Fox River Floodplain EarthCache
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Placed with Permission from the St. Charles Park Department. Parking is at the posted coordinates. Please respect posted park hours, and stay on the marked trails. You may want to do this cache while simultaneously working on the other earthcache here, GC65HMB.
From the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission:
"Ferson's Creek Fen is a wetland ecosystem situated along the west bank of the Fox River. The preserve lies on a glacial outwash terrace and alluvial stream bed. Two natural communities featured here are sedge meadows and wet floodplain forests. Occupying the core of the natural area, sedge meadows are the prevalent community and range from undisturbed, very high quality portions to segments of moderate quality."
A floodplain is defined as land adjacent to a channel of moving water, such as a stream or river, that extends from the banks of the channel to the base of valley walls. This area is prone to flooding at times when there is more water in the channel as usual- the flooding occurring within the floodplain due to its small relative elevation change, ending at the valley walls (or some other larger elevation change).
Floodplains are caused by meanders in the river combined with occasional flooding, leaving silt behind after the flooding. Over time, this silt forms the basis of the floodplain floor. Additional layers are built off the floor, and can vary widely in sediment type, including various combinations of clay, silt, sand, loam, and gravel.
During floodplain formation, the area often forms a stagnant body of water, such as a bayou or marsh. Eventually, if this stagnant water is diverted, fertile soil is left in its wake. This is the basis for the Ferson Creek Fen. This area is considered a "flood meadow", defined by its tendency to experience seasonal flooding when the Fox River overflows its banks.
The tradeoff of living in a floodplain for humans is mixed. The benefits are numerous. Access to a moving body of water enables travel, as well as provided power for mills and hydroelectic power. The fertile land caused by formerly stagnant water is ideal for farming, with the rich soil making the task less of an uphill battle. Wildlife also congregates in this fertile area, which can allow for hunting or farming animals using the aforementioned fertile plants.
However, the season flooding can heavily outweigh all these benefits. Many early houses were washed away if they were not carefully planned and far enough out on the floodplain. Farmland could become unusable if the flooding was too great. In modern times, houses are built to withstand this seasonal flooding, but property can still be lost to flooding, and insurance costs are often elevated in these areas.
To get credit for this earthcache, you must email or message me the answers to the following questions:
1) What are the benefits of the Fox River Floodplain for this fen, and vice versa?
2) According to THE SIGN, how long is the Fox River? (NOTE: This differs from the listed length of 202 miles).
3) List 2 ways the Fox River is a benefit to wildlife in the Fox Valley area.
4) Why do you think the fen grew in this area of the Fox River?
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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