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Ecological site R058CY091ND

Loamy Terrace

Last updated: 10/31/2018
Accessed: 12/08/2023

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General information

Provisional. A provisional ecological site description has undergone quality control and quality assurance review. It contains a working state and transition model and enough information to identify the ecological site.

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Figure 1. Mapped extent

Areas shown in blue indicate the maximum mapped extent of this ecological site. Other ecological sites likely occur within the highlighted areas. It is also possible for this ecological site to occur outside of highlighted areas if detailed soil survey has not been completed or recently updated.

MLRA notes

Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 058C–Northern Rolling High Plains, Northeastern Part

MLRA 58C covers 2,780 square miles and encompasses approximately 1.8 million acres. The Area spans two states with 96 percent of the area in North Dakota and 4 percent in Montana. The acreage inside MLRA 58C is 56 percent privately owned and 44 percent federal land. The federal land consists of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, Little Missouri National Grasslands, and Theodore Roosevelt National Park. MLRA 58C landscape is characterized by steeply sloping, dissected badlands along the Little Missouri River and its tributaries. Tertiary marine shale, siltstone, and sandstone sediments are the most common soil parent materials in this MLRA. Primary land uses are rangeland for grazing and wildlife habitat. Microclimates inherent in badlands landscapes influence both variety and abundance of vegetation in MLRA 58C. South- and west-facing exposures are dry, hot, and sparsely vegetated. More humid and cooler north- and east-facing exposures are favorable for abundant forage and woody vegetation.

Classification relationships

Major land resource area (MLRA): 058C-Northern Rolling High Plains Northeastern Part.

Ecological site concept

The Loamy Terrace ecological site is located on flood plains and stream terraces. These sites have a flooding frequency ranging from rare to occasional. The slopes vary from 0 to 6 percent, and the soil surface texture is typically loam.

Associated sites

R058CY070ND	Badlands Fan The Badlands Fan ecological site (ES) is upslope from the Loamy Terrace ES on floodplain steps below very steep badland escarpments. Soils are medium-textured, well drained, and developed in stratified layers of slope alluvium eroding from the adjacent, sparsely-vegetated, very steep Badlands escarpments. Carbonates are present at or near the soil surface. Soils on Badlands Fan sites are medium-textured and will form a ribbon less than 2 inches long before breaking. As a result of constant deposition of sediments from the adjacent steep, sparsely-vegetated badlands escarpments above it on the landscape, the Badlands Fan site has more bare ground and less production than the Loamy Terrace site. Principal species are blue grama, western wheatgrass, and sedges.
R058CY074ND	Loamy Overflow The Loamy Overflow ecological site on floodplains is part of the riparian zone of the river or stream system. This site is on intermittent or perennial river or stream systems and is frequently flooded. This site has a fluctuating water table that depends on the rise and fall of the water in the river or stream channel. Soil drainage ranges from moderately well to very poorly drained. Surface and subsurface textures can vary from sands and gravels to clay loams. The Loamy Overflow sites are downslope from Loamy Terrace sites. This site is also downslope from Choppy Sands and Sandy Terrace ecological sites that are on higher adjacent floodplain steps and terraces. The river or stream channel occurs directly below the Loamy Overflow sites. On frequently flooded floodplains, this site is in the process of being correlated to a more accurate ESD called “Riparian Complex."
R058CY079ND	Limy Residual Soils on the Limy Residual ecological site are moderately deep to very deep, medium-textured soils that are calcareous either at the surface or within 8 inches of the soil surface. These soils developed on the upper backslopes of hills, ridges, buttes, and knolls, or on relatively stable alluvial fans at the base of these steeper landforms. The surface A horizon is thin, and these soils generally do not have a mollic epipedon. The soils on Limy Residual sites will form a ribbon less than 2 inches long before breaking. Limy Residual sites are upslope from Loamy Terrace ecological sites and downslope from Shallow Loamy ecological sites. The Limy Residual site is on a higher, drier landform position and has less production than the Loamy Terrace ecological site. Indicator species: western wheatgrass, little bluestem, plains muhly, porcupinegrass, and sideoats grama, with Missouri goldenrod, dotted gayfeather, pasqueflower, purple coneflower, and purple prairie clover, and shrubs like winterfat and prairie rose.
R058CY089ND	Sandy Terrace The Sandy Terrace ecological site has well drained soils on river or stream terraces that will flood occasionally (once in ten years) to rarely (1 to 5 times in 100 years). These floodplain steps generally have a water table that fluctuates with the depth of the water in the river or stream channel. The soils are very deep and have moderately coarse textures with stratified layers in the subsoil below the surface layer. These landforms receive periodic deposition from occasional flooding events, so carbonates may or may not be present at or near the surface. The Sandy Terrace sites are typically closer to the associated river or stream and on a similar or slightly lower elevation than the Loamy Terrace. The Sandy Terrace site is downslope from Limy Residual, Badland Fan, Loamy, Sandy, Clayey, and Sands ecological sites. The site is upslope from Saline Lowland and Loamy Overflow (“Riparian Complex”) ecological sites. Indicator species are prairie sandreed evenly mixed with sand bluestem, some Canada wildrye, penstemon, and leadplant and/or western snowberry, silver sage, and possibly trees. The Sandy Terrace site has more production then the Sandy ecological site, which occurs on a different landform position, and has no flooding hazard. Also, the Sandy Terrace site has more silver sagebrush and/or western snowberry with sporadic trees than the Sandy ecological site.
R058CY090ND	Saline Lowland Soils on Saline Lowland ecological sites are very deep, poorly drained, saline soils that are often high in sodium. On floodplain steps in MLRA 58C, Saline Lowland sites are typically in the shallow concave drainageways that cross the floodplains and accumulate sediments eroded from the surrounding sodium-affected uplands. A contributing factor to these sites are seep areas that surface at the base of the uplands. The water of the seeps accumulate high amounts of salts/sodium from the upland parent material and drain onto the lowlands. The Claypan and Thin Claypan ecological sites are usually associated with these uplands. The Saline Lowland sites are lower on the landform than the surrounding Loamy Terrace, Sandy Terrace, and Limy Residual sites. Saline Lowland sites are on slightly higher landscape positions than the poorly or very poorly drained Wet Meadow and Wetland ecological sites. The poorly drained soils on Saline Lowland sites have visible salts, gypsum crystals, and redoximorphic features at or near the surface. The Saline Lowland ecological site receives additional moisture from runoff and has a seasonal high water table. Indicator species include inland saltgrass, Nuttall's alkaligrass, Sandberg bluegrass, western wheatgrass, and slender wheatgrass.

