Russell Smith April 5, 2012

1. Soils, Hydrology and Vegetation Distribution on a Saline LandscapeHailstone National Wildlife Refuge Russell Smith April 5, 2012

2. Hailstone NWR Billings Bozeman Nelson, 2009

4. RegionalGroundwater SalinityConcentrations Hailstone NWR Nelson, USFWS 2009

5. Hailstone Basin Watershed Area = 12,634 hectares Reservoir Area = 226 hectares Volume = 2,168,461 kiloliters Courtesy Google Maps - Terrain

6. Elevation of Groundwater USFWS 2009

7. 1941 1954 1962 1991 2003 Nelson, USFWS 2009 1979

8. Hailstone Reservoir at 54% Salt - 2003 TDS levels exceeding 500,000 ppm (Seawater ~ 34,000 ppm) Problem Elevated waterfowl and wildlife mortality. Nelson, USFWS 2009

9. Crop Fallow Saline Seep Google Earth Image, 2011

10. Saline Seep Development McCauley & Jones, 2005

11. Non-stress Condition Effects of Salinity on Vegetation Stress Condition Seelig 2000

13. Problem Elevated salinity & selenium causing severe waterfowl and wildlife mortality. Goals Examine vegetation distribution, landscape position, hydrology and soil chemistry. Compare abiotic conditions with vegetation.

14. Objectives Select sampling points within transects at various locations at Hailstone Examine vegetation characteristics Measure landscape features Determine hydrology at sample points Examine soil chemistry Identify associations between abiotic conditions and vegetation characteristics

15. Objective: Vegetation D C B A

16. Objective: Vegetation

17. Objective: Vegetation 50 cm x 50 cm (2500 cm2) sampling frame vegetation identified percent cover estimatedfor each species

18. Objective: Vegetation Species Characterization – Wetland Indicator Status From U.S. USFWS Biological Report 88 [26.9] 1988, Revised 1993.

19. Objective: Vegetation Species Characterization – Salinity Tolerance Salinity Tolerance Low Medium High USDA Plants Database

20. Objective: Vegetation Salicornia rubra - glasswort, swamp fireweed USDA Plants Database

21. Objective: Vegetation Suaeda calceoliformis - seepweed USDA Plants Database

22. Objective: Vegetation Distichlis spicata – saltgrass USDA Plants Database

23. Objective: Vegetation Poa pratensis – Kentucky bluegrass Photo: Matt Lavin

24. Objective: Vegetation

25. Hydrologic Characteristics Objective 3) Measure indications of hydrology (depth to saturation)

26. Objective: Hydrology

27. Objective: Hydrology

28. Objective: Hydrology

29. Objective: Soils germinant 0-2 cm 2-5 cm seedling 5-10 cm mature roots 10-20 cm

30. Objective: Soils

31. Objective: Soils

32. Objective: Soils

33. Synthesize Vegetation Characteristics and Abiotic Condition Objectives 5) Compare vegetation characteristics with abiotic conditions and use data to help refuge managers determine revegetation strategies for soil stabilization

34. Objective: Synthesis

35. Objective: Synthesis VEGETATION % Canopy Cover Species Type Point Elevation & Distance to Water Surface EC LANDSCAPE SOILS N-P-K %OM Saturation Depth HYDROLOGY

38. Summary of Observations • Banded vegetation patterns are representative of unique abiotic conditions at Hailstone. • Soil salinity and saturation are closely linked based on position from water (lake or swale) and depth. • An environmental gradient exists where salinity and soil saturation values are highest closer to the lake and lowest in the upland positions.

39. Recommendations • Build a revegetation model based on observational data, field scale seeding and planting trials, and soils and hydrologic data from the newly exposed lake bed. • Organize areas on the landscape into planting zones based on elevation, hydrology and soil salinity. Choose a variety of species and forms (seed, plugs and transplants) most suited for the conditions within each zone.

40. Objective: Synthesis

42. Thank you! GO RANGERS!!

43. ~Questions~