Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site F094DY019WI
Upper Riparian Terraces
Accessed: 11/13/2024
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.
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): 094D–Northern Highland Sandy Pitted Outwash
About 13% of MLRA 94D is surface water: lakes, reservoirs, ponds, rivers and streams. The interaction of land and water is important to this region. Riparian ecological sites are in the zone of maximum interaction. The Upper Riparian Terrace ecological site occupies about 5000 acres in MLRA 94D.
Classification relationships
This site is not a floodplain forest but rather an upland forest that is influenced by the proximity of a water body, either a river, stream or lake. If the site is directly adjacent to water, as opposed to sites with intervening floodplains or beaches, than the site has sufficient elevation to be a mesic or dry-mesic site.
Ecological site concept
ATTENTION: This ecological site meets the NESH 2014 requirements for PROVISIONAL. A provisional ecological site is established after broad ecological site concepts are identified and an initial state-and-transition model is drafted. Following quality control and quality assurance reviews of the ecological site concepts, an identification number and name for the provisional ecological site are entered into ESIS. A provisional ecological site may include literature reviews, land use history information, some soils data, legacy data, ocular estimates for canopy and/or species composition by weight, and even some line-point intercept information. A provisional ecological site does not meet the NESH 2014 standards for an Approved ESD, but does provide the conceptual framework of soil-site correlation for the development of the ESD. For more information about this ecological site, please contact your local NRCS office.
The Upper Riparian Terrace ecological site is near the waterfront with buildable sites. As such, it is subject to highest level of development pressure in the region apart from urban land, unless it is in a protected status of some kind. This site, unlike the other shoreland ecological site, has enough elevation above the waterline so that it never floods. This site is not a floodplain forest but rather an upland forest that is influenced by the proximity of a water body, either a river, stream or lake. If the site is directly adjacent to water, as opposed to sites with intervening floodplains or beaches, than the site has sufficient elevation to be a mesic or dry-mesic site. The site is occurs in a relatively narrow band adjacent to water or adjacent to the lower-lying shoreland sites. Thus it is not of large extent, but it is important due to the high economic and environmental value it holds. Often these sites are redeveloped from small seasonal cabins to larger, year-round dwellings. This site is distinctive ecologically for its impact on water bodies and wildlife. To maximize water quality and maintain fish and wildlife populations, it is important to minimize human disturbance on these sites. However, the conflict between develop and preservation has led to many controversies.
Associated sites
F094DY018WI |
Lower Riparian Terraces Upper Riparian Terraces are occasionally adjacent to Lower Riparian Terraces. |
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Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
(1) Pinus resinosa |
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Shrub |
(1) Rubus allegheniensis |
Herbaceous |
(1) Carex pensylvanica |
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