Table 1. Dominant plant species

Tree	Not specified
Shrub	Not specified
Herbaceous	(1) Nassella viridula (2) Pascopyrum smithii

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Physiographic features

MLRA 58C is known as the Little Missouri Badlands, which formed when the Little Missouri River was diverted along a shorter, steeper course by Pleistocene glaciers. Due to the resulting increased gradient after its eastward diversion by the glaciers, the Little Missouri River began rapidly downcutting into the soft, calcareous sedimentary shale, siltstone, and sandstone of the Fort Union and Hell Creek geological formations. This rapid downcutting eroded and carved the badlands of MLRA 58C. This cycle of erosion and deposition continues today.

Most of the soils in MLRA 58C developed from residuum weathered in place. As a result of constant erosion and deposition, the majority of soils in MLRA 58C are Entisols and Inceptisols. Mollisols have formed on the high, stable drainage divides and plateaus above the steeper, dissected hillslopes and fans that define the Badlands. The elevation ranges from 1,838 feet (560 meters) to 3,430 feet (1,045 meters). The Little Missouri River flows through the entire length of MLRA 58C and empties into Lake Sakakawea that was formed by the Garrison Dam on the Missouri River.

The Loamy Terrace sites are on level to nearly level, occasionally to rarely flooded floodplains, floodplain steps, and stream terraces. The slopes range from 0 to 6 percent.

Figure 2.

Table 2. Representative physiographic features

Landforms	(1) Flood plain (2) Terrace
Runoff class	Negligible to medium
Flooding duration	Very brief (4 to 48 hours) to brief (2 to 7 days)
Flooding frequency	Rare to occasional
Ponding frequency	None
Elevation	1,838 – 3,430 ft
Slope	6%
Water table depth	48 – 72 in
Aspect	Aspect is not a significant factor

Climatic features

MLRA 58C is considered to have a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers, low humidity, light rainfall, and much sunshine. Extremes in temperature are common and characteristic of MLRA 58C. The continental climate is the result of the location of this MLRA in the geographic center of North America. There are few natural barriers on the northern Great Plains, so air masses move unobstructed across the plains and account for rapid changes in temperature.

