periods and
receive groundwater during wetter months (Hunt et al., 1999).
Biological Habitat: Wetlands provide habitat for organisms ranging in size from
large to microscopic, and contribute to the biological diversity and stability of
the landscape as a whole (King and Brazner, 1999; Jurgensen et al., 1997). For
example, migrating birds use wetlands as feeding, rearing and stopover sites
(e.g., Naugle et al., 2000), while various invertebrates (e.g., Nordstrom and
Ryan, 1996), amphibians (e.g., Lehtinen et al., 1999) and fishes (e.g., Faunce
and Paperno, 1999) commonly utilize wetlands during all or part of their life
cycle. The habitat needs of many wildlife species are found in wetlands,
including shallow water for breeding and rearing of young and dense vegetation
stands which provide food and shelter.
Education, Recreation, and Aesthetic Values: Wetlands may serve as living, outdoor
laboratories where unique plant and animal species can be observed. The
principals of ecological systems such as energy flow, recycling, and carrying
capacity can be studied first hand. Wetlands are often aesthetically pleasing,
capable of evoking in humans a sense of wonder, and stirring an appreciation of
nature as one witnesses a flock of ducks taking flight from a playa, a heron
stalking its prey in an oxbow lake, or hears the sounds emanating from a swamp
on a summer night. Wetlands provide endless opportunities for popular recre-ational
activities such as hiking, canoeing, boating, fishing, hunting, photogra-phy,
bird watching and swimming.
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Economic Values: The economic value of wetlands is substantial. A plethora of
natural products of use to humans are to be found in various wetlands. Those
with direct economic benefits include timber, fish and shellfish, wildlife, blue-berries,
cranberries and wild rice. In fact, nearly all commercially harvested fish
and shellfish and most recreational fish depend on wetlands for food and
habitat during some part of their life cycle (Feierabend and Zelanzy, 1987).
While the benefits of wetlands from fisheries and waterfowl are substantial, they
pale in comparison to the economic benefits from wetland ecosystem functions
such as groundwater recharge, flood control and protection, water quality
improvement and erosion control (Costanza et al., 1997).
Organizational Structure of This Guide
This guide is intended to represent Oklahoma’s rich diversity of wetland
types. The individual reference sites are organized into chapters by those
types including riparian corridor wetlands, swamps, oxbow lakes, closed depres-sions,
playa lakes, and forested wetlands. The fringe wetlands that occur along
ponds and reservoirs are not included in this guide because they are not consid-ered
naturally occurring and are not common to any specific geographic region.
The location of each of the selected reference sites is provided at the beginning
of the site description chapter. Location is given by latitude and longitude as
well as by the legal description. Since over 90 percent of Oklahoma land is
privately owned, many of these reference sites are located on private property
and permission must be secured from the landowner in order to gain access.
That notation, where applicable, is included in the location description para-graph.
Other sites are on some type of public land, including federally-, state- or
municipally-maintained property.
The narrative provides a general description of the geomorphology, or land
shape and characteristics. Each reference wetland is also described using
indicators based on the jurisdictional wetland definition, i.e., vegetative
community, hydrology (water sources, frequency and duration) and soil
description. Photographs of soil profiles and important hydrologic indicators
found both in and on the soil accompany those descriptive paragraphs, as well
as a photograph of the stable vegetative community at the beginning of each site
description chapter.
Each reference wetland has classifications for soil type and wetland type. This
section is intended primarily for natural resource professionals who might be
called upon to perform wetland delineations, evaluations or inventory. The
wetland type classification is from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
National Wetlands Inventory, developed by Cowardin et al. (1979), and represents
the type of classification one would expect to find in that wetlands inventory.
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The soil classification was determined by the USDA-NRCS classification taken
from Soil Taxonomy, Agricultural Handbook 436, United States Department of
Agriculture, Second Edition (1999). An explanation, in lay person’s language, of
the terminology used in these classifications is not possible within the scope of
this publication. Instead, the interested lay person is referred to consult those
two resources directly.
Landform descriptions are given using both the Ecoregion and Major Land
Resource Area organizational systems. A Major Land Resource Areas (MLRA) is
a unit characterized by similar patterns of soil, climate, water resources, land
use, geology, elevation and topography. The MLRA classification system is
predominantly utilized by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
and soil scientists. The Ecoregion approach is a similar regional characterization
system based on natural communities, geology and land use, as mapped by J.M.
Omernik (1987), and is used primarily by water resource professionals. More
detailed descriptions of Ecoregions and MLRAs are to be found in the appendix.
A brief statement is made about water quality typically found in the type of site
represented, followed by a description of common landuse.
Finally, wetland dependent wildlife communities common to the ecoregion of
each site are listed. Many of the amphibians found in the wetlands described in
the text can be found sporadically throughout the wetlands of Oklahoma. At
times these amphibians can be found in extremely high densities, typically
during the late winter though early spring. However, some species are fall
breeders and will congregate during those months before the extreme winter
conditions set in. Many species are omitted from the text due to their
infrequency in those habitats and the secretive nature of their behavior, making
them difficult specimens to find. Assumptions are made about the quality of
the habitat. For example, many additional amphibian species may be found if
carnivorous fish species are not living in those same waters. Only the most
common species found or easily observed, whether through calls or visual
observations, are mentioned. Literature relating to the more infrequently found
species and their habitats can be found in A Field Guide to Amphibians of
Oklahoma, published by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
A partial glossary of terms used in this guide is included at the end of this book
along with a list of references for further reading. Tables of common and Latin
names for animals and plants — fauna and flora — are included as well.
Wetland Types
Riparian Corridors (Zones) are on low, frequently-inundated flood plains. Riparian
corridors are found in the central and western parts of Oklahoma. As they are
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frequently flooded, they have saturated soils associated with high water tables.
Vegetation is typically composed of rushes and sedges with an overstory of
willow, cottonwood, and tamarisk.
Swamps, Bogs, and Marshes are on low, frequently-inundated flood plains, most
commonly in the southeastern part of the state. Soils are saturated and surface
water stands far into the growing season. The understory vegetation is typically
rushes and sedges with an overstory of bald cypress, overcup oak, and willow
oak.
Oxbow Lakes are old river and stream channels that have been cut off from the
main channel. These oxbows have shallow to deep water that is typically devoid
of woody vegetation. Green ash and willow line the banks of these areas, and
submergent and floating leaf aquatic plants are found in the water. Unlike
closed depressions, these areas are seldom dry.
Closed Depressions are found throughout the state where soil deposited by wind
or water has blocked drainage patterns. They often have high water tables and
seasonally pond water for long durations, but may not hold water in dry years.
The depressions are usually vegetated with cattails, smartweeds, and barnyard
grass, with an overstory of willow and buttonbush.
Playa Lakes are found only on the high plains of the Oklahoma Panhandle.
These are depressional areas that have no outlets and seasonally pond water for
long durations during years with high rainfall. These areas are commonly
vegetated with woollyleaf bursage and smart weed.
Forested Wetlands are found on frequently-inundated flood plains in the eastern
third of the state. They have soils saturated by high water tables that remain at
or near the surface for long periods. Vegetation is typically rushes and sedges
with an overstory of pin oak, Shumard oak, bur oak and green ash.
Oklahoma’s Comprehensive Wetlands Conservation Plan
Oklahoma’s Comprehensive Wetlands Conservation Plan offers an
overview of Oklahoma’s wetlands and their future conservation. It pro-vides
the state with a focused strategy for identifying, understanding, managing,
and enjoying one of Oklahoma’s most versatile natural resources. The plan
identifies issues that are unresolved and the limitations on wetland data and
science.
The need for a state wetlands strategy is indicated by an awareness that responsi-bility
for wetland conservation and management in Oklahoma are shared
among local, state, tribal and federal agencies, as well as private entities such as
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conservation organizations, corporations, landowners and other interest groups.
No agency or group has been given either the exclusive mandate or resources to
adequately protect wetlands. Wetlands conservation and management may be
accomplished only through the continued, cooperative efforts of these groups
and individuals. The plan emphasizes that through discussion, information
exchange, cooperation and sharing of resources, a coordinated approach to
wetland management can be accomplished. The plan recognizes that without
willing cooperation from private landowners there is little hope of long-term
success for wetland protection. The plan promotes a voluntary approach to
wetland management that uses education, technical assistance and incentives to
bring the private sector into wetland management as a willing partner.
“The goal of the state of Oklahoma is to conserve, enhance and restore the
quantity and biological diversity of all wetlands in the state.”
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Closed Depressions are found throughout the state
where soil deposited by wind or water has blocked drainage, or
where wind has removed soil forming a depression. They often
have high water tables and seasonally pond water for long
durations, but may not have standing water in dry years. Closed
depressions are usually vegetated with cattails, smartweeds and
barnyard grass, with an overstory of willow and buttonbush.
Wetland Type:
Closed Depression
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Location. The Ames Closed
Depression is found on an
ancient, wind-reworked alluvial terrace
deposited by the Cimarron River. It is five
miles south and two and one-half miles west
of Drummond on Highway 132. This
reference location is on private property; no
access without permission. Latitude: 36° 13' 48".
Longitude: 98° 04' 24". Legal: SE NE NW NE Sec 8
T20N R8W.
General Description. This reference site represents wetlands typically found in
depressional areas within hummocky sandy terraces on major rivers throughout
northwestern parts of Oklahoma. These depressions are formed when
windblown sediments block the outlets of drainage ways or wind has created
blowouts in sandy materials. These wetlands are typically round to oval in shape
and range from 0.1 acre to 100 acres in size. These wetlands are cyclical in
nature. During wetter cycles they maintain almost permanent water and dry up
completely during drought cycles. They are hydrologically influenced by the
adjacent surrounding uplands and shallow groundwater that percolates rapidly
Ames Closed Depression
Closed Depression Site
Garfield County
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through the sandy soils and is perched on the clayey materials at the base of the
depressions. These wetlands are often farmed and are an important source of
water for livestock and wildlife.
Vegetative Community. These wetlands are associated with seasonal surface
and subsurface water, resulting in a mixture of rushes, sedges, shrubby, woody
vegetation and annuals that become established as water evaporates along the
shoreline zone. Typically vegetation is dominated by a herbaceous layer that
consists of sedges, cattail, smartweed, water primrose and bulrush. Cocklebur,
curly dock and sumpweed become established as water evaporates and mud
flats are exposed. Inland salt grass and alkali sacaton are perennial grasses that
become established where groundwater has higher salinity.
Hydrology. This wetland type is influenced by seasonal accumulation of surface
water from rainfall and by groundwater perched on clayey subsoil strata and
moving laterally through the area. Groundwater tables range from above the
surface to 2 feet below the surface. These wetlands typically dry up during late
summer months and are recharged in late fall through early spring.
Hydrologic Indicators. Primary hydrologic indicators are a depleted or gleyed
matrix and redox concentrations in the form of
soft masses in the upper subsoil. This wetland
type commonly has a dark surface layer that is
high in organic matter and contains few to
common redox concentrations. Many of these
wetlands have developed under recent changes
in hydrologic conditions and may not exhibit
any redoximorphic characteristics. This is
particularly common to wetlands that develop in soils with red parent materials.
Secondary indicators are the presence of thin layer of muck (0.5 to 2 inches)
and partially decomposed roots of plants in the upper 20 inches of the soil
profile.
Soil Description. The Carwile soil series is the hydric soil on this reference
wetland. Carwile soils are formed in depressional areas where wind blown sandy
material is deposited over clayey soil materials on the highest terrace levels of
large river systems in the northwestern part of the state. These soils typically
have dark brown loam or fine sandy loam surface layers over gray clay subsoils.
The depositional materials that form this soil are generally red sediments from
Pleistocene age materials.
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Soil Profile
A1: 0 to 10 inches, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam;
moderately fine granular structure; common (5%) yellowish red (5YR
4/6) redox concentrations in the form of soft masses; many very fine
and fine roots.
B1t: 10 to 18 inches, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay; moderately fine
blocky structure; many (35%) yellowish red (5YR 5/6) redox
concentrations in the form of soft masses and many (20%) gray
(10YR 5/1) redox depletions; extremely hard, very firm; many fine
and medium roots.
B2t: 18 to 20 inches, light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sandy clay
loam; moderate medium blocky structure; many (30%) yellowish red
(5YR 5/6) redox concentrations in the form of soft masses and many
(40%) gray (10YR 6/1) redox depletions; coarse roots.
Classifications
Cowardin: PEM1C, PEM1A. Soil: Fine, mixed, superactive, thermic. Typic Argiaquoll.
