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EVALUATION OF THE ..\!:.I

CANAAN VALLEY - CABIN MT. WETLAND

TU~R CO. ,

Prepared for

Department of the Army

Pittsburgh District, Corps of Engineers

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

By H. w. Vogelmann

.... Botany Department, University of Vermont Burlington, Vermont

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• I . i I •'·' ' EVALUATION OF THE - CABIN MT. WETLANDS TABLE OF CX>NTENTS

I. LITERATURE REVIEW

INTRODUCTION • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1

Canaan Valley • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 Davis Pumped-Storage Power Project. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2

HISTORY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 3 CLIMATE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 7

GEOLOGY AND SOILS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 8

VEGETATION • • . . • • • • • • • . . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 11

WILDLIFE • • • • • • • • • • • • • ...... • • • • • • • • • • 19

Present Fishing Resources • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 19 Waterfowl, Wetland Birds, Game • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 23

SIMILAR AREAS IN WEST VIRGINIA • • • • • • • • • ...... • 27

EFFECTS OF IMPOUNDMENTS FROM nIE DAVIS POWER PROJECT • • • • • • • • • • • 30

Impact on Vegetation • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .-:., _• • •. ... . 30 Impact on Fisheries • • • • • • • • . ·. . • • • • • • • • • • • • • 31 Impact on Waterfowl, Wetland Birds, Game • • • • • • • • • • • • • 31 PROJECTED PRODUCTIVITY OF BLACKWATER LAKE • 32 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Characteristics ·of Blackwater Lake • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 32 Drawdown • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 32 Projected Fishery • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 35 Game and Waterfowl • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 36 II. FIELD STUDIES

RECONNAISSANCE OF STUDY SITE AND OniER WETLANDS • • • • • • • • 37 Canaan Valley Physiography • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 37 Wetland Vegetation • • • • • • • • • • • ... • 39 Muskeg • • • • • • • • • • • .. . • • • • 39 Alder thickets • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 39 Swamp forest • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . . . • • • • • • • 42 Grass-Sedge meadows • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 42 Spiraea and Hypericum thickets • • • • • • • • • • • • • 42 Upland Vegetation • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 44 H.ardwoods • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 44 Savannah • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • · • • • • • • • • • 45 Aspen groves • • • • ...... • • • • • • • • • • • • 45 Cabin Mt. Physiography • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ...... • • • • • • • 47 Wetland vegetation • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 47

Acreage of Wetland Types in Canaan Vallev and on Cabin Mt. • • • • • 48

Plant Succession in the Canaan Valley-Cabin Mt. Wetlands • • • • • • 48

Other Wetlands in West Virginia • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .... 50

" III. REGIONAL AND ?tAnONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF CANAAN VALLEY - CABIN MT. WETLANDS

COMPARISON OF CANAAN VALLEY - CABIN MT . WETLANDS WITH ontER WETLAfIDS IN WEST VIRGINIA • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 54

CCMPARISON OF nm CANAA?l VALLEY WETLANDS TO ontER WETLANDS Ill EASTER.~ UNITED STATES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 55

SUMMARY ...... - . . . . . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 61 CONCLUSION • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 63 LITERATURE CITED • • • • • • • • • • • ...... • • • • • • • • • • • • 64 ...... i ' APPENDIX •••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • . . . . . •• 67

'l ..

I. LITERATURE REVIEW

. ·.:.

L EVALUATION OF TilE CANAAN VALLEY - CABL.'l MT. WETLANDS TUCKER CO., WEST VIRGINIA INTRODUCTION Canaan Valley

Canaan Valley (39°0S'N latitude, 79°25'W longitude) is a large high eleva-

tion anticline basin containing a diverse array of vegetation types including wetland and boreal plant communities. The valley is located in the southern

Allegheny Mountains in the eastern portion of Tucker Co. in northeastern

W. Virginia. It lies 3~ miles east of the nearest town of Davis. The area

is contained within the Appalachian Plateau Province, a physiographic area in

the central Appalachian Region (Fenneman, 1938).

Canaan Valley is oval shaped, approximately 14 miles long and 2-4 miles wide, and. is oriented on a NE-SW axis. The level valley floor, encompassing 40 square miles or 25,600 acres at.an elevation of about 3200' ! SO' is sur-

rounded by mountains which in places rise 1000' above the valley floor. The entire area of the basin is approximately 55 sq. miles or 35,139 acres "(W. Va.

Dept. Nat. Res . , 1978). Brown Mt. (3,732') borders the valley to the north,

Canaan Mt. (3,920') to the west, and Cabin Mt. (4,375') to the east.

The Canaan Valley watershed forms the headwaters of the Blackwater River whose cold,reddish-brown waters meander through the valley and then flow more

rapidly after passing through a cut between Brown and <=:anaan Mountain. The

Blackwater River combines with Beaver Creek at the town of Davis, and further downstream joins with to form the which flows into the

Monongahela River, a major tributary in the Ohio River drainage.

The valley encompasses a large wetland system consisting of a diverse mosaic of meadows, boggy terrain, beaver ponds and boreal forests. The area contains approximately 6,000 acres of wetlands which makes Canaan Valley the

largest complex of and swamp communities in W. Virginia as well as in the

entire Central Appalachian Region (Fortney & Pelurie, 1977). The vegetation in

the valley is generally characteristic of more northern regions and is a result

of a combination of soil conditions, cold wet climate, and widespread disturbances

by man.

Davis Pumped-Storage Power Project

The Davis Power Project, proposed by the Monongabela Power Company; Potomac

... Edison Company, and the West Penn Power Company, entails the construction of a pumped- storage facility in Canaan Valley consisting of a water conduit, a

powerhouse, a switchyard, transmission lines and two reservoirs constructed at

different elevations. Recreation facilities will also be constructed which - include marina and picnicking area, a camping area, fishing access sites, and

information and interpretive centers (U. S. Federal Power Commission, 1974).

A license to build the DPSP power project was granted by the Federal Power - ·. .. Commission in 1976 to the Monongahela Power Company, the Potomac Edison Company,

and the West Penn Power Company.

A lower reservoir, Blackwater Lake, wi~l be created by damming the Blackwater

River at its exit point from Canaan Valley between Brown and Canaan Mts. The pro-

posed rock-filled~ype dam will be 710' long and 75' high above the existing

river bed. The water impounded by this dam will back up to the maximum water

level elevation of 3,182', creating a reservoir containing 162,000 acre-feet

and having a surface area of 7,000 acres. The total length of the shoreline

will be about 53 mi. at the normal minimum elevation of 3,178', the sµrface

area of the lake will be 6,550 acres (U . S. Fed . Power Cotr.111., 1974). The maximum depth of the lake is 60 1 near the dam site, however, the average depth

of.Blackwater Lake is only 20'. Approximately 77% of the lower reservoir 1 volume is contained in the top 20' vertical depth (Ebasco, 1973) •

The upper reservoir will be constructed 900' above Blackwater Lake at the

headwaters of the Red Creek drainage in a natural depression known as Dobbin

Slashing near the top of Cabin Mt.. This will entail construction of two

rock-filled dikes totaling 7,800' in length and having a maximum height of 90'.

The capacity of this reservoir will be 30,000 acre-feet at a maximum water

1 •. surface elevation of 4,042 and will have a surface area of 600 acres (U. S • Fed. Power Comm., 1974). The depth will be 75' (Ebasco, 1973).

During pumped storage operation, about 127. of the volume of Blackwater - Lake will be cycled through the hydroelectric facility every 24 hrs. on weekdays

(Ebasco, _1973). This will result in daily water level fluctuations of Blackwater

Lake of about l~' with a maximum weekly drawdown of 4'. Proposed maximum draw- down in the upper reservoir will be 57' (Ebasco, 1973; u. s. Fed. Power Comm.,

1974). ' • •,.· . • "..'2 . ' . HISTORY Canaan Valley was first visited by white men in 1746 (Brown, 1959) and

settlers arrived as early as 1800. The area was not inhabited by Indians

although it may have been used as hunting grounds for elk, deer, and eastern

bison (Fansler, 1962). While scattered artifacts have been found, there are

no concentrations of archaeo~ogical . material indicative of more permanent

inhabitation (U. S. Fed. Power Comm., 1974).

1 Estimates made with 7.5' u.s.G.S. topographic maps indicate that at a lake

elevation of 3,180', approximately 40~ of the lake will be less than 20' deep. The valley supported a forest of large red spruces () with a

dense understory of Rhododendron maximum representing probably the most mag-

nificent example of its kind in the entire . Allard &

Leonard (1952) located logs sufficiently undecayed so that they could cotmt

annual growth rings. One red spruce log was estimated to be 250 years old.

They also note the boreal affinities of the red spruce association which include balsam fir (Abies balsamea) occurring as a minor constituent of the forest on

poorly drained lowlands, hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), yellow birch (Betula lutea),

sugar maple (Acer saccharum), and beech (Fagus grandifolia). The latter· two

species compose a large portion of the canopy on the slopes of Cabin Mt. (Fortney,

1975). Hemlocks were reported to be the oldest members of'the community and

Allard & Leonard estimated one hellllock was 350-375 years old when cut.

Over the years a deep layer of needles and other plant and animal matter

accumulated and together with Sphagnum moss built up a humus-rich acid soil.

Allard & Leonard concluded that most of the superficial root systems of the

forest trees were covered by these deep organic accumulations. Natural openings, .. •.. ·· or glades, occurred in the forests, some of which were grass balds . ~nd others

too wet for forestation· (Gibson, 1970). A relict flora of a more northern

climate was represented by such boreal species as Vaccinium oxvcoccos L.,

Gaultheria hispidula (L.) Bigel., Gewn strictum Ait., Carex leptonervia Fern.,

Scirpus rubrotinctus Fern.,~· atrocinctus Fern., Caltha palustris L. and

Arisaema stewardsonii Britt. (Allard & Leonard, 1952). Fortney (1975) reports

that all these species are still present. The railroad made Canaan Valley accessible and the lumber boom, beginning

in the lSSO's, changed the entire valley. Red spruce was logged off and the

area was laid alcost completely bare. Brooks (1965) states that a lumber company from Pittsburgh took 80,000 to 100,000 board feet of timber per acre anq Fortney (1975) contrasts this with 15,000 feet per acre in other good stands in w. Virginia. The lumber company boasted they left "not even a stick standing". By 1920 few trees remained and lumbering activity throughout W. Virginia had

severely declined.

Following the widespread removal of trees, the once moist soil dried,

creating a dry substrate where tree seedlings could not become established.

Later, the thick accumulation of dry humus and timber slash caught fire and

burned for long periods of time. The organic-rich soil that was not burned eroded

away and the land was bared (Brooks, 1965).

Since the devastation of the forests and soils during the lumber era, the

vegetation of the valley has made a slow comeback. The once forested bottomlands have beco~e boggy, with Sphagnum bogs found in the wetter sites and Polvtrichum

hummocks developing on the slightly drier ground. The bogs are interspersed with

shrub thickets, wet meadows, and swamp forests including the Abies-Picea-Tsuga

forest community occurring along streams on the valley floor (Fortney, 1975).

Hardwood communities now comprise the dominant forest vegetation O'Q. the uplands,

characterized by sugar maple, beech, and black cherry (Prunus serotina). The

remaining better drained uplands are forb and grass meadows. Some weedy species

now occurring there may have been introduced when the heavily burned area was

planted with mixed gr~ss seed (Allard & Leonard, 1952). Spruces have been planted

on canaan Mountain by the Civilian Conservation Corps (Brooks, 1965), and some

naturally regenerated trees are found on the upper slopes of the mountains encir­ cling the valley. However, hardwoods are expected to remain the climax/subclimax

forests in the valley (Fortney, 1975). The present flora is still boreal and

similar to that found at higher latitudes and altitudes (Clarkson, 1966) even though the effect of man's disturbances has substantially changed the original species composition (W. Va. Dept. Nat. Res., 1978).

Before the virgin timber was cut, the valley was almost monotonously forest, with a few open glades. The almost complete removal of trees helped to create the varied and extensive wetlands found there today. Edaphic conditions are major factors controlling the development of bogs and other wetlands and in creating the present mosaic of vegetation (Fortney, 1975). Fortney speculates that what is bog today was swamp forest in the original forest. It was also through the removal of the original forests that local cooler microclimatic conditions developed by creating frost pockets, which probably did not occur in the virgin growth (Hough, 1945) . The inversion of air temperatures and cold air drainage .now cause larger fluctuations in tex:iperature than in previous times, resulting in frost injury to trees and inhibiting seedling regeneration.

Hough notes that red spruce is highly susceptible to frost injury.

Agriculture has not been a successful activity in Canaan Valley since most crops do not produce well under the short growing season and markets are far . ·, . -. - away. Cultivation of the land has been almost completely abandoned (Fortney,

1975). However, cattle are raised in the valley as they have been since the end of the logging boom (Brooks, 1965). The present pasture lands and hay fields occur mostly in the southern slightly drier portion of the valley.

The more open aspect of the valley today with its many diversified plant habi~ats has enhanced wildlife productivity in the area. Deer are abundant now, although they were rare in the vi~gin spruce forest. Beaver, formerly native but eliminated during the logging boom, were re-introduced in the 1930's. Their quick comeback with the building and maintaining of dams and ponds has helped to create and maint~in the varied wetland communities (Fortney, 1975). Of 7

special interest is the large population of American woodcock. Aspen groves and · ·

open fields provide a habitat where the woodcock breeds and also provide a

staging area during migration. The mixed grassland and woodland is also good

habitat for wild turkey and ruffed grouse which now occur there (U. s. Dept. of the Interior, 1978).

Clovis (1974) studied Canaan Valley a~d recommended it be made a Natural

Landmark and it was so designated by the National Park Service in 1975. It is

included in the National Registry of Natural Landmarks (National Park Service,

1975). Recently the Fish and Wildlife Service has submitted a proposal '(draft) .. to acquire land in the area for a Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge (U. s. Dept. of the Interior, 1978).

CLIMATE

The ·-climate of Canaan Valley is classified as a cold humid type with cold

winter temperatures and cool summers having a short frost-free season. Weedfall

and Dickerson (1965) describe the valley's climate as similar to that occurring

in Northern , Vermont, New' Hampshire, and the ~orthern hal~_ of Maf ne.