Annual precipitation ranges from 14 to 17 inches per year. The normal average annual temperature is about 41° F. January is the coldest month with an average temperature of about 17° F. July is the warmest month with an average temperature of about 70° F. The range of normal average monthly temperatures between the coldest and warmest months is 53° F. This large temperature range attests to the continental nature of the climate of MLRA 58C. Daytime wind speeds are generally stronger than nighttime wind speeds, and occasional strong storms may bring brief periods of high winds with gusts to more than 50 miles per hour.

Growth of native cool-season plants begins in late March and continues to early to mid-July. Native warm-season plants begin growth in mid-May and continue to the end of August. Green-up of cool-season plants can occur in September and October when adequate soil moisture is present.

Table 3. Representative climatic features

Frost-free period (average)	106 days
Freeze-free period (average)	131 days
Precipitation total (average)	16 in

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Figure 3. Monthly precipitation range

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Figure 4. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature

Climate stations used

(1) GRASSY BUTTE 2ENE [USC00323705], Grassy Butte, ND
(2) TROTTERS 3 SSE [USC00328812], Beach, ND
(3) WATFORD CITY 14S [USC00329246], Grassy Butte, ND
(4) FAIRFIELD [USC00322809], Fairfield, ND
(5) MEDORA [USC00325813], Medora, ND

Soil features

The common features of soils in this site are medium textured subsoils and slopes of 0 to 6 percent. The soils in this site are well drained and formed in alluvium. The loam surface layer varies in thickness up to 8 inches thick. The soils have a moderate to moderately slow infiltration rate. This site should show no evidence of rills, wind-scoured areas, or pedestalled plants. Water flow paths are broken, irregular in appearance, or discontinuous with numerous debris dams or vegetative barriers. The soil surface is stable and intact. Subsurface soil layers are non-restrictive to water movement and root penetration.

These soils are susceptible to water and wind erosion. The hazard of erosion increases where vegetative cover is not adequate. Loss of the soil surface layer can result in a shift in species composition and/or production.

Major soil series correlated to this ecological site include Havre.

The following soil properties listed in the table below represent the soil profile from the surface of the soil to a depth of 40 inches (100 cm).

Figure 6.

Table 4. Representative soil features

Parent material	(1) Alluvium
Surface texture	(1) Loam
Family particle size	(1) Loamy
Drainage class	Well drained
Permeability class	Moderately slow to moderate
Soil depth	60 – 80 in
Available water capacity (0-40in)	7 – 8 in
Calcium carbonate equivalent (0-40in)	1 – 10%
Electrical conductivity (0-40in)	4 mmhos/cm
Sodium adsorption ratio (0-40in)	Not specified
Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-40in)	7.4 – 8.4
Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified)	10%

Ecological dynamics

The site developed under Northern Great Plains climatic conditions, and included natural influence of large herbivores and occasional fire. Changes will occur in the plant communities due to climatic conditions and/or management actions. Due to the nature of the soils, the site is considered quite stable. Under continued adverse impacts, a slow decline in vegetative vigor and composition will occur. Under favorable vegetative management treatments the site can quickly return to the Reference Plant Community.

The plant community upon which interpretations are primarily based is the Reference Plant Community. The Reference Plant Community has been determined by study of rangeland relic areas, areas protected from excessive disturbance, and areas under long-term rotational grazing regimes. Trends in plant community dynamics ranging from heavily grazed to lightly grazed areas, seasonal-use pastures, and historical accounts also have been used. Subclimax plant communities, states, transitional pathways, and thresholds have been determined through similar studies and experience.

Continuous grazing without adequate recovery periods following each grazing occurrence over several years causes this site to depart from the Reference Plant Community. Species such as western wheatgrass and blue grama will initially increase. Big bluestem, green needlegrass, sideoats grama, and porcupinegrass will decrease in frequency and production. Heavy continuous grazing causes blue grama to increase.

In time, heavy, continuous grazing will likely cause blue grama to dominate and pioneer perennials, annuals, and club moss (in its range) to increase. This plant community is relatively stable and the competitive advantage prevents other species from establishing. This plant community is less productive than the Reference Plant Community. Runoff increases and infiltration will decrease. Soil erosion will be minimal.

Extended periods of non-use and/or lack of fire will result in a plant community with high litter levels, which favors an increase in Kentucky bluegrass and/or smooth brome, and in time, shrubs and trees such as western snowberry, chokecherry, and green ash.