Landform Ecoregion: Central Great Plains (27). MLRA: Central Rolling Red
Prairies (80A).
Water Quality. These wetlands contain water in sufficient quantity for domestic
uses, but their shallow depth and runoff from adjacent croplands generally
make their water quality unreliable for uses other than for livestock.
Landuse. Because these wetlands typically go dry during some part of the year,
most areas have been farmed or retired to improved pasture. When these
wetlands are cropped they are typically used for winter wheat production. Many
areas have been planted to improved Bermuda grass pasture. In some areas
these are the only sources of livestock water available and provide seasonal water
usage.
Wetland Dependent Wildlife Species
Mammals: Cave myotis, western pipistrel, eastern pipistrel, big brown bat, red bat, evening bat,
raccoon, swamp rabbit, beaver, muskrat.
Birds: Eared grebe, horned grebe, pied-billed grebe, American white pelican, double-crested
cormorant, great blue heron, American bittern, green heron, great egret, least bittern, little blue
heron, snowy egret, yellow-crowned night heron, black-crowned night heron, white-faced ibis,
green-winged teal, American wigeon, northern shoveler, ruddy duck, cinnamon teal, pintail,
blue-winged teal, white-fronted goose, gadwall, red-winged blackbird, snow goose, Canada goose,
wood duck, mallard, ring-necked duck, lesser scaup, hooded merganser, redhead, canvasback,
common goldeneye, bufflehead, common merganser, osprey, bald eagle, marsh hawk/northern
harrier, rough-legged hawk, king rail, common gallinule (moorhen), sandhill crane, whooping
crane, black-bellied plover, American avocet, solitary sandpiper, lesser yellowlegs, greater
yellowlegs, willet, whimbrel, long-billed curlew, Hudsonian godwit, Franklin’s gull, black tern,
great horned owl, barred owl, short-eared owl, belted kingfisher, red-bellied woodpecker, white-eyed
vireo, Bell’s vireo, tree swallow, veery.
Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, yellow mud turtle, Missouri River cooter, red-eared turtle,
midland smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell turtle, five-lined skink, rough green snake,
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blotched water snake, diamondback water snake, western hogsnake, eastern hognose snake,
great plains rat snake, speckled kingsnake, Graham’s crayfish snake, brown snake, western
ribbon snake, western plains garter snake, common garter snake, copperhead, western
cottonmouth, western pygmy rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake.
Amphibians: Smallmouth salamander, bullfrog, Woodhouse’s toad, Cope’s gray treefrog, gray
treefrog, Blanchard’s cricket frog, western chorus frog, plains leopard frog.
Fish: Mosquitofish, golden shiner, red shiner, yellow bullhead and black bullhead catfish,
channel catfish, smallmouth buffalo, common carp and longnose gar, spotted gar, largemouth
bass, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, warmouth, black crappie, white crappie, blue gill,
redear sunfish.
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Ciimarrrron Teerrrraccee
Closed Depression Cyclical Wetland Site
Logan County
Location. This reference
wetland is found on a sandy
alluvial terrace three miles west and
one-half mile north of Crescent on Dover
Road. This reference location is on private
property; no access without permission. The
reference site is the location of a USDA
Natural Resources Conservation Service hydric
soil monitoring station that records water table depths
and redox potential over time. Latitude: 35° 57' 57". Longitude: 97° 39' 32".
Legal: NW SE SE NE Sec. 7 T17N 4W.
General Description. This site represents wetlands typically found on
depressional areas within hummocky sandy terraces on major rivers throughout
the central parts of Oklahoma. These depressions are formed when windblown
sediments block the outlets of drainage ways or wind has blown out depressions
in sandy materials. These wetlands are typically round to a long, narrow oval in
shape, ranging from 0.1 acre to 200 acres in size and are cyclical in nature.
During wetter cycles they maintain almost permanent water and dry up
completely during drought cycles. These wetlands are often farmed and are an
15
important source of livestock and wildlife water.
Vegetative Community. These wetlands are associated with seasonal surface
and subsurface water. Vegetation is a mixture of rushes, sedges and shrubby,
woody plants and annuals that become established as the water evaporates in
the shoreline zone. Typically, vegetation consists of an overstory of black willow
and cottonwood with a shrubby layer of buttonbush. The herbaceous layer
consists of sedges, rushes, cattail, bulrush, smartweed, cockle burr, water
primrose, curly dock, sumpweed, mud plantain, water hyssop and broadleaf
duck potatoes.
Hydrology. This wetland type is influenced by seasonal accumulation of surface
water from rainfall and from groundwater that is perched on clayey subsoil
strata and moves laterally throughout the area. Groundwater tables range from
above the surface to 4.0 feet below the surface. They are hydrologically
influenced by surface runoff from the adjacent surrounding uplands and
shallow groundwater that percolates rapidly through the sandy soils. These
wetlands typically dry up during the later summer months and are recharged in
the late fall through early spring.
Hydrologic Indicators. Primary hydrologic
indicators are many redox depletions with
many redox concentrations in the form of iron
stains and coatings on sand grains. This
wetland type commonly has a darkened surface
layer and contains common to many redox
concentrations and depletions within the
surface layer. Many of these wetlands have developed under recent changes in
hydrologic conditions and may not exhibit any redoximorphic characteristics.
This is particularly common to wetlands that develop in soils with red
Pleistocene age parent materials. Secondary indicators are the presence of
oxidized rhizospheres and partially decomposed roots of plants that give a
characteristic charcoal appearance in the upper 20 inches of the soil profile.
Soil Description. The Bocox soil series is the hydric soil on this reference
wetland. Bocox soils are formed where wind blown sandy material is deposited
in depressional areas blocking drainage outlets. Subsurface water perches on
more clayey layers and surface infiltration is slowed. These soils typically have a
brown loamy fine sand surface layer and brownish yellow to reddish yellow
subsurface and subsoil layers. The depositional materials that form this soil are
generally red sediments from Pleistocene age materials.
16
Soil Profile
A1: 0 to 12 inches: brown (10YR 5/3) loamy fine sand; weak, very
fine granular structure; many (20%) strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redox
concentrations in the form of iron stains and coatings, many (40%)
grayish brown (10YR 5/2) redox depletions; few very fine and fine
roots; slightly hard, very friable; clear wavy boundary.
E: 12 to 20 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) loamy fine sand;
single grain structure; common (10%) strong brown redox
concentrations in the form of iron stains and coatings; slightly hard,
loose; few fine and medium roots.
Classifications
Cowardin: PEM1C, PEM1A. Soil: Loamy, mixed, thermic, aquic.
Arenic Hapludalf.
Landform. Ecoregion: Central Great Plains (27). MLRA: Central Rolling Red
Prairies (80A).
Water Quality. These wetlands contain water in sufficient quantities for
domestic uses, but their shallow depth and runoff from adjacent croplands
generally make their water quality undependable for domestic uses other than
livestock water.
Landuse. This wetland type is typically used for crop production, pasture,
rangeland, and livestock water. Because these wetlands typically go dry during
some part of the year, most areas have been farmed or planted to improved
pasture, often in Bermuda grass. When these wetlands are cropped they are
typically used for winter wheat production. Some areas are the only source of
livestock water available and provide seasonal usage.
Wetland Dependent Wildlife Species
Mammals: Cave myotis, western pipistrel, eastern pipistrel, big brown bat, red bat, evening bat,
raccoon, swamp rabbit, beaver, muskrat.
Birds: Eared grebe, horned grebe, pied-billed grebe, American white pelican, double-crested
cormorant, great blue heron, American bittern, green heron, great egret, least bittern, little blue
heron, snowy egret, yellow-crowned night heron, black-crowned night heron, white-faced ibis,
green-winged teal, American wigeon, northern shoveler, ruddy duck, cinnamon teal, pintail,
blue-winged teal, white-fronted goose, gadwall, red-winged blackbird, snow goose, Canada goose,
wood duck, mallard, ring-necked duck, lesser scaup, hooded merganser, redhead, canvasback,
common goldeneye, bufflehead, common merganser, osprey, bald eagle, marsh hawk/northern
harrier, rough-legged hawk, king rail, common gallinule (moorhen), sandhill crane, whooping
crane, black-bellied plover, American avocet, solitary sandpiper, lesser yellowlegs, greater
yellowlegs, willet, whimbrel, long-billed curlew, Hudsonian godwit, Franklin’s gull, black tern,
great horned owl, barred owl, short-eared owl, belted kingfisher, red-bellied woodpecker, white-eyed
vireo, Bell’s vireo, tree swallow, veery.
Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, yellow mud turtle, Missouri River cooter, red-eared turtle,
midland smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell turtle, five-lined skink, rough green snake,
blotched water snake, diamondback water snake, western hogsnake, eastern hognose snake,
great plains rat snake, speckled kingsnake, Graham’s crayfish snake, brown snake, western
17
ribbon snake, western plains garter snake, common garter snake, copperhead, western
cottonmouth, western pygmy rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake.
Amphibians: Bullfrog, Cope’s gray treefrog, gray treefrog, Blanchard’s cricket frog, plains
leopard frog.
Fish: Mosquitofish, largemouth bass, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, warmouth, black
crappie, white crappie, blue gill, redear sunfish, golden shiner, fathead minnow, bullhead
minnow, red shiner, yellow bullhead and black bullhead catfish, longnose gar, spotted gar,
smallmouth buffalo, common carp.
18
Forested Wetlands are found on frequently-inundated
flood plains in the eastern third of the state. They have
soils saturated by high water tables that remain at or near the
surface for long periods. Vegetation is typically rushes, sedges,
parsley leaf hawthorn, spicebush and giant cane with an overstory
of oaks, hickory and green ash.
Wetland Type:
Forested Wetlands
19
Location. This reference
wetland is a portion of the
Verdigris River system. It is located
one-half mile south of Verdigris in Rogers
County. This reference location is on private
property; no access without permission.
Latitude: 36° 12' 47". Longitude: 95° 41'
25". Legal: SW SW NW SW Sec 14 T20N
R15E.
General Description. This site represents wetlands that border rivers and
streams throughout the northeastern part of Oklahoma. These wetlands
typically are on the back side of broad stable flood plains. Sediment loading is
limited to large flood events. This wetland land form is characterized by a series
of oval to oblong depressional areas between slightly higher (less than 0.5 feet)
ridges of less clayey materials. Surface water accumulation is from both out-of-bank
flooding and runoff from adjacent uplands. Groundwater tables are near
the surface during the winter and early spring.
Big Lake
Forested Wetlands Site
Rogers County
20
Vegetative Community. Vegetation typically found on these sites is an overstory
of black willow, pin oak, green ash, bitternut hickory and pecan, with an
understory of sedges and broadleaf uniola. When disturbed, these areas convert
to willow or cottonwood thickets with an understory of smartweed, sumpweed
and cockleburs.
Hydrology. The water sources for these wetlands are groundwater tables and
frequent floods of variable duration. High water marks and debris lines at a
four to six foot height are common on trees near larger rivers. Tree trunks are
buttressed and root systems are often fluted. Water tables range in depth from
the surface to 1.5 feet below the surface, with the highest levels occurring
during the winter and early spring. Subsurface water typically moves through
the large cracks and structural components of the clay soils. These areas typically
have surface layers of less clayey materials near channel banks that are slightly
higher and more well drained. Water-stained leaves are found in the
depressional areas that pond water the longest.
Hydrologic Indicators. Because these soils
have abundant organic carbon and are dark
colored, hydrologic indicators in the soil
profile are difficult to observe. Primary
hydrologic indicators are 5 to 20 percent redox
concentrations (both iron and manganese) in
the upper eight inches of the soil profile. The
number of redox concentrations increase with
depth, ranging from 10 to 30 percent in the 8- to 20-inch zone. Below 20
inches, these soils have a gleyed matrix. Depressional areas have water-stained
leaves and the tree trunks are buttressed.
Soil Description. The Osage soils series is the principal hydric soil on this
wetland type. Osage soils formed in clay sediments deposited on flood plains
from out-of-bank flooding. The depositional materials that form this soil are
brown sediments from shales of the Pennsylvanian geologic age. These soils
typically form in back slough positions of the flood plains.
Soil Profile
A1: 0 to 9 inches, very dark gray (10YR 3/1) clay; strong fine blocky
structure; few to common (5%) dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4) redox
concentrations, many fine and medium roots matted at the surface.
B2: 7 to 20 inches, dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay; strong medium blocky
structure; common (15%) strong brown (7.5YR5/6) redox
concentrations on ped faces; few medium and course roots.
Classifications
Cowardin: PFO1A. Soil: Fine, smectic, thermic. Vertic Endoaquoll.
21
Landform. Ecoregion: Central Irregular Plains (40). MLRA: Cherokee Prairies
(112).
Water Quality. Shallow groundwater tables do not produce enough water for
domestic purposes.
Landuse. This wetland type is used for improved pasture, cropland, and nut
production. Many areas are sufficiently drained so that limited row crop
production can occur. When adequately drained these areas are considered
prime farmland. Areas adjacent to these wetlands are commonly used for
cropland, rangeland or improved pasture.
Wetland Dependent Wildlife Species
Mammals: cave myotis, western pipistrel, eastern pipistrel, big brown bat, red bat, evening bat,
raccoon, swamp rabbit, beaver, muskrat.
Birds: eared grebe, horned grebe, pied-billed, grebe, American white pelican, double-crested
cormorant, great blue heron, American bittern, green heron, great egret, least bittern, little blue
heron, snowy egret, yellow-crowned night heron, black-crowned night heron, white-faced ibis,
green-winged teal, American wigeon, northern shoveler, ruddy duck, cinnamon teal, pintail,
blue-winged teal, white-fronted goose, gadwall, red-winged blackbird, snow goose, Canada goose,
wood duck, mallard, ring-necked duck, lesser scaup, hooded merganser, redhead, canvasback,
common, goldeneye, bufflehead, common merganser, osprey, bald eagle, marsh hawk/northern
harrier, rough-legged hawk, king rail, common gallinule (moorhen), sandhill crane, whooping
crane, black-bellied plover, American avocet, solitary sandpiper, lesser yellowlegs, greater
yellowlegs, willet, whimbrel, long-billed curlew, Hudsonian godwit, Franklin’s gull, black tern,
great horned owl, barred owl, short-eared owl, belted kingfisher, red-bellied woodpecker, white-eyed
vireo, Bell’s vireo, tree swallow, veery.
Reptiles: common snapping turtle, yellow mud turtle, Missouri River cooter, red-eared turtle,
midland smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell turtle, five-lined skink, rough green snake,
blotched water snake, diamondback water snake, western hogsnake, eastern hognose snake,
great plains rat snake, speckled kingsnake, Graham’s crayfish snake, brown snake, western
ribbon snake, western plains garter snake, common garter snake, copperhead, western
cottonmouth, western pygmy rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake.
Amphibians: Cope’s gray treefrog, gray treefrog, Blanchard’s cricket frog, plains leopard frog.
Fish: Mosquitofish, largemouth bass, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, warmouth, black
crappie, white crappie, blue gill, redear sunfish, blackstripe topminnow, red shiner, yellow
bullhead and black bullhead, longnose gar, shortnose gar, spotted gar, bullhead catfish, channel
catfish, common carp, smallmouth buffalo, longear sunfish, log perch, slough darter, golden
shiner.
22
Grassy Slough Hill Side Seep
Forested Wetlands Site
McCurtain County
Location. This reference
wetland is located one-half
mile north and three-quarters of a
mile west of Pollard in McCurtain County.
This reference location is on private
property; no access without permission.
Latitude: 33° 48' 06". Longitude: 94° 44'
22". Legal: NE SW SW Sec 6 T9S R25E.
General Description. This site is representative of wetlands bordering small
streams throughout the southeastern part of Oklahoma, typically on hill sides
adjacent to narrow flood plains. This wetland is characterized by narrow bands
of seeps and springs on the toe slopes of steep sandy uplands. Groundwater
tables are at the surface during the late fall through early summer. These
wetlands are very narrow, but may extend for long distances. Individual areas
range from 1 acre to 10 acres in size.
Vegetative Community. Vegetation typically found on these sites is an overstory
of willow oak, blue beech, American holly and Hercules club with an
understory of several species of fern, jack in the pulpit and sphagnum moss.
23
Hydrology. The water source for these wetlands is a groundwater table that
forms numerous seeps and springs. Tree trunks are buttressed and root systems
are fluted. Water tables range in depth from the surface to 1 foot below, with
the highest levels occurring during the fall through early summer. Subsurface
water typically moves throughout the soils.
Hydrologic Indicators. Primary hydrologic
indicators are partially decomposed organic
layers up to 16 inches thick and a gleyed
matrix. These soils stay so wet they develop few
redox concentrations.
Soil Description. There are no recognized soils
series for the soil on this wetland type. It is
associated with the Iuka soils. These soils
formed in loamy sediments deposited through
the downward creep of soil materials from the
upper slopes of sandy uplands.
Soil Profile
O: 0 to 3 inches, black (10YR
2/1); partially (30%)
decomposed organic material; structureless.
A1: 3 to 6 inches, dark gray (10YR 4/1); fine sandy loam; weak, fine
granular structure; few, fine (<2%) strong brown (7YR 4/6, 5/6) redox
concentrations; weak, fine granular structure; many medium roots in
surface matte.
E1: 6 to14 inches, gray (10YR6/1) loamy fine sand; structureless; few
(1%) strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redox concentrations on ped face; few
medium course roots.
E2: 14 to 20 inches, light gray (10YR7/1) loamy fine sand;
structureless; few strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) redox concentrations.
Classifications
Cowardin: PFO1A, PFO1C, PEM1A. Soil: Undetermined
Landform. Ecoregion: South Central Plains (35). MLRA: West Coastal Plains
(133B).
Water Quality. Shallow groundwater tables produce enough water for domestic
purposes, but the dependability and quality of water are insufficient for human
consumption.
Landuse. This wetland type is often used for woodland or livestock production.
Areas are sometimes drained by channelization and pasture grasses established.
Areas adjacent to these wetlands are commonly used for improved pasture,
cropland or woodland.
24
Wetland Dependent Wildlife Species
Mammals: Eastern pipistrel, red bat, evening bat, raccoon, swamp rabbit, beaver, muskrat.
Birds: Anhinga, great blue heron, green heron, great egret, little blue heron, snowy egret, yellow-crowned
night heron, black-crowned night heron, white ibis, wood stork, red-winged blackbird,
king rail, sora, purple gallinule, common gallinule (moorhen), great horned owl, barred
owl, belted kingfisher, fish crow, wood duck.
Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, common musk turtle, Mississippi mud turtle, Missouri
River cooter, red-eared turtle, midland smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell turtle, five-lined
skink, broadhead skink, rough green snake, yellowbelly water snake, midland water snake,
diamondback water snake, broadbanded water snake, eastern hognose snake, great plains rat
snake, speckled kingsnake, Graham’s crayfish snake, brown snake, western ribbon snake,
common garter snake, copperhead, western cottonmouth, western pygmy rattlesnake, timber
rattlesnake.
Amphibians: Central newt, marbled salamander, spotted salamander, smallmouth salamander,
western slimy salamander, many-ribbed salamander, four-toed salamander, slimy salamander,
dwarf American toad, Woodhouse’s toad, Cope’s gray treefrog, gray treefrog, Blanchard’s cricket
frog, western chorus frog, bronze frog, green frog, southern leopard frog, complex, green
treefrog, bird-voiced treefrog.
Fish: Various catfish, mosquitofish, largemouth bass, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish,
warmouth, black crappie, white crappie, blue gill, redear sunfish, blackstripe top minnow,
bluehead shiner, ribbon shiner, taillight shiner, iron color shiner, spotted bass, grass pickerel.
25
Location. This reference
wetland is a portion of the
Little River stream system. It is
located five miles south and one mile east of
Broken Bow in McCurtain County. This
reference location is on the Little River
National Wildlife Refuge. Latitude: 33° 57'
05". Longitude: 94° 43' 03". Legal: Sec 8 T7S
R25E.
General Description. This wetland type borders rivers and streams throughout
the southeastern part of Oklahoma. These wetlands typically are on broad,
stable flood plains and low terraces. Sediment loading is limited to large flood
events. This wetland landform is characterized by depressional areas between
slightly higher (less than 0.5 feet) mounds of less clayey materials. Surface water
accumulation is from both out-of-bank flooding and runoff from adjacent
uplands. Groundwater tables are at the surface during the winter and early
spring.
Little River National Wildlife Refuge
Forested Wetlands Site
McCurtain County
26
Vegetative Community. Vegetation typically found on these sites is an overstory
of overcup oak, Nuttall oak, water oak, willow oak and water hickory with an
understory of sedges and rushes.
Hydrology. The sources of water for these wetlands are frequent floods of short
to long duration and groundwater. High water marks and debris lines are
common on trees near larger rivers. Tree trunks are buttressed and root systems
are fluted. Water tables range in depth from above the surface to 1 foot below
the surface, with the highest levels occurring during the winter through early
summer. Subsurface water typically moves throughout. These wetlands often
have areas with surface layers of less clayey materials that are slightly higher and
more well drained. Water-stained leaves are found in the depressional areas that
pond water the longest. Wind thrown trees are commonly observed in these
wetland areas.
Hydrologic Indicators. Primary hydrologic indicators are 25 to 60 percent
redox concentration (both iron and manganese) in the upper 15 inches of the
soil profile. The manganese usually occurs as
large segregations rather than in concretion
form. There are common 5 to 20 percent
redox depletions within 15 inches of the
surface. Secondary indicators are the presence
of oxidized rhizospheres and water stained
leaves. Redox depletions usually increase with
depth ranging up to 60 percent in the 15 to 20
inch layer.
Soil Description. The Guyton soils series is the principal hydric soil on this
wetland type. Guyton soils formed in loamy and clayey sediments deposited on
flood plains from out-of-bank flooding. The depositional materials that form
this soil are sediments of Cretaceous geologic age. These soils developed under
closed canopy overstory of bottomland hardwoods.
Soil Profile
O: 0 to 1 inches, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) silt loam with 60 percent
partially (30 percent) decomposed organic matter.
A1: 1 to 5 inches, brown (7.5YR 5/4) silt loam; weak fine granular
structure; many (40%) reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) and reddish brown
(5YR 4/4) redox concentrations and common light gray (7.5YR 6/1)
redox depletions; many fine and medium roots.
B1: 5 to 15 inches, reddish brown (5YR 4/4), reddish yellow (7.5YR
6/6) and light gray (7.5YR 6/1) silty clay loam; weak fine granular
structure; common to many (15%) manganese concentrations on ped
faces; common medium and coarse roots.
B2: 15 to 20 inches, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) silty clay loam;
27
massive, structureless; few to common (10%) yellowish red (5YR5/6) redox concentrations on
ped faces; many partially-decomposed roots below 16 inches having a characteristic charcoal
appearance.
Classifications
Cowardin: PFO1A, PFO1C. Soil: Fine-silty, siliceous, active, thermic. Typic Glossaqualf.
Landform. Ecoregion: Central Oklahoma/Texas Plains (29). MLRA: Western
Coastal Plains (133B).
Water Quality. Shallow groundwater tables produce enough water for domestic
purposes, but the dependability and quality of water are insufficient for human
consumption.
Landuse. This wetland type is frequently used for timber production. Areas are
sometimes drained by channelization and pasture grasses established. Some
areas are sufficiently drained so that limited crop production can occur. Areas
adjacent to these wetlands are commonly used for improved pasture or
forestland.
Wetland Dependent Wildlife Species
Mammals: Eastern pipistrel, red bat, evening bat, raccoon, swamp rabbit, beaver, muskrat.
Birds: Anhinga, great blue heron, green heron, great egret, little blue heron, snowy egret,
yellow-crowned night heron, black-crowned night heron, white ibis, wood stork, red-winged
blackbird, king rail, sora, purple gallinule, common gallinule (moorhen), great horned owl,
barred owl, belted kingfisher, fish crow, wood duck, mallard.
Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, common musk turtle, Mississippi mud turtle, Missouri
River cooter, red-eared turtle, midland smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell turtle, five-lined
skink, broadhead skink, rough green snake, yellowbelly water snake, midland water snake,
diamondback water snake, broadbanded water snake, eastern hognose snake, great plains rat
snake, speckled kingsnake, Graham’s crayfish snake, brown snake, western ribbon snake,
common garter snake, copperhead, western cottonmouth, western pygmy rattlesnake, timber
rattlesnake.
Amphibians: Central newt, Red River mudpuppy, marbled salamander, spotted salamander,
smallmouth salamander, western slimy salamander, dwarf American toad, Woodhouse’s toad,
Cope’s gray treefrog, gray treefrog, Blanchard’s cricket frog, western chorus frog, bronze frog,
green frog, southern leopard frog, green treefrog, four-toed salamander, many-ribbed
salamander, bullfrog.
