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Type                                    General description

SANDBAR

  Annual Sandbar           Recently exposed areas along the river  
                           channel colonized by sedge, spikerush, and 
                           other annuals.

  Perennial Sandbar        Partially exposed areas near the river channel 
                           characterized by 1-2 m high cottonwood, willow, 
                           and dogwood saplings.

MEADOW

  Marsh                    Cattail and hardstem bulrush dominated 
                           communities in pools of standing water near 
                           river channels and in the backwaters of major 
                           dams and diversions.

  Lowland Grassland        Grazed, intermittently wet meadows dominated by 
                           ragweed, sedge, bluegrass, and a variety of 
                           other grasses. Low-lying areas are dominated by 
                           bulrush, spikerush, and frog fruit.

  Upland Grassland         Dry meadows characterized by bluestem prairie, 
                           sandy areas dominated by cheatgrass and 
                           grasslands with scattered indigo bush shrub.

SHRUB

  Wetland Shrub            Riverbank and island shrub dominated by sandbar 
                           willow and indigo bush, with an understory of 
                           sedges, rushes, and American bugleweed in 
                           intermittently flooded areas, and an understory 
                           of goldenrod and cordgrass on drier island sites.

  Upland Shrub             Indigo bush and rough-leaf dogwood dominated 
                           upland shrub areas in forest openings and along 
                           raised riverbanks. Common ragweed, Japanese 
                           brome and open ground are common in the 
                           understory.

FOREST

  Cottonwood/              Intermittently flooded forest dominated by 
  Willow Wetland           diamond willow, cottonwood, and green ash, with 
                           an understory of indigo bush, dogwood, and 
                           sandbar willow shrub. Frog fruit and sedge are 
                           important herbaceous species.
  
  Cottonwood/              Wet forest areas dominated by either dense      
  Russian Olive            Russian olive with an overstory of scattered 
                           cottonwood, or dense cottonwood with Russian
                           olive in the understory. Ragweed, sedge, and 
                           bluegrass are the dominant herbaceous species. 

  Cottonwood Meadow        Upland cottonwood forest with a grassland 
                           understory dominated by switchgrass, cordgrass, 
                           bluegrass, sand dropseed, bromegrass, and 
                           scattered low indigo bush, dogwood, and wild 
                           rose shrub. 

  Cottonwood/              Dry upland forest dominated by either dense red 
  Red Cedar                cedar with an overstory of scattered
                           cottonwood, or dense cottonwood with red cedar 
                           in the understory. Green ash (seedlings), wild 
                           rose, poison ivy, and ragweed are the dominant 
                           ground cover species.

  Mixed Hardwood           Moderately dry forest dominated by cottonwood  
  Shrub                    with an understory of green ash, diamond 
                           willow, red mulberry, and American elm. 
                           Rough-leaf dogwood, indigo bush, and sandbar 
                           willow are the dominant shrubs, whereas 
                           goldenrod, poison ivy, bluegrass, and Canada 
                           wild rye are the major herbaceous species.