Figure 2. Typical soil substrate and vegetation (silverberry shrub and yellow
goldenrod as well as moss cover) in 81-mm mortar fuse test location. Each
blue flag marks a fin from a mortar projectile.
southwest of a firing point along the right bank of a
American Bison (Bison bison) are the most
side channel of the Delta River. The 3-m-high 10-m-
conspicuous grazers on the Washington Impact Area.
long target berm was constructed of silty, sandy gravel
According to the ADF & G Web site (http://
with clasts up to 10 cm.
www.state.ak.us/local/akpages/FISH.GAME/notebook/
Detailed information on the environment of Fort
notehome.htm) they were introduced in the Big Delta
Greely may be obtained from the extensive field studies
area in the 1920s and the original herd of 20 increased
extending back to the 1950s when the Military Geology
to over 500 animals by 1982. They move far up the
Branch of the USGS was contracted by the Corps of
Delta River in early spring to secluded meadows where
Engineers (WES) to conduct a terrain study of Fort Greely.
they calve and around August they travel back
A major summary and terrain study was produced in 1957
downstream, eventually moving into the Delta Junction
by Holmes and Benninghoff. This comprehensive study
Bison Range. They feed on gravel bars on the
covered topography, geology, climate, hydrology, lakes,
Washington Impact Area, where they graze on various
grasses and forbs such as vetch, but also eat silverberry,
streams, soils and vegetation because these environmental
which is common on the study area. We also observed
factors influence training and testing activities on Fort
ground squirrels (Spermophilus parryii).
Greely. Maps are included in volume 2 of the report
and cover landforms (Mount Hayes D-4 and Big Delta
The Lampkin Range is adjacent to an active side
A-4 [1:63,360]), geologysoils, and vegetation (Mount
channel of the Delta River, about 10 km downstream
Hayes D-4 NE, NW, