Physical Setting

Area Occupied: 12.8 acres (5.2 hectares)
This is the entire area mapped as the Herbaceous Depositional Bar Complex.
Stand Size:

Small isolated patches

Landscape Position:

Low, rocky bars in the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, often covered in shallow running water

Soils:

Mixture of sand, silt, and mud packed amongst rounded cobbles; rich in nutrients

Geology:

Boulders and other sediments from a variety of rock types, deposited by the river

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The physical setting of Water-willow Rocky Bar and Shore is too challenging for most plants. The rocky bars are typically submerged in shallow running water. During flooding, vegetation may be completely submerged, whereas during droughts, the bars may be high and dry. Water-willow can survive in all of these situations, and the net-like roots of water-willow colonies hold fast in running water and even floods.

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