The Shoreline Vegetation of Lake Oahe a Man Made Fluctuating Water Level Reservoir of the Upper Missouri River Basin.
Abstract
Shoreline vegetation along Lake Oahe can be divided into two zones. Zone 1, the zone never inundated by the reservoir, consists primarily of upland grassland dominated by the grass Apropyron smithii. Zone 2, the zone inundated at least once by the reservoir, is mostly barren of vegetation. In a few selected areas, however, vegetation in Zone 2 is quite lush, with Rumex crispus often the dominant plant. Factors influencing vegetational distribution in Zone 2 are many. Timing and magnitude of water level fluctuations along with wave action are probably the two most important of these factors. Certain trends which were observed from the summer of 1971 to the summer of 1972 included a slight increase in the aquatic species Typha spp. and Leersia orzyoides. Also noted is an extensive reworking of the reservoir shoreline. The erosion of headlands and the isolation of embayment by bar formation along with the build-up of extensive mud flats on the upper reaches of the Grand, Moreau, and Cheyenne arms of Lake Oahe may all have a strong influence on future plant distribution.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1973
- Accession Number
- ADA129213
Entities
People
- Bruce D. Vanderveen
- George R. Hoffman
Organizations
- University of South Dakota