Following the state and transition diagram are narratives for each of the described states and community phases. These may not represent every possibility, but they are the most prevalent and repeatable states/community phases. The plant composition tables following have been developed from the best available knowledge at the time of this revision. As more data are collected, some of these community phases and/or states may be revised or removed, and new ones may be added. The main purpose for including the descriptions here is to capture the current knowledge and experience at the time of this revision.

State and transition model

More interactive model formats are also available. View Interactive Models
Click on state and transition labels to scroll to the respective text

State 1
Grassland State

The Grassland State is supported by empirical data, historical data, local expertise, and photographs. This state is defined by three native plant communities that are the results of periodic fire, drought, and grazing. These events are part of the natural disturbance regime and climatic process. The Reference Plant Community consists of both warm- and cool-season, tall- and midgrasses, forbs, and shrubs. The Shortgrass-Midgrass Plant Community is dominated by warm-season shortgrasses and cool-season midgrasses. The Non-use plant Community consists of decadent plants or excessive litter, and few remnant native grasses or forbs.

Community 1.1
Reference Plant Community

This is the interpretive plant community and is considered to be the Reference Plant Community of this ecological site description (ESD). This community evolved with grazing by large herbivores and occasional prairie fire. It is well suited for grazing by domestic livestock, and can be found on areas that are properly managed with prescribed grazing that allows for adequate recovery periods following each grazing event. The potential vegetation is about 73 percent grasses and grass-like plants, 10 percent forbs, 15 percent shrubs, and 2 percent trees. Major grasses include green needlegrass and western wheatgrass. Other grasses occurring on this community includes bearded wheatgrass, needle and thread, sideoats grama, blue grama, big bluestem, and porcupinegrass. Major forbs and shrubs include American vetch, purple prairie clover, cudweed sagewort, western yarrow, sunflower, western snowberry, and/or silver sagebrush and fringed sagewort. Scattered green ash, plains cottonwood, and American elm may occur. This plant community is well adapted to the Northern Great Plains climatic conditions. Individual species can vary greatly in production depending on growing conditions (timing and amount of precipitation and temperature). Community dynamics, nutrient and water cycles, and energy flow are functioning properly. Plant litter is properly distributed with very little movement off-site, and natural plant mortality is very low. The diversity in plant species allows for high tolerance to drought. Run-off from adjacent sites and moderate or high available water capacity provides a favorable soil-water-plant relationship.

Figure 7. Annual production by plant type (representative values) or group (midpoint values)

Table 5. Annual production by plant type

Plant type	Low (lb/acre)	Representative value (lb/acre)	High (lb/acre)
Grass/Grasslike	1315	1835	2370
Shrub/Vine	175	290	365
Forb	110	175	275
Tree	0	20	30
Total	1600	2320	3040

Community 1.2
Shortgrass-Midgrass Plant Community

This plant community can slowly develop from the adverse effects of continuous grazing without adequate recovery periods between each grazing event during the growing season. Recognition of this plant community will enable the land user to implement key management decisions before a significant ecological threshold is crossed. Blue grama and western wheatgrass are the dominant species. Green needlegrass has been greatly reduced. Big bluestem, porcupine-grass, and sideoats grama may have been removed. Forb species include western yarrow, asters, prairie coneflower, silverleaf scurfpea, wavyleaf thistle, and western salsify. Western snowberry, chokecherry, juneberry, and plum are greatly reduced, while other shrub species would tend to be heavily browsed. If silver sagebrush is the principal shrub, it would be sustaining. This plant community is relatively stable and less productive than the Reference Plant Community. Reduction of litter and reduced plant vigor result in higher soil temperatures, poor water infiltration rates, increased runoff, and high evapotranspiration rates. This plant community can occur throughout the site, on spot-grazed areas, and around water sources where season-long grazing patterns occur. Soil erosion will be minimal due to the sod-forming habit of blue grama.

Community 1.3
Non-Use Plant Community

This plant community develops after an extended period (10 to 20 years or more) of non-use and exclusion of fire. Eventually litter levels become high enough to reduce native grass vigor, diversity, and density. Kentucky bluegrass and/or smooth bromegrass tend to invade and may dominate this plant community. Common forbs include sweetclover, cudweed sagewort, and goldenrod species. Shrubs such as western snowberry and/or silver sagebrush, buffaloberry, and chokecherry will increase in density and cover and eventually tree species such as green ash. This plant community is resistant to change without prescribed grazing and/or fire. The combination of both grazing and fire is most effective in moving this plant community toward the Reference Plant Community. Soil erosion is low. Runoff is similar to the Reference Plant Community. Once the advanced stage of this plant community is reached, time and external resources will be needed to see any immediate recovery in the diversity of the site.

