2011 Deer Creek Ranch Wetland Vegetation Survey

Authors

Robert F. Steinauer

Date of this Version

2-28-2012

Document Type

Technical Report

Citation

Steinauer, Robert F. 2012. 2011 Deer Creek Ranch Wetland Vegetation Survey. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. 7pp.

Abstract

The approximately 75,000 acre Deer Creek Ranch (owned by Ted Turner) lies on the south side of the Niobrara River in northeastern Sheridan County, Nebraska (Figure 1). The majority of the ranch lies within the Sandhills, with Sandhill dune prairie being the predominant vegetation type. Two significant streams, Deer Creek and the Snake River, originate on the ranch. The primary purpose of the Deer Creek Ranch surveys was to document native wetland plant communities and rare plant species occurrences and to provide vegetation management recommendations for plant communities bordering these two stream. Also surveyed were Chokecherry and Hackberry Lakes in the southeastern corner of the ranch and a small unnamed spring branch stream on the south side of the Niobrara River originating near Highway 27 (Figure 1). Vegetation surveys were conducted from June 26 through June 30, 2011.

During the surveys, Nebraska Natural Heritage Program (NNHP) Ecological Community Survey Forms were completed to document natural plant communities and NNHP Rare Plant Survey Forms were completed to document rare plants (S1-S3 species). Community nomenclature follows Rolfsmeier and Steinauer (2010) and plants species nomenclature follows Kaul et al (2007). Brief descriptions of the native wetland plant communities are provided below, with more detailed descriptions provided in the Ecological Community Survey Forms submitted to the NNHP.