SU0013451 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

The current beaver pond area in the south central portion of the property (see restoration map) will be enhanced by cessation of grazing. An area between the main dike on South Tracy Lake and the South Island will be contoured to provide approximately 4 acres of new permanent marsh habitat. A terrace of 50 to 100 feet will be created around the perimeter of the deepened South Tracy Lake and in portions of North Tracy Lake. The average height of this terrace will be 10 feet msl. With an average summer water depth of twelve feet msl this means that the terrace will be 2 feet deep. As draw-down and evapotranspiration occurs on the lake it's level is expected to lower to ten feet msl. Thus the terrace will always be inundated or moist. The edge of the terrace will be designed to gradually slope (10:1) to the deepened lake bottom. Water conditions on the terraced potions of the lakes will be ideal in the enhancement of a narrow band of marsh habitat resulting in approximately 15 acres of created emergent marsh habitat. Marsh restoration is usually accomplished by the natural colonization of plants that accompanies water management. Planting an entire marsh is not practical, since seeding is not always successful. However, the process can be accelerated by transplanting underground rhizomes or whole plants to small areas within the water impoundment area. This can be accomplished using plugs of bulrush secured from a nearby source. For the most part, little management will be required for permanent marshes. As one of the goals is to encourage a diversity of marsh plants, such as a desirable mixture of bulrush, bur-reed and cattail,period management practices will be necessary since the site could become dominated by a monoculture of cattail or the site may become overly mature. It will therefore be necessary to utilize periodic draw-downs,disking, and burning to control Buckeye Ranch Resource Plan (November, 1993) 197