Weather data used in the report was gathered from a climatological station on

the Thompson Farm located in the approximate center of the valley.

Cold and cool temperatures are characteristic of Canaan Valley throughout

the year. The growing season is short, averaging 92 frost-free days from

May 31 to September 1. However, frost may occur in any month of the year

(Fortney, 1975) although crops may not be damaged due to frequent fog cover

(Weedfall & Dickerson, 1965).. Frosts occur when cold mountain· air drains do'Wn­

hill and collects in the valley bottom. Valleys such as those occurring in the

Appalachians are of~en the sites of "frost pockets" (Hough, 1945). These cold 8

air sinks result when protective forest stands are logged off, allowing the

cold air to converge at the lower elevation. Summer temperatures are moderate

with daily maximum temperature averages of 75-78°F, although 90°F temperatures may sometimes occur. Evenings are cool, 50-55°F, and ground fogs form which

dissipate shortly after sunrise. Winters are cold and the temperature may fall

to -26°F. February shows the lowest average daily temperature of 20°r. Canaan

Valley, like most of W. Virginia, lies in a cloud belt and sunshine only occurs on 30% of winter days and on 55% of the days in summer.

Average annual precipitation is 53.53 inches, distributed evenly over the year. About 4-5 inches falls every month but June is consistently the wettest month. The location of Canaan Valley at the edge of tne windward slopes of the places it in a position where cold fronts originating from the Northwest sweep up the Ohio Valley and encounter moist, warm air from

the Gulf of Mexico. Some coastal storms from the Atlantic Ocean cause con- siderable precipitation in the valley as the air is lifted over the mountains.

Snowfall is fairly heavy, with an annual average of 120 inches, which is ~ ... comparable to the snow belts farther north. At the Thompson Farm, ·there is an average of 70 days per year when the snow cover is one inch or more and the average depth on those days is 6 inches.

GEOLOGY AND SOILS

Eastern Tucker County lies in the southern part of the Allegheny Mountains where Paleozoic sediments are folded into broad, north-eastward trending anti- clines and synclines (U. S. Fed. Power Comm., 1974). Canaan Valley is derived from a large anticline known as the Blackwater Anticline (Clarkson, 1966).

All rock formations . in the valley belong to the Carboniferous Period. Later, during the Cretaceous Period, the entire area was eroded into a vast peneplain which was subsequently eroded and uplifted a number of times (Fortney, 1975).

The gently rounded top of the Blackwater Anticline was covered by very resistant sandstones of the Pottsville Group overlain in areas by the more recent

Allegheny Group (Baer, 1960). After the original river cut through the resistant

Pottsville, the softer limestones and shales of the Mauch Chunk Group and,

Greenbrier Group were rapidly eroded and carried downstream. The downward cut- ting has been slowed by another resis~ant strata, the Pocono Sandstone.

An uninterrupted band of Greenbrier limestone rings the Canaan Valley

(Clarkson, 1966). It underlies a major portion of the valley floor and is a primary factor in determining the overall drainage pattern and poor drainage - of many of the soils (Fortney, 1975). This limestone has a very low permeability which inhibits percolation of water.

The Pocono Sandstone is exposed in the southern half of the valley forming the resistant ridges between Glade Run and the two forks of the Blackwater River.

The general topography of the Canaan Valley is a reflection of the abilities of ~ ·. ... · \ the various strata to resist erosion and weathering (Fig. 1). ·

Fortney (1975) gives a detailed description of the soil series that occur in Canaan Valley based on the USDA Soil Survey (1967). He recognizes 19 soil series in the valley. The uplands have rather well-drained soils and the bottom.lands contain more poorly drained soils. All the soils are strongly acidic to neutral. Fortney views the vari~us soil types as an important factor con- trolling the types of vegetation that are currently found there. The water content of the soil, its pen:ieability, and the extent to which it is drained have largely contributed to the mosaic of plant communities in the vailey, par- ticularly in the wetlands, and these soil types will largely control future plant succession. CABIN MOUNTAIN

~::~; ALLEGHENY ~POTTSVILLE MAUCH CHUNK

~ I '3: GREENBRIER 2000' - POCONO

---UPPER DEVONIAN

---LOWER DEVONIAN SEA LEVEL---- .___...... I - SILURIAN

-_..;:i.-.----f----ORDOVIC /AN

BLACKWATER STONY RIVER ANTICLINE SYNCLINE 0 3 VERTICAL EXAGGERATION 5 .28 I I I I Miles Horizontal Scale

-4·---- ·· -~···· - .. ~ - ·------·-·-- ·----···------·

Fig. 1. Generalized geologic cross-section of Canaan Valley (from Fortney, 1975)

/

..... 0 11

The Federal Power Commission (1974) includes a report on the potential productivity of the soils in the lowlands. Most of the soils are unsuitable for development or farming, and are generally more productive for timber and wildlife. ! .

VEGETATION

canaan Valley supports a boreal vegetation that is characteristic of . ). regions 500 miles to the north and contains the largest aggregation of wetland communities in the central and southern Appalachian Mountain region (For.tney &

Peluvie, 1977). The flora of this region has been treated by a number of authors

1 . .z. .., ( Allard & Leonard, 1952; Baer, 1960, 1974; Brooks, 1965; Clarkson, 1966; Cl~V19~ -

1974; Core, ~960, 1974, 1978; Federal Power Commission, 1974; Strausbaugh & ~e, • 1964, 1974; U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 1978). The most thorough study of 1ni - floristics and ecology of canaan Valley was made by Fortney (1975). Fortney lists 13 major vegetation types in Canaan Valley among which he 3 :i - . recognizes 40 distinct plant communities. Based on topography and hydrologic .ct conditions, the communities are divided into upland or ?ottomland types . .. ~ lJplanaP' :.> commtmities occur on moderately well-drained to excessively drained sites. The i " bottomland communities are found on the poorly drained to very poorly drained sites of alluvial plains and other low-lying areas. A detailed vegetation map was prepared by Fortn~y . Other vegetation maps appear in the reports of the

Federal Power Commission (1974) and the U. S. Dept. of the Interior (1978).

Fortney gives 583 taxa in his checklist of the vascular plants of Canaan

Valley. There are 80 species and varieties (13.75%) occurring in the valley that have distinct northern ranges with their southern range limits in the higher altitudes of the Appalachian Mountains in W. Virginia and southward. Twenty-three 12 species and varieties (4%) having a northern range have been reported 5 times or less in W. Virginia. Three species, Care.x atherodes Spreng., Viburnum trilobum

Marsh (highbush cranberry), and Rubus montensis Bailey (mountain blackberry) are northern species that reach their southernmost limits in Canaan Valley (see Table l).

Fortney (1975) reports that the bottomland vegetation types present a mosaic of 28 different plant communities. Three forest communities colllillon in the bottomlands are the Abies-Picea-Tsuga Forest, the Mixed Conifer-Hardwood

Forest (both of which occur along streams on the valley floor), and Populus tremuloides Groves which occur as seral communities invading wet meadows and old fields. The southernmost colony of Viburnum trilobum grows in these wet woods. Spiraea, Alnus, Hypericum, and Vacciniuc thickets are also found in the bottomlands as shrub communities. Both Soiraea and Alnus thickets are charac­ teristic of areas that are principally disturbed by flooding. Alder thickets are a major vegetation type with a very diverse floristic composition. Wet Meadows dominated by sedges and grasses are found on flood plains of streams on the valley floor, while a Sedge-Forb community occurs above flood plain '·level ~n soils with poor drainage. There are four Marsh community types largely restricted to the shallow water of beaver ponds located on small, slow-moving streams and elsewhere where shallow water is present throughout the summer. Sphagnum Bogs, with four community types, are common in the valley where drainage is impeded behind beaver dams, near seepage areas, and at the headwaters of St1Jall streams originating on the valley floor. Polytrichum Bog forms the largest, wetland vegetational type in the valley bottomlands with ten distinct communities identifiable within its confines.

These bogs may occur as localized communities included in other vegetational types, on the ecotonal areas between communities, or as e.~tensive stands by 13

TABLE l

NORTHERN PLANTS OCCURRING IN CANAAN VALLEY AS A SPECIAL LOCALITY (compiled from Fortney, 1975)

SPECIES HABITAT (if known)

Taxa with southernmost known occurrence in Canaan Valley

1. Viburnum trilobum Marsh 1. Wet woods of bottomlands 2. Carex atherodes Spreng. 2. Bogs, marshes, wet meadow communities 3. Rubus montensis Bailey 3. Reported by Strausbaugh & Core (1971) on Blackwater River

Taxa reported 5 times or less in W. Virginia

1. Eguisetum sylvaticum L. 1. Swamp forests 2. Athyrium angustum Presl. 2. Shaded, bottomland woods 3. Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. 3. Abies-Picea-Tsuga forest, bottomlands 4. Typha angustifolia L. 4. Marshes, sphagnum bogs s. Glyceria grandis L. Wats. 5. Sedge-grass communities 6. G. laxa Scribn. 6. Bogs, sedge, meadows 7. Schizachne purpurascens (Torr.) Swallen 8. Carex aestivalus MA Curtis 8. Deciduous woods 9. c. bromoides Schkuhr. 9. Swamp forests 10. .f· canescens L. var • disjuncta Fern. 10. Sphagnum & polytrichum bogs 11. .f. rostrata Stokes 11. Sphagnum bogs, polytrichum bogs 12. .f· trichocarpa Muhl. 12. Wet meadow communities 13. Scirpus atrocinctus Fern 13. Sedge-grass & sedge-forb communities; sphagnum & polytrichum bogs 14. S. rubrotinctus Fern 14. Sedge-forb 15. Ribes lacustre (Pers.) Pair 15. Northern Hardwoods forest 16. Saxifraga pensvlvanica L. 16. Swamp 17. ~ rivale L. 17. Woods 18. G. strictum Ait. 19. Rubus russeus Bailey 19. Reported by Strausbaugh & Core (1971) on rocks of Canaan Mountain 20. Rhamnus alnifolia L'Her 20. Alder thicket 21. Veronica serpyllifolia L. 21. Roadside 22. Viburnum lentago L. 22. Alder thickets 23. Eupatorium pilosum Walt. 23. Polytrichum bogs 14

themselves. The most striking and extensively developed bog community in Canaan

Valley is the Polytrichum-Pyrus-Vaccinium Hummock community, which is chiefly

restricted to the Muck and Peat and the Blago soils where drainage is blocked

behind stream levees.

Ten different communities are found on the uplands of Canaan Valley. The

Northern Hardwoods community occupies the largest area in the valley on well-drained

mountain soils and on the central ridge. The Hemlock-Hardwoods forest is also

extensive but not as much as the Northern Hardwoods community. Populus grandidentata

Grove communities also develop in the uplands. The Picea or red spruce community

occurs on the mountain rims of Canaan Valley above 3900 feet. It differs markedly

from the bottomland swamp .forests particularly in the floral composition of the

shrub and herbaceous layers.

Three Shrub communities occur on the uplands. The Spiraea thicket and

Vaccinium thicket are infrequent here and are more widespread in the bottomlands.

The Crataegus Savannah is the most extensive of the shrub communities and is

well developeq on and restricted to abandoned pastureland. There a~e also. ..3

Old-Field communities including the Danthonia Grassland which seems to have

naturally persisted since before the lumber. boom. It has probably increased in

size since the removal of the virgin forest. The Solidago-Aster and Pteridium

communities occurring in old pasturelands are apparently seral stages. Four

adventive plant communities occur but are not extensively developed in Canaan '· • Valley. Fortney (1975) notes that the rare Carex atherodes is found along Glade

Run where it grows in the bog, marsh, or wet meadow communities. Rubus montensis

is reported by Strausbaugh and Core (1971) as growing along the Blackwater River,

although Fortney does not indicate that he found it. Baer (1974) rep~rts that

L - 15

two Scotch heathers, Erica tetrahelix L. and Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull., natives

of Europe and rare in this area, grow on the slopes of Cabin Mt.. Baer states

that the colonies of these two species have been damaged by the e.~ploratory work

done in studying the area for the proposed pumped-storage facility.

The Federal Power Commission (1974) gives acreage data for only 8 vegeta-

tional communities or "cover types" that occur in the valley outside the boundaries

of Canaan Valley State Park (see Table 2). In the same report, 139 taxa comprise

the list of the flora of Canaan Valley including 52 trees, 40 shrubs, and 47 herbs

including mosses, ferns, horsetails, lycopods, and flowering plants. The acreage

of the lower reservoir given here (6,038 a.) leaves approximately 1,000 acres

unaccounted for, since the proposed Blackwater Reservoir would have a surface

area of approximately 7,000 acres at normal maximum and about 6,550 acres at

normal minimum (Fed. Power Comm., 1974, p. 1-17).

The Federal Power Commission's (1974) 8 vegetation types combine a number

of the 40 plant communities listed by Fortney (1975). To illustrate, "muskeg"

includes Fortney's sphagnum bogs, polytrichum bogs, marshes, and some of the '. wet meadows. The 80% figure for inundation of the muskegs includes most of the

polytrichum bogs and marshes. The remaining 20% would be almost entirely wet

meadows and some sphagnum bogs. Also, what is termed "spruce-fir-hemlock" forest

includes two very different communities described by Fortney which are the bottom-

land forest and the upland Picea forest. Much of the bottomland forest along the •, streams would be inundated, whereas the upland Picea community, found on the

mountain rims, would not be affected. The U. s. Dept. of the Interior (1978) lists Carex howei Mack. as a sedge

that occurs in W. Virginia only in Canaan Valley. Core (1936, p. 8) lists

Polypodium vulgare forma biserrata Millsp. as a plant first described from .•

TABLE 2

VEGETATION COVERAGE OF CANAAN VALLEY (Modified from Federal Power Commission, 1974)

Total Vallev Lower Reservoir Uooer Reservoir * % of % lower % inundation upper Acres . % Ac-res reservoir of total vallev Acres reservoir Northern Hardwoods .Forest 11,343 40.0 90 1.5 o.8

Forest Grassland Ecotone 8,316 29.3 2, 972 49.2 35.7 302 50.7

Grasses and Forbs 4,128 14.5 576 9.5 14.0 188 31.5

Muskeg 1,065 3.8 .862 14.3 80. 9 92 15.4 Speckled alder 1,485 5.2 1,099 18.2 74.0

Spiraea 611 2.2 .175 2.9 28.6

Spruce - Fir - Hemlock 1,201 4.2 97 1.6 8.1 14 2.4

Aspen 239 0.8 167 2.8. 69.9

TOTALS 23,388 lOQ.O 6,038 100.0 596 100.0

Acres inundated by lower reservoir X lOO% * Total acres in valley

..... (J\ 17

W. Virginia. The type locality is noted by Millspaugh as being "upon mossy

boulders along the Blackwater Fork of Cheat". It is not clear if this includes

Canaan Valley. Table 3 lists species that occur in Canaan Valley (Fortney,

1975) and also are included in the preliminary report of Rare and Endangered

Species of W. Virgi nia (Fortney et al.~ 1978). There are 40 species on the list

which is 7.5% of the total number of species found in the valley.