Fish: Mosquitofish, largemouth bass, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, warmouth, black
crappie, white crappie, blue gill, redear sunfish, blackstripe topminnow, bluehead shiner, ribbon
shiner, taillight shiner, iron color shiner, yellow bullhead and black bullhead catfish, channel
catfish, spotted bass, pygmy sunfish, cypress darter.
28
Reed Sllough WRP
Forested Wetlands Site
McCurtain County
Location. This reference
wetland is a portion of the
Pushmatena Creek stream system. It
is located three and a half miles east of
Harris in McCurtain County. This reference
location is on private property. No access
without permission. Latitude: 33° 44' 15".
Longitude: 94° 40' 10'. Legal: SW, SE, SW, Sec
26 T9S R25E.
General Description. This reference site represents wetlands border rivers and
streams throughout the southeastern part of Oklahoma. These wetlands
typically are on depressional areas of broad stable flood plains. Sediment
loading is limited to large flood events. This wetland land form is characterized
by a series of depressional areas between slightly elevated (less than 0.5 feet)
ridges of less clayey materials. Surface water accumulation is from both out-of-bank
flooding and runoff from adjacent uplands. Groundwater tables are near
the surface during winter and early spring.
29
Vegetative Community. Vegetation typically found on these sites is an overstory
of water oak, willow oak, overcup oak, water hickory with an understory of
sphagnum moss and dwarf palmetto.
Hydrology. The water sources for these wetlands are frequent floods of short to
long duration and groundwater tables. Tree trunks are buttressed and root
systems are fluted. Water tables range in depth from the surface to 1 foot below,
with the highest levels occurring during winter and early spring. Subsurface
water typically moves through the large cracks and structural components of the
clay soils. These areas often have surface layers of less clayey materials near
channel banks that are slightly higher and more well drained.
Hydrologic Indicators. Primary hydrologic
indicators are 15 to 30 percent redox
concentration (both iron and manganese) and
25 to 40 percent redox depletions in the upper
6 inches of the soil profile. The abundance of
redox concentrations and depletions increase
with depth, with redox depletions increasing
up to 50 percent in the 6- to 20-inch zone.
Soil Description. The Tuscumbia soils series is the principal hydric soil on this
wetland type. Tuscumbia soils formed in clayey sediments deposited on flood
plains from out-of-bank flooding. The depositional materials that form this soil
are brown sediments from the Pleistocene geologic age.
Soil Profile
A1: 0 to 6 inches, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam;
strong, fine blocky structure; common (20 to 25%) reddish brown
(5YR 4/3, 4/4) redox concentrations and light brownish gray (10YR
6/2) redox depletions; many fine and medium roots.
B: 6 to 20 inches, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silty clay loam;
moderately fine blocky structure; many (30 to 50%) reddish brown
(5YR 4/4) redox concentrations and light brownish gray (10YR 6/2)
redox depletions on ped faces; few medium to coarse roots.
Classifications
Cowardin: PFO1A, PFO1C, PEM1A. Soil: Fine, mixed, nonacid,
thermic. Vertic Equiaquert.
Landform. Ecoregion: South Central Plains (35). MLRA: Western Coastal
Plains (133B).
Water Quality. Shallow groundwater tables do not produce enough water for
domestic purposes.
30
Landuse. This wetland type is often used for timber and many areas are
sufficiently drained so that limited crop production can occur. Areas adjacent to
these wetlands are commonly used for cropland or pasture.
Wetland Dependent Wildlife Species
Mammals: Eastern pipistrel, red bat, evening bat, raccoon, swamp rabbit, beaver, muskrat.
Birds: Anhinga, great blue heron, green heron, great egret, little blue heron, snowy egret, yellow-crowned
night heron, black-crowned night heron, white ibis, wood stork, red-winged blackbird,
king rail, sora, purple gallinule, common gallinule (moorhen), great horned owl, barred owl,
belted kingfisher, fish crow, wood duck, mallard.
Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, common musk turtle, Mississippi mud turtle, Missouri
River cooter, red-eared turtle, midland smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell turtle, five-lined
skink, broadhead skink, rough green snake, yellowbelly water snake, midland water snake,
diamondback water snake, broadbanded water snake, eastern hognose snake, great plains rat
snake, speckled kingsnake, Graham’s crayfish snake, brown snake, western ribbon snake,
common garter snake, copperhead, western cottonmouth, western pygmy rattlesnake, timber
rattlesnake.
Amphibians: Central newt, Red River mudpuppy, marbled salamander, spotted salamander,
smallmouth salamander, slimy salamander, dwarf American toad, Woodhouse’s toad , Cope’s
gray treefrog, gray treefrog, Blanchard’s cricket frog, western chorus frog, bronze frog, green frog,
southern leopard frog, slimy salamander complex, green treefrog, bird-voiced treefrog, four-toed
salamander, many ribbed salamander, bullfrog.
Fish: Mosquitofish, largemouth bass, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, warmouth, black
crappie, white crappie, blue gill, redear sunfish, blackstripe topminnow, yellow bullhead and
black bullhead catfish, channel catfish, spotted bass, bluehead shiner, ribbon shiner, taillight
shiner, iron color shiner, pygmy sunfish, pirate perch.
31
Wetland Type:
Oxbow Lake
Oxbow Lakes are old river and stream channels that have
been cut off from the main channel. The cutoff channels are most
often on large bends, giving the wetland a characteristic oxbow or
horseshoe shape. Most of the oxbow lakes in Oklahoma are less
than seven feet in depth and, unlike closed depressions, are
seldom dry. These wetlands remain stable until new floods force
the river to move back to its original course, or cuts out the end
that has blocked the drainage.
32
Okmullgeeee Wiilldlliiffee Manageemeentt Arreea
Oxbow Site
Okmulgee County
Location. This reference
wetland is on a portion of the
Deep Fork of the Canadian River system. It
is located three and one-half miles west and
two and one-half miles north of Okmulgee
on the Okmulgee Wildlife Management
Area. This reference wetland location is on
state property. Latitude: 35° 39' 28" Longitude:
96° 02' 19". Legal: SE SE NW SE Sec. 28 T14N R12E.
General Description. This site represents wetlands that occurs primarily on
river systems like the Deep Fork River where floods have created new river
channels, cutting off the original channel. The cut off channels are most often
on bends, giving the wetland a characteristic oxbow or horseshoe shape. Most of
the oxbows in the Deep Fork system are less than 3 feet in depth and are
sometimes dry in late summer. These wetlands are generally stable, but
sediment loading from large flood events may decrease their overall depth. The
wetland ranges in size from 10 acres to over 100 acres.
33
Vegetative Community. These wetlands are most often associated with open
water and most of the vegetation occurs along the shoreline zone. Typical
vegetation consists of an overstory of green ash and black willow.
Hydrology. This wetland receives most of its water from surface runoff. The
contributing drainage area has a low slope gradient, and runoff enters the
system slowly. Ground water tables are influenced by the level of the river and
groundwater moves through large pores that form the faces of the soil structural
units.
Hydrologic Indicators. Primary hydrologic indicators are a gleyed matrix below
8 inches and many redox depletions and redox
concentrations in the upper 8 inches of the
soil profile. Some of these wetlands are recent
in age and may not show any redoximorphic
characteristics. This is most common to those
wetlands that are recent in age or have
developed in soils with red parent materials.
Secondary indicators are the presence of thin
layer of muck (1/2 to 2 inches) and partially decomposed roots of plants in the
upper 10 inches of the soil profile.
Soil Description. The Ustibuck soil series is the principal hydric soil on this
wetland type. Ustibuck soils are formed in clayey sediments that are deposited
on low gradient backwater areas of flood plains on large stream systems.
Because water stands nearly motionless for long periods, the clayey sediment
has time to settle out in thick layers of clays with thinner strata of loamy and
sandy materials. The depositional materials that form this soil are generally red
sediments from Pleistocene age materials.
Soil Profile
A: 0 to 8 inches, reddish brown (5YR 3/4) clay; moderate very fine
blocky structure; many fine and medium roots; many (40%) medium
and coarse yellowish-red (5YR 5/6) redox concentrations and many
(45%) coarse gray (5YR 6/1) redox depletions.
B: 8 to 20 inches, gray (5YR6/1) clay; moderate medium blocky
structure; common coarse roots; common fine and coarse yellowish-red
(5YR 5/8) redox concentrations on ped faces.
Classifications
Cowardin: PEM1C, PFO1C, PFO1A, PEM1A. Soil: Fine, smectic,
thermic. Ustic Epiaquert.
Land Form Ecoregion: Central Oklahoma/Texas Plains (29). MLRA: Western
Coastal Plains (118B).
34
Water Quality. These wetlands contain water in sufficient quantity for domestic
uses, but their shallow depth and runoff from adjacent cropland generally make
their water supply undependable for domestic uses.
Landuse. This wetland type is typically used for livestock water and recreation.
The adjacent areas are typically used for woodland or when adequately drained
are used for corn or soybean production, improved pasture or alfalfa hay.
Wetland Dependent Wildlife Species
Mammals: Eastern pipistrel, big brown bat, red bat, evening bat, raccoon, swamp rabbit, beaver,
muskrat.
Birds: Eared grebe, horned grebe, pied-billed grebe, American white pelican, double-crested
cormorant, great blue heron, American bittern, green heron, great egret, little blue heron,
snowy egret, yellow-crowned night heron, black-crowned night heron, white-faced ibis, green-winged
teal, American wigeon, northern shoveler, ruddy duck, cinnamon teal, pintail, blue-winged
teal, white-fronted goose, gadwall, red-winged blackbird, snow goose, Canada goose,
wood duck, mallard, ring-necked duck, lesser scaup, greater scaup, hooded merganser, redhead,
canvasback, common goldeneye, bufflehead, common merganser, osprey, bald eagle, marsh
hawk/northern harrier, red-shouldered hawk, rough-legged hawk, Virginia rail, king rail, sora,
purple gallinule, common gallinule (moorhen), American coot, sandhill crane, whooping crane,
black-bellied plover, semipalmated plover, American avocet, solitary sandpiper, lesser yellowlegs,
greater yellowlegs, willet, long-billed curlew, marbled godwit, Hudsonian godwit, Franklin’s gull,
black tern, great horned owl, barred owl, short-eared owl, belted kingfisher, red-bellied
woodpecker, alder flycatcher, willow flycatcher, white-eyed vireo, Bell’s vireo, fish crow, tree
swallow, veery.
Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, common musk turtle, yellow mud turtle, Mississippi mud
turtle, Missouri River cooter, red-eared turtle, midland smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell
turtle, five-lined skink, broadhead skink, rough green snake, midland water snake, northern
water snake, diamondback water snake, broadbanded water snake, western hogsnake, eastern
hognose snake, great plains rat snake, speckled kingsnake, Graham’s crayfish snake, brown
snake, western ribbon snake, common garter snake, copperhead, western cottonmouth, western
pygmy rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake.
Amphibians: Bullfrog, barred tiger salamander, smallmouth salamander, dwarf American toad,
Woodhouse’s toad, Cope’s gray treefrog, gray treefrog, Blanchard’s cricket frog, green frog,
plains leopard frog, southern leopard frog.
Fish: Mosquitofish, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish,
warmouth, black crappie, white crappie, blue gill, redear sunfish, blackstripe topminnow, yellow
bullhead and black bullhead catfish, slough darter, blackstripe topminnow, brook silverside, log
perch, longnose gar, shortnose gar, spotted gar, smallmouth buffalo, common carp, river
carpsucker, freshwater drum, bullhead minnow, red shiner, golden shiner.
35
Location. This reference
wetland is along the Red
River. It is six miles south and three
and one-half miles west of Idabel on
Highway 259. This reference location is on
private property; no access without
permission. Latitude: 33° 48' 29.78".
Longitude: 94° 53' 19.19". Legal: NE NE NW
Sec 3 T9S 23E.
General Description. This reference site represents wetlands occurring
primarily on the lower Red River drainage system where floods have created
new river channels, leaving the original channel cut off. The cutoff channels are
most often on large bends, giving the wetland a characteristic oxbow or
horseshoe shape. Most of the oxbow lakes in Oklahoma are less than seven feet
in depth. These wetlands remain stable until new floods force the river to move
back to its original course, or cuts out the end that has blocked the drainage.
The wetland ranges in size from 10 acres to over 100 acres.
