Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site F124XY008OH
Wet Floodplain and Drainageway
Last updated: 9/26/2024
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): 124X–Western Allegheny Plateau
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 124—Western Allegheny Plateau (USDA-NRCS, 2006)
MLRA 124, Western Allegheny Plateau extends from and includes western PA just north of Pittsburgh through southeastern OH to and includes northeastern KY. This area is primarily in the Kanawha Section of the Appalachian Province of the Appalachian Highlands. This MLRA is on an unglaciated dissected plateau with narrow level valley floors, rolling ridgetops, and hilly to steep slopes with dendritic stream drainages. A notable exception is the broad, Teays Valley, and other glacio-fluvial and glacio-lacustrine features attributed to nearby Pleistocene glaciation. Elevation ranges from 660 to 1310 feet (200 to 400 meters). The geology is predominantly cyclic beds of sandstone, siltstone, clay, shale and coal of Pennsylvanian age. Soils are dominated by Udalfs, Udults, and Ochcrepts with a mesic temperature regime in combination with five parent materials, residuum, colluvium, alluvium, eolian, and extra-glacial material of glacio-fluvial and glaciolacustrine mesic materials. The climate is predominately a humid continental to temperate, with 940 to 1145 millimeters (37 to 45 inches) of precipitation. Average annual temperature is 8 to 13 degree C (46 to 56 degrees F) with a freeze-free period averaging 185 days. Much of the areas is either forest or in farms, principally for hay and pasture, with fruits and vegetables grown locally. Coal and gas extraction are important industries in the northern part of the MLRA.
Classification relationships
USDA-NRCS (USDA 2006):
Land Resource Region (LRR): N—East and Central Farming and Forest Region
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 124—Western Allegheny Plateau
USDA-FS (Cleland et al. 2007):
Province: 221 - Eastern Broadleaf Province
Section: 221E - Southern Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau
Subsection: 221Ea - Pittsburgh Low Plateau
221Eb - Teays Plateau
221Ee - Unglaciated Muskingam Plains
221Ef - Western Hocking Plateau
221Eg - Lower Scotio River Plateau
221En - Kinniconick and Licking Knobs
Section: 221H - North Cumberland Plateau (in Part)
Subsection: 221Hb - Kinniconick and Licking Knobs
221He - Miami - Scioto Plain - Tipton Till Plain
Ecological site concept
Landscapes of narrow valleys are common within the dissected plateau of the unglaciated Western Allegheny Plateau, and fewer major valleys are broad with underfit rivers. The Wet Floodplain and Drainageway ecological site is situated in river systems of various sizes subject to wet conditions as a result of greater frequency and duration of flooding. Potentially, the Wet Floodplain and Drainageway ecological site may be split between small and medium to large size rivers. The parent material is recent alluvium weathered from sandstones siltstones, shales, and limestones, ranging from fine-loamy to fine-silty. River flood frequency and ponding is variable, ranging from rare to frequent. Frequent flooding/ponding is defined as more than a 50 percent chance of flooding in any year. Rare flooding/ponding is defined as 1 to 5 percent chance of flooding in any year or nearly 1 to 5 times in 100 years. Ponding depth and duration are variable depending on the flood event. The soils range from poorly drained to very poorly drained. Representative soils include: Atkins, Bonnie, Holly, Killbuck, Melvin, Piopolis, Purdy, and Zipp. Reference plant communities include: River Birch - American Sycamore Floodplain Forest and Pin Oak - Swamp White Oak - (Sweetgum) Swamp Forest.
Associated sites
F124XY007OH |
Upper Floodplain Upper Floodplain ecological sites are higher in the flood frequency profile. |
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Similar sites
F124XY006OH |
Wet Lowland and Depression Wet Lowland and Depression share wetland characteristics. However, Wet Floodplain and Drainageway experience flooding. |
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Figure 1.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
(1) Acer saccharinum |
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Shrub |
Not specified |
Herbaceous |
(1) Impatiens capensis |
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