Edwards Plateau Riparian
Geology
This system usually occupies Quaternary deposits along headwater streams. These may be alluvial or gravel deposits and are often within drainages dominated by limestone or other calcareous substrates on the Edwards Plateau or where substrate is influenced by outwash from the Edwards Plateau.
Landform
Riparian systems occupy small streams, either intermittent or perennial. These sites tend to be in erosional situations, as opposed to broad alluvial depositional sites.
Soils
By definition, this system is mapped in areas upstream of significant development of bottomland soils on soil types of the surrounding uplands.
Parent Description
Riparian vegetation may be characterized as woodlands, shrublands, or herbaceous vegetation. These erosional sites may be gravelly, cobbly, or rocky, and generally occupy the upper reaches of streams. Woodlands may have Quercus fusiformis (plateau live oak), Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore), Taxodium distichum (baldcypress), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash), Fraxinus texensis (Texas ash), Ulmus crassifolia (cedar elm), Celtis laevigata (sugar hackberry) (including var. reticulata), Acer negundo (boxelder), Prosopis glandulosa (mesquite), Quercus buckleyi (Texas oak), Juniperus ashei (Ashe juniper), Salix nigra (black willow), and/or Sapindus saponaria (western soapberry). Shrub species that may be encountered in the understory of these woodlands (or, in some cases, may form shrublands lacking a significant overstory canopy) include Juglans microcarpa (little walnut), Chilopsis linearis (desert willow), Baccharis spp. (false-willow), Salix nigra (black willow), Juniperus ashei (Ashe juniper), Sapindus saponaria (western soapberry), Cornus drummondii (roughleaf dogwood), Sophora secundiflora (Texas mountain-laurel), Sideroxylon lanuginosum (gum bumelia), Diospyros texana (Texas persimmon), Ungnadia speciosa (Mexican buckeye), Prosopis glandulosa (mesquite), Cephalanthus occidentalis (common buttonbush), and/or Aloysia gratissima (whitebrush). Substantial patches of herbaceous cover may be present and often include species such as Andropogon glomeratus (bushy bluestem), Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), Cladium mariscus var. jamaicense (sawgrass), Tripsacum dactyloides (eastern gamagrass), Setaria scheelei (southwestern bristlegrass), Nassella leucotricha (Texas wintergrass), Eleocharis spp. (spikerush), Brickellia spp. (brickellbush), Justicia americana (American water-willow), Hydrocotyle spp. (water penny), and/or Muhlenbergia lindheimeri (Lindheimer muhly). Frequently, Cynodon dactylon (bermudagrass) and/or Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica (King Ranch bluestem) dominate these grassland sites. Sorghum halepense (Johnson grass) is also a commonly encountered non-native grass. This system includes vegetation along very small streams, reaching upstream to spring heads and runs.
Ecological Mapping Systems
Edwards Plateau: Riparian Ashe Juniper Forest
Forest or woodland on riparian sites dominated by Juniperus ashei (Ashe juniper). Otherwise, this type fits the description of forest or woodland occurrences of the system, with some deciduous species and Quercus fusiformis (plateau live oak) present in the canopy.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Amistad National Recreation Area: US National Park Service
- Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Barton Creek Habitat Preserve: The Nature Conservancy
- Colorado Bend State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Garner State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Government Canyon State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Hill Country State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Honey Creek State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Independence Creek Preserve: The Nature Conservancy
- Kerr Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Kickapoo Cavern State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Pedernales Falls State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Edwards Plateau: Riparian Live Oak Forest
Forest or woodland on riparian sites dominated by Quercus fusiformis (plateau live oak). Otherwise, this vegetation type generally fits the description of forest or woodland occurrences of the system, with some deciduous species and Juniperus ashei (Ashe juniper) present in the canopy.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Amistad National Recreation Area: US National Park Service
- Colorado Bend State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Devil's River State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Garner State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Government Canyon State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Guadalupe River State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Hill Country State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Honey Creek State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Independence Creek Preserve: The Nature Conservancy
- Kerr Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Kickapoo Cavern State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Seminole Canyon State Park/State Historic Site: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Walter Buck Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Edwards Plateau: Riparian Hardwood / Ashe Juniper Forest
Forest or woodland on riparian sites co-dominated by evergreen species (Juniperus ashei (Ashe juniper) and/or Quercus fusiformis (plateau live oak)) and deciduous species as mentioned in the system description.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Amistad National Recreation Area: US National Park Service
- Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Barton Creek Habitat Preserve: The Nature Conservancy
- Belton Lake Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Devil's River State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Government Canyon State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Independence Creek Preserve: The Nature Conservancy
- Kickapoo Cavern State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lost Maples State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Stillhouse Hollow Lake Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
Edwards Plateau: Riparian Hardwood Forest
As described for woodland or forest occurrences of the system, with deciduous species dominating the canopy.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Amistad National Recreation Area: US National Park Service
- Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Belton Lake Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Colorado Bend State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Devil's River State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Enchanted Rock State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Garner State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Government Canyon State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Guadalupe River State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Honey Creek State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Kerr Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Kickapoo Cavern State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- San Angelo State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Stillhouse Hollow Lake Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Twin Butte Reservoir Recreation Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Edwards Plateau: Riparian Ashe Juniper Shrubland
Shrublands on riparian sites dominated by Juniperus ashei (Ashe juniper).
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Amistad National Recreation Area: US National Park Service
- Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Colorado Bend State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Devil’s Sinkhole State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Devil's River State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- E.V. Spence Reservoir Recreation Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Fort Lancaster State Historic Site: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Hill Country State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Honey Creek State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Independence Creek Preserve: The Nature Conservancy
- Inks Lake State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Kerr Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Kickapoo Cavern State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Pedernales Falls State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Seminole Canyon State Park/State Historic Site: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Walter Buck Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Edwards Plateau: Riparian Deciduous Shrubland
Shrublands on riparian sites dominated by one or more of the shrub species mentioned in the system description.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Amistad National Recreation Area: US National Park Service
- Devil's River State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- E.V. Spence Reservoir Recreation Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Enchanted Rock State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Garner State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Hill Country State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Honey Creek State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Independence Creek Preserve: The Nature Conservancy
- Kerr Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Kickapoo Cavern State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lost Maples State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- San Angelo State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- South Llano River State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Twin Butte Reservoir Recreation Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Edwards Plateau: Riparian Herbaceous Vegetation
Riparian sites dominated by herbaceous vegetation as described in the system description.
Distribution Map
Photos
Public Land Occurrence
- Amistad National Recreation Area: US National Park Service
- Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Devil's River State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- E.V. Spence Reservoir Recreation Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Enchanted Rock State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Hill Country State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Honey Creek State Natural Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Kerr Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Kickapoo Cavern State Park Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- San Angelo State Park: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Seminole Canyon State Park/State Historic Site: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Stillhouse Hollow Lake Recreation Area: US Army Corps of Engineers
- Twin Butte Reservoir Recreation Area: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Edwards Plateau: Riparian Herbaceous Wetland
Riparian sites dominated by wetland herbaceous vegetation as described in the system description.