Restoration of a forested wetland ecosystem in a thermally impacted stream corridor
- Westinghouse Savannah River Corp., Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Technology Center
- Forest Service, Charleston, SC (United States). Center for Forested Wetlands Research
The Savannah River Swamp is a 3,020 Ha forested wetland on the floodplain of the Savannah River and is located on the Department of Energy`s Savannah River Site (SRS). Major impacts to the swamp hydrology occurred with the completion of the production reactors and one coal-fired powerhouse at the SRS in the early 1950`s. Water was pumped from the Savannah River, through secondary heat exchangers of the reactors, and discharged into three of the tributary streams that flow into the swamp. This continued from 1954 to 1988 at various levels. The sustained increases in water volume resulted in overflow of the original stream banks and the creation of additional floodplains. Accompanying this was considerable erosion of the original stream corridor and deposition of a deep silt layer on the newly formed delta. Heated water was discharged directly into Pen Branch and water temperature in the stream often exceeded 50 C. The nearly continuous flood of the swamp, the thermal load of the water, and the heavy silting resulted in complete mortality of the original vegetation in large areas of the floodplain. Research has been ongoing to determine methods to reintroduce tree species characteristic of more mature forested wetlands. The goal of the restoration is to create structural and biological diversity in the forest canopy by establishing a mix of species typically present in riparian and wetland forests of the area.
- Research Organization:
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- OSTI ID:
- 102166
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-MS-95-0072; CONF-9504194-1; ON: DE95017504; TRN: 95:020538
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: National interagency workshop on wetlands, New Orleans, LA (United States), 3-7 Apr 1995; Other Information: PBD: [1995]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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