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Floodplain of the Washita River (NPS Photo) |
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Flood plains comprise over half of the park's land base. These plains haven't flooded in many decades as a result of dams emplaced on upstream tributaries of the Washita River. Their woody vegetative cover has also largely been removed due to past agricultural activities. A mixture of native grasses and non-native weed species are what currently grow between the riparian strip along the river and the higher upland prairie. The flood plains remain a more moist and humid habitat in general, with the water table located relatively close to the surface at an average depth of 5 feet.
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