Red River Oxbow
Oxbow Site
McCurtain County
36
Vegetative Community. These wetlands are most often associated with open
water and most of the vegetation is found along the shoreline zone. Typically
vegetation consists of an overstory of green ash and black willow with an
understory of buttonbush, cutgrass, water primrose and hibiscus.
Hydrology. This wetland receives its water from surface runoff. The
contributing drainage area has a low gradient and runoff enters the system
slowly. Sediment accumulation in this wetland is influenced by the landuse of
the adjacent areas. Most areas are row cropped, delivering a large sediment load
into these wetlands.
Hydrologic Indicators. Primary hydrologic
indicators are gleyed matrix and redox
depletions in the upper profile. Many of these
wetlands are recent in age and may not exhibit
any redoximorphic characteristics. This is most
common in those wetland that develop on soils
with red parent materials. Secondary
indicators are the presence of thin layer of
muck (1/2 to 2 inches) and partially decomposed roots of plants in the upper
10 inches of the soil profile.
Soil Description. The Roebuck soil series is the principal hydric soil in this
wetland type. Roebuck soils are formed in clayey sediments that are deposited
on low gradient backwater areas of flood plains on large river systems. Because
water stands nearly motionless for long periods, the clayey sediment has time to
settle out in thick layers of clay with thinner strata of loamy and sandy materials.
The depositional materials that form this soil are generally red sediments from
Pleistocene age materials.
Soil Profile
A1: 0 to 1 inches, very dark reddish gray (5YR 2.5/1) silty clay muck;
structureless; many very small fragments of decomposed plant parts.
A2: 1 to 8 inches, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) clay; moderate very
fine blocky structure; many fine and medium roots.
B: 8 to 20 inches, reddish brown (5YR4/3) clay; moderate medium
blocky structure; common coarse roots.
Classifications
Cowardin: PEM1C. Soil: Fine, smectic. Aeric Epiaquert.
Landform. Ecoregion: Central Oklahoma/Texas Plains
(29). MLRA: Western Coastal Plains (133B).
Water Quality. These wetlands contain water in sufficient quantity for domestic
uses, but their shallow depth and runoff from adjacent crop lands generally
37
make their water supply undependable for domestic uses.
Landuse. This wetland type is typically used for livestock water and recreation.
The adjacent areas are typically used for corn or soybean production, improved
pasture or alfalfa hay.
Wetland Dependent Wildlife Species
Mammals: Eastern pipistrel, red bat, evening bat, raccoon, swamp rabbit, beaver, muskrat.
Birds: Anhinga, great blue heron, green heron, great egret, little blue heron, snowy egret, yellow-crowned
night heron, black-crowned night heron, white ibis, wood stork, red-winged blackbird,
king rail, sora, purple gallinule, common gallinule (moorhen), great horned owl, barred owl,
belted kingfisher, fish crow, wood duck, mallard.
Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, common musk turtle, Mississippi mud turtle, Missouri
River cooter, red-eared turtle, midland smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell turtle, five-lined
skink, broadhead skink, rough green snake, yellowbelly water snake, midland water snake,
diamondback water snake, broadbanded water snake, eastern hognose snake, great plains rat
snake, speckled kingsnake, Graham’s crayfish snake, brown snake, western ribbon snake,
common garter snake, copperhead, western cottonmouth, western pygmy rattlesnake, timber
rattlesnake.
Amphibians: Central newt, Red River mudpuppy, marbled salamander, spotted salamander,
smallmouth salamander, slimy salamander complex, dwarf American toad, Woodhouse’s toad,
Cope’s gray treefrog, gray treefrog, Blanchard’s cricket frog, western chorus frog, bronze frog,
green frog, southern leopard frog, bullfrog, bird-voiced treefrog, green treefrog, four-toed
salamander, many-ribbed salamander.
Fish: Mosquitofish, largemouth bass, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, warmouth, black
crappie, white crappie, blue gill, redear sunfish, blackstripe topminnow, brook silverside,
bluehead shiner, ribbon shiner, taillight shiner, iron color shiner, yellow bullhead and black
bullhead catfish, channel catfish, longnose gar, shortnose gar, spotted gar, grass pickerel, pygmy
sunfish, pirate perch.
38
Wetland Type:
Playa Lakes
Playa Lakes are found only on the high plains. They are
depressional areas that have no outlets and seasonally pond water
for long durations during years with high rainfall. These areas are
commonly vegetated with woollyleaf bursage, smartweed, western
wheatgrass and curly dock.
39
Hiigh Pllaiinss Pllaya
Playa Site
Texas County
Location. This reference
wetland is located one-half
mile north and two miles east of
Tyrone. This reference wetland is on private
property; no admittance without
permission. Latitude: 36° 56 ' 09"
Longitude: 101° 03' 06". Legal: SW SW Sec.
31, T6N R19E CM.
General Description. This site represents wetlands occurring in
depressional basins within broad, nearly level landscapes in the High Plains
MLRA. These wetlands are part of very stable hydrologic system that has small
amounts of new sediment added to them. These wetlands rely on surface
accumulation from rain or snowfall for their source of water. Playa wetlands are
generally oval in shape and range from one to several hundred acres in size.
Typically water depth is no greater than 60 inches although some may have
depth greater than 8 feet at maximum capacity .
Vegetative Community. Vegetation typically found on this wetland type are
woollyleaf bursage, smartweed, western wheatgrass and curly dock.
40
Hydrology. This wetland type is influenced by seasonal accumulations of
surface water from rainfall and/or snowfall. Because the climatic conditions are
characterized by sporadic precipitation, these wetlands are cyclical in nature.
They may function as wetlands for several years and then remain dry for an
extended period.
Hydrologic Indicators. Primary indicators are few fine,
common redox concentrations and depletions in the
upper 12 inches of soil material. The redox depletions are
found on the structural faces of the soil peds. These soils
are high in organic matter making the indicators difficult
to observe.
Soil Description. The Randall series is the principal soil
on this wetland type. Randall soils formed in clayey, high
plains sediments that were deposited slowly in large
depressional areas. The depositional materials that formed
this soil are from local sediments deposited slowly over time. These soils have
formed on some of the oldest and most stable landscapes in the high plains.
Soil Profile
A: 0-16 inches, black (10YR 2/0) clay; very strong fine and medium
blocky structure; common fine (15%) reddish brown (5YR 4/6) redox
concentrations, few (3%) coarse white (10YR 7/1) redox depletions
on the surface of peds as stripped silt grains; upper 2 inches of
horizon have soft consistency while remainder is hard to very hard.
C: 16-20 inches, very dark grayish brown (10YR 4/1) clay; moderate
medium blocky structure; few (2%) very fine yellowish red (5YR 5/6)
redox concentrations and few (<2%) manganese concentrations.
Classifications
Cowardin: PEM1A, PEM1C. Soil: Fine, smectic, thermic. Ustic
Epiaquert.
Landform. Ecoregion: Western High Plains (25). MLRA: Southern High
Plains (77A).
Water Quality. These wetlands are too cyclical in nature and do not contain
water in sufficient quality or quantity for dependable domestic usage.
Land Use: These wetlands are typically plowed and planted, most commonly
with small grains and grain sorghum. Many of these wetlands have been
developed into tail water pits where surplus irrigation water is collected.
Although these wetlands have had their vegetation drastically disturbed,
minimal impact on their hydrology occurs because of quick recovery of original
functions during wet cycles.
41
Wetland Dependent Wildlife Species
Mammals: Red bat.
Birds: Eared grebe, horned grebe, pied-billed grebe, American white pelican, double-crested,
cormorant, great blue heron, American bittern, green heron, great egret, least bittern, little blue
heron, snowy egret, yellow-crowned night heron, black-crowned night heron, white-faced ibis,
green-winged teal, American wigeon, northern shoveler, ruddy duck, cinnamon teal, pintail,
blue-winged teal, white-fronted goose, gadwall, red-winged blackbird, Canada goose, wood duck,
mallard, ring-necked duck, lesser scaup, greater scaup, hooded merganser, redhead, canvasback,
common goldeneye, bufflehead, common merganser, red-breasted merganser, osprey, bald eagle,
marsh hawk/northern harrier, rough-legged hawk, Virginia rail, sora, American coot, sandhill
crane, black-bellied plover, semipalmated plover, black-necked stilt, American avocet, solitary
sandpiper, lesser yellowlegs, greater yellowlegs, willet, long-billed curlew, marbled godwit,
Franklin’s gull, black tern, great horned owl, snowy owl, barred owl, short-eared owl, belted
kingfisher, red-bellied woodpecker, alder flycatcher, willow flycatcher, white-eyed vireo, Bell’s
vireo, tree swallow.
Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, yellow mud turtle, red-eared turtle, spiny softshell turtle,
blotched water snake, diamondback water snake, western hogsnake, eastern hognose snake,
great plains rat snake, speckled kingsnake, western ribbon snake, western plains garter snake,
common garter snake.
Amphibians: Barred tiger salamander, Woodhouse’s toad, plains leopard frog.
Fish: *Mosquitofish, red shiner, golden shiner, fathead minnow, bullhead minnow.
*The intermittent nature of this wetland type may not provide sufficiently stable hydrologic
conditions for a well developed fish community. As a result, existing fish populations may be
limited to low succession species, which are typically short lived and highly adaptable to
constantly fluctuating water levels.
42
Riparian Corridors (zones) are found in the central
and western parts of Oklahoma on low, frequently-inundated
flood plains. They have saturated soils commonly associated with
high water tables. Vegetation is typically rushes and sedges with an
overstory
of willow,
cotton-wood
and
tamarisk.
Wetland Type:
Riparian Corridor
43
Location. This reference
wetland is on the north side
of Arcadia Lake. Built by the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers for flood control,
water supply and recreation, the lake area is
maintained by the city of Edmond. Latitude:
35° 38' 52". Longitude: 97° 23' 33". Legal:
SW NE Sec. 35 T14N R2W.
General Description. This wetland represents sites commonly
is found in the sediment-choked, small drainage area, narrow streams in the
Cross Timbers MLRA. These wetlands are recent in age, many being less than
100 years old. The influx of sediment keeps the vegetative community in a
constant state of regeneration. These wetlands are long and narrow in shape
and individual areas range from 5 to over 100 acres in size.
Vegetative Community. The vegetation typically found on these sites are black
willow, buttonbush, spike rush, and cattails. When disturbed, these areas
quickly convert to willow, green ash or cottonwood thickets with an understory
of smart weed, sump weed and cockleburs.
Arcadia Lake
Riparian Corridor Site
Oklahoma County
44
Hydrology. The primary water sources for this wetland type are seasonal floods
and subsurface water tables. Most floods last less than one day, with
depressional areas ponding water for over a week. Many of the stream channels
have been filled with sediment, leaving a characteristic braided-stream pattern.
Water tables range in depth from surface level to 3 feet deep, with the highest
water tables occurring during early spring months of March, April and May.
Hydrologic Indicators. Primary indicators are
common redox concentrations in the upper six
inches. These redox concentrations are both iron
and manganese and are most commonly
observed in close proximity to partially
decomposed organic materials. Secondary
indicators are the presence of oxidized
rhizospheres. Partially decomposed roots and
stems that have the appearance of charcoal is
frequently seen in this soil. Hydrologic indicators
are difficult to observe or may be absent when
the sediments have been recently deposited.
Soil Description. The Tribby soil series is the
principal soil on this wetland type. Tribby soils
formed in loamy to sandy sediments deposited on floodplains from adjacent
eroded uplands. The depositional materials that form this soil are red sediments
from sandstones and shales of the Permian geologic age.
Soil Profile
A: 0-6 inches, reddish brown (5YR4/3) fine sandy loam; weak
granular structure; few (<5%) fine yellowish red (5YR 4/6) redox
concentrations; many fine and coarse roots.
C: 6-20 inches, yellowish red (5YR 4/6) fine sandy loam; weak fine
granular structure; few (<5%) fine faint yellowish red (5YR 5/6)
redox concentrations.
Classifications
Cowardin: PFO1A, PFO1C, PEM1A. Soil: Coarse-loamy, mixed,
superactive, nonacid, thermic. Oxyaquic Udifluvent.
Landform Ecoregion: Central Oklahoma/Texas Plains
(29). MLRA: Cross Timbers (84A).
Water Quality. Shallow groundwater tables produce enough water for domestic
purposes but the quality is insufficient for human consumption.
Landuse. This wetland type is typically used for livestock grazing. Areas are
sometimes drained by channelization, and improved pasture grasses like
45
Bermuda grass and fescue are established. The areas adjacent to these soils are
mostly forested with a post oak/blackjack oak community. Adjacent areas are
also grazed with very little crop production in close proximity.