Ecological succession occurring in Canaan Valley is discussed by Michael

(1974) who describes the process and its possible effects on the vegetation.

He states that muskeg should remain tmchanged for 25 years and that the changes

that will occur in the next 50 years cannot be predicted due to a lack of com-

parable data. The W. Va. Dept. Nat. Res . (1978) also comments upon succession

in general and gives examples of changes that may occur in Canaan Valley. They

note that_in spite of the past history of man-made destruction there is "little

evidence for alteration of the habitats which support the wetland vegetation"

and that the muskeg is probably the most stable wetland type.

The 656 acres which comprise the upper reservoir of the proposed Davis

Pumped-Storage project are near the crest of Cabin Mt •• The area to be inundated

is a small valley at the headwaters of Red Creek called Dobbin Slashing and

includes some of the Dolly Sods. The largest highland polytrichum bog in

~ W. Virginia is located at this elevation (4,000'). Surrounding slopes are

covered by grassland with some forest on the higher ridges (Fortney, 1975).

'· Clovis (1974) does not regard Dobbin Slashing as particularly unique. He found

little available information on the area and no rare plants on his two visits

to the site. However, Fortney (1977) suggests that Dobbin Slashing/Dolly Sods

should be considered as one ecological unit with Canaan Valley because they are

both topographically well-defined ecosystems . He interprets the area as a 18

TABLE 3

VASCULAR PLANT SPECIES GROWING IN CANAAN VALLEY (Fortney, 1975)

TIIAT APPEAR ON TIIE PROPOSED RARE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST OF WEST VIRGINIA

(Fortney et al., 1978)

1. Restricted Status

Thelypteris simulata Nieuwl . (restricted range, only occurrence in W. Virginia in Canaan Valley) Aconitum reclinatum Gray. (occurs at high elevations) Euphorbia purpurea (Raf. ) Fern. (nort hernmost known locality)

2. Disjunct Species

Carex atherodes Spreng. (distribution range from Ontario to the Yukon wouth to New York, Kansas, and Colorado) Viburnum trilobum Marsh (main distribution in Canada and north central United States east to New England states)

3. Peripheral Species - rare in w. Virginia because they are at periphery of their ranges

Equisetum sylvaticum L. Geum strictum Ait. Abies balsamea (L.) Mills. ~nus alnifolia L'Her. Droser a rottmdifolia L. Rhododendron viscosum (L . ) Torr. Ribes lacustie (Pers. ) Poir Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait. Saxifra.8.!, pensylvanica L. V. oxycoccus L. Amelanchier bartramia (Tausch.) Roeme Polemonium van- bruntiae Britt Dalibarda repens L. Cacalia suaveolens L. ~ rivale Ait. Eupatorium pilosum Walt. Zigadenus leimanthoides Gray

4. Status Undetermined - f ew occur rences in W. Virginia but insufficient informat ion t o det ermine current status (possibility that t hey may or may not be rare) Athyrium angustum Presl. .£. canescens L. Typha angustifolia L. .£. coroosa Boott. Najas gracillima (A.Br. ) Magnus .£. leptonervia Fern. Glyceria grandis s. Wats. _£. normalis Macheny G. laxa Scribn. .£. trichocarpa Muhl. G. p;Ifida (Torr. ) Trin. Scirpus atrocinctus Fern. Schizachne purpuracens (Torr.) Swallen s. rubrotinctus Fern. Carex aestivalis M.A.Curtis Salix discolar Muhl. (and varieties) .£. bromoides Schkuhr. Cuscuta rostrata Shuttlew • 19 wetland comparable to Canaan Valley. Both areas have a similar history of logging and burning, as well as a similar geology, climate, and type of revege­ tation that has developed. The present vegetation consists of Bogs, Grass Balds,

Blueberry and Huckleberry Thickets, Northern Hardwood Forests, Red Spruce

Forests, and dwarfed and gnarled Hardwood Thickets. Rare plants that occur on

Cabin Mt. are listed in Table 4.

Wll.DLIFE

Present Fishery Resources

There are 54 miles of stream fishery habitats (Miles, 1968) and an addi­ tional 70 acres of pond habitat 1n the 109 beaver ponds in Canaan Valley (U. s.

Dept. of the !nterior, 1978). Lists of fish species of the Blackwater River drainage at'e found in reports by the W. Va. Dept. of Natural Resources (1978) and Federal Power Commission (1974). Species of fish found in the various habitats in Canaan Valley are listed in Table 5, and the present fisheries are as follows:

The North Branch of the Blackwater River and the main Blackwater Riv~r from

Pattersons Riffle to the mouth of the Little Blackwater form about 16 miles of trout habitat. These streams harbor the only self-sustaining brown trout popu­ lation in Tucker Co. and 62% of the documented self-sustained brown trout popu­ lation in the entire state of W. Virginia (Shanks and McKevitt, 1974).

Glade Run, Sand Run, and the Little Blackwater River are cool water pro­ viding 20 mi. of stream habitat which support such species as largemouth bass and bullhead. These waters potentially could support northern pike and small­ mouth bass (Shanks & McKevitt, 1974). ~

TABLE 4

DOLLY SODS/DOBBIN SLASHING RARE PLANTS* (modified from Fortney, 1977)

Occurs on WV Rare & Occurs in Canaan Valley Endangered Sp. list Name Common Name (oer Fortney. 1975) (Fortney et al •• 1978) illtt balsamea Balsam Fir + 3

Amelanchier bartramiana Serviceberry + 3

Betula papyrifera Paper Birch 3 Carex aestivalie Sedge + 4 Carex canesccne Sedge + 4

Coptis groenlandica Goldenthread 3

Cuscuta rostrata Beaked Dodder + 4 Drosera rotundifolia Sundew + 3

Potentilla tridentata Three-toothed Cinquefoil 3

Scirpus atrocinctus Woolgrase + 4 Vaccinium oxycoccos Small Cranberry + 3

Viola septentrionalis Northern Blue Violet 4

Zigadenus leimanthoides Oceanorus ·...... + 3

3 • peripheral species; rare in * Most of the plants on this list are norther)\ species WV because they are at the periphery of their ranges. status undetermined; few 4 - occurrences in WV but insuf f icient information to dete mine statue; may or may not be rare. .. ' TABLE 5 SPECIES OF FISH AND THEIR HABITAT IN CANAAN VALLEY

Small Self-Sustaining . Cool Water Beaver Put and Take Feeder ~ Brown Trout Waters · Fish Habitat Ponds Trout Waters Streams

Brook Trout - Salvelinus fontinalis + t Brown Trout - Salmo trutta +

Rainbow Trout - ~ gairdneri + Largemouth Bass - Micropterus salmoides + + Rock Bass - Ambloplites rupestrie + +

Rough and Forage

Black B,ullhead - Ictalarus melas + + Creek Chub - Semotilius atromaculatus + + + + Blacknose Dace - Rhinichthys atratulus + + Longnose Dace - Rhinichthys cataractae + + Greenside Darter - Etheostoma blenniodoides +

Mottled Sculpin - Cottus bairdi + + White Sucker - Catostomus commersoni + ,.. + + ·... ··

Compiled from u. s. Dept. of the Interior (1978) .a~d Shanks and McKevitt (1974). ·

...... N 22 '

In addition to these waters, there are many brook trout and dace-trickle

feeder streams of undetermined length which occur throughout Canaan Valley.

These smaller streams support small brook trout and forage fish, provide spawning

areas for larger trout, and contribute lower hierarchal members of the food chain to the streams below.

The 109 beaver ponds furnish about 70 acres of pond habitat which are found

mostly on Glade Run and the Little Blackwater River. These ponds support popu-

lations of bullhead and largemouth bass. Largemouth bass were introduced in

1963-1964 (W. Va. Dept. Nat. Res., 1978). Although warmer than the flowing ... stream habitat, the growth rate of the bass is slow due to the short growing

season and cool waters (Shanks and McKevitt, 1974).

Major locations of put-and-take supported waters in the Blackwater River

drainage ~nclude a 3 mi. section of river extending below Camp 70 on the main

Blackwater River to above the mouth of Beaver Creek and a 6 mi. section of the

main Blackwater River below G. I. Road. Rock bass and rainbow trout are stocked in these waters and these sections constitute about 2% of w. Virginia's total . ·. . ~ trout habitat (U. S. Dept. of the Interior, 1974).

The site of the proposed upper reservoir comprises the headwaters of Red

Creek. Red Creek supports populations of brook trout, sculpin, blacknose dace,

and northern creek chub. The low pH (4.8) of this stream limits current levels

of productivity (Shanks and McKevitt, 1974). ' . The results of stream surveys on the Blackwater River show an estimated

standing crop of 46-72 lbs. fish/acre (Miles, 1968) and a census in 1959 showed

that the Blackwater River received twice the angling pressure as other important

trout waters in the state (Zurbuch, 1962). However, these estimates were made

prior to an intensified put-and-take trout stocking program in the Valley in 1970

which, at present, provide the major fishery in the Blackwater River. 23

The put-and-take fisheries program annually stocks about 40,000 trout weighing a total of 16,000 lbs. into the waters of the Canaan Valley. In 1970 this sustained a fishing pressure of about 27,000 angler days (W. Va. Dept. of

Nat. Res., 1973). Data for trout stocking in the Canaan Valley Drainage in

1976-1977 are given in Table 6.

TABLE 6

Trout stocking in the Blackwater River Drainage in Spring 1976 - Fall 1977 (U. S. Department of the Interior, 1978)

Weight (lbs) No. Fish

Rainbow trout 14,239 28,081 Golden rainbow 2,182 3,570 Brook trout 113 293 Brown tout 523 2,153 Total 17,059 34,097

Estimates show that the water of the Blackwater River Drainage sustain heavy use for trout fishing in comparison with other trout waters in W. Virginia.

These data are presented in Table 7.

TABLE 7

COMPARISON OF DATA FOR USE OF BLACKWATER RIVER DRAINAGE FOR

TROUT FISHING WITH THAT FOR STATE OF W. VA. (Compiled from Shanks and McKevitt, 1974)

Acres Trout Habitat Fisherman Davs Man Days/Acre Blackwater River Drainage 132 27,000 205 W. Virginia 8,498 893,812 105

Waterfowl, Wetland Birds, Ga.me

The diverse wetlands of Canaan Valley provide habitat for a variety of waterfowl and wetland birds. The beaver ponds, meandering streams and marshy areas support populations of mallard ducks (Anas platvrhvnchos), wood ducks 24

(Aix sponsa) and black ducks (Anas rubripes). Black ducks are found in the more remote areas in the valley and are present throughout the year. Their popula-

tion is estimated to be 25 pairs which represents 12% o~ the breeding population in W. Virginia (U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 1978).

Canada geese (Branta canadensis) were introduced into the valley in 1967 in a transplant study. They migrate south for the winter and have returned to

Canaan Valley each spring. The summer population is estimated to be 100 birds

(W. Va. Dept. of Nat. Res., 1978). They require marshy habitat and produce about 5 nests/yr on or near the beaver ponds in the valley.

The Canaan Valley constitutes the southern extent of the breeding range of

snipe (Caoella gallinago) which frequent the shallow marshy periphery of beaver ponds (U . S. Dept. of the Interior, 1978). Canaan Valley also maintains the

largest population of woodcock (Philohela minor) in W. Virginia. The resident population is estimated at 1,300 birds which increases to 2,200 during migration (U. s. Fed. Power Comm., 1974). Woodcock habitat consists of a composite of

2,815 acres of alder, aspen, spiraea thickets and grazed land withi~ the ~~ley.

This area has received national acclaim for woodcock hunting which, in 1969,

totaled about 500 man-days (Slaymaker, 1970). At present the size of the resident woodcock population is limited by the amount of grazed land in the

valley (W. Va. Dept. of Nat. Res., 1973).

The population of wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) in the valley is

estimated at 330 birds. Wild turkeys reside in the dry wooded areas on the

slopes of Canaan Mountain and an undetermined number of i:'uf fed grouse (Bonasa

umbellus) are scattered throughout the valley in the spruce-fir forests and

aspen thickets. A species list of birds found in Tucker Co. is presented in

the Federal Power Commission's report (1974). In addition, a report by the 25

W. Va . Dept. of Natural Resources (1978) lists 162 birds known from or expected

to occur in Canaan Valley.

Published census data for ani.l:lals in Canaan Valley is only available for

major game animals. Estimates of their population sizes are given in Table 8.

TABLE 8

ESTil1ATED POPULATION SIZE OF MAJOR GAME ANiltALS IN CANAAN VALLEY

Animal Population Size . Source

White-tailed deer 1,595 w. Va. Dept. of Nat. Resources, 1973 Beaver 520 II Raccoon 250 " Black bear 10 Federal Power Commission, 1974

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are found in the open meadow-

land brushy areas in Canaan Valley and on the adjacent mountain slopes. In

1970, deer hunting in the valley totaled 3,983 man-days (W. Va. Dept. Nat. Res.,

1973).

The beaver (Castor canadensis) in Canaan Valley have constructed 109 ponds

totaling 70 acres (W. Va. Dept. Nat. Res., 1978) . Mo~t of these p~nds a:-e

located on the Little Blackwater River and on Glade Run, providing habitat

1 for fish, waterfowl, snipe, and furbearer s. Undetennined numbers of muskrat (Ondatra zibethica) and mink (Mustela vison) frequent these shallow waters.