Pathway 1.1 to 1.2
Community 1.1 to 1.2

Continuous grazing without adequate recovery periods between grazing events will shift this plant community to the Shortgrass-Midgrass Plant Community.

Pathway 1.1 to 1.3
Community 1.1 to 1.3

Non-use and no fire will move this plant community to the Decadent Plants, Excessive Litter Plant Community.

Pathway 1.2 to 1.1
Community 1.2 to 1.1

Prescribed grazing that includes adequate recovery opportunities will shift this plant community back to the Reference Plant Community.

Conservation practices

Prescribed Grazing

Pathway 1.2 to 1.3
Community 1.2 to 1.3

Extended periods (>10 years) of non-use and no fires will convert a plant community dominated by blue grama and western wheatgrass to a plant community of excessive litter and/or shrubs.

Pathway 1.3 to 1.1
Community 1.3 to 1.2

Prescribed grazing or prescribed burning followed by prescribed grazing will move this plant community toward the Reference Plant Community. This would require long-term management with prescribed grazing and/or prescribed burning under controlled conditions.

Conservation practices

Prescribed Burning
Prescribed Grazing

State 2
Shortgrass State

The Shortgrass State is supported by empirical and historical data, local expertise, and photographs. This state represents a plant community change as well as changes to the energy flow and nutrient cycling processes. This state is defined by one plant community.

Community 2.1
Blue Grama Plant Community

This plant community can slowly develop from the adverse effects of continuous grazing without adequate recovery periods between each grazing event during the growing season. Recognition of this plant community will enable the land user to implement key management decisions before a significant ecological threshold is crossed. Blue grama and western wheatgrass are the dominant species. Green needlegrass has been greatly reduced. Big bluestem, porcupinegrass, and sideoats grama may have been removed. Forb species include western yarrow, asters, prairie coneflower, silverleaf scurfpea, wavyleaf thistle, and western salsify. Western snowberry, chokecherry, Juneberry, and plum are greatly reduced, while other shrub species would tend to be heavily browsed. If silver sagebrush is the principal shrub, it would be sustaining to the the grazing. This plant community is relatively stable and less productive than the Reference Plant Community. Reduction of litter and reduced plant vigor result in higher soil temperatures, poor water infiltration rates, increased runoff, and high evapotranspiration rates. This plant community can occur throughout the site, on spot-grazed areas and around water sources where season-long grazing patterns occur. Soil erosion will be minimal due to the sod-forming habit of blue grama.

State 3
Annual/Pioneer State

The Annual/Pioneer State is supported by empirical and historical data, local expertise, and photographs. This state represents a plant community change as well as changes to the energy flow and nutrient cycling processes. This state is defined by one plant community.

Community 3.1
Community 1

This plant community develops under severe disturbance and/or excessive defoliation. This can result from heavy livestock or wildlife concentration or cropping abandonment (go-back land). The dominant vegetation includes pioneer annual grasses, forbs, invaders, and early successional biennial and perennial species. Grasses may include foxtail barley, which will dominate along with fowl bluegrass, Nuttall’s alkaligrass, annual brome, and western wheatgrass. The dominant forbs include curly dock, kochia, and other early successional salt-tolerant species. Plant species from adjacent ecological sites may become minor components of this plant community. The community is susceptible to invasion of non-native species due to severe soil disturbances and relatively high percentage of bare ground. This plant community is resistant to change, as long as soil disturbance or severe vegetation defoliation persists, thus holding back secondary plant succession. Soil erosion is potentially high in this plant community. Reduced surface cover, low plant density, low plant vigor, loss of root biomass, and soil compaction all contribute to decreased water infiltration, increased runoff, and accelerated erosion rates. Significant economic inputs, management time would be required to move this plant community toward a higher successional stage and a more productive plant community. Secondary succession is highly variable, depending upon availability and diversity of a viable seed bank of higher successional species within the existing plant community and neighboring plant communities. This plant community can be renovated to improve the production capability, but management changes would be needed to maintain the new plant community.