Wetland Dependent Wildlife Species
Mammals: Eastern pipistrel, big brown bat, red bat, evening bat, raccoon, swamp rabbit, beaver,
muskrat.
Birds: Eared grebe, horned grebe, pied-billed grebe, American white pelican, double-crested
cormorant, great blue heron, American bittern, green heron, great egret, little blue heron,
snowy egret, yellow-crowned night heron, black-crowned night heron, white-faced ibis, green-winged
teal, American wigeon, northern shoveler, ruddy duck, cinnamon teal, pintail, blue-winged
teal, white-fronted goose, gadwall, red-winged blackbird, snow goose, Canada goose,
wood duck, mallard, ring-necked duck, lesser scaup, greater scaup, hooded merganser, redhead,
canvasback, common goldeneye, bufflehead, common merganser, osprey, bald eagle, marsh
hawk/northern harrier, red-shouldered hawk, rough-legged hawk, Virginia rail, king rail, sora,
purple gallinule, common gallinule (moorhen), American coot, sandhill crane, whooping crane,
black-bellied plover, semipalmated plover, American avocet, solitary sandpiper, lesser yellowlegs,
greater yellowlegs, willet, long-billed curlew, marbled godwit, Hudsonian godwit, Franklin’s gull,
black tern, great horned owl, barred owl, short-eared owl, belted kingfisher, red-bellied
woodpecker, alder flycatcher, willow flycatcher, white-eyed vireo, Bell’s vireo, fish crow, tree
swallow, veery.
Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, common musk turtle, yellow mud turtle, Mississippi mud
turtle, Missouri River cooter, red-eared turtle, midland smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell
turtle, five-lined skink, broadhead skink, rough green snake, blotched water snake, midland
water snake, northern water snake, diamondback water snake, broadbanded water snake,
western hogsnake, eastern hognose snake, great plains rat snake, speckled kingsnake, Graham’s
crayfish snake, brown snake, western ribbon snake, common garter snake, copperhead, western
cottonmouth, western pygmy rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake.
Amphibians: Bullfrog, barred tiger salamander, smallmouth salamander, dwarf American toad,
Woodhouse’s toad , Cope’s gray treefrog, gray treefrog, Blanchard’s cricket frog, western chorus
frog, green frog, plains leopard frog, southern leopard frog.
Fish: Mosquitofish, largemouth bass, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, warmouth, black
crappie, white crappie, blue gill, redear sunfish, blackstripe topminnow, red shiner, golden
shiner, bullhead minnow, fathead minnow, brook silverside, inland silverside, freshwater drum,
smallmouth buffalo, yellow bullhead and black bullhead catfish, channel catfish, shortnose gar,
spotted gar, common carp.
46
Location. This reference
wetland is found on the
Beaver River. It is located on the west
side of the low water crossing on the west
side of the Beaver River Wildlife
Management Area. Latitude: 36° 49' 34".
Longitude: 100° 42' 02". Legal: SW NW
Sec. 9 T4N R22E CM.
General Description. This site represents wetlands formed
under stable fluvial conditions but affected by more intensive land uses since
settlement. The removal of the native plants, overgrazing and cultivation have
resulted in wind erosion, filling most of the original wetland with over a foot of
sandy deposition. The loss of riparian vegetation has also contributed to stream
channel erosion that has increased the sediment deposition. The result has
been a narrowing of the original wetland areas, often less than 250 feet wide.
Vegetative Community. The vegetation commonly associated with these sites
include an overstory of tamarisk, sandbar willow, peach-leaf willow and
cottonwood with an understory of three square bulrush, curly dock, pale dock,
Beeaveerr Riiveerr Wiilldlliiffee Manageemeentt Arreea
Riparian Corridor Site
Beaver County
47
western wheatgrass, prairie cordgrass, canary grass, and torrey rush. When
disturbed, these sites severely erode, leaving bare sand vegetated by cocklebur,
cottonwood and tamarisk.
Hydrology. The hydrologic sources for these wetland are frequent floods and
subsurface water. Most flooding is of short duration. The water table is
influenced by sandy dune fields typically found on the north side of these
stream systems. The depth to the water table ranges from the surface to three
feet and is generally present in the late winter through late spring. Stream
channels are not well defined and typically exhibit a braided pattern.
Hydrologic Indicators. Primary indicators are
common redox concentrations in the upper 6
inches of the soil. These redox concentrations
commonly occur as coating on sand grains.
Below a depth of 1 foot both redox
concentrations and depletions are present and
are often associated with buried surface
horizons which have higher organic matter
concentrations. Secondary indicators observed
at the site are partially decomposed roots that
have a characteristic charcoal appearance. In
areas where the deposition of sediment is
recent, hydrologic indicators may be absent.
The presence of an apparent water table with a
depth less than one foot can be observed at
periods throughout the year.
Soil Description. The Sweetwater soil series is the principal soil on these
wetland sites. The soil described at the reference site is more similar to the
Gracemore soil series. These soils formed in sandy sediments of Pleistocene
geologic age, deposited by a combination of wind and water.
Soil Profile
A: 0-5 inches, brown (7.5YR 4/4) loamy fine sand; weak very fine
granular structure; many (30%) yellowish red (5YR 5/6) redox
concentrations as coatings on sand grains.
C1: 5-12 inches, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sand; structureless;
common (10%) faint reddish yellow (5YR 6/6) redox concentrations
as coatings on sand grains; common partially decomposed roots.
C2: 12-20 inches, pale brown (7.5YR 5/2) fine sand; structureless;
many (40%) reddish yellow (5YR6/8) redox concentrations as
coatings and many (60%) redox depletions as stripped sand grains;
water table present at 14 inches; few partially decomposed roots.
48
Classifications
Cowardin: PEM1A, PEM1C. Soil: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy skeletal, mixed, calcareous,
thermic. Fluvaquentic Haplaquoll.
Landform. Ecoregion: Southwestern Tablelands (26). MLRA: Southern High
Plains (77E).
Water Quality. The water quality on these wetlands is suitable for domestic
livestock and wildlife but generally not suitable for human consumption.
Land Use. The principal land use associated with this wetland is livestock
grazing. Because during most years these wetlands produce more lush forage
than surrounding areas, the concentration of animals can quickly result in
overgrazing and severe erosion problems. Some areas of this wetland have been
established in improved pasture, but there is very little crop production because
of the flood hazard.
Wetland Dependant Wildlife Species
Mammals: Red bat.
Birds: Eared grebe, horned grebe, pied-billed grebe, American white pelican, double-crested
cormorant, great blue heron, American bittern, green heron, great egret, least bittern, little blue
heron, snowy egret, yellow-crowned night heron, black-crowned night heron, white-faced ibis,
green-winged teal, American wigeon, northern shoveler, ruddy duck, cinnamon teal, pintail,
blue-winged teal, white-fronted goose, gadwall, red-winged blackbird, Canada goose, wood duck,
mallard, ring-necked duck, lesser scaup, greater scaup, hooded merganser, redhead, canvasback,
common goldeneye, bufflehead, common merganser, red-breasted merganser, osprey, bald eagle,
marsh hawk/northern harrier, rough-legged hawk, Virginia rail, sora, American coot, sandhill
crane, black-bellied plover, semipalmated plover, black-necked stilt, American avocet, solitary
sandpiper, lesser yellowlegs, greater yellowlegs, willet, long-billed curlew, marbled godwit,
Franklin’s gull, black tern, great horned owl, snowy owl, barred owl, short-eared owl, belted
kingfisher, red-bellied woodpecker, alder flycatcher, willow flycatcher, white-eyed vireo, Bell’s
vireo, tree swallow.
Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, yellow mud turtle, red-eared turtle, spiny softshell turtle,
blotched water snake, diamondback water snake, western hogsnake, eastern hognose snake,
great plains rat snake, speckled kingsnake, western ribbon snake, western plains garter snake,
common garter snake.
Amphibians: Barred tiger salamander, Woodhouse’s toad, Bullfrog, plains leopard frog.
Fish: Largemouth bass, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, red shiner, golden shiner,
bullhead minnow, fathead minnow, yellow bullhead and black bullhead catfish, channel catfish,
mosquitofish.
49
Cloud Creek
Riparian Corridor Site
Washita County
Location. The Cloud Creek
Riparian Corridor Wetland
represents sites on stream systems
in southwestern Oklahoma. It is five miles
east and four miles south of Cordell on
Highway 152. This reference location is on
private property; no access without
permission. Latitude: 35° 14' 13". Longitude:
98° 54' 44". Legal: NE SW SE Sec 20 T9N R16W.
General Description. This reference site represents wetlands occurring
primarily on small drainage systems in erosional uplands in southwestern
Oklahoma. The continual influx of sediment results in poorly-defined channels
and a vegetative community that is in a constant state of regeneration. Many of
these areas have been converted to crop production and/or livestock grazing,
but a rising water table, due to channel siltation, tends to convert these areas to
a natural wetland state. These wetlands are typically long and narrow in shape,
and range from 10 to more than 100 acres in size.
50
Vegetative Community. Vegetation typically found on these sites is an overstory
of black willow, tamarisk and cottonwood with a sparse understory of cattails
and sedges. When disturbed by cultivation or sedimentation, these areas
convert to willow or cottonwood thickets with an understory of smartweed,
sumpweed and cockleburs.
Hydrology. These wetlands receive their water from surface runoff. The
contributing drainage area has a low gradient and runoff enters the system
slowly. Sediment accumulation in this wetland type is influenced by land use of
the adjacent areas. Row crops are typically planted, producing a substantial
sediment load into these wetlands.
Hydrologic Indicators. Primary hydrologic
indicators are 10 to 40% black (5YR 2.5/1)
organic stains on faces of peds and few (5%)
yellowish-red (5YR 5/6) redox concentrations
(both iron and manganese) in the upper 8
inches of the soil profile. Secondary indicators
are the presence of oxidized rhizospheres.
Another commonly observed indicator is the
presence of many partially-decomposed plant materials (roots and stems) in the
lower part of the soil profile having a characteristic charcoal appearance. Where
sediment has recently been deposited, hydrologic indicators may be absent or
difficult to observe. Non-decomposed plant parts below 6 inches in the soil
profile indicate that sediment is recent.
Soil Description. The Retrop soil series is the principal hydric soil on this
wetland type. Retrop soils formed in loamy and clayey sediments deposited on
flood plains from adjacent erosional uplands. The depositional materials that
form this soil are red sediments from sandstones and shales of Permian geologic
age. These soils are recent in age, many developed since statehood.
Soil Profile
A1: 0 to 1 inches, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) silt loam; weak,
very fine granular structure; few (less than 5%) faint yellowish-red
(5YR 4/6) redox concentrations; many fine and very fine roots
(matted).
A2: 1 to 7 inches, dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2) very fine sandy
loam; weak, fine granular structure; many (40%) black (5YR 2.5/1)
organic stains on ped faces; few coarse and many medium and fine
roots.
B: 7 to 20 inches, reddish brown (5YR4/4) very fine sandy loam;
moderate fine subangular blocky structure; few faint dark red
(2.5YR) redox concentrations; few medium and coarse roots.
51
Classifications
Cowardin: PEM1C. Soil: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, calcareous, thermic. Oxyaquic
Udifluvent.
Landform. Ecoregion: Central Great Plains (27). MLRA: Central Rolling Red
Plains (78C).
Water Quality. These wetlands contain water in sufficient quantity for domestic
uses, but shallow depth and runoff from adjacent crop lands generally make an
undependable water supply for domestic uses.
Landuse. This wetland type is typically used for livestock water and recreation.
The adjacent areas are typically used for corn, soybean or alfalfa hay production,
or as improved pasture.
Wetland Dependent Wildlife Species
Mammals: Cave myotis, western pipistrel, eastern pipistrel, big brown bat, red bat, evening bat,
raccoon, swamp rabbit, beaver, muskrat.
Birds: Eared grebe, horned grebe, pied-billed grebe, American white pelican, double-crested
cormorant, great blue heron, American bittern, green heron, great egret, least bittern, little blue
heron, snowy egret, yellow-crowned night heron, black-crowned night heron, white-faced ibis,
green-winged teal, American wigeon, northern shoveler, ruddy duck, cinnamon teal, pintail,
blue-winged teal, white-fronted goose, gadwall, red-winged blackbird, snow goose, Canada goose,
wood duck, mallard, ring-necked duck, lesser scaup, hooded merganser, redhead, canvasback,
common goldeneye, bufflehead, common merganser, osprey, bald eagle, marsh hawk/northern
harrier, rough-legged hawk, king rail, common gallinule (moorhen), sandhill crane, whooping
crane, black-bellied plover, American avocet, solitary sandpiper, lesser yellowlegs, greater
yellowlegs, willet, whimbrel, long-billed curlew, Hudsonian godwit, Franklin’s gull, black tern,
great horned owl, barred owl, short-eared owl, belted kingfisher, red-bellied woodpecker, white-eyed
vireo, Bell’s vireo, tree swallow, veery.
Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, yellow mud turtle, Missouri River cooter, red-eared turtle,
midland smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell turtle, five-lined skink, rough green snake,
blotched water snake, diamondback water snake, western hogsnake, eastern hognose snake,
great plains rat snake, speckled kingsnake, Graham’s crayfish snake, brown snake, western
ribbon snake, western plains garter snake, common garter snake, copperhead, western
cottonmouth, western pygmy rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake.
Amphibians: Smallmouth salamander, dwarf American toad, Woodhouse’s toad , Blanchard’s
cricket frog, plains leopard frog, bullfrog.
Fish: Mosquitofish, largemouth bass, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, warmouth, black
crappie, white crappie, blue gill, redear sunfish, red shiner, golden shiner, bullhead minnow,
fathead minnow, yellow bullhead and black bullhead catfish, channel catfish.
52
Location. This reference
wetland is located near Fort
Cobb Lake on a golf course.
Latitude: 35° 10' 47". Longitude: 98° 26 '
35". Legal: NE SE Sec 10 T8N R12W.
General Description. This site represents
wetlands found in sediment choked, narrow
streams with small drainage areas. These wetlands are
recent in age, many less than 100 years old. The influx of
sediment keeps the vegetative community in a constant state of regeneration.
These wetlands are generally long and narrow in shape, and range from 5 to 75
acres in size.
Vegetative Community. Vegetation typically found on these sites is an overstory
of black willow with an understory of arrowhead, rice cutgrass, Pennsylvania
smartweed and scouring rush. In areas that pond water, the sites may be
dominated by cattail and lotus. When disturbed, these areas convert to willow
or cottonwood thickets, with an understory of smartweed, sumpweed and
cockleburs.
Fort Cobb State Park
Riparian Corridor Site
Caddo County
53
Hydrology. Frequent seasonal floods and subsurface water tables provide water
for these wetlands. Most floods are of short duration, often lasting less than 24
hours. Depressions within this wetland type may pond water for greater than a
month. Stream channels within this wetland are generally filled with sediment
and are characterized by a braided stream pattern. Water tables are present
during the late winter, early spring and summer and range in depth from the
surface to a depth of 3 feet below the soil surface.
Hydrologic Indicators. Primary hydrologic
indicators are 15 to 60% redox concentration
(both iron and manganese) in the upper eight
inches of the soil profile. Some profiles have
few 2 to 5% redox depletions within 20 inches
of the surface. Secondary indicators are the
presence of oxidized rhizospheres. Another
commonly observed indicator is the presence
of many partially decomposed plant materials
(roots and stems) in the lower part of the soil
profile having a characteristic charcoal
appearance. Where sediment has recently been
deposited, hydrologic indicators may be absent
or difficult to observe. Indications that
sediment is recent include non-decomposed
plant parts below 6 inches in the soil profile.
Soil Description. The Gracemont soil series is the principal hydric soil on this
wetland type. Gracemont soils formed in loamy sediments deposited on flood
plains from adjacent erosional uplands. The depositional materials that form
this soil are red sediments from sandstones and shales of Permian geologic age.
These soils are recent in age.
Soil Profile
A1: 0-4 inches, reddish brown (5YR4/4) fine sandy loam; weak fine
granular structure; many (60%) reddish yellow (5YR5/6) redox
concentrations; many fine and medium roots.
A1: 4-8 inches, dark brown (7.5YR 4/2) fine sandy loam; weak fine
granular structure; many (15%) redox concentrations (manganese)
on faces of peds; many fine and medium roots.
C: 8-20 inches, brown (7.5YR 4/4) very fine sandy loam; massive;
few (<5%) yellowish red (5YR 5/6) redox concentrations on ped
faces; many partially decomposed roots below 16 inches having a
characteristic charcoal appearance.
Classifications
Cowardin: PFO1A, PFO1C, PEM1A. Soil: Coarse-loamy, mixed,
superactive, calcareous, thermic. Oxyaquic Udifluvent.
54
Landform. Ecoregion: Central Great Plains (27). MLRA: Central Rolling Red
Prairies (80A).
Water Quality. Shallow groundwater tables produce enough water for domestic
purposes, but the dependability and quality of the water make it insufficient for
human consumption.
Land Use This wetland type is usually used for livestock production. In some
cases these areas become drained as a result of stream channelization after
which pasture grasses are established. Some areas are sufficiently drained to
allow limited crop production. Areas adjacent to these wetlands are commonly
used for cropland, rangeland or improved pasture.
Wetland Dependent Wildlife Species
Mammals: Cave myotis, western pipistrel, eastern pipistrel, big brown bat, red bat, evening bat,
raccoon, swamp rabbit, beaver, muskrat.
Birds: Eared grebe, horned grebe, pied-billed grebe, American white pelican, double-crested
cormorant, great blue heron, American bittern, green heron, great egret, least bittern, little blue
heron, snowy egret, yellow-crowned night heron, black-crowned night heron, white-faced ibis,
green-winged teal, American wigeon, northern shoveler, ruddy duck, cinnamon teal, pintail,
blue-winged teal, white-fronted goose, gadwall, red-winged blackbird, snow goose, Canada goose,
wood duck, mallard, ring-necked duck, lesser scaup, hooded merganser, redhead, canvasback,
common goldeneye, bufflehead, common merganser, osprey, bald eagle, marsh hawk/northern
harrier, rough-legged hawk, king rail, common gallinule (moorhen), sandhill crane, whooping
crane, black-bellied plover, American avocet, solitary sandpiper, lesser yellowlegs, greater
yellowlegs, willet, whimbrel, long-billed curlew, Hudsonian godwit, Franklin’s gull, black tern,
great horned owl, barred owl, short-eared owl, belted kingfisher, red-bellied woodpecker, white-eyed
vireo, Bell’s vireo, tree swallow, veery.
Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, yellow mud turtle, Missouri River cooter, red-eared turtle,
midland smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell turtle, five-lined skink, rough green snake,
blotched water snake, diamondback water snake, western hogsnake, eastern hognose snake,
great plains rat snake, speckled kingsnake, Graham’s crayfish snake, brown snake, western
ribbon snake, western plains garter snake, common garter snake, western cottonmouth, western
pygmy rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake.
Amphibians: Smallmouth salamander, dwarf American toad, Woodhouse’s toad , Cope’s gray
treefrog, gray treefrog, Blanchard’s cricket frog, western chorus frog, plains leopard frog,
bullfrog.
Fish: Mosquitofish, largemouth bass, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, warmouth, black
crappie, white crappie, blue gill, redear sunfish, red shiner, golden shiner, bullhead minnow,
fathead minnow, blackstripe topminnow, brook silverside, yellow bullhead and black bullhead
catfish, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum.
55
Little Sahara
Riparian Corridor Site
Woods County
Location. This reference
wetland is located one-quarter
mile north of the Cimarron River
bridge on the east side of State Highway
281. This reference wetland is on private
property; no access without permission.
Latitude: 36° 30' 36". Longitude: 98° 52'
58". Legal: SW SE Sec. 26 T24N R16W.
General Description. This wetland represents those found on
large rivers and major tributaries in the Central Rolling Red Plains. These
wetlands are recent in age and have formed under unstable conditions. Recent
depositions of sediment, by both wind and water erosion, have blocked drainage
and created the depressional areas that define these wetlands. These wetlands
are characteristically found on the back side of flood plains and are long and
narrow in shape.
Vegetative Community. The vegetation on these wetlands are characteristic of
recently developed, emergent wetlands with torrey rush, three square bulrush,
spike rush, water primrose, buttonbush and switch grass dominating the area.
56
When overgrazed or disturbed those areas become dominated by spike rush.
Hydrology. The water source for these wetlands are frequent, short duration
floods and subsurface water. Flooding fills the depressions while the availability
of subsurface water is affected by the degree of stratification of depositional soil
materials. The most consistent water tables are associated with clay strata that
help perch the water near the surface. Water table depth ranges from the
surface to 1 1/2 feet deep with the highest water tables occurring during the
early spring months of March, April and May.
Hydrologic Indicators. Primary indicators
found in this wetland are common redox
concentrations occurring as manganese stains
with few faint iron redox concentrations. The
surface layer is high in organic matter
streaking of organic matter into the
underlying horizon is common. Secondary
indicators are the presence of oxidized
rhizospheres in the upper 4 inches of soil. This wetland commonly ponds water
and the water table ranges from 6 to 12 inches below the surface from spring
through early summer.
Soil Description. The Ezell series is the principal soil in this wetland type. Ezell
soils formed in sandy sediments of the Pleistocene geologic age. These
sediments have been deposited by both water and wind on the major river
systems through the central rolling red plains. The surface layer of this soil is
high in organic matter. These soils have sandy subsurface layers that are often
stratified with more clayey textures.
Soil Profile
A: 0 to 5 inches, black (7.5YR 2/1) loamy fine sand; weak very fine
granular structure; many (20%) manganese redox concentrations.
C1: 5 to 14 inches, brown (7.5YR 4/6) loamy fine sand; massive; few
(2%) yellowish red (5YR 5/6) redox concentrations; water table at 14
inches.
C2: 14-20 inches, strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine sand; massive;
structureless.
Classifications
Cowardin: PEM1C, PEM1A. Soil: Sandy, mixed, thermic. Aeric
Fluvaquent.
Landform. Ecoregion: Central Great Plains (27).
MLRA: Central Rolling Red Plains (78C).
57
Water Quality. The water quality on these sites is insufficient for human
consumption, generally containing too many total dissolved solids.
Land Use. This wetland type is typically used for livestock grazing. Some areas
have been drained and used for improved pasture and limited crop production,
but frequent floods and deposition of sediment makes crop production
impractical for most areas.
Wetland Dependent Wildlife Species
Mammals: Cave myotis, western pipistrel, eastern pipistrel, big brown bat, red bat, evening bat,
raccoon, swamp rabbit, beaver, muskrat.
Birds: Eared grebe, horned grebe, pied-billed grebe, American white pelican, double-crested
cormorant, great blue heron, American bittern, green heron, great egret, least bittern, little blue
heron, snowy egret, yellow-crowned night heron, black-crowned night heron, white-faced ibis,
green-winged teal, American wigeon, northern shoveler, ruddy duck, cinnamon teal, pintail,
blue-winged teal, white-fronted goose, gadwall, red-winged blackbird, snow goose, Canada goose,
wood duck, mallard, ring-necked duck, lesser scaup, hooded merganser, redhead, canvasback,
common goldeneye, bufflehead, common merganser, osprey, bald eagle, marsh hawk/northern
harrier, rough-legged hawk, king rail, common gallinule (moorhen), sandhill crane, whooping
crane, black-bellied plover, American avocet, solitary sandpiper, lesser yellowlegs, greater
yellowlegs, willet, whimbrel, long-billed curlew, Hudsonian godwit, Franklin’s gull, black tern,
great horned owl, barred owl, short-eared owl, belted kingfisher, red-bellied woodpecker, white-eyed
vireo, Bell’s vireo, tree swallow, veery.
Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, yellow mud turtle, Missouri River cooter, red-eared turtle,
midland smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell turtle, five-lined skink, rough green snake,
blotched water snake, diamondback water snake, western hogsnake, eastern hognose snake,
great plains rat snake, speckled kingsnake, Graham’s crayfish snake, brown snake, western
ribbon snake, western plains garter snake, common garter snake, copperhead, western
cottonmouth, western pygmy rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake.
Amphibians: Smallmouth salamander, dwarf American toad, Woodhouse’s toad, Blanchard’s
cricket frog, western chorus frog, plains leopard frog, bullfrog.
Fish: Mosquitofish, largemouth bass, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, warmouth, black
crappie, white crappie, blue gill, redear sunfish, red shiner, golden shiner, bullhead minnow,
fathead minnow, brook silverside, yellow bullhead and black bullhead catfish, channel catfish,
common carp, freshwater drum.
58
Okmulgee Wildlife Management Area
Riparian Corridor Site
Okmulgee County
Location. This reference
wetland is on a portion of the
of the Deep Fork of the Canadian
River system. It is located three and one-half
miles west and two and one-half miles north
of Okmulgee on the Okmulgee Wildlife
Management Area. This reference wetland
location is on state property. Latitude: 35° 39'
28" Longitude: 96° 02' 19". Legal: SE SE NW SE Sec.
28 T14N R12E
General Description. This reference wetland is representative of areas
bordering the Deep Fork River and its main tributaries in the east central part
of Oklahoma. These wetlands typically are on the back side of broad flood
plains and on depression or concave surfaces. Sediment loading is limited to
large flood events. This wetland land form is characterized by a series of oval to
oblong depressions, separated by slightly higher (less than 0.5 feet) ridges of
sandy soil materials. Surface water accumulation is from both out-of-bank
flooding and runoff from adjacent uplands. Groundwater tables are near the
surface during the winter and early spring.
59
Vegetative Community. Vegetation typically found on these sites is an overstory
of green ash, pecan, Shumard oak, pin oak, bur oak, elm, and black willow with
an understory of broadleaf uniola, sedges, and wild rye. When disturbed, these
areas convert to black willow and green ash with an understory of sedges and
annual grasses such as green spangletop. Curly dock and cocklebur are common
in abandoned cropland areas.
Hydrology. The water source for these wetlands is provided by frequent floods
of short to long duration and ground water tables. Water tables range in depth
from above the surface on ponded areas to 2 feet below the surface, with the
highest levels occurring during the winter and early spring months. Subsurface
water typically moves through the large cracks and between the structural units
of the clay soils. These areas often have sandy surface layers near channel banks
that are slightly higher and more well drained.
Hydrologic Indicators. These soils have formed in red parent materials from
the Permian geologic period. Hydrologic indicators in the soil are often faint or
absent. Where visible, the primary hydrologic
indicators are 5 to 35 % redox concentrations
(both iron and manganese) and redox
depletions within 8 inches of the surface.
Secondary indicators are the presence of
oxidized rhizospheres. Another commonly
observed indicator is the presence of partially
decomposed plant materials (roots and stems)
in the soil profile that have a characteristic
charcoal appearance. Other indicators are the presence of water stained leaves
in depressional areas that pond water for the longest periods of time, and fluted
and buttressed tree trunks. High water marks and debris lines at the four to six
foot level are common on trees near larger rivers.
Soil Description. The Ustibuck soil series is the principal hydric soil series that
forms this wetland type. Ustibuck soils formed in clay sediments deposited on
depressional areas of flood plains where fine silts and clay sediments have had
time to filter out. The depositional materials that form this soil are red
sediments from sandstones and shales of Permian geologic age. These soils have
developed under a steady influx of sediments and are recent in age. They
typically have dark, reddish brown clay surface layers and reddish brown
subsoils. The presence of redox features depends on the age of the soils and the
duration of saturation.
60
Soil Profile
A1: 0 to 8 inches, dark reddish brown (5YR3/3) clay; strong fine
granular structure; hard, firm; many fine and medium roots.
B: 8 to 20 inches, reddish brown (5YR 4/4) clay; moderate medium
and fine blocky structure; extremely hard, very firm; many (30%)
yellowish red (5YR 5/6) redox concentrations and many (35%)
reddish gray redox depletions; common medium and coarse roots.
Classifications
Cowardin: PFO1A, PFO1C, PEM1A, PEM1C. Soil: Fine, smectic,
thermic. Ustic Eqiaquert.
Landform. Ecoregion: Central Oklahoma/Texas Plains
(29). MLRA: Arkansas Valley and Ridges (118B).
Water Quality. Shallow groundwater tables do not produce enough water for
domestic purposes. Water tables are seasonal and the groundwater often
contains excessive salinity.
Landuse. This wetland type is often converted to livestock production. Areas
are sometimes drained by channelization and diking, and pasture grasses are
established. Some areas are sufficiently drained so that limited crop production
can occur. When cleared or diked areas are abandoned, green ash, cottonwood,
black willow, curly dock, smartweed and annual grasses predominate. Areas
adjacent to these wetlands are commonly used for cropland, rangeland or
improved pasture.
Wetland Dependent Wildlife Species
Mammals: Eastern pipistrel, big brown bat, red bat, evening bat, raccoon, swamp rabbit, beaver,
muskrat.
Birds: Eared grebe, horned grebe, pied-billed grebe, American white pelican, double-crested
cormorant, great blue heron, American bittern, green heron, great egret, little blue heron,
snowy egret, yellow-crowned night heron, black-crowned night heron, white-faced ibis, green-winged
teal, American wigeon, northern shoveler, ruddy duck, cinnamon teal, pintail, blue-winged
teal, white-fronted goose, gadwall, red-winged blackbird, snow goose, Canada goose,
wood duck, mallard, ring-necked duck, lesser scaup, greater scaup, hooded merganser, redhead
canvasback, common goldeneye, bufflehead, common merganser, osprey, bald eagle, marsh
hawk/northern harrier, red-shouldered hawk, rough-legged hawk, Virginia rail, king rail, sora,
purple gallinule, common gallinule (moorhen), American coot, sandhill crane, whooping crane,
black-bellied plover, semipalmated plover, American avocet, solitary sandpiper, lesser yellowlegs,
greater yellowlegs, willet, long-billed curlew, marbled godwit, Hudsonian godwit, Franklin’s gull,
black tern, great horned owl, barred owl, short-eared owl, belted kingfisher, red-bellied
woodpecker, alder flycatcher, willow flycatcher, white-eyed vireo, Bell’s vireo, fish crow, tree
swallow, veery.
Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, common musk turtle, yellow mud turtle, Mississippi mud
turtle, Missouri River cooter, red-eared turtle, midland smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell
turtle, five-lined skink, broadhead skink, rough green snake, midland water snake, northern
water snake, diamondback water snake, broadbanded water snake, western hogsnake, eastern
hognose snake, great plains rat snake, speckled kingsnake, Graham’s crayfish snake, brown
61
snake, western ribbon snake, common garter snake, copperhead, western cottonmouth, western
pygmy rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake.
Amphibians: Barred tiger salamander, smallmouth salamander, dwarf American toad,
Woodhouse’s toad, Cope’s gray treefrog, gray treefrog, Blanchard’s cricket frog, western chorus
frog, bronze frog, green frog, plains leopard frog, southern leopard frog, bullfrog.
Fish: Mosquitofish, largemouth bass, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, warmouth, black
crappie, white crappie, blue gill, redear sunfish, blackstripe topminnow, red shiner, golden
shiner, bullhead minnow, common carp, smallmouth buffalo, freshwater drum, river carp
sucker, longnose gar, shortnose gar, spotted gar, blackstripe topminnow, brook silverside, slough
darter.
62
Wetland Type:
Swamp
Swamps, Bogs, and Marshes are forested
habitats on low, frequently-inundated flood plains in the
southeastern part of the state. Soils are saturated and surface
water stands well into the growing season. The understory
vegetation is typically rushes and sedges, with an overstory of bald
cypress,
overcup
oak, and
willow
oak.
63
Grassy Slough WRP
Swamp/Emergent Marsh Site
McCurtain County
Location. This reference
wetland is located one mile
west and one-half mile north of
Pollard in McCurtain County. This
reference location is on private property that
is protected by a permanent easement
through the Wetland Reserve Program
(WRP); no access without permission.
Latitude: 33° 48' 06". Longitude: 94° 44' 22". Legal:
NW SE SE NW Sec 6 T9S R25E.
General Description. This site represents wetlands found on small streams in
the Western Coastal Plains MLRA in the southeastern part of Oklahoma. They
typically are on lower flood plains. These wetlands are very stable when left
undisturbed, but any alteration of the vegetation, surface drainage or land use
on adjacent areas can quickly affect them by increasing the sediment load and
restricting surface and subsurface flow rates. This wetland landform is
characterized by narrow bands of flood plains that dissect the adjacent sandy
and loamy uplands. Groundwater accumulation is from infiltration through
adjacent uplands and low gradient flow through the flood plain itself.
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Groundwater tables are at or above the surface during most of the year.
Vegetative Community. Vegetation typically found on these sites is an emergent
shrub/scrub community of alder with a herbaceous community of tearthumb,
smartweed, rice cutgrass and water primrose. These areas have a shrub layer of
buttonbush.
Hydrology. The water sources for these wetlands are surface water that enters
the stream system from numerous small local watersheds and ground water that
has infiltrated the adjacent upslope areas, and from numerous seeps and
springs. Water tables range in depth from 3 feet above the surface to 6 inches
below the surface, with the highest levels occurring during the fall through early
summer. Subsurface water typically moves throughout the soils.
Hydrologic Indicators. Primary hydrologic
indicators are a thin muck surface layer and
gleyed subsurface layers with common to many
redox concentrations. These soils contain few
to many (5 to 30%) redox concentrations in
the mineral portion, distributed on structural
faces of soil peds.
Soil Description. The Bibb series is the principle hydric soil found on these
wetland areas. These soils formed in sandy and loamy alluvial sediments
deposited on flood plains from the adjacent erosional uplands. These soils have
thin muck layers overlaying dark brown fine sandy loam mineral surface layers
and gray fine sandy loam subsoil layers. The alluvial materials that form these
soils are brown sediments of the Cretaceous geologic age. These soils are recent
in age.
Soil Profile
O: 0 to 1 inch, very dark gray (10YR 3/0) decomposed (>80%)
organic material; structureless.
A1: 1 to 14 inches, dark brown (7.5YR3/4) fine sandy loam; weak
fine granular structure; many (30%) strong brown (7YR 4/6, 5/6)
redox concentrations on structural faces of soil peds; soft, very
friable; many fine roots in surface matte.
C1g: 6 to 14 inches, gray (5Y5/1) fine sandy loam; weak coarse
subangular blocky structure; common (5%) strong brown (7.5YR 5/
6) redox concentrations on faces of soil structural units; soft, very
friable; few medium course roots.
Classifications
Cowardin: PEM1C, PEM1A, PFO1C, PFO1A. Soil: Coarse-loamy,
siliceous, active, acid, thermic. Typic Fluvaquent.
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Landform. Ecoregion: South Central Plains (35). MLRA: Western Coastal
Plains (133B).
Water Quality. Shallow groundwater tables produce enough water for domestic
purposes.
Landuse. This wetland type is often used for livestock grazing, timber and
wildlife habitat. Areas are sometimes drained by clearing and channelization,
and pasture grasses such as Bermuda grass are established. The frequent
flooding restricts the use of these soils for crop production. There is some
limited pine in areas where there have been adequate drainage measures
installed. Areas adjacent to these wetlands are also commonly used for
woodland or wildlife habitat.
Wetland Dependent Wildlife Species
Mammals: Eastern pipistrel, red bat, evening bat, raccoon, swamp rabbit, beaver, muskrat.
Birds: Anhinga, great blue heron, green heron, great egret, little blue heron, snowy egret, yellow-crowned
night heron, black-crowned night heron, white ibis, wood stork, red-winged blackbird,
king rail, sora, purple gallinule, common gallinule (moorhen), great horned owl, barred owl,
belted kingfisher, fish crow, wood duck, mallard.
Reptiles: Common snapping turtle, common musk turtle, Mississippi mud turtle, Missouri
River cooter, red-eared turtle, midland smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell turtle, five-lined
skink, broadhead skink, rough green snake, yellowbelly water snake, midland water snake,
diamondback water snake, broadbanded water snake, eastern hognose snake, great plains rat
snake, speckled kingsnake, Graham’s crayfish snake, brown snake, western ribbon snake,
common garter snake, copperhead, western cottonmouth, western pygmy rattlesnake, timber
rattlesnake.
Amphibians: Central newt, Red River mudpuppy, marbled salamander, spotted salamander,
smallmouth salamander, slimy salamander complex, dwarf American toad, Woodhouse’s toad,
Cope’s gray treefrog, gray treefrog, Blanchard’s cricket frog, western chorus frog, bronze frog,
green frog, southern leopard frog, many ribbed salamander, four-toed salamander, green
treefrog, bird-voiced treefrog.
Fish: Mosquitofish, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish,
warmouth, black crappie, white crappie, blue gill, redear sunfish, blackstripe topminnow, red
shiner, golden shiner, bullhead minnow, brook silverside, blackspotted topminnow, yellow
bullhead and black bullhead catfish, channel catfish, longnose gar, shortnose gar, spotted gar,
alligator gar pirate perch, grass pickerel, bowfin.
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Little River National Wildlife Refuge
Swamp/Marsh Site
McCurtain County
Location. Th