Natural Characteristics Summary 



24A. Vegetation - Biotic Community Summary: 



Community type: Taxodium distichum - Acer rubrum - Nyssa bif lora 

 Community cover type: Taxodium distichum 

 General habitat feature: Riverine swamp 

 Average canopy height: 60 ft 

 Estimated age of canopy trees: 50-200 years 

 Canopy cover: Closed 



Estimated size of community: 80% of total acreage or 11,000 ac 

 Successional stage: Climax 

 Sere type: Pelosere 



Common canopy species in community cover or community type (but 

 not dominant) : Liquidambar styracif lua , Pinus taeda 

 Common sub-canopy or shrub stratum species in community cover or 

 community type (but not dominant) : Cornus stricta, Ilex verticillata 

 Common herb stratum species in community cover or community type 

 (but not dominant) : Senecio glabellus , Gratiola virginiana , Pluchea 

 camphorata . Lobelia cardinalis , Decumaria barbara 



24B. Soil Summary (by community type) 



Soil series: Dorovan series in tidal region of river; Johnston and 



Lumbee soils in upper stretches of river floodplain. 



Soil classification: Not determined 



Soil association: Johnston-Lumbee 



pH class: Strongly acid to medium acid 



Moisture class: Poorly drained 



Source of information: General Soil Map, Pender County, USDA, SCS, 



(1972) . 



Other notes: None 



24C. Hydrology Summary (by community type) 

 Hydrologic system: Riverine 



Hydrologic subsystem: Tidal and Lower Perennial 

 Water chemistry: Fresh to mixosaline 



Water regime: Tidal, regularly flooded, irregularly flooded, and 

 nontidal, intermittently exposed , seasonally flooded. 

 Drainage class: Poorly drained to very poorly drained 

 Drainage basin: Northeast Cape Fear River 



Hydrology characterization: Poorly to very poorly drained bottomland 

 sloughs, terraces, and bars, covered with moisture-retaining silts 

 and silty sands with water table frequently at the surface. 



24D. Topography Summary 



Landform: Riverine floodplain 



Shelter: Deeply sheltered 



Aspect: North - South in lower reach; East - West in upper reach 



Slope: Level to gently sloping 



Profile: Level to concave 



Surface pattern: Irregularly undulating 



Position: Not applicable 



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