In 1972-73, 109 beaver were trapped in the valley which represents 507. of the

harvest in Tucker Co. , providing about 600 man-days trapping per year (W. Va.

Dept. Nat. Res., 1973; 1978).

The raccoon (Procton lotor) population is distributed throughout the

valley. However, they are most closely associated with the beaver ponds and

streams where food is abundant. The raccoon population currently supports 56

man-days of hunting per year (W. Va . Dept. ~Tat. Res. , 1973; 1978). 26 ' Black bear (Euarctos americanus) utilizes all of the habitats in Canaan

.:..pr Valley and is dependent upon the wild character of the area. Bear hunting in ~. t Canaan Valley and the adjacent slopes is estimated at 25 man-days per year

(W. Va. Dept. Nat. Res., 1973).

No census data ere available for other animals in Canaan Valley. The popu- , - lation of cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus, ..[. transitionalis) varies -· I yearly. Rabbit habitat consists of open fields and alder-Spiraea thickets. In {. .

1968, 3,247 rabbits were harvested from the valley which was 507. of the total .~ ·:· harvest from Tucker Co.. This provided 3,367 man-days of hunting (W. va·. Dept.r .. •

Nat. Res., 1973).

Other animals found in Canaan Valley include: snowshoe hare (Lenus ,:... . . : "!: - .. · ' ~ americanus),"gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), woodchuck (Marmota monax), opossum (Didelphis marsupialis), gray f~~ ~· ~ ·~

(Urocyon cinereoargenteus), red fox (Vulpes fulva), bobcat (1I!E!, rufus) and _~..._. ". .'· fisher (Martes pennatii). These provide for additional hunting and trapping within the valley. '• Species lists for mammals in Canaan Valley are presented in reports of tlfe> r ~ t:,.J

Federal Power Commission (1974) and W. Va. Dept:. of Natural Resources (1978) ,'.sslo;::" .c.· the latter listing 55 mammals known or expected to occur in the valley.

No census data are available for wildlife in Dobbin Slashing, the upper . .. . '-'\ . reservoir site; however, the wetland-containing basin provide habitat for a .• .. variety of animals. Several beaver ponds in the basin support black duck, mallards and teal (Anas sp.), and provide nesting and brook habitat. The shallow water also supports snipe. Black bear, white-tailed deer, and ruffed 01 grouse are also known to use the area (W. Va. Dept. Nat. Res ., 1973). 27

SIMILAR AREAS IN WEST VIRGINIA

Baer (1974) states that (Pocahontas County) and Cranes- ville Swamp (Preston County) are the most outstanding wetland systems in the state, along with Canaan Valley. These areas have had much the same history as Canaan Valley in that the virgin forest has been logged off and later beaver activity has developed extensive wetlands where boreal plant associations are preserved. Baer compares these areas in Table 9.

Cranesville Swamp is located on the W. Virginia-Maryland border. It encompasses 4,500 acres of which 295 acres are wetlands (W. Va. Dept. Nat. Res.,

1978). Larix laricina, the American larch, grows in the swamp and it is at this site that it reaches its southernmost limit. Larch does not occur in either of the other two areas (Baer, 1974). White-throated sparrows reach their southernmost limits in_Cranesville Swamp where they nest in the only known place in w. Virginia (Brooks, 1965). Much of the land has been purchased by The Nature Conservancy and approximately 30% of the wetlands are preserved in their natural state.

Robinette (1964) has made a detailed study of Cranesville Swamp. ... ~.: . ._,, Cranberry Glades is probably the best known wetland in w. Virgini~. Its

10,000 acres include 750 acres of wetlands (W. Va. Dept. Nat. Res., 1978) and are under the management and protection of the u. S. Forest Service. The history of Cranberry Glades is somewhat different from Cranesville Swamp and Canaan

Valley in that the glades have probably always formed a natural large open area.

A Visitor's Information Center and a boardwalk over the bog have been developed.

Cranberry Glades was classified as a Natural Area in 1949 and later in 1965 it was designated a Botanical Area in the Monongahela National Forest. Clarkson

(1966) provides an excellent description of Cranberry Glades. Pollen samples

from the largest glade have been dated at 9,423 ! 840 years of age. Six 28

Table 9 • A Comparison of Terrestrial Ecosystems of Canaan Valley, Cranesville Swamp, and Cranberry Glades (from Baer, 1974).

Canaan Cranesville Cranberry Valley Swamp Glades

LOCATION: County Tucker Preston-Garrett Pocahontas

Mean Elev. 3250' 2560' 3375'

Drainage Blackwater R. Muddy Cr. Cranberry R.

GEOLOGY: Structure Eroded Anticline Eroded Anticline Eroded Anticline

Resistant Rock Pottsville Gr. Pottsville Gr. Pottsville Gr.

Soil Reaction Acid-Neutral Acid-Neutral Acid-Neutral Peat Deposits + + + PROTECTION: % of wetland Indefinite ca. 30% 100%

Ownership Variable Nat. Cons. U. s. Forest

VEGETATIVE COVER TYPES: (approx. acreage)

NORTHERN HARDWOODS and Hemlock- Hardwoods 12,822 3,710

Forest-Grass 9,051 450 200

Grass- Forb 6,349 75

Muskeg 1,366 133 120

Alder 2,035 25 400

Spiraea 1,392 1

Spruce-Fir-Hemlock 1,800 165 80

Aspen 257 8

Larch-Sedge 0 33 0

Total Acreage 35,072 4,500 10,000 29

species of birds reach their southern limits here including Swainson's thrush,

hermit thrush, Nashville warbler, mourning warbler, northern waterthrusb, and

purple finch (Brooks, 1965). Taxus canadensis (yew), Andromeda glaucophylla

(bog rosemary), and Menyanthes trifoliata (buckbean) grow here, but do not occur at either Cranesville Swamp or Canaan Valley (Baer, 1974). Successional trends

have recently been studied in Cranberry Glades (Edens, 1973 and1 based on Edens' work and Darlington's (1942) earlier studies, it is predicted that the open

.. glades will eventually become covered with bog forest • Clarkson (1966) notes Blister Swamp (northern Pocahontas County) as another •, important bog in W. Virginia. It is a small area, approximately 40 acres,

but its history is similar to Canaan Valley. The original spruce forest was

removed and today the area is primarily used for pasture. Linnaea borealis var.

americana (twinflower) is found here at its southernmost known locality in

eastern North America. The swamp lies within the boundaries of the Monongahela

National Forest. Core (1974) lists a number of bogs or muskegs that are found in the moun- . ~·. . '• ·. tains of W. Virginia. Little is known about these areas, except fo~ . Blister

Swamp, already mentioned, Cheat Bridge and Dunmore Springs, small areas also noted by Clarkson (1966). Hart (1978) states there are 2,400 acres of boreal

wetlands now in a preserved or protected status in W. Virginia. This acreage

includes Canaan Valley State Park, Cranberry Glades, Cranesville Swamp, Blister

Run Bog, and several other small bogs, each less than 50 acres.

Canaan Valley wetlands differ from other wetland areas in W. Virginia

because of their large size (6,765 acres) and the great diversity of its

wetland systems (W. Va. Dept. Nat. Res., 1978). Although there is no known

single feature that cannot be found elsewhere, it is, nevertheless, unusual 30

because of the ·great extent of open, unforested muskeg. The large size and

diverse habitats of Canaan Valley support an abundance of species of wildlife,

especially American woodcock and white-tailed deer, as well as providing the

remote areas required" by other species such as black ducks a.nd black bear

(U. S. Dept. of the Interior, 1978).

EFFECTS OF IMPOUNDME:NTS FROM THE DAVIS POWER PROJECT

Impact on Vegetation

The proposed Davis Pumped Storage Facility will create the Blackwater

Reservoir which will cover approximately 7,000 acres of Canaan Valley and 600 " acres of the drainage of Red Creek on Cabin Mt •• The main effects of this·

power projece upon the vegetation of the valley will be complete inundation and loss of 7,600 acres of habitat (U. s. Fed. Power Comm., 1974). Table 2 shows the relative amounts of vegetation types that will be inundated. In the

lower reservoir the most significant impact wi.11 be the reduction of the muskegs

(80%), speckled alder thickets (74%), aspen thickets (70%), and the forest­

grassland ecotone (35%). These bottomland vegetation ~ypes conta~ _ some· 9£ the

most diverse and complex patterns of plant communities in the valley (Fortney, 1975). Most of the area to be inundated is in the northern part of the valley.

Much of this area alo~g the Little Blackwater River is comprised of sphagnum

and polytrichum bogs. Of special interest in the southern part of the valley

is Glade Run. Inundation of this area would completely destroy the habitat of

Carex atherodes, one of the 3 species of special botanical significance in Canaan Valley (U. s. Dept. of the Interior, 1978). Reductions in the vegeta­

tion cover types would also reduce the habitats for many of the taxa with 31 boreal affinities and others rare in W. Virginia that appear in Table 3. How- ever, areas that will not be inundated will still contain representatives of individual plant species although populations will be considerably depleted.

Impact on Fisheries

Over 39 miles of meandering streams in Canaan Valley will be inundated.

This will eliminate most of the trout streams in the valley. The major portion of the north fork of the Blackwater River will be inundated eliminating 16 miles of stream habitat which supports 627. of the self-sustained brown trout population in W. Virginia (Shanks and McKevitt, 1974).

In addition, 6 miles of the put-and-take trout water in the Blackwater

River below G. I. Road, Glade Run, the Little Blackwater River and an undeter- mined number of dace-trickle feeder streams will be inundated~

Impact on Waterfowl, Wetland Birds, Game

Inundation of 6,674 acres of wetlands will eliminate habitat for game animals and waterfowl. The mosaic of meadows and thickets in the valley which . ., ·.. ·. ~ . will be inundated support 25% of the 1595 deer in the valley (W. Va. ·Dept. Nat.

Res., 1973). Cottontail rabbit habitat, which consists of open meadows and alder and Spiraea thickets, will be reduced by 5,755 acres.

Of the 109 beaver ponds in Canaan Valley, 83 will be inundated, along with 39 miles of meandering streams. This represents a reduction of 907. of beaver habitat. Muskrat and other animals such as mink which frequent the shallow beaver ponds will also be affected (W. Va. Dept. ~at. Res., 1973).

The inundation of the beaver ponds and meandering streams will eliminate habitat for the black duck and may affect the established population of Canada geese in the valley. 32

An estimated 80% of the area available to hunt snipe and 1,632 acres of woodcock habitat will be inundated. This represents a reduction of 58% of woodcock habitat {W. Va. Dept. Nat. Res., 1973).

The impact upon game as measur~d in hunter-days for Canaan Valley and Dobbin Slashing is presented in Tables 10 and 11.

PROJECTED PRODUCTIVITY OF BLACKWATER LAKE

Characteristics of Blackwater Lake

The projected pH of Blackwater Lake is around 7.0 {Bates, 1972). ~bout

700 acres of land containing peat {ave. depth 80 cm) and organic soils will be ' inundated. Tannins and organic acid~ may leach from these deposits initially

lowering the.pH of the lake {U.S. Fed. Power Comm., 1974). It is tmknown.

whether the lake will be saffron-colored from high tannin content. Concentra­

tions of -trace metals are predicted to be within acceptable limits (Bates, 1972).

Estimates of the anticipated degree of thermal stratification are that the

lower reservoir will be weakly stratified {Ebasco, 1973) or moderately stratified

(Corps of Engineers, 1974). Inundation of organic soils may result in sotne oxygen demand for an unknown period of time after filling of the reservoir

(U. s. Fed. Power Comm., 1974), however, data for predicted concentrations of dissolved oxygen in Blackwater Lake are lacking.

Drawdown The maximum weekly drawdown of Blackwater Lake will be 4' (U. S. Fed. Power

Comm., 1974). This estimate is based upon a year .with average amounts of rainfall. A 4' drawdown will produce 420 acres of exposed terrain along the

53 mi. shoreline of Blackwater Lake. This is an average of a 65' wide strip of

exposed shoreline around the perimeter of the reservoir; however, diking will

reduce the amount of e.~posed shoreline in some areas (U. s. Fed. Power Comm., 1974). 33

TABLE 10 EFFECT OF PROPOSED LOWER RESERVOIR ON HUNTING IN CANAAN VALLEY (Modified from w. Va. Dept. of Natural Resources, 1973)

Present Potential use Estimated loss % hunter opportunity with lake loss of Species days/year (days/year) only/year potential

Woodcock 500 894 490 55 Snipe 225 550 440 80 -· Wild turkey 2085 3456 654 19 Ruf fed grouse 400 1200 399 33

Black bear 25 75 30 40

Raccoon 56 100 80 80

Rabbit 3367 5330 1934 36 White-tailed deer 3983 5000 1250 25 Furbearers 2010 2480 2100 85 ·, - , 4 • • • .. Woodchuck 1422 2942 . 837 28

Waterfowl 150 175 125 71

TOTAL 14,223 22,202 8,339 34 '

TABLE 11

EFFECT OF PROPOSED UPPER RESERVOIR ON HUNTING IN DOBBIN SLASHING (Modified from W. Va. Dept. of Natural Resources, 1973)

Losses of potential Present Use opportunity hunter days due to % hunter use (hunter days proposed upper reservoir Loss Species per season per season) construction day/sea.son

Waterfowl 6 20 20 30

Snipe 2 30 30 100

White- tailed deer 3 24 24 100

Bear 25 25 100

Ruffed grouse 6 20 20 100

Furbearers Unknown 40 40 . .),00 ~'\

TOTAL 159 159 35

In a dry year such as 1930-31, minimum drawdown could be as low as 3,175' with a 15 CFS release rate and 3,173' with a 45 CFS release rate (U. s. Fed.

Power Comm., 1974). This represents a drawdown of 7' and 9 1 respectively.

A 9' drawdown will produce 1,000 acres of exposed terrain or a strip 156' wide around the lake.

In the tropics the drawdown zone of reservoirs is colonized readily by grasses; however, in regions of high latitude the drawdown zone can be virtually barren (Baxter, 1977). The drawdown zone or littoral region of pumped storage reservoirs impose particularly severe conditions upon vegetation (Baxter, 1977).

