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Conservation Service
Ecological site F140XY015NY
Wet Low Floodplain
Last updated: 10/01/2024
Accessed: 09/15/2026
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Provisional. A provisional ecological site description has undergone quality control and quality assurance review. It contains a working state and transition model and enough information to identify the ecological site.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 140X–Glaciated Allegheny Plateau and Catskill Mountains
This area is primarily in the Southern New York Section of the Appalachian Plateaus Province of the Appalachian Highlands. The top of the dissected plateau in this MLRA is broad and is nearly level to moderately sloping. The narrow valleys have steep walls and smooth floors. The Catskills in the east have steep slopes. Elevation is typically 650 to 1,000 feet on valley floors; 1,650 to 2,000 feet on the plateau surface; and 3,600 feet or more in parts of the Catskills.
The average annual precipitation in most of this area is 30 to 45 inches. Rainfall occurs as high-intensity, convective thunderstorms during the summer, but most of the precipitation in this area occurs as snow. The average annual temperature is 40 to 50 degrees F.
The dominant soil order in this MLRA is Inceptisols. The soils in the area dominantly have a mesic soil temperature regime, an aquic or udic soil moisture regime, and mixed mineralogy. Frigid soils are found within the higher elevations.
This area supports forest vegetation, particularly hardwood species. Beech-birch-maple and elm-ash-red maple are the potential forest types. The extent of oak species increases from east to west, particularly in areas of shallow and dry soils. In some areas conifers, such as white pine, are important. Aspen, hemlock, northern white-cedar, and black ash grow on the wetter soils. In some parts of the area, sugar maple has potential economic significance. Some of the major wildlife species in this area are white-tailed deer, cottontail, turkey, pheasant, and grouse.Classification relationships
USDA NRCS:
LRR: R - Northeastern Forage and Forest Region
MLRA 140 - Glaciated Allegheny Plateau and Catskills Mountains
NY Natural Heritage Program Plant Community Classification:
Floodplain Forest
PA Natural Heritage Program Plant Community Classification:
Silver Maple Floodplain Forest
International Vegetation Classification Associations:
Silver Maple Floodplain Bottom Forest (Sensitive Fern Type) (CEGL006176)
NatureServe Ecological Systems
Central Appalachian River Floodplain (CES202.608)Ecological site concept
Landform/Landscape Position:
The site occurs on floodplains. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent.
Soils:
The soils consists of very deep, poorly drained, fine-silty (Wayland) and coarse-loamy (Wyalusing) soils formed in recent alluvium.
Vegetation:
The reference community is dominated silver maple but other canopy trees that may be present are red maple, black willow, river birch, and American elm. Shrubs and herbs include spicebush, dogwoods, sensitive fern, jewelweed,false nettle, and numerous sedges.Associated sites
F140XY016NY Mineral Wetlands
F140XY013PA High Floodplain
Similar sites
F140XY014NY Low Floodplain
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree (1) Acer saccharinum
(2) Ulmus americanaShrub (1) Cornus amomum
(2) Lindera benzoinHerbaceous (1) Boehmeria cylindrica
(2) Onoclea sensibilisPhysiographic features
The site occurs on floodplains. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. Flooding is frequent.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms (1) Valley > Flood plain
(2) Backswamp
(3) Depression
(4) Marsh
(5) Swamp
Runoff class Negligible to very high Flooding frequency None to frequent Ponding frequency None to frequent Elevation 164 – 2430 ft Slope 0 – 5 % Water table depth 0 – 9 in Aspect Aspect is not a significant factor Table 3. Representative physiographic features (actual ranges)
Runoff class Not specified Flooding frequency Not specified Ponding frequency Not specified Elevation 0 ft Slope 0 – 6 % Water table depth 0 in Climatic features
The Koppen-Geiger climate classification of the area in which this MLRA occurs is
Dfb, Warm-summer humid continental. Mean annual precipitation is 43 inches and evenly distributed throughout the year. Rainfall occurs as high-intensity, convective thunderstorms in the summer. However, snow comprises most of the precipitation in this area. Average frost-free and freeze-free days are 122 and 153, respectively, with the coldest temperatures and the shortest frost-free periods occurring in the high-elevation areas in the eastern part of the MLRA.Table 4 Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (characteristic range) 110-130 days Freeze-free period (characteristic range) 140-170 days Precipitation total (characteristic range) 40-50 in Frost-free period (actual range) 100-140 days Freeze-free period (actual range) 140-170 days Precipitation total (actual range) 40-50 in Frost-free period (average) 120 days Freeze-free period (average) 150 days Precipitation total (average) 40 in Characteristic rangeActual rangeBarLineFigure 1. Monthly precipitation range