Transition 1.1 to 2
State 1 to 2

Heavy continuous grazing without adequate recovery opportunity between grazing events or continuous seasonal (i.e. spring) grazing will move this plant community across an ecological threshold to the Shortgrass State.

Transition 1 to 3
State 1 to 3

Excessive defoliation, which occurs in areas of heavy animal concentration, or cropped go-back land with continuous grazing, will convert the plant community to the Annual/Pioneer Perennial Plant Community.

Restoration pathway 2 to 1.2
State 2 to 1

Long-term (>10 years) prescribed grazing with adequate recovery periods between grazing events and proper stocking will shift this plant community toward the Inland Saltgrass/Western Wheatgrass Plant Community, and eventually to the Reference Plant Community or associated successional plant community stages, assuming an adequate seed/vegetative source is available. This transition may take up to 20 years or more to accomplish, depending upon the degree of degradation.

Conservation practices

Prescribed Grazing

Restoration pathway 3 to 1
State 3 to 1

Under long-term prescribed grazing and/or removal of disturbances, including adequate rest periods, this plant community will move through the successional stages, and may eventually lead to a plant community resembling one of the Grassland State Plant Communities. This process will take a long period of time (20+ years). Range seeding into mulch followed with prescribed grazing can be used to convert this plant community to one that may resemble the Reference Plant Community.

Conservation practices

Prescribed Grazing

Additional community tables

Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition

Group	Common name	Symbol	Scientific name	Annual production (lb/acre)	Foliar cover (%)
Grass/Grasslike
1	Wheatgrass			230–465
	western wheatgrass	PASM	Pascopyrum smithii	230–465	–
2	Needlegrass			230–465
	green needlegrass	NAVI4	Nassella viridula	230–465	–
	porcupinegrass	HESP11	Hesperostipa spartea	0–230	–
3	Grama			90–185
	blue grama	BOGR2	Bouteloua gracilis	90–185	–
4	Other Warm-Season			90–230
	big bluestem	ANGE	Andropogon gerardii	90–160	–
	sideoats grama	BOCU	Bouteloua curtipendula	70–160	–
5	Other Native Perennials			115–230
	needle and thread	HECOC8	Hesperostipa comata ssp. comata	70–115	–
	prairie dropseed	SPHE	Sporobolus heterolepis	70–115	–
	three-angle spikerush	ELTR5	Eleocharis tricostata	45–90	–
	prairie Junegrass	KOMA	Koeleria macrantha	20–70	–
	Sandberg bluegrass	POSE	Poa secunda	20–70	–
	plains reedgrass	CAMO	Calamagrostis montanensis	20–70	–
	saltgrass	DISP	Distichlis spicata	0–20	–
6	Grass-Likes			20–115
	needleleaf sedge	CADU6	Carex duriuscula	20–70	–
	Pennsylvania sedge	CAPE6	Carex pensylvanica	45–70	–
	threadleaf sedge	CAFI	Carex filifolia	20–45	–
Forb
7	Forbs			115–230
	goldenrod	SOLID	Solidago	20–45	–
	white heath aster	SYER	Symphyotrichum ericoides	20–45	–
	American vetch	VIAM	Vicia americana	20–45	–
	common yarrow	ACMI2	Achillea millefolium	20–45	–
	white sagebrush	ARLU	Artemisia ludoviciana	20–45	–
	purple prairie clover	DAPU5	Dalea purpurea	20–45	–
	Maximilian sunflower	HEMA2	Helianthus maximiliani	20–45	–
	dotted blazing star	LIPU	Liatris punctata	5–20	–
	rush skeletonplant	LYJU	Lygodesmia juncea	0–20	–
	mint	MENTH	Mentha	5–20	–
	bluebells	MERTE	Mertensia	5–20	–
	scarlet beeblossom	OESU3	Oenothera suffrutescens	10–20	–
	silverleaf Indian breadroot	PEAR6	Pediomelum argophyllum	5–20	–
	upright prairie coneflower	RACO3	Ratibida columnifera	5–20	–
	larkspur	DELPH	Delphinium	0–20	–
	blacksamson echinacea	ECAN2	Echinacea angustifolia	0–20	–
	sanddune wallflower	ERCAC	Erysimum capitatum var. capitatum	5–20	–
	groundplum milkvetch	ASCR2	Astragalus crassicarpus	5–20	–
	wavyleaf thistle	CIUN	Cirsium undulatum	0–20	–
	onion	ALLIU	Allium	0–20	–
	scarlet globemallow	SPCO	Sphaeralcea coccinea	5–20	–
Shrub/Vine
8	Shrubs			230–350
	western snowberry	SYOC	Symphoricarpos occidentalis	20–230	–
	silver sagebrush	ARCA13	Artemisia cana	0–230	–
	prairie sagewort	ARFR4	Artemisia frigida	20–70	–
	winterfat	KRLA2	Krascheninnikovia lanata	0–70	–
	American plum	PRAM	Prunus americana	20–45	–
	chokecherry	PRVI	Prunus virginiana	20–45	–
	prickly rose	ROAC	Rosa acicularis	20–45	–
	prairie rose	ROAR3	Rosa arkansana	20–45	–
	silver buffaloberry	SHAR	Shepherdia argentea	0–45	–
	Saskatoon serviceberry	AMAL2	Amelanchier alnifolia	20–45	–
	currant	RIBES	Ribes	5–20	–

