Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site F103XY033MN
Wet Floodplains
Last updated: 10/04/2023
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.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 103X–Central Iowa and Minnesota Till Prairies
MLRA 103 is in Minnesota (56 percent) and Iowa (44 percent) and consists of approximately 18 million acres. It is in the Western Lake Section of the Central Lowland Province of the Interior Plains in an area known as the "Des Moines Lobe" of the Wisconsin-age ice sheet.
The MLRA is mostly on a young, nearly level to gently rolling, glaciated till plain that has moraines and glacial lake plains in some areas. The plain is covered with glacial till, outwash, and glacial lake deposits. Recent alluvium consisting of clay, silt, sand, and gravel fill the bottoms of most of the major river valleys. Paleozoic bedrock sediments, primarily shale and limestone, underlie the glacial deposits in most of the area.
The annual precipitation increases from northwest to southeast. Most of the rainfall occurs as high-intensity, convective thunderstorms during the summer. Two-thirds or more of the precipitation falls during the freeze-free period. Snowfall is common in winter. Ground water supplies are adequate for the domestic, livestock, municipal, and industrial needs. Nearly all of this area is farmland, and about four-fifths is cropland.
Classification relationships
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): Central Iowa and Minnesota Till Prairies (103) (USDA Handbook 296, 2006)
USFS Subregions: North Central Glaciated Plains Section (251B); Upper Minnesota River-Des Moines Lobe (251BA) and Southern Des Moines Lobe (251Be) Subsections (Cleland et al. 2007)
International Vegetation Classification Hierarchy
Class: 1. Forest & Woodland
Subclass: 1.B. Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland
Formation: 1.B.3. Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest
Division: 1.B.3.Na. Eastern North American-Great Plains Flooded & Swamp Forest
The reference community shares similarities with Minnesota Department of Natural FFs68 Southern Floodplain Forest.
Ecological site concept
The Wet Floodplains ecological site occurs in both floodplains and depressions and is extensive throughout MLRA 103. Soils include both Mollisols and Entisols, and soil drainage class is very poorly drained to poorly drained. This site floods.
Associated sites
F103XY031MN |
Sandy Floodplains The Sandy Floodplains ecological site is located on sandy-textured soils in floodplains and drainageways throughout MLRA 103. Soils drainage class ranges from moderately well drained to excessively drained. Brief flooding may occur on areas within this ecological site. |
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F103XY032MN |
Loamy Floodplains The Loamy Floodplains ecological site is located on medium textured alluvium throughout MLRA 103. Soil textures include loam, silt loam, sandy loam, and fine sandy loam. Soils are somewhat poorly drained to moderately well drained. A few areas within this ecological site will exhibit flooding. |
R103XY034MN |
Floodplain Marsh The Floodplain Marsh ecological site is located on soils that have fine or medium textures and very poorly drained. Some soils are calcareous. This site typically floods and ponds. Herbaceous plant communities usually dominate. |
R103XY035MN |
Organic Floodplain Marsh The Organic Floodplain Marsh ecological site is located on floodplains and depressions primarily in the northern portion of MLRA 103. Soils are very poorly drained and derived from organic parent materials. This site both floods and ponds frequently for long periods of time. Herbaceous plant communities usually dominate. |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
(1) Acer saccharinum |
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Shrub |
(1) Salix nigra |
Herbaceous |
(1) Laportea canadensis |
Click on box and path labels to scroll to the respective text.
Ecosystem states
T1A | - | Site is cleared, tilled, seeded, and managed for crop production |
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T1B | - | Site incurs large-scale disturbance and altered plant community |
R3A | - | Restoration of natural hydrology; establishment of desired species; exclusion of anthropogenic disturbances; eradication of invasive species; long-term timber stand management |
T3A | - | Site cleared, soil tillage, crop establishment, and continued agriculture management |
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 2 submodel, plant communities
2.1A | - | Seeding and management of warm or cool season grasses. |
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2.2A | - | Site preparation, soil tillage, crop establishment, weed control |