The daily cycles of water level flux superimposed over weekly cycles results in periodic submergence and exposure of vegetation. This causes deposition of sediment on photosynthetic surfaces, unstable substrate, rapid flu~tuations in temperature, moisture and light, and leaches nutrients out of the zone of plant growth (Gail, 1972). In addition, wave action and scouring by ice during the winter increases vegetational instability. It is unknown to what extent the drawdown zone of Blackwater Lake will become vegetated and if so by, what. :.. ·. species. It is unlikely that the shoreline influenced by fluctuating water levels will produce wetland communities such as those that exist in Canaan Valley today. It is more probable that the upper region of the drawdown zone will be colonized by weedy herbaceous species.

Projected Fishery Data on thermal stratification and dissolved oxygen are insufficient to accurately predict the type or amount of fish Blackwater Lake will support. u. S. Fish and Wildlife sources (Shanks and McKevitt, 1974) state that the waters in the lower reservoir will probably be cool and infertile but will most likely support largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, black crappie, walleye 36

and sunfish. Northern pike could be stocked but are not expected to reproduce

since they require shallow water to spawn. Water level fluctuations resulting

from pumped storage operation would interfere ~ith pike spawning. The projected

low fertility and cool waters of Blackwater Lake will allow only slow growth

rates of largemouth bass and walleyes; however, small.J:louth bass and black crappie

are expected to be more successful under these conditions. It is unknown

whether Blackwater Lake will support trout fishing other than on a put-and-take

basis.

Game and Waterfowl

There are no estimates of numbers or type of game Blackwater Lake will

support. In.view of the 4' drawdown it is not likely that beaver or muskrat

will utilize the lake (W. Va. Dept. Nat. Res., 1973). Diking of some of the

coves around the lake may create some habitat for waterfowl and game but it is

unlikely that the periodic exposed shorelines will attract waterfowl or game.

The fluctuation of water levels will discourage waterfowl nesting (W. Va. Dept.

Nat. Res., 1978). The reservoir may support some ducks and geese but their

nUDJbers may be limited since Canaan Valley is not on a major migratory fl}'11ay •

.. ..

II. FIELD STUDIES

...... ' 37

RECONNAISSANCE OF STUDY SITE AND OTHER WETLANDS

Canaan Valley and Dobbin Slashing on Cabin Mt. were each visited twice

during the investigation. The first visit was May 30, 1978, and the second

June 9, 1978. During each visit a helicopter was used to fly over the areas

under study and landings were made in different parts to inspect the ground vege­

tation. Flights were made over the proposed upper and lower reservoirs as well

as the site of the proposed dam on the Blackwater River and the location of the

proposed generating facility at the base of Cabin Mt . In addition, a number of other wetlands in w. Virginia were visited on the ground and by air in order to make comparison.s with the Canaan Valley-Cabin Mt . wetland systems.

Canaan Valley

Physiography

Canaan Valley is an elongated broad valley about 12 miles long and 4 miles wide. It is oriented in a northeast-south~est direction. The valley is drained

by a series of small rivers and streams including mainly the Blackwater River,

Little Blackwater River, Glade Run, and many small tributaries and.,feeder:.streams.

Eventually these empty into the Blackwater River which drains the basin through

a narrow valley formed between hills on the west toward the town of Davis.

Because of the rather flat and level character of the valley, particularly in

the northern postions, the streams flow slowly, soils are poorly drained and an extensive area of wetland vegetation has formed. The best developed wetlands

occur in the northern 6 miles of the valley, i.e., beginning about 2~ miles

south of the outlet of the Blackwater River and extending northward from the outlet about~ miles. (See Figs. 2 and 3). 38

Fig. 2. Canaan Valley from Cabin Mt. looking west and showing flat character of valley floor.

Fig. 3. View of Cabin ~t . fro~ Canaan Valley. Northern hardwoods forests grow on upper slopes , old fields occur on lower slo?es and wetlands form in the valley. 39

A series of low rolling hills rise from the center of the valley floor and tend to break the central and southern parts of the valley into an eastern and western drainage system.

Wetland Vegetation

Several conspicuous wetland vegetation groups occur in the valley which are described in a general way as follows:

1. Muskeg

One of the largest wetland types in the valley is best described as

"muskeg". The terrain is marked with hummocks usually comprised of Polytrichum moss but occasionally mixed with Sphagnum moss. The hummocks generally range from 6" to- 12" in height and are spongy under foot. Standing water often occu- pies the spaces between the mossy cushions. Scattered charred tree bases characterize much of this terrain. Growing on the hum.mocks are such species as goldenrod, Solidago uliginosum, dewberry, Rubus hisnidus, and cottongrass,

Eriophorum virginicum. Scattered about in this largely treeless wetland are the shrubs purple chokeberry, Pyrus melanocarpa, and occasionally ~hadbush; . " Amelanchier arborea. (See Figs. 4, 5 and 6) •

2. Alder thickets

Alder thickets border small streams and the larger rivers where they form a dense vegetation. Such thickets typically f onn a zone between the muskeg and swamp forest. Speckled alder, ~s rugosa, is the dominant species with herbaceous species occurring in the understory such as ragwort,

Senecio aureus, marsh marigold, Caltha palustris, Jacob's ladder, Polmoneum van-bruntiae, watercress, Roripna islandica, sensitive fern, Onoclea sensibilis, and cinnamon fern, Osmtmda cinnamomea. Sometimes broad-leaved cattail, 40

Fig. 4 . Muskeg terrain with dense alder thicket and swamp forest in backgr ound.

Fig . 5 . Close- up of muskeg hummocks comprised of moss (Polvtrichuo spp.) and cottongrass (Erioohoriun virginicum) . 41

Fig. 6. Shrubby stage of muskeg with small pool of water. Several nearly circular pools of unknown origin are scattered through­ out the muskeg .

Fig. 7 . Air •1iew of string of beaver ponds at the headwater of Glade Run. 42

Typha latifolia grows in colonies near the edges of the alder zone. An excep-

tionally diverse flora is found in this vegetation type. (See Fig. 4) 3. Swamp Forest

Scattered islands of swamp forest, usually only a few acres in size,

rise above the lower alder thickets and muskeg. The swamp forest is dominated by red spruce, Picea rubra, hemlock, Tsuga canadensis, balsam fir, Abies

balsamea, with some yellow birch, Betula lutea. Speckled alder, ~ rugosa, mountain holly, Nemopanthus mucronata, and laurel, Rhododendron maximum grow

in the understory. Some herbs on the hummocks include bunchberry, Cornus

canadensis,wood sorrel, , and others but, ·in general, there is

little ground cover because of dense shade under the tree canopy. (See Fig. 4)

4. Grass-Sedge meadows

- Bordering the Blackwater River, Glade Run, and smaller streams occur thick lush grass-sedge meadows dominated by sedges such as ~ rostrata,

.£. stricta, Carex folliculata, and bluejoint grass, Calamagrostis canadensis.

These meadows also occur around beaver ponds and sometimes form wit_hin tb~ . . muskeg. Scattered clones of~ rostrata or.£. stricta sometimes form nearly pure stands which from the air appear as nearly circular patches. (See Figs.

7 and 8) 5. Spiraea and Hypericum thickets

Large areas.of p~rly drained soils may be occupied by spiraea,

Spiraea ~. or St. Johnswort, Hypericum densiflorum. These wetlands tend to form more frequently on wet abandoned pasturelands toward the south end of the valley. In the present study the best stands were not visited on the ground but were observed from the air. 43

~ig. 8 . Beaver meadow bordering Little Blackwater River. Sedges and grasses dominate the vegetation.

Fig. 9. Savannah and broken woodlands at top of low hill in Canaan Valley. Old field species dominate the vegetation. 44

Some of these wetland types can be more finely classified into a number

of different plant communities.2 However, the above groups appear to be the

more prominent physiognomic types. It should be noted that throughout the

various wetland types the same species tend to recur repeatedly and differences

in the appearance of the wetlands are often due to shifts in numbers of indivi­

dual species rather than different kinds of species. Many of the variations in

population densities observed, especially in the muskeg, appear to result from

slight fluctuations in water levels which favor one species or another • .

.. Upland Vegetation

Several general upland vegetation types characterize the higher and drier

ground adjacent to the wetlands. These are as follows:

1. Hardwoods

Rather open wooded areas occur on the dry rises especially near the

center of the valley. One site visited was dominated by black cherry, Prunus

serotina, with .a scattering of red maple, ~ rubrum, and beech, Fagus

grandifolia. The ground cover was characterized by New York fern, :bryopteris

noveboracensis, and goldenrod, Solidago rugosa. A variety of herbaceous species

occur at the fringes of the hardwoods such as foamflower, Tiarella cordifolia,

wood sorrel, Oxalis montana and spring beauty, Claytonia virginica. In some

places bluejoint grass, Calal!lagrostis canadensis, was abundant. Scattered

shrubs occur especially near the fringes of the open hardwoods including goose­

berry, ~ sp., witherod, Viburnum cassinoides, and arrow-wood, Viburnum recognitur.i. (See Fig. 9)

2 Fortney (1975) gives an excellent description and classification of the

various plant communities in Canaan Valley. He recognizes 40 different

communities in the valley including 28 bottom.land types. See pages 11-14

of this report for a brief review of these communities. 45

Large tracts of deciduous forest occupy the slopes of the mountains which surround the valley. These forests are dominated by northern hardwoods such as sugar maple (Acer sacchart11!1) and beech (Fagus grandifolia) which are often tuixed with red maple (), black cherry (Prunus serotina) and yellow birch (Betula lutea). These forests were only observed from the air.

2. Savannah

Between the low-lying we.tlands and the open woodlands on the low-lying hills in the valley occurs an extensive vegetation comprised of old field species of forbs and grasses interspersed with shrubs such as hawthorn, Crataegus spp., and a variety of shrubs including withered, Viburnum cassinoides, velvet-leaf blueberry, Vaccinium mvrtilloides, and currant, ~ sp.. (See Fig. 9)

3. Aspen groves

Scattered clumps of aspen, Populus tremuloides, fotm in a nUlllber of places in the valley but are especially common toward the southern end. These groves develop on the drier sites often above alder thickets. Velvet-leaf blueberry, Vaccinium mvrtilloides, is common as is goldenrod, Solidago uliginosum.·

The open areas between the aspen groves contain a variety of weedy species such as poverty grass, Danthonia sp., sweet vernal grass, Anthoxanthum odoratum, and buttercup, Ranunculus acris. Other species noted include cinquefoil, Potentilla simplex, wood rush, Luzula parviflora, sour grass, ~ acetosella, and yarrow,

Achillea millifolium. Club mosses especially abundant are Lycopodium clavatum and 1.· flabelliformae. (See Fig. 10) 46

Fig. 10. Aspen groves interspersed among alder thickets near the Blac~-water River.

. ...

Fig. 11. ~uskeg on Cabin Mt . The flowering tree is Bartram' s shadbush (A~elanc~ier bartramiana), a boreal species found in the high mountains of New England and in the eastern r.anadian subarctic.

/ 47

Cabin Mt.

Physiography

The site of the proposed upper reservoir on Cabin Mt. is a saucer-shaped

depression known as Dobbin Slashing. The basin f[rains eastward by way of a

poorly defined stream called Red Creek. The western summit ridge and slopes

of the basin on Cabin Mt. are largely treeless with rocky outcrops protruding

above the low growing vegetation. Charred and partly decayed tree stumps are

· scattered about the barren landscape giving a bleak impression to the area. .. The treeless rocky terrain and low growing vegetation is very similar to areas in the subarctic such as occur in northern Labrador and the central part of

the Ungava Peninsula.

Wetland Vegetation

A large a~ea of muskeg and sedge meadow occupy the flat lowlands in the basin. Hummocks in the muskeg are mostly formed from Polytrichum moss and the

vegetation appeaxsto be a small-scale version of some of the muskeg terrain

in Canaan Valley. Reindeer lichens ( Cladonia spp.) ar~ more abund~Jlt he~~ · ·than

in the Valley and appear to be invading the drier parts of the mossy hummocks.

Scattered about the area are the shadbushes, Amelanchier bartramiana and

}:.. arborea. Both species were blooming on MaY. 30 which was ten days to two

weeks later than they bloomed in northern Vermont, an indication of the low

temperatures prevailing at this location. Purple chokeben1•, Pyrus melanocarpa,

is the dominant shrub in the muskeg. (See Fig. 11) Near the center of the basin occurs a large expanse of sedge meadow which

borders the stream draining the area. Sphagnum mounds form near the edge of

the meadow and in places the mat is deep and develops a quaking character.

Witherod, Viburnum cassinoides, occurs in this area along with cranberry, Vaccinium oxvcoccus, and creeping snowberry, Caultheria hisoidula. 48

Acreage of Wetland Types in Canaan Valley and on Cabin Mt .

Calculations of the areas of the various wetland types is given in Table 12.

There are about 6,764 acres of wetlands in Canaan Valley and 241 acres on

Cabin Mt., totaling 7,005 acres. Muskeg occupies the largest area in the Valley or about 2,300 acres. Alder is also abundant and covers about 2,054 acres.

The proposed lower reservoir would cover about 2,080 acres of muskeg amounting to a loss of 90.4%. Other significant losses of habitat resulting from inun­ dation would be the alder thickets (1,253 acres) and wet meadows (532 acres).

All 241 acres of muskeg and wet meadow in Dobbin Slashing on Cabin Mt. would be flooded by the upper reservoir. Altogether 4,558 acres of wetlands would be inundated or 657. of the total wetlands.

Plant Succession in the Canaan Valley-Cabin Mountain Wetlands

It- is apparent that plant succession is taking place in the wetlands.

Changes in species composition has taken place in the past and will continue to do so in the future. Some types of wetlands may change more rapidly than others. Wet meadows are being invaded by alders but new ~et mead9ws ar~ · · created when beaver ponds are abandoned. The wetland vegetation is a constantly changing complex. However, it should be noted that for the most part, plant' succession in the Canaan wetlands seems to be occurring at a relatively slow rate and the muskeg type of vegetation appears to be among the slowest types to change. It has been 60 years or more since the forests were cleared and fires denuded the land, yet there are still vast open areas and the develop- ment of swamp forests has been relatively slow.

Indeed, it appears that all of the wetland types of vegetation that are found in the Valley today will be present for many decades in the future although changes in areas and species composition will undoubtedly occur. 49

TABLE 12

ACREAGE OF WETLAND TYPES IN CANAAN VALLEY AND ON CABIN MT. (excluding Canaan Valley State Park)

CAJ.~AAN VALLEY CABIN MT.

total inundated by % total inundated by % Tvoe acreage lower reservoir lost acrea~e upoer reservoir lost

Muskeg 2300 2080 90.4 210 210 100.0 Alder 2054 1253 61.0 Wet meadows (grass-sedge) 735 532 72.3 31 31 100.0 Swamp forest 687 96 13.9

Spiraea thickets 609 94 15.4

Aspen (wet sites) 243 226 93.0 ... . ·-. Hypericum ; thickets 136 36 26.4

TOTALS 6764 4317 63.8 241 241 100.0 The relatively slow rate of vegetation change evident in the Canaan Valley is even more apparent in Dobbin Slashing .where the severe climatic conditions have exerted an even greater control over the rate of plant succession.

Other Wetlands in West Virginia

In order to obtain some perspective on the significance of the Canaan

Valley and Cabin Mt. wetlands, a number of other wetlands were visited. A list of :important wetlands obtained from the W. Virginia Heritage Trust Program

(W. Va. Dept. Nat. Res., 1978) was used as a basis for the survey. Table 13 gives the largest wetland areas in the state.

The following areas were visited on the ground:

Canaan Valley Dobbin Slashing (Cabin Mt.) Cranberry Glades Elder Swamp - Cranesville Swamp Nature Sanctuary

In addition the following areas were flown over by helicopter to ascertain the general character of the wetland, approximate acreage and vegetation type:

..· - Big Run of Blackwater (Olsen Bog) •. Blister Run Swamp Sam Black Church 2 unnamed bogs near Red Run

Elder Swamp comprises about 250 acres along the border of Beaver Creek about 9 miles east of Davis on Route 93. Of this acreage, an estimated 150 acres are muskeg and· very similar to the muskeg and its variations as found in Canaan Valley. In addition, the swamp contains a few acres of hemlock-red spruce swamp forest and a fairly extensive area of alder thickets.

Cranesville Swamp, a designated Natural Landmark of about 300 acres, is largely dominated by swamp forest including red spruce, hemlock and ash. The most open area seen occupied about 100 acres and much of this was located in 51 ' TABLE 13 • NATIONAL NATURAL LANDMARKS, AREAS EVALUATED FOR NATIONAL NATURAL LANDMARK STATUS, AND OTHER WETLANDS OF lOo+ ACRES IN WEST VIRGINIAl

National Natural Landmarks

Site Acreage County

* Blister Run Swamp 150 Randolph * Big Run of Blackwater 60 Tucker * Canaan Valley 6,765 Tucker Fisher Spring Run Bog 60 Tucker * Cranberry Glades Botanical Area 750 Pocahontas * Cranesville Swamp Nature Sanctuary 295 Preston

Areas Evaluated for National Landmark Status

Site Acreage County

Blister Swamp 75 Pocahontas * Dobbin Slashing 250 Tucker Red Run 100 Tucker 50 Randolph Moore Run 40 Randolph Yellow Run 30 Randolph

Other Areas of lOo+ Acres

Site Acreage County

* Sam Black Church - Meadow River 3,600 Greenbrier Cupp's Run 160 Preston Fike Run 280 Preston Maple Run - Redhouse 100 Preston Terra Alta Lake - Snowy Creek 120 Preston Aurora - Rhine Creek 120 Preston * Elder Swamp 250 Tucker

1 These data are taken from the West Virginia Heritage Trust Program data base containing 329 records for wetland types t hroughout the State. The areas listed above represent the largest wetlands in t he State.

* Sites seen during current study. 52

a power line clearing where purple chokeberry formed the dominant vegetation.

A small but excellent sphagnum bog of about 2-3 acres occurs not far from the

power line cut. The most conspicuous difference between Cranesville Swamp

and the wetlands in Canaan Valley and on Cabin Ht. is the lack of open wetland

vegetation. Most of the Cranesville area is forested or covered with dense

shrubby thickets.

Several other wetlands were seen by helicopter. including Big Run of the

Blackwater (Olsen Bog) which from the air appeared to be only about 20 acres

in size rather than the 60 acres reported. It is comprised of a broken

hemlock canopy and a small open area of muskeg made up of the characteristic

hummocks of Polytrichum and Sphagnum moss.

Two small unnamed bogs about 2 mi. northwest of Red Run were flown over.

Both bogs were of about 10 acres in size and mostly covered with trees.

Blister Run Swamp, with a wet area of about 25 acres, is located along a

highway and is a designated Natural Landmark. The area is almost entirely

swamp forest and it was estimated that only about 2 to 5 acres could be ·.·. classified as open. Many dead trees were noted and appear to be ~il)e result

of beaver activity.

The largest wetland flown over was Sam Black Church reported to be about

3600 acres. It occurs near a rather populated area and is mostly made up I of swampy forested land. The wetlands, which form along a river, appear to

\. be somewhat broken and form a rather loose and somewhat ill-defined system.

The combined total of open wetlands appears to be less than 500 acres and much

of this area includes wet pastures. Planned highway construction will con-

siderably alter the site in. the near future. ...1r)·:· . . ~. ·', .. ( ,: . ;. 53

The most .outstanding wetland visited was Cranberry Glades, a designated

National Landmark and protected wetland area. The site encompasses about

750 acres and includes bog forest, shrubby thickets, and open boggy terrain

or "glades". The largest glade of about 60 acres is vegetated with sphagnum

moss, reindeer lichens, and an extensive stand of bog rosemary, Andromeda

glaucophvlla. An excellent sphagnum bog called Round Glade occupies about

10 acres and is unquestionably the finest example of a northern type sphagnum

bog in W. Virginia. Cranberry Glades is well known botanically and much has

been published about the area. The open wetlands found at this site, com-

prising about 500 acres, is the largest tract of open boggy wetland seen out-

side of Canaan Valley.

Although hundred of miles of W. VirginJ.a terrain were seen from the air,

only a few additional pockets of wetlands a few acres in size were noted.

These tiny areas appeared to be wet areas formed from old beaver ponds. In

none of these areas was there a clearing large enough to land a helicopter. It is evident that the mountainous land which comprises most of w. Virginia

~ . ·.. . is not conducive to wetland development. Mountain slopes are ste~p, wooded, and the valleys are usually narrow. The combination. of impeded drainage and

flat lands needed for the development of large areas of wetland vegetation

• is an infrequent event • III. REGIONAL AND NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

CA?lAAN VALLEY- CABIN MT. WETLANDS 54 .,

COMPARISON OF CANAAN VALLEY - CABIN MT. WETLANDS WITH OTHER WETLAlIDS IN

WEST VIRGINIA

The primary wetland habitats found in Canaan Valley and in Dobbin Slashing

on Cabin Mt. embrace the swamp forest, alder thickets, muskeg , grass-sedge

meadow and Spiraea and Hypericum thickets. After viewing a number of other recognized wetland areas in w. Virginia, it appears that there is no major

wetland type in Canaan Valley and Dobbin Slashing which is not found elsewhere

in the State. In fact, all major groups are represented in Elder SwamR alone,

but on a much smaller scale. Similar Canaan Valley wetland types also occur

in Cranesville Swamp and in Cranberry Glades. However, in none of these and

other sites .studied is there any equal to the size of the Canaan Valley wetland

system. Not only is each vegetation type extensive, but the many juxtaposed

combinations are unusual and· only made possible in a large area. Especially

noteworthy is the large acreage of the wetland complex which is unsurpassed

in the state.

There are 15,475,840 acres of land in W. Virgini~ and it is *7·~timat~d

that about 18,000 acres3, more or less, are occupied by wetland vegetation,

or about l/lOth of 1% of the area of the state. Of this total, 7,005 acres .. or 397. are found in Canaan Valley and in Dobbin Slashing on Cabin Mt. The proposed Davis Pump Storage Project will result in the loss of 4,558 acres or

65Z of this area which amounts to about 257. of all wetland vegetation in the

state.

3 Accurate figures for total ·acreage of wetlands in W. Virginia are not yet

available and the 18,000 acre estimate is based on data from the W. Va.

Heritage Trust Program. 55

COMPARISON OF TIIE CANAAN VALLEY WETLANDS TO O'lliER WETI.ANDS IN EASTER mt'ITED STATES

The Canaan Valley wetlands are compared to other wetlands in eastern u. s. in a series of maps, Fig. 12 to 14. The maps show the location and major class of freshwater wetlands in all states east of the Mississippi River except

Wisconsin, Illinois, Mississippi and Florida. Only areas of 100 acres or more are shown. The name of each wetland, its location, acreage, vegetation type and reference source is given in Table 14. (See Appendix)

Inland Wetlands of the United States by Goodwin & Niering (1975)4 .was the primary source of information although other published sources provided addi­ tional sites. Five freshwater vegetation classes are shown on the maps. These categories as taken from Goodwin & Niering are described as follows: Jr. 1. Wet meadow - The water table is at or near the surface but there is -no standing water. A diverse flora of grasses, sedges, rushes, and

broad-leaved flowering plants occurs.

~ 2. }farsh - The soil is waterlogged and often covered with standing water.

Shallow fresht.Jater marsh and deep freshwa~er _marsh as deiineate~ · by

Goodwin & Niering (1975) are combined. Emergent aquatics such as

cattails and bulrushes are common. O 3. Shrub swaI:lp - The water table is at or near the surface, and seasonal flooding may also occur. Willows, alders, dogwoods, and viburnums

may be found in the overstory of these sites which are frequent in

upland depressions and along rivers and sluggish streams.

4 It should be noted that the wetland acreage of a given site as it appears

in Goodwin & Nie~ing may be greater than the actual area covered by the wet­

land itself sir.ce the surrounding watershed was often included (Goodwin,

pers. comm.). 56

O 4. Wooded swamp - The water table is at or near the surface, and 6-12 inches of standing water is common. The red maple-hardwood swamps

of the Northeast and the bottomland hardwoods and cypress swamps of

·the South are typical examples.

ta 5. Bogs - Bogs develop on poorly drained sites and are underlain by extensive peat deposits. The vegetation is distinctive - in the

north: spruce, larch, cedar, cranberries, bog laurel, and bog

sedges; in the south: bay, leatherwood, loblolly bay, pond pine, and sweet bay.

\SJ 6. Unclassified - One extensive site in central Pennsylvania has not

yet been investigated and could not be categorized.

If a wetland was made up of more than one vegetation class, as was often the case, the major vegetation class was chosen to represent that site on the maps.

A breakdown of the 173 wetland areas plotted is as follows: Bog 63 .. Wooded swamp 56 ' Marsh 39 8 Wet meadow 6 Unclassified 1

Fig. 12 shows the location of all 173 wetlands over 100 acres in size.

Canaan Valley, classified primarily as a shrub swamp, appears as an open circle (No. 169).

Since there are also more than 1, 00_0 acres of boggy terrain in Canaan

Valley, 1n addition to large tracts of shrub swamp vegetation, another map was made to show how Canaan Valley compared to other bog lands in the east. The location of 71 sites of shrub swamps and bogs in excess of 100 acres is shown in Fig. 13. Large areas of shrub swamps and bogs over 1,000 acres are shown in

Fig. 14. The map shows only 15 bog sites over 1,000 acres in addition to

Canaan Valley. If one considers shrub swamps, there are only 2 other sites

over 1,000 acr es. One of these occurs in northern Vermont and the other in

western Kentucky.

As more wetland inventories become available, there will be more sites

t o be added to the present maps. However, the sources at hand have probably

i dentified the main freshwater wetlands .and nelJ infomation wil l not sub­

s t antially alter the fact t hat swamps and bogs of large size are relatively , rare in eastern U. S.

- ." - 1$ TO ·--·-·--·-·-- --·~l·;r ---- .- --,--·--·------· . I 58 . $01 .... -. ~--· . -~· --

II

_L_-- -\-----\130

Fig. 12. Inland Wetlands of Eastern United States over 100 Acres in Size

Wet meadow Marsh Shrub swamp Wooded swamp Bogs Unclassified 1~ ··----11; s ~

30

..

Shrub Swamps and Bogs in Eastern United States Over 100 Acres in Size I Fig. 13. .. ''i --- 0 - Sh rub SWalllp II ' I "' 'Rno~ 4 0

_J~------n'O I

\ Fig. 14. Shrub Swamp and Bog in Eastern United States over 1000 Acres in Size - -·------...: 0 - Shrub swamp ·- Bog - -· - .. •O - ·-H- 0 .. . n; I ~~ .~~· .-... ~ ;>:~ < ..; 61

SUMMARY

1. The wetlands in Canaan Valley and on Cabin Mt. occupy about 7,005 acres

made up of muskeg, alder thickets, swamp forests, grass-sedge meadows,

and Spiraea and Hypericum thickets. Many of the plant species found in

these wetland habitats are typical of northern areas. The Davis Power

Project will eliminate about 4,558 acres of these wetlands or about 65%. .. ·Over 90% of the existing muskeg would be lost • 2. Other wetland areas in W. Virginia were surveyed and all the principal

wetland vegetation types found in Canaan Valley and on Cabin Mt. are found

elsewhere in the state although generally in relatively small acreages.

3. No rare or endangered species would be lost as a result of the Davis Power

Project although many boreal plants and other species of botanical interest

would be reduced in numbers. The most southerly known location in the U.S.

and only station in W. Virginia of the sedge, Carex atherodes, would be

destroyed.

4. Inundated lands resulting from the project would greatly reduce the habitat . ·. .· . for game species, particularly deer and woodcock. Habitat los·s~s will

amount to about 25% for the valley deer herd and about 58~ for woodcock •

.5. About 39 miles of trout stream and riv~r habitat and 70 acres of beaver

ponds will be lost as a result of the Davis Power Project with consequen-

tial losses to stream and pond fishing.

6. Blackwater Lake would be largely a shallow lake averaging 20 feet. Water

quality of the proposed lake is uncertain as there still remain questions

about such factors as turbidity, nutrients, oxygen levels, temperature,

stratification and water color. 62

7. The weekly drawdol.m of Blackwater Lake amounting to 4 feet will produce

a drawdown zone averaging 65 ft. wide around the perimeter of the lake.

The width of the zone will vary greatly according to the slope .of the

shoreline. During dry years, such as occurred in 1930-32, the drawdown

could approach' 9 ft. The upper portion of the drawdown zone will probably

be invaded by pioneer weedy herbaceous plants but it is questionable if

the lower portion will become vegetated.

8. Blackwater Lake will probably support warm water sport fish such as .large

and small.r;iouth bass, black crappie, walleye, sunfish and stocked northern

pike. It will probably support trout on a put-and-take basis.

9. Wetland vegetation in H. Virginia is relatively uncommon since the moun-

tainous topdgraphy, with steep slopes and "V" shaped valleys is generally

unsuited to wetland development. The total area of wetlands in w. Virginia

is probably no more than 18,000 acres or about l/lOth of 1% of the land

area of the state. Of this about 39?. is found in Canaan Valley and on

Cabin Mt. The Davis Power Project would eliminate about 25~~ of all the •.. · . -.. . wetland vegetation in the state.

10. Large wetland areas of 1,000 acres or more of shrub swamp or boggy vege------...... ,

tation are a relatively rare occurrence in eastern United States and the

Canaan Valley wetland system is one of the few large areas remaining.

A survey of pubfished literature on inland wetlands revealed only two

other large shrub swamp wetlands in the east - one in northern Vermont

and the other in western Kentucky. 63

CONCLUSION

The canaan Valley-Cabin Mt. wetlands are vast and diverse. Boggy terrain is especially common and muskeg is striking in its appearance and abundance.

In Canaan Valley the muskeg forms the largest expanse of bog type vegetation knovn in the Appalachian Mts., and the entire wetland complex is one of the largest of its kind in eastern United States. The muskeg, swamp forest, wet meadows and other communities harbor an array of plants and animals, many of which are examples of a diminishing northern biota.

Regardless of the past history of man's abuse of the land and destruction of the original vegetation, today these wetlands form a system of great diver- sity and productivity. The loss of this wetland complex would be an irreplace- able loss to w. Virginia and the nation.

~ -. ·. ...

·--­~- 64

LITERATURE CITED

Allard, H. A., and E. c. Leonard. 1952. The Canaan and Stony River Valleys of West Virginia. Castanea 17(1):1-60.

Baer, Charles H. 1960. A cross-section of the West Virginia flora. In: Core, Earl L. 1960. Plant Life of West Virginia. Scholar's Libracy, New York. 224 pp.

1974. Testimony before the Federal Power Commission, Project No. 2709 (Davis Pumped Storage Facility). 14 pp.

Bates, John M. 1972. Water Quality Study - Davis Power Project. Center for Aquatic Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Mich. 34 pp.

Baxter, R. M. 1977. Environmental effects of dams and impoundments. Ann. Rev. Ecol Syst. 8:255-83.

Brooks, Maurice. 1965. The Appalachians. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston. 346 pp.

Brown, Stuart E. 1959. Annals of Blackwater and the Land of Canaan, 1746-1880. Chesapeake Book Co., Berryville, Va. 42 pp.

Clarkson, Roy B. 1966. The vascular flora of the Monongahela National Forest, 'West Virginia. Castanea 31(1):1-119.

Clovis, Jesse F. 1974a. Evaluation of Canaan Valley Tucker County, West Virginia for eligibility as a Registered Natural Landmark.

Core, Earl L. 1974. Rebuttal testimony before t he Federal Power Commiss;9n, Project No. 2709. 5 pp. '•. ·~

-"~ . Corps of Engineers. 1974. Comments on Engineering Report, Davis Pumpe~ge Project Analysis of Thermal Stratification for Allegheny 'Power Service ... Corporation by Ebasco Services, Inc. March 12, 1974. 12 pp. ' .... Darlington, H. c. 1942. Vegetation and substrate of Cranberry Glades, West Virginia. Bot. Gaz. 104:371-393.

Ebasco Services Inc. 1973. Davis Power Project, Analysis of Thermal Strati­ fication. A report for the Allegheny Power Service Corporation. December, 1973. 18 pp. Edens, David Lee. 1973. The ecology and succession of Cranberry Glades, West Virginia. Ph.D. Thesi:s. Dept. of Botany, North Carolina State Univer­ sity, Raleigh, North Carolina. Erdman, Kimball s., and Paul G. Wiegman. 1974. Preliminary list of ·natural areas in Pennsylvania. Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Pittsburgh, Pa. 106 pp. 65

Fansler, Homer F. 1962. History of Tucker County, West Virginia. McClain Printing Co., Parsons, W. Va. 702 pp •

.Fenneman, N. M. 1938. Physiography of Eastern United States. McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, N. Y. 714 pp.

Fortney, R. H. 1975. The vegetation of Canaan Valley, West Virginia: A taxonomic and ecological study. Ph.D. Thesis, West Virginia University, Morgantown, W. Va.

Fortney, Ronald, and Frank Pelurie. 1977. Ecological significance of Canaan Valley. Memo to K. McKeever, W. Va. Div~ of Parks and Recreation from W. Va. Dept. of Natural Resources. 3 pp. Gail, Peter A. 1972. Colonization and persistence of vegetation on pumped storage hydroelectric reservoir shorelines. Ph.D. Thesis, Dept. of Botany, Rutgers Univ., New Bnmswick, N. J. Goodwin, Richard. H., and William A. Niering. 1975. Inland wetlands of the United States. National Park Service Natural History Theu:e Studies, No. 2. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C.

Bart, Robin. 1978. Statement given at the Corps of Engineers Hearing, Clarksburg, W. Va. (May 15, 1973). 1 pp.

Hough, A. F. 1945. Frost pockets and other micro-climates in forests of the northern Allegheny Plateau. Ecol. 26:235-249.

Lindsey, Alton A., Damian V. Schmelz, and Stanley A. Nichols. 1969. Natural areas in Indiana and their preservation. Indiana Natural Areas Survey, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, Lafayette, Ind.·_. 594· pp.. Lyon, Charles J., and F. Herbert Gormann (eds). 1962. Natural areas of New Hampshire suitable for ecological research. Dartmouth College, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Puhl. No. 2, Hanover, N. R. 47 pp.

Michael, Edwin. 1974. Testimony before the Federal Power Commission. 6 pp.

Miles, Robert L. 1968. Stream and Lake Surveys, Survey of Streams. West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, D-J Report, Project F-10-R-9, Job I-1, 31 pp.

National Park Service. 1975. National Registry of Natural Landmarks. Federal Register 40(37):19503-19508.

Robinette, Sadie L. 1964. Plant ecology of an Allegheny Mountain swamp. Master's Thesis, West Virginia University, Morgantown, W. Va. 149 pp.

Shanks, Larry, and James J. McKevitt. 1974. Report of the effects o"f the proposed Davis. Power Project, FPC 2 709, on the aquatic resources of the BlacLvater River watershed, West Virginia. U. S. Dept. of the Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service, Div. of River Basin Studies. 18 pp. Siccama, Thomas G., Whitney A. Beales, and John E. Hibbard. (n.d.) Connecticut Natural Areas. Connecticut Forest and Park Assoc., Inc., East Hartford, Connecticut. 47 pp. Slaymaker, s. R., II. 1970. Woodcock alley. Sports Afield. October:68-69; 127-128. u. s. Dept. of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service. 1967. Soil survey, Tucker Co., West Virginia. Government Printing Office. Continuing series. 78 PP• U. S. Dept. of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. 1978. Draft Environ­ mental Statement Acquisition of Lands for the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge West Virginia. DES 78-8. March 24, 1978.

U. s. Federal Power Commission, Bureau of Power. 1974. Final Environmental Impact Statement, Davis Pumped Storage Project No. 2709, West Virginia. Public Information Office, Federal Power Commission, Washington, D.C. 2 vols.

Vogelmann, H. W. 1964. Natural areas in Vermont: Report l. Vermont Central Planning Office and Interagency Committee on Natural Resources, Montpelier, Vt. 29 PP• 1969. Vermont natural areas: Report 2. Vermont Central Planning Office and Interagency Comm.ittee on Natural Resources, Montpelier, Vt. 30 PP• Waggoner, Gary s. 1975. Eastern deciduous forest. Volume I. Southeastern evergreen and oak-pine region. National Park Service Natural History Theme Studies, No. 1. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 206 pp • .. .· ... Weedfall, R. o., and W. H. Dickerson. 1965. Climate .of Canaan Vall~y ana Blackwater Falls State Park, West Virginia. West Virginia Agr. Exp. Station, Report 043. 14 pp. West Virginia Dept. of Natural Resources, .Wildlife Resources Division. 1973. Wildlife resources and the Davis Power Project• . 31 pp.

West Virginia Dept. of Natural Resources. 1978. Davis Power Project 404 Permit­ ORPOP 78-27. May, 1978. Zurbuch, Peter E. 1962. A census of five major West Virginia trout streams. Progressive Fish Culturist ~4(1):31-37. TABJ.E 14 APPENDIX FRESHWATER WETLANDS IN EASTERN U.S. (over 100 acres) ALABAMA

Name Vegetation Clase ~ County Source · ~ ! 1 Atlantic White Cedar Stand Evergreen shrub bog ? Escambia w Cypress-Gum swamp forest Conecuh

2 Mobile Delta Seasonally flooded wooded 65,000 Mobile G&N swamp, Open fresh water Baldwin

3 Wheeler National Shallow freshwater marsh 15,500 Morgan G&N Wildlife Refuge Deep freshwater marsh Madison Wooded swamp Limestone

CONNECTICUT

Bradford Mountain Swamp Shrub swamp 100 Litchfield G&N, SBH 6 Wooded swamp

~· ~) Cedar Swamp Shrub swamp 400 Middlesex G&N, SBH · Wooded swamp, Bog

. l~ 6 Pachaug Great Meadow Bog, Wooded swamp 600 New London G&N

7 Robbins Swamp Wooded swamp 1,000 Litchfield G&N, SBH

·+ 8 Walcott Preserve Bog 600 Litchfield G&N, SBH (Beckley Bog)

DELAWARE

9 Cyp1·esa Swamp Wooded ·"swamp 8,000 Sussex G&N, W

10 Trussorns Pond Cypress;gum swamp forest 500 Sussex w

°'...., GEORGIA

! !!!!!!£. Vegetation Class Acres ~County Source 11 Alapaha River Swamp Wooded swamp 100 Irwin G&N

12 Alcovy River Swamp Wooded swamp I 200 Newton G&N, W 13 Altamaha Bottoms Wooded swamp 12,800 Montgomery G&N Wheeler Jeff Davie

14 Big Dukes Pond Wooded swamp 1,100 Jenkins G&N

15 Little Ohoopee River Swamp Wooded swamp 175 Emanuel G&N, W (Camp Fortson Boyd)

16 Lower Altamaha River Swamp Wooded swamp 42,09o+ Macintosh G&N, W Forest (includes Lewis Island)

17 Hiddle Oconee River Wooded swamp 400 Jackson G&N

18 Murder Creek Swamp Wooded swamp 200 Putnam G&N, W

19 Okeefenokee National Shallow freshwater marsh 330,880 Charlton G&N, W Wildlife Refuge Wooded swamp Clinch Open fresh water Ware

20 Roundabout Swamp Wooded swamp 2,000 Atkinson G&N

21 Spring Creek Swamp Open fresh water 400 Miller G&N Wooded swamp

INDIANA

22 Barnes Swamp Wooded swamp .... 125 Steuben L~&N 23 Cedar Lake Harsh Shaliow freshwater marsh 130 Lake G&N, LS&N

24 Cypress Slough Wooded· ·swamp 120 Posey LS&N

"'co •

! ~ Vegetation Class Acres County Source 25 Pinhook Bog Bog 170 LaPorte LS&N 26 Wing Haven Bog, Open freshwater . 200 Steuben G&N, LS&N KENTUCKY

27 lle.ndersou Sloughs Seasonally flooded 5,000 Henderson G&N wooded swamp Union (j~ Murphy's Pond Shrub swamp 1,000 Hickman C&N, W Wooded swamp

~ .1(29) Alton Bog Bog 2,500 Penobscot C&N I

(30) Caribou Bog Bog 1,000 Aroostook G&N (Thousand Acre Bog)

I ' ·· 31 Deblois Barrens Bog 200-600 Washington C&N

/ (32) Meddybemps Heath Bog 2,000 Washington C&N "{ 33) Orono Bog Bog 1,500 Penobscot G&N < ~4) Passadumkeg Marsh Bog 1,000 Penobscot G&N Shallow freshwater marsh 1:::(3s) Salmon Stream Bog 1,200- Penobscot G&N 1,500

·.~· '!--- 36 Tyler Pond and Bog 100-300 Kennebec G&N Joe Pond Shallow freshwater marsh

"' -- -· --~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~------1111m...... •

MARYLAND

! !i!.!!t Vegetation Class Acres County Source 37 Battle Creek Cypress Swamp Wooded swamp 100 Calvert C&N

36 Cranberry Swamp Bog 663 Garrett G&N (Cherry Creek Glades)

39 Cunningham Swamp Bog 134 Garrett G&N (~~ Finzel Swamp Shrub swanp 120 Garrett G&N (Cranberry Swamp)

41 Pocomoke River and Swamp Wooded swamp 20,000 Worcester G&N, W 'Wicomico Somerset 42 Zekiah Swamp Wooded swamp 1,000 Charles G&N, W MASSAatUSETTS

43 Congamond Lakes and Bog Bog 500 Hampden G&N . ....-.. f44J Fannie Stebbin's Refuge '-. Seasonally flooded wooded swamp 20o+ Hampden G&N Shallow freshwater marsh Shrub S\lamp

45 Havley Bog Bog 100 Franklin C&N (Cranberry Swamp) (:_~.) llocka111ock Svamp Bog 6,000 Bristol G&N 2- 47 Lynnfield Marsh Shallow freshwater marsh 300 Essex G&N Middlesex 46 Poutwater Pond Bog ". ~· · 300 Worcester G&N

49 Schenob Brook Swamp Wooded f'Wamp 6,000 Berkshire G&N Shallow: freshvater marsh

~ 0 "'

! ~ Vegetation Class Acres Cormty Source

50 South Hanson Swamp Bog 500 Bristol G&N . .) ,.511 Sudbury River Headwaters Shrub swamp 300-400 Worcester G&N l./ Wooded swamp