Interpretations

Animal community

Animal Community – Grazing Interpretations:

This site is well adapted to managed grazing by domestic livestock. The predominance of herbaceous plants across all plant community phases best lends these sites to grazing by cattle but other domestic grazers with differing diet preferences may also be a consideration depending upon management objectives. Often, the current plant community does not entirely match any particular plant community (as described in the ecological site description). Because of this, a resource inventory is necessary to document plant composition and production. Proper interpretation of this inventory data will permit the establishment of a safe, initial stocking rate for the type and class of animals and level of grazing management. More accurate stocking rate estimates should eventually be calculated using actual stocking rate information and monitoring data.

Hydrological functions

Water is the principal factor limiting herbage production. The site is dominated by soils in hydrologic groups B. Infiltration varies from moderately slow to moderate and runoff potential varies from low to moderate depending on soil hydrologic group and ground cover. In many cases, areas with greater than 75 percent ground cover have the greatest potential for high infiltration and lower runoff. An exception would be where short grasses form a dense sod and dominate the site. Areas where ground cover is less than 50 percent have the greatest potential to have reduced infiltration and higher runoff (refer to Section 4, NRCS National Engineering Handbook for runoff quantities and hydrologic curves).

Recreational uses

This site provides hunting opportunities for upland game species. The wide variety of plants which bloom from spring until fall have an aesthetic value that appeals to visitors.

Wood products

No appreciable wood products are present on the site.

Other products

Seed harvest of native plant species can provide additional income on this site.

Other information

Site Development and Testing Plan.

Chris Tecklenburg (Ecologist, Kansas NRCS) assumed responsibilities for development of provisional ESDs in MLRA 58C on 8-17-2017. Most information for the provisional Wet Meadows ecological site comes from adjacent MLRA 54 wet meadows site.

This site is going through the Provisional ESD process. It contains information above and beyond what is required of a provisional due to foundational work completed in adjacent MLRA 54 during the early 2000s. This site is scheduled to go through the approval process fiscal year 2021.

Future work (for an approved ESD) includes field visits to verify ecological site concepts with field staff. Field staff include but not limited to project office leader, area soil scientist, state soil scientist, ecological site specialist, state rangeland conservationist, area rangeland management specialist, and local field personnel. This site should include collaboration between North Dakota and Montana. Field visits are to be determined by spatial extent of the site as well as personal knowledge of the site. Activity during field visits will include but not limited to: identifying the soil, landform, plant community, and verifying existing site concepts. Data collection will be determined by the MLRA 58C technical team.

Supporting information

Inventory data references

Chris Tecklenburg (Ecologist, Kansas NRCS) was assigned responsibilities for the development of provisional ESDs in MLRA 58C on 8-17-2017.

Information for the provisional Loamy Terrace ecological site originates from the adjacent MLRA 54 Loamy Terrace site.

Information presented here has been derived from NRCS clipping and other inventory data. Also, field knowledge of range-trained personnel was used. All descriptions were peer reviewed and/or field tested by various private, state, and federal agency specialists.

NRCS employees involved in developing the MLRA 54 Loamy Terrace ecological site description include: Dennis Froemke, Jeff Printz, Stan Boltz, Darrell Vanderbusch, L. Michael Stirling, Josh Saunders, Jody Forman, David Dewald, and Brad Podoll.

From MLRA 54 Ocular estimates 4 1998 -2001 ND; SD Dunn, Hettinger, Morton

Other references

High Plains Regional Climate Center, Weather data. web site, http://hprcc.unl.edu. Available online. Accessed 9/25/2017.

