Seeps and springs inventory, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Level 1 report
McCoy-Bruce T, Read AS, Cressler A. 2025. Seeps and springs inventory, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Level 1 report. Science Report. NPS/SR—2025/277. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2309457
Research on seeps and springs in the eastern United States is limited and few protocols for documenting and inventorying these valuable eastern ecosystems have been established. In the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA), seeps and springs may host species of concern and represent hotspots of biodiversity within an already biodiverse park. This project’s goal was to survey the entire park to identify seeps and springs, collect location data, document the hydrogeology and ecology of these systems, and determine sites for future study. Additionally, classification terminology was adapted from the Springs Stewardship Institute’s Springs Ecosystem Inventory Protocols to create a classification scheme for seeps and springs in the Piedmont ecoregion (Stevens and Ledbetter 2023; A. Cressler, personal communication). These classifications were primarily based on the morphology and hydrologic conditions of the emergence point of the springs, which influence the structure of the spring and the habitats it may support. Seeps and springs were divided into four broad morphological categories: ravine, hillslope, floodplain, and bluff. The data from this study has already conveyed benefits to natural and cultural resource management in the CRNRA. GIS layers have been updated to include seeps and springs sites in consideration for future project authorization, which will help preserve the delicate structure of these ecosystems. Information concerning historic structures associated with seeps and springs has been documented. In addition, the park now has an extensive dataset of floristic species presence and water quality measurements spanning the length of the park, which can be used as reference data in future studies. Further in-depth studies of a smaller number of seeps and springs will be undertaken in a planned Level 2 study.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- McCoy-Bruce, Thomas; Read, Allyson; Cressler, Alan
- Date of Issue
- 2025-04
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2309457
- Units
- CHAT , NRSS
- Keywords
- biodiversity, ecology, hydrogeology, inventory, seeps, springs