Regional Landscape Ecosystems of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin
SUB-SUBSECTION X.6.2. Bemidji and Bagley Outwash Plains
DISCUSSION: Sub-subsection X.6.2 consists of the Bemidji and Bagley outwash plains. The flat, droughty outwash plain burned regularly, resulting in an open forest or barrens dominated by jack pine.
ELEVATION: 1,295 to 1,610 feet (395 to 491 m).
AREA: 515 square miles (1,334 sq km).
STATES: Minnesota.
CLIMATE: See subsection.
BEDROCK: See subsection.
LANDFORM: A broad pitted outwash plain.
LAKES AND STREAMS: Surfaces of this plain are pitted by numerous small kettle lakes. Forty-five lakes larger than 160 acres are found within the sub-subsection; Cass and Bemidji Lakes are the largest (University of Minnesota et al. 1980a). More than 18 percent of the Bemidji outwash plain surface is covered by large lakes. Large lakes on the Bagley outwash plain are less numerous, covering approximately 5 percent of the landscape. The headwaters of the Mississippi River are located here.
SOILS: Loamy sands or sandy loams, derived from outwash sands and gravels. From 65 percent to 85 percent of the soils are excessively or well drained (University of Minnesota et al. 1969, 1980a). The Bemidji plain has approximately 12 percent peat soils, and the Bagley plain has about 5 percent. Soils of the outwash are classified primarily as Psamments, but include Hemists (Anderson and Grigal 1984).
PRESETTLEMENT FOREST: Jack pine, with northern pin oak, dominated the excessively drained parts of the broad outwash plains, but trembling aspen-paper birch forest also dominated large expanses (Marschner 1974). Swamp conifers dominated very poorly drained portions of the outwash.
NATURAL DISTURBANCE: Fire.
PRESENT VEGETATION AND LAND USE: Most of the outwash plains remain in second-growth forest with jack pine on the dry outwash, and large expanses of shrub swamp in wetlands. Jack pine is used principally in the pulpwood industry.
RARE PLANT COMMUNITIES: See subsection.
RARE PLANTS: See subsection.
RARE ANIMALS: See subsection.
NATURAL AREAS: See subsection.
PUBLIC LAND MANAGERS: See subsection.
CONSERVATION CONCERNS: See subsection.
BOUNDARIES: Sub-subsection X.6.2 does not include the north-south trending part of the Bagley plain, located west of Clearwater County.
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