Maintenance of Natural Sustainable Riparian Communities Located Within the Middle Sheyenne Watershed

Maintenance of Natural Sustainable Riparian Communities Located Within the Middle Sheyenne Watershed

Summary

The Middle Sheyenne River Valley is classified as Valley Type VIII, a glacial valley, which is able to support stream channel types C, D, E, F, and G. Rosgen’s classification of nine stream cross-sections within the Middle Sheyenne River Valley resulted in the classification of seven cross-sections as C stream types and two as E stream types. Five plant communities types were identified within the riparian ecosystems of the Middle Sheyenne River including: 1) the greenline, which is the line of vegetation on or at the water’s edge, 2) woodlands, 3) shrublands, 4) grasslands and 5) wetlands.

Objectives/Performance Targets

The objectives of this project are to:

1) identify the natural sustainable plant communities and best management practices of the above watershed through Ecological Site Description development, and

2) provide rangeland technical assistance through media development and consultation with relevant land managers.

Performance targets:

Identification of plant community states and plant community health by determining states, transitions, and indicators within the Middle Sheyenne watershed, aiding in the establishment of realistic goals for restoration and maintenance of natural sustainable communities.

Development of riparian range and forestry management recommendations targeted at restoring proper ecosystem function.

Development of educational media including brochures, pamphlets, extension manuals, and meetings/ field days/ workshops with ranchers to review grazing recommendations for riparian ecosystems.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Stream channel classification of nine cross-section of the Middle Sheyenne River was completed. This was done because it was determined that stream channel morphology dictates the composition and extent of riparian plant communities and provide the building blocks for the development of riparian ecological site descriptions and state-and-transition models.

Inventory of plant communities associated with the nine cross-sections within the riparian ecosystem including: greenline, woodlands, shrub communities, prairies, and wetlands has been completed and analyzed to determine trends within communities. Data collected in the inventory of plant communities included cover and production. Soils associated with various geologic features located within the floodplain were classified.

A series of five extension fact sheets on riparian ecosystem and grazing management recommendation within riparian ecosystems were developed. A journal article on the nutritional value of Carex sprengelii, a dominate forage within riparian woodlands has been submitted to Rangeland Ecology and Management. The doctoral dissertation, a detail ecological site description, and additional journal articles still need to be completed.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Research has demonstrated the importance of the development of ecological site descriptions for riparian ecosystems, and a further need for research to determine the impacts of management on riparian ecosystems. Educational materials and presentations on riparian ecosystems and best management practices for grazing management has benefited producers by providing information to help them decide how to best manage these dynamic ecosystems. If best management practices are employed these systems will be more stable and water quality will be improved.

Collaborators: