DOE RESEARCH SET-ASIDE AREAS OF THE SAVANNAH RIVER SITE BY CHARLES E. DAVIS AND LAURA L. JANECEK A PUBLICATION OF THE SAVANNAH RIVER SITE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH PARK PROGRAM UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 1997 PREPARED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF ;„ THE SAVANNAH RIVER ECOLOGY LABORATORY P.O. DRAWER E AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA Of TW» DOCUM»*T IS ONUMITBD A Publication of the Savannah River Site National Environmental Research Park Program Publication number: SRO-NERP-25 Printed: 31 August 1997 Layout and design: Laura L. Janecek Cover design: David E. Scott and Laura L. Janecek Cover and interior photographs: David E. Scott Copies may be obtained from: The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory P.O. Drawer E Aiken, SC 29802 DISCLAIMER Portions of this document may be illegible electronic image products. Images are produced from the best available original document. CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES , iii LIST OF FIGURES v ABSTRACT vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS viii INTRODUCTION Overview 1 Savannah River Site Description 1 SRS NERP Program 2 DOE SET-ASIDE PROGRAM Program History 3 Administrative Protection and Management 5 Purpose of the Set-Aside Areas 7 Boundary Line Establishment and Maintenance 7 Set-Aside GIS Coverages 8 Community Types Found in Set-Aside Areas 9 BIOTIC ATTRIBUTES OF THE SET-ASIDE AREAS 12 LITERATURE CITED 15 DESCRIPTIONS OF THE 30 SET-ASIDE AREAS Area No. 1 - Field 3-412/EUenton Bay 1-1 Area No. 2 - University of Georgia Old Laboratory Site 2-1 Area No. 3 - Sandhills 3-1 Area No. 4 - Loblolly Pine Stand 4-1 Area No. 5 - Oak-Hickory Forest #1 5-1 Area No. 6 - Beech-Hardwood Forest 6-1 Area No. 7 - Mixed Swamp Forest 7-1 Area No. 8 - Steel Creek Bay 8-1 Area No. 9 - Cypress Grove and replacement Areas Stave Island (Area No. 9A) and Georgia Power (Area No. 9B) 9-1 Area No. 10 - Risher Pond and Expansion 10-1 Area No. 11 - Ruth Patrick-Meyers Branch Set-Aside 11-1 Area No. 12 - Oak-Hickory Forest #2 12-1 Area No. 13 - Organic Soils 13-1 Area No. 14 - Mature Hardwood Forest 14-1 Area No. 15 - Whipple/OHER Study Site 15-1 Area No. 16 - Rainbow Bay Amphibian Reserve Area 16-1 Area No. 17 - Craig's Pond and Sarracenia Bay 17-1 Area No. 18 - Boiling Springs Natural Area 18-1 Area No. 19 - Ginger's Bay 19-1 Area No. 20 - Thunder Bay 20-1 Area No. 21 - Flamingo Bay 21-1 Area No. 22 - Little Cypress Bay 22-1 Area No. 23 - Dry Bay 23-1 Area No. 24 - Cypress Bay 24-1 Area No. 25 - Mona Bay and Woodward Bay 25-1 Area No. 26 - Sandhills Fire Site 26-1 Area No. 27 - Road 6 Bay 27-1 Area No. 28 - Field 3-409 28-1 Area No. 29 - Scrub Oak Natural Area 29-1 Area No. 30 - E.P. Odum Wetland Set-Aside (Upper Three Runs/Tinker Creek) 30-1 APPENDICES 1. Set-Aside Task Group Charter Al-1 2. Set-Aside Management and Protection Plan A2-1 3. Description of SRS Soils in Set-Aside Areas A3-1 4. Set-Aside Boundary Establishment and Maintenance A4-1 5. GIS Coverages Used A5-1 n LIST OF TABLES 1. Summary of vegetation types in all Set-Aside Areas 11 2. Vegetation communities associated with Set-Aside Areas 12 3. Rare plant occurrences in Set-Aside Areas 13 4. Rare animal occurrences in Set-Aside Areas 14 1-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 1 - Field 3-412/Ellenton Bay 1-3 1-2. Soils of Area No. 1 - Field 3-412/Ellenton Bay 1-5 2-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 2 - UGA Old Lab Site 2-2 2-2. Soils of Area No. 2 - UGA Old Lab Site 2-3 3-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 3 - Sandhills 3-2 3-2. Soils of Area No. 3 - Sandhills 3-3 3-3. Amphibian and reptile species documented from the Sandhills Set-Aside Area 3-4 4-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 4 - Loblolly Pine Stand 4-2 4-2. Soils of Area No. 4 -Loblolly Pine Stand 4-3 5-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 5 - Oak-Hickory Forest #1 5-2 5-2. Soils of Area No. 5 - Oak Hickory Forest #1 5-3 6-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 6 - Beech-Hardwood Forest 6-2 6-2. Soils of Area No. 6 - Beech-Hardwood Forest 6-3 7-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 7 - Mixed Swamp Forest 7-2 7-2. Soils of Area No. 7 - Mixed Swamp Forest 7-3 8-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 8 - Steel Creek Bay 8-2 8-2. Soils of Area No. 8 -Steel Creek Bay 8-3 10-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 10 - Risher Pond and Expansion 10-2 10-2. Soils of Area No. 10 - Risher Pond and Expansion 10-3 11-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 11 - Ruth Patrick-Meyers Branch 11-2 11-2. Soils of Area No. 11 - Ruth Patrick-Meyers Branch 11-4 12-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 12 - Oak-Hickory Forest #2 12-2 12-2. Soils of Area No. 12 - Oak-Hickory Forest #2 12-3 13-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 13 - Organic Soils 13-2 13-2. Soils of Area No. 13 - Organic Soils 13-3 14-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 14 - Mature Hardwood Forest 14-2 14-2. Soils of Area No. 14 - Mature Hardwood Forest 14-4 15-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 15 - Whipple/OHER Study Site 15-2 15-2. Soils of Area No. 15 - Whipple/OHER Study Site 15-3 16-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 16 - Rainbow Bay Amphibian Reserve Area 16-2 16-2. Soils of Area No. 16 - Rainbow Bay Amphibian Reserve Area 16-3 16-3. Amphibian and reptile species documented from the Rainbow Bay Amphibian Reserve Area 16-5 17-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 17 - Craig's Pond and Sarracenia Bay 17-2 17-2. Soils of Area No. 17 - Craig's Pond and Sarracenia Bay 17-3 18-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 18 - Boiling Springs Natural Area 18-2 18-2. Soils of Area No. 18 - Boiling Springs Natural Area 18-3 19-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 19 - Ginger's Bay 19-2 19-2. Soils of Area No. 19 - Ginger's Bay 19-3 20-1. Vegetation communities of Area. No. 20 - Thunder Bay 20-2 20-2. Soils of Area No. 20 - Thunder Bay 20-3 in 21-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 21 - Flamingo Bay 21-2 21-2. Soils of Area No. 21 - Flamingo Bay 21-3 22-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 22 - Little Cypress Bay 22-2 22-2. Soils of Area No. 22 - Little Cypress Bay 22-3 23-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 23 -Dry Bay 23-2 23-2. Soils of Area No. 23-Dry Bay 23-3 23-3. Amphibian and reptile species documented from Dry Bay 23-4 24-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 24 - Cypress Bay 24-2 24-2. Soils of Area No. 24 - Cypress Bay 24-3 25-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 25 - MonaBay and Woodward Bay 25-2 25-2. Soils of Area No. 25 - Mona Bay and Woodward Bay 25-3 26-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 26 - Sandhills Fire Site 26-2 26-2. Soils of Area No. 26 - Sandhills Fire Site 26-2 27-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 27 - Road 6 Bay 27-2 27-2. Soils of Area No. 27 - Road 6 Bay 27-3 28-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 28 - Field 3-409 28-2 28-2. Soils of Area No. 28 - Field 3-409 28-3 29-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 29 - Scrub Oak Natural Area 29-2 29-2. Soils of Area No. 29 - Scrub Oak Natural Area 29-3 30-1. Vegetation communities of Area No. 30 - E.P. Odum Wetland Set-Aside (Upper Three Runs/Tinker Creek) 30-4 30-2. Soils of Area No. 30 - E.R Odum Wetland Set-Aside (Upper Three Runs/Tinker Creek) 30-6 A3-1. Classification of soils in Set-Aside Areas A3-4 IV LIST OF FIGURES 1. Location of the Savannah River Site 2 2. Location of Set-Aside Areas on the SRS 6 1-1. Aerial photograph of Ellenton Bay, within the Field 3-412 Set-Aside Area 1-2 1-2. Plant communities and soils associated with the Field 3-412/Ellenton Bay Set-Aside Area No. 1 1-19 2-1. Plant communities and soils associated with the University of Georgia Old Laboratory Site Set-Aside Area No. 2 2-9 3-1. Photograph of sandhills vegetation from the Sandhills Set-Aside Area 3-2 3-2. Plant communities and soils associated with the Sandhills Set-Aside Area No. 3 3-7 4-1. Plant communities and soils associated with the Loblolly Pine Stand Set-Aside Area No. 4 4-5 5-1. Plant communities and soils associated with the Oak-Hickory Forest #1 Set-Aside Area No. 5 5-7 6-1. Plant communities and soils associated with the Beech-Hardwood Forest Set-Aside Area No. 6 6-5 7-1. Photograph of the Mixed Swamp Forest Set-Aside Area No. 7 7-2 7-2. Plant communities and soils associated with the Mixed Swamp Forest Set-Aside Area No. 7 7-7 8-1.