Riparian Wetlands of Central Minnesota Streams

Series Description

Riparian wetlands included in this series are those of lower order streams (primarily first to third order) of east central and north central Minnesota. The streams have low to moderate flow rates and eventually drain into Lake Superior, the St. Croix River, and the upper Mississippi River. These low gradient streams wind through floodplains with accumulated peat deposits. The northern study sites are located in a region dominated by mixed coniferous/deciduous forest and wetlands, and the southern sites lie in an area dominated by deciduous forest and agricultural land. Much of northern Minnesota was intensely logged in the early 1900's, and limited forestry practices still continue today. Agriculture was also historically practiced in the region and continues, especially in the vicinity of the southernmost study sites. Human activities that have affected streams and associated riparian wetlands include channelization, ditching, construction of dams and bridges, and removal of riparian vegetation. Beavers have also significantly altered the hydrology of these systems.

During the 1995 field season, over thirty sites were assessed for inclusion in this series. People and agencies who helped identify potential research sites include: Kelly Smith (Carlton County Soil and Water Conservation District), Bob Djupstrom and Barb Delaney with Minnesota DNR -Ecological Services, and numerous other Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Soil and Water Conservation District staff. Sites rejected from the series include those that lack a riparian wetland zone characterized by grass-like and shrub vegetation, sites adjacent to high-order streams or rivers, sites that are difficult to access, and sites located on private property where permission to access was not granted. The fifteen research sites chosen represent a gradient of human disturbance at the local, regional, and watershed scales. Examples of local disturbance to the sites include straightening or channelization of the stream, ditching in the riparian wetland, constrictions to streamflow (such as bridges or culverts), and removal of vegetation and addition of organic waste by livestock. Regional and watershed scale disturbance is characterized by land use activities such as the presence of row crop agriculture and urban development. The Mississippi Headwaters (MH), Moosehorn River(MO), Otter Creek-One (OO), and Net River (NR) sites were intially thought to represent the least disturbed sites because of little local and regional development. Sites such as Cedar Creek (CC), Goose Creek (GC), Buckman Creek (BC), and Green Lake Brook (GL) were thought to have moderate impacts because, although at the local scale they appear relatively undisturbed, their associated watersheds contain a high proportion of cultivated and other agricultural land. An upstream dam, logging and road crossings near Sucker Creek (SC) and urban land use adjacent to and upstream of Otter Creek-Two (OT) suggest moderate disturbance to these sites, as well. A feed lot adjacent to the Little Tamarack River(LT) site and active pasturing along the Tamarack River (TR) site were assumed to degrade these sites because of organic waste inputs and vegetation removal. The Sunrise River (SU), Shell River (SH), and Miller Creek (MC) were thought to be most disturbed by human activities due to channelization and the relatively high proportion of agriculture or urban land use in their watersheds.

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