report can be obtained from county offices of the Soil Conservation Service, state coastal zone
management programs, or Corps of Engineers districts.
Marsh Plants
Coastal marshes are those herbaceous plant communities, which are normally inundated or
saturated by surface or groundwater. They may be narrow fringes along steep shorelines or they may
cover wide areas in shallow, gently sloping shore regions typically found in bays and estuaries (Figure
86). In saltwater marshes, salinity is generally equal to or slightly less than seawater (35 parts per
thousand salt). Freshwater marshes experience water level fluctuations resulting from groundwater table
and seasonal climatic changes.
To establish a coastal marsh, the site must be evaluated based on geographic area, tidal elevation
and range, salinity, fetch length, and soil properties. The vegetation prevalent in three saltwater marsh
regions and the Great Lakes are discussed below. Planting specifications are summarized in Table 18.
The suitability of a site for marsh plantings can be evaluated using Figure 87.
Atlantic Coast Marshes. Common vegetation found in Atlantic coast marshes is described briefly
below.
Smooth Cordgrass (Spartina alternaflora).
This is the dominant marsh grass from
Newfoundland to about central Florida. It is well adapted to soils not exposed to air that range from
coarse sands to silty clays. Three distinct height forms are recognized. The tall form is generally found
along tidal creeks and drainage channels, the short form grows on flat or gently sloping areas away from
channels, and the medium form, when present, is found in transition areas between stands of the short
and tall forms.
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