MICHIGAN

52 Celeron Island Shallow freshwater marsh 500-600 Wayne G&N Deep freshwater marsh Ls~) Dead Stream Preserve Bog 1,600 Benzie G&N 54 Dead Stream Swamp Wooded swamp 20,000 Missauke G&N Bog RoscolDlllon (ss) Grand Mere Lakes Area Open fresh water 1,000 Berrien G&N Bog

56 Proud Lake Bog Bog 100 Oakland G&N

57 Strangmoor Bog Natural Area Bog 640 Schoolcraft G&N Freshwater meadow Shallow freshwater marsh Wooded swamp {a") Tobico Marsh ', Shallow freshwater marsh 1,000 Bay G&N Deep freshwater marsh Open fresh water Shrub swamp Wooded swamp

59 Virgin Cedar Swamp Bog 233 Gogebic G&N ·.. ..··

... ~·

...... -

NEW HAMPSHIRE

! ~ Vegetation Class ~ County Source 60 Floating Island-Lake Umbagog Bog 200 Coos G&N

(6~ ' Heath Pond Bog and the Bog, Shrub swamp 1,000 Caroll G&N, L&B Pine River Shallow freshwater marsh Deep freshwater marsh Freshwater meadow

62 Hurlbert Swamp Wooded swamp 500 Coos L&B

63 Madison Bog Ponds Bog 100 Caroll G&N (Mack Pond, Drew Pond)

64 Moose Pasture at East Inlet Bog 100 Coos G&N, L&B

65 Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge Bog 700 Jefferson G&N, L&B (Cherry Ponds) Open freshwater

NEW JERSEY

66 Great Egg Harbor River Wooded swamp 1,000 Lake Lanape G&N, W Shallow freshwater marsh North Atlantic Open freshwater €~) Great Swamp Wooded swamp, Shrub swamp 5,500 Morris G&N Shallow freshwater marsh Deep freshwater marsh

68 Helmetta Woods & Bogs Bog 200 Middlesex G&N

69 Kuser Memorial Natural Area Bog 200 Sussex G&N (Cedar Swamp)

70 Mullica River and Wading River Wooded "·~wamp 5,000 Burlington G&N, W Atlantic

~ ~ :,.·

....., N :~·~·~~t:­·:·~ ··... ~.:·>~ .... ~

' ! --Name Vegetation Class Acres County Source 71 Timber Beaver Swamp Wooded swamp 300 cape May G&N, W Shallow freshwater marsh 72 Trenton Marshes Deep freshwater marsh 257 Mercer G&N I 73 Troy Meadows and Shallow freshwater marsh 5,300 Essex G&N Great Piece Meadows Deep freshwater marsh Morris Wooded swamp NEW YORK

74 Bear Swamp Wooded swamp 316 Albany G&N 75 Bergen Swamp Freshwater meadow 2,000 Genesee G&N Shallow freshwater marsh Bog, Wooded swamp .

76 State Park Deep freshwater marsh 2,073 Monroe G&N Open fresh water Shallow freshwater marsh

77 Dexter Harsh Deep freshwater marsh 1,200 Jefferson G&N Open fresh water Shallow freshwater marsh

78 Marsh Shallow freshwater marsh 160 Rockland G&N

79 Iroquois National Wildlife Wooded swamp 10,800 Orleans G&N Refuge (Oak Orchard Creek) Genesee

80 Lakeview Harsh Shallow freshwater marsh 3,400 Jefferson G&N Deep freshwater marsh Open fresh water

McLean Swamps and Boga Bog 2,500 . Tompkins G&N ~ ~ (~1 ) Wooded .:swamp Cortland ...., ""' . ...· ~ ·j i/.·· ;.,.,.;. : ·'s :. ,. • : • ·,,.Cl~ • •.V:

; I .--I Name Vegetation Class Acres County Source I (e2 .) Mendon Ponds Bog, Freshwater meadow 1,000 Monroe G&N Shallow freshwater marsh Open fresh water

83 Montezuma Marshes Deep freshwater marsh Shallow freshwater marsh 6,400 Seneca G&N Wooded swamp

84 Nissequogue River Wooded swamp 400 Suf follt G&N Deep freshwater marsh

85 Seneca Lake Marsh Shallow freshwater marsh 50o+ Schuyler G&N Deep freshwater marsh

86 Shallow freshwater marsh 250 Dutchess G&N Deep freshwater marsh

87 Zurich Bog Bog 480 Wayne G&N NORnt CAROLINA

88 Angola Bay Wildlife Evergreen shrub bog 500 Pender w Management Area Duplin

89 Evergreen Shrub Bog Evergreen shrub bog 500 Craven w Jones 90 Green Swamp Evergreen shrub bog "extensive" Brunswick w Columbus

91 Long Hope Creek Spruce Bog Bog 380 Ashe G&N Watuga (also in ·.. ..! ' Tennessee)

92 Roanoke River Swamp Cypress Gum wooded swamp ? Bertie w

..... ~ ;~... "f\...... ~ ' ,.

! l!!!!!t Vegetation Class Acres County Source 93 Weymouth Woods Evergreen shrub bog 403 Moore w .

94 Williama Mill Pond Cypress Gum wooded ~wamp 4,000 Gates w (Merchants Mill Pond) I. Q1!!Q 95 Cedar Bog Bog 105 Champaign G&N 96 Cedar Swamp Wooded swamp 400 Champaign G&N

97 Lake Abrams Shallow freshwater marsh .. several Cuyahoga G&N Wooded swamp hundred"

98 Mantua Swamp Shallow freshwater marsh 800 Portage G&N Wooded swamp Bog

99 Mentor Marsh Shallow freshwater marsh 500 Lake G&N

,..,,.~. ( 100 _J Still .Fork Swamp Shallow freshwater marsh 600 Carroll G&N •,,.. - / Shrub swamp

§ ) Watercress Marsh Shallow freshwater marsh 100 Columbiana G&N Shrub swamp PENNSYLVANIA

102 Bear Meadows Natural Area Bog 550 Centre G&N, E&W

103 Beaver Meadows Grass Savannah 1,000 Forest E&W

104 Big Swamp Wooded swamp 200 Pike E&W ...... 105 Black Ash Swamp Natural Area Maroh 308 Tioga E&W

106 Black Moshannon State Park Wetlands 3,600 Centre E&W

"VI , -. ·' "'

.! ~ Vegetation Class ~ County Source 107 Catherine Swamp Bog (?) 200 McKean E&W Swamp forest

108 Columbus Bog-Tamarack Swamp Bog 670 Warren E&W

109 Conneaut Marsh Marsh 400 Crawford E&W

110 Cranberry Bog Preserve Bog 300 Monroe G&N. E&W 111 Cranberry Pond Bog 100 Luzeme E&W

112 Cranberry Swamp Natural Area Meadow 144 Clinton E&W

113 East Branch Swamp Natural Area Meadow 186 Clinton E&W 114 Enterline Swamp . Bog 220 Dauphin E&W 115 llartstown Bog Wooded swamp 3,000 Crawford G&N, E&W Bog

116 Lake Creek-Muddy Creek Wooded swamp 2,315 Crawford E&W Natural Area (Erie National Marsh Wildlife Refuge)

117 Nebo Swamp Wooded swamp 170 Pike E&W

118 Otter Creek Swamp Wooded swamp 350 Mercer G&N, E&W Bog

119 Periglacial Marsh Shallow freshwater marsh 750 Chester G&N, E&W (Marsh Creek Swamp)

120 Pine Swamp Bog 700 Mercer G&N, E&W ., .... 121 Presque Isle State Park Shallow freshwater marsh 1,200 Erie G&N Open fresh water

-.J (1\ I ------. :>.:~- ''1 - .. ' " '

. ! ~ Vegetation Class Acree County Source ( 122 ) Pymatuning Swamp Marsh 1,000 Crawford E&W '--- Shrub swamp Swamp forest '

123 Reynold's Spring Bog 100 Tioga G&N, E&W < . I 124 Saw Creek Headwaters Wooded swamp 100 Pike E&W

( !2s-·-\ Schollards Run Shallow freshwater marsh 1,000 Mercer G&N, E&W ...... _ ~ Open fresh water Shrub swamp

126 Smith's Swamp Wooded swamp 129 Pike E&W

127 Stillwater Natural Area Marshland 1,931 Pike E&W Bog (160 acres)

128 Swamp Branch Marsh Meadow 100 Clinton E&W ~~ Swamp Root Shrub swamp 100 Mercer E&W 130 Tinicum Marshes Shallow freshwater marsh 1,000 Delaware G&N Deep freshwater marsh Open fresh water

131 Tobyhanna State Park Marsh, Bog 4,188 Monroe E&W

132 Two Mile Run Headwaters Swamp Wooded swamp 200 Monroe E&W

RllODE ISLAND

Great Swamp Wooded swamp 3,200 Washington G&N r§~ Shrub. :.swamp Shallow freshwater marsh ( 13~ ) Indian Cedar Swamp Bog, Wooded swamp 1,000 . Washington G&N ·- .• : : ...... "· 7~ !-"}'.«~"" '

·! ~ Vegetation Class Acres County Source . \ 135.: Newton Swamp Bog, Shrub swamp 2,000 Washington G&N

136 Potts Bog Bog : 400 Washington G&N Kent . ·'!. • I.·.;. soum CAROLINA

137 Congaree River Floodplain Seasonally flooded wooded 12,000 Richland G&~, W Forest swamp Calhoun

138 Four Hole Swamp Seasonally flooded wooded 3,400 Dorchester G&N, W swamp, Wooded Swamp Orangeburg ., Berkeley

139 llobcaw Forest Cypress gum swamp forest ? Georgetown w

TENNESSEE (, 140 Reelfoot Lake Open fresh water 23,000 Lake G&N Wooded swamp Obion

141 Sinking Pond Wooded swamp 160 Coffee G&N . VERMONT 142 Alburg Black Spruce- ·Bog 100 Grand Isle Vl Tamarack Bog

143 Barton River Marsh Shallow freshwater marsh 200 Orleans G&N, V2 Deep freshwater marsh

144 Colchester Bog Bog ·.. ..· ' 100 Chittenden Vl

-145 Cornwall Swamp Wooded swamp · 1,000 Addison G&N, V2

.I. :

-..J ~ co ~

! Name Vegetation Class ~ ~Qun~Y Source 146 Dead Creek Waterfowl Area Shallow freshwater marsh 1,000 Addison G&N, Vl .. ·. - ' _147) Dorset Marsh Freshwater meadow . 150 Bennington G&N, V2 L/ Shrub 8W8111p 148 Franklin Bog Bog 150 Franklin C&N, V2 149 Kellys Marsh Shallow freshwater marsh 1,000 Rutland G&N Deep freshwater marsh (also in Open fresh water New York)

150 LaPlatte River Harsh F.reshwater marsh 100 Chittenden V2

151 Lake Carmi Black Spr~ce Bog Bog 100 Franklin V2

152 Little Otter Creek Marsh Deep freshwater marsh 1,000 Addison C&N, Vl Open fresh water

Missisquoi Harsh (includes Seasonally flooded marsh 500 Franklin C&N, V2 (:~ Shad Island Natural Area) Shallow freshwater marsh Shrub swamp Wooded swamp

154 Panton Cattail Marsh Shallow freshwater marsh 800 Addison C&N, Vl Deep freshwater marsh

155 Peacham Bog Bog 100 Caledonia C&N

( 15i ) Sandbar Marsh and Swamp Shallow freshwater mar~h 600 - Chittenden C&N, Vl -~ Deep freshwater marsh Shrub swamp Wooded swamp ·" VictC?ry Bog Shrub ·swamp 1,000 Essex V2 (~ •' 158 Whitney Creek Harsh Deep freshwater marsh 200 .. Addison G&N, Vl Shallo~ freshwater marsh ..., '° ( :· f'

VlltGINIA ! !!!!. Vegetation Class Acres County Source . l:1 .. / :·. ·. \ {_1s9_) Blackwater River Bog ' ( 10,000 Nansemond G&N j 160 Blackwater River Swamp Wooded swamp 10,000- Southampton G&N 20,000 Isle of Wight Surry Sussex

161 Chickahominy Swamp Wooded swamp 10,000- Henrico G&N, W 14,000 Hanover New Kent 162 Dismal Swamp Wooded swarop ·soo,ooo Chesapeake G&N, W Nansemond · (also in N.Carolina) 163 Dragon Run Swamp Wooded swamp 1,000 King & Queen G&N, W Middlesex Essex

164 Neabsco Creek Marsh Shallow freshwater marsh 150 Prince William G&N Deep freshwater marsh

165 Nottoway River Swampland Wooded swamp 5,000- Southampton G&N 10,000 Sussex 166 Pocaty Creek Swamp Wooded swamp 1,200 Chesapeake w 167 Seashore Natural Area Wooded swamp 1,500 Princess Anne G&N WEST VIRGINIA·

168 Blister Run Bog Bog 100 Randolph G&N _ , ,,,-.... ·.... ·· \69' J. C~naan Valley Open fresh water 20,500 Tucker G&N \ Shrub s~amp · . .../ Bog

co 0 ------;~ - f ~' •·' .. . r · ·~ . . '

.! ~ Vegetation Class Acres County Source 170 Cranberry Glades Bog 750 Pocahontas G&N Botanical Area

171 Cranesville Swamp Nature Bog ' 560 Preston G&N Sanctuary (also in Maryland) 172 Dobbin Slashing Bog 200 Tucker G&N 173 Red Run Bog 100 Tucker G&N * * * * * * • * * * * * * * * * * * *

SOURCE LIST . ·:' ;} ";':'. ' E&W • Erdman, Kimball, s., and Paul G. Wiegman. 1974. 'f i f,Mi G&N • Goodwin, Richard 11., and William A. Niering. 1975. . ~· :ff LS&N • Lindsey, Alton A., Damian V. Schmelz, and Stanley A. Nichols. 1969.

L&B a Lyon, Charles J., and F. Herbert Bormann (eds). 1962.

SD&H • Siccama, Thomas G~, Whitney A. Beales, and John E. Hibbard. (n.d.). Vl ... Vogelmann, II. w. 1964.

V2 • • 1969. U • Waggoner, Gary s. 1975.

·...... &: ·:·,

.....00