National Water and Climate Center. https://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ Available online. Accessed 9/25/2017.

National Range and Pasture Handbook, USDA-NRCS, Chapter 7, Rangeland and Pastureland Hydrology and Erosion. September 1997.

National Soil Information System, USDA-NRCS, Information Technology Center, https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/survey/geo/?cid=nrcs142p2_053552. Available online. Accessed 9/25/2017.

PLANTS Database, USDA-NRCS, http://plants.usda.gov. Available online. Accessed 9/25/2017.

USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service—Soil Surveys and Web Soil Survey. Available online. Accessed 9/25/2017.

Contributors

Chris Tecklenburg

Approval

David Kraft, 10/31/2018

Acknowledgments

The ecological site development process is a collaborative effort, conceptual in nature, dynamic and is never considered complete.

Non-discrimination Statement

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Rangeland health reference sheet

Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health is a qualitative assessment protocol used to determine ecosystem condition based on benchmark characteristics described in the Reference Sheet. A suite of 17 (or more) indicators are typically considered in an assessment. The ecological site(s) representative of an assessment location must be known prior to applying the protocol and must be verified based on soils and climate. Current plant community cannot be used to identify the ecological site.

Author(s)/participant(s)	Chris Tecklenburg. Revision of this reference sheet derived from MLRA 54 Loamy Terrace on 10/04/2017. J. Printz, S. Boltz, R. Kilian, D. Froemke, M. Rasmusson original authors 5-12-2011.
Contact for lead author	Mark Hayek, USDA-NRCS, State Rangeland Management Specialist, Bismarck, ND. Mark.Hayek@nd.usda.gov
Date	05/12/2011
Approved by
Approval date
Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on	Annual Production

Indicators

Number and extent of rills:
Rills should not be present.
Presence of water flow patterns:
Barely observable.
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Essentially non-existent.
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
Bare ground is less than 10%.
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
Active gullies should not be present. Existing gullies should be “healed” with a good vegetative cover.
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None.
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Little to no litter movement. Plant litter remains in place and is not moved by erosional forces.
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Plant cover and litter is at 90% or greater of soil surface and maintains soil surface integrity. Stability class anticipated to be 5 or greater.
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Ap--0 to 8 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many fine and very fine roots; strongly effervescent; moderately alkaline (pH 7.9); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches thick)
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
High grass canopy and basal cover and small gaps between plants should reduce raindrop impact and slow overland flow, providing increased time for infiltration to occur. Healthy, deep-rooted native grasses enhance infiltration and reduce runoff.
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
No compaction layer or soil surface crusting should be evident.
Functional/Structural Groups (list in order of descending dominance by above-ground annual-production or live foliar cover using symbols: >>, >, = to indicate much greater than, greater than, and equal to):

Dominant:
Mid, cool-season rhizomatous grasses = mid, cool-season bunchgrasses

Sub-dominant:
shrubs

Other:
tall, rhizomatous warm-season grasses = forbs short, warm-season grasses grass-likes trees

Additional:
Due to differing root structure and distribution, Kentucky bluegrass and smooth bromeg do not fit into Reference Plant Community F/S groups.
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Very low.
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
Litter cover is in contact with soil surface.
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
Representative value = 2320 lbs/ac with a range of 1600 lbs/ac to 3400 lbs/ac (air-dry weight) depending upon growing conditions
Potential invasive (including noxious) species (native and non-native). List species which BOTH characterize degraded states and have the potential to become a dominant or co-dominant species on the ecological site if their future establishment and growth is not actively controlled by management interventions. Species that become dominant for only one to several years (e.g., short-term response to drought or wildfire) are not invasive plants. Note that unlike other indicators, we are describing what is NOT expected in the reference state for the ecological site:
State and local noxious, smooth brome, Kentucky bluegrass, Russian olive.
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
All species are capable of reproducing.

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Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Ecological site R058CY091ND

Loamy Terrace

Last updated: 10/31/2018 Accessed: 12/08/2023

General information

Figure 1. Mapped extent

MLRA notes

Classification relationships

Ecological site concept

Associated sites

Table 1. Dominant plant species

Ecosystem states

State 1 submodel, plant communities

State 2 submodel, plant communities

State 3 submodel, plant communities

Natural Resources
Conservation Service

Last updated: 10/31/2018
Accessed: 12/08/2023