Characteristic rangeActual rangeBarLineFigure 2. Monthly minimum temperature range
Characteristic rangeActual rangeBarLineFigure 3. Monthly maximum temperature range
BarLineFigure 4. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
Figure 5. Annual precipitation pattern
Figure 6 Annual average temperature pattern
Climate stations used
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(1) BINGHAMTON [USW00004725], Johnson City, NY
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(2) STROUDSBURG [USC00368596], East Stroudsburg, PA
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(3) TOWANDA 1 S [USC00368905], Towanda, PA
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(4) MONTROSE [USC00365915], Montrose, PA
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(5) CORNING [USC00301787], Corning, NY
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(6) ROCK HILL 3 SW [USC00307210], Rock Hill, NY
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(7) CANTON [USC00361212], Canton, PA
">Influencing water features
Poorly drained<br />
Water is removed so slowly that the soil is wet at shallow depths periodically during the growing season or remains wet for long periods. Internal free water occurrence is shallow or very shallow and common or persistent. Free water is commonly at or near the surface long enough during the growing season that most mesophytic crops cannot be grown, unless the soil is artificially drained. The soil, however, is not continuously wet directly below plow depth. Free water at shallow depth is common. The water table is commonly the result of low or very low saturated hydraulic conductivity, nearly continuous rainfall, or a combination of these.<br />
<br />
Very poorly drained<br />
Water is removed from the soil so slowly that free water remains at or very near the surface during much of the growing season. Internal free water occurrence is very shallow and persistent or permanent. Unless the soil is artificially drained, most mesophytic crops cannot be grown. The soils are commonly level or depressed and frequently ponded. In areas where rainfall is high or nearly continuous, slope gradients may be greater.Wetland description
National Wetland Classification (Cowardin et al., 1979):<br />
<br />
Palustrine, class variable, leaf morphology variable, water regime variable, chemistry modifier variable.Soil features
The soils consists of very deep, poorly drained, fine-silty and coarse-loamy soils formed in recent alluvium, with a mesic soil temperature regime. Soil components include Atkins, Holly, Papakating, Wallkill, Wayland, and Wyalusing.
Table 5. Representative soil features
Parent material (1) Alluvium – sedimentary rock
(2) Glaciofluvial deposits – sandstone and shale
(3) Siltstone
Surface texture (1) Silt loam
(2) Silty clay loam
(3) Mucky silt loam
(4) Fine sandy loam
Family particle size (1) Coarse-loamy
(2) Coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal
(3) Fine-loamy
(4) Fine-silty
(5) Loamy
Drainage class Very poorly drained to poorly drained Permeability class Very slow to rapid Depth to restrictive layer 50 – 72 in Surface fragment cover <=3" Not specified Surface fragment cover >3" Not specified Available water capacity
(Depth not specified)Not specified Soil reaction (1:1 water)
(Depth not specified)3.6 – 8.4 Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)Not specified Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)0 – 25 % Table 6. Representative soil features (actual values)
Drainage class Poorly drained to very poorly drained Permeability class Not specified Depth to restrictive layer 0 in Surface fragment cover <=3" 0 % Surface fragment cover >3" 0 % Available water capacity
(Depth not specified)7 – 9 in Soil reaction (1:1 water)
(Depth not specified)0 Subsurface fragment volume <=3"
(Depth not specified)0 – 10 % Subsurface fragment volume >3"
(Depth not specified)0 % Ecological dynamics
This system encompasses floodplains of medium to large rivers in Atlantic drainages from southern New England to Virginia. This system can include a complex of wetland and upland vegetation on deep alluvial deposits and scoured vegetation on depositional bars and on bedrock where rivers cut through resistant geology. This complex includes floodplain forests, as well as herbaceous sloughs, shrub wetlands, riverside prairies and woodlands. Microtopography and soil texture determine how long the various habitats are inundated. Depositional and erosional features may both be present depending on the particular floodplain.
This complex includes floodplain forests in which Acer saccharinum, Platanus occidentalis, and Populus deltoides are characteristic, as well as herbaceous sloughs, shrub wetlands, riverside prairies and woodlands. Other trees may include Acer rubrum, Acer negundo, Betula nigra, Carpinus caroliniana, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Liriodendron tulipifera, Platanus occidentalis, Populus deltoides, and Ulmus americana. Herbs and shrubs may include Ageratina altissima, Boehmeria cylindrica, Carex trichocarpa, Carex torta, Cyperus squarrosus, Elymus virginicus, Eragrostis hypnoides, Hypericum prolificum, Ionactis linariifolius, Laportea canadensis, Eubotrys racemosa (= Leucothoe racemosa), Lindera benzoin, Lindernia dubia, Ludwigia palustris, Matteuccia struthiopteris, Onoclea sensibilis, Peltandra virginica, Physocarpus opulifolius, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Solidago simplex var. racemosa.
The high nutrient content of soils and the level topography of the floodplain have attracted a high degree of conversion to agriculture. Pesticides from crops and nutrients from fertilizer and farm animals often flow unimpeded into rivers, altering water quality and increasing the incidence of invasive species. Historic use of rivers as dumping areas of industrial waste leads to concentrations of toxic chemicals in the sediments. Dams convert natural flooding regimes, diminishing the dynamic quality of these systems as a result of controlled water releases. Dams also inhibit fish movement, altering movement of invertebrates such as freshwater mussels. Riprap or hardening of shorelines changes the flow regime. Vegetation on terraces and higher elevations above the river formerly maintained by flooding undergoes succession to other community types. Invasive plant species, easily spread by waterflow, inhibit growth of native plants.
(NatureServe Element Code: CES202.608)State and transition model
More interactive model formats are also available. View Interactive Models
Click on state and transition labels to scroll to the respective textState 1 submodel, plant communities
State 2 submodel, plant communities
State 1
Silver Maple ForestReference state. Minimally managed.
Dominant plant species
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yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), tree
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sugar maple (Acer saccharum), tree
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American beech (Fagus grandifolia), tree
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American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), tree
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narrowleaf willow (Salix exigua), shrub
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Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), other herbaceous
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zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis), other herbaceous
Community 1.1
Silver Maple Closed Canopy ForestOther trees present: red maple, American elm, black willow.
Dominant plant species
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silver maple (Acer saccharinum), tree
Community 1.2
Young Forest CommunityBlack willow, red maple common with a more open canopy. Herbaceous plants more abundant.
Pathway P1.1
Community 1.1 to 1.2Natural disturbances such as flooding, wind, ice storm, insects.
Pathway P1.2
Community 1.2 to 1.1Time/succession
State 2
Disturbed (Invasive Species/Hydrology Change)Highly disturbed forest resulting from changes in hydrology and/or presence of invasive species.
Community 2.1
Mature ForestInvasive species present
Dominant plant species
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eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), tree
Community 2.2
Young ForestInvasive species present
Pathway P2.1
Community 2.1 to 2.2Disturbance: Flooding, wind, ice storms, insects.
Pathway P2.2
Community 2.2 to 2.1Time/succession
Transition T1A
State 1 to 2Establishment of invasive plants. Changes to hydrology (drainage, diversions, roads,) may also been a driver of change.
Restoration pathway R2A
State 2 to 1Conservation practices
Invasive Plant Species Control Additional community tables
Table 7. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Table 8. Community 1.1 forest overstory composition
Common name Symbol Scientific name Nativity Height ft Canopy cover (%) Diameter in Basal area (square ft/acre) Treesilver maple ACSA2 Acer saccharinum Native – – – 0 American elm ULAM Ulmus americana Native – – – 0 black willow SANI Salix nigra Native – – – 0 red maple ACRU Acer rubrum Native – – – 0 Table 9. Community 1.2 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Table 10. Community 1.2 forest overstory composition
Common name Symbol Scientific name Nativity Height ft Canopy cover (%) Diameter in Basal area (square ft/acre) Table 11. Community 1.2 forest understory composition
Common name Symbol Scientific name Nativity Height (ft) Canopy cover (%) Table 12. Community 2.1 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Table 13. Community 2.1 forest overstory composition
Common name Symbol Scientific name Nativity Height ft Canopy cover (%) Diameter in Basal area (square ft/acre) Table 14. Community 2.1 forest understory composition
Common name Symbol Scientific name Nativity Height (ft) Canopy cover (%) Table 15. Community 2.2 plant community composition
Group Common name Symbol Scientific name Annual production () Foliar cover (%) Interpretations
Supporting information
Inventory data references
Site Development and Testing Plan: Future work to validate the vegetation information in this provisional ecological site description is needed. This will include field activities to collect low and medium intensity sampling and analysis of that data. Field reviews should be done by soil scientists and vegetation specialists. A final field review, peer review, quality control, and quality assurance reviews of the ESD will be needed to produce the final approved level document. Reviews of the project plan are to be conducted by the Ecological Site Technical Team.
Other references
Edinger, G.J., Evans, D.J., Gebauer, S., Howard, T.G., Hunt, D.M., and A.M. Olivero, A.M. (eds.). 2014. Ecological Communities of New York State, Second Edition: A revised and expanded edition of Carol Reschke's Ecological Communities of New York State. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, NY.
Zimmerman, E., T. Davis, G. Podniesinski, M. Furedi, J. McPherson, S. Seymour, B. Eichelberger, N. Dewar, J. Wagner, and J. Fike (editors). 2012. Terrestrial and Palustrine Plant Communities of Pennsylvania, 2nd Edition. Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.Contributors
Joshua Hibit
Approval
Greg Schmidt, 10/01/2024
Rangeland health reference sheet
Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health is a qualitative assessment protocol used to determine ecosystem condition based on benchmark characteristics described in the Reference Sheet. A suite of 17 (or more) indicators are typically considered in an assessment. The ecological site(s) representative of an assessment location must be known prior to applying the protocol and must be verified based on soils and climate. Current plant community cannot be used to identify the ecological site.
Author(s)/participant(s) Contact for lead author Date 05/20/2020 Approved by Approval date Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on Annual Production Indicators
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Number and extent of rills:
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Presence of water flow patterns:
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Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
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Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
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Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
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Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
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Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
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Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
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Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
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Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
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Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
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Functional/Structural Groups (list in order of descending dominance by above-ground annual-production or live foliar cover using symbols: >>, >, = to indicate much greater than, greater than, and equal to):
Dominant:
Sub-dominant:
Other:
Additional:
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Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
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Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
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Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
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Potential invasive (including noxious) species (native and non-native). List species which BOTH characterize degraded states and have the potential to become a dominant or co-dominant species on the ecological site if their future establishment and growth is not actively controlled by management interventions. Species that become dominant for only one to several years (e.g., short-term response to drought or wildfire) are not invasive plants. Note that unlike other indicators, we are describing what is NOT expected in the reference state for the ecological site:
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Perennial plant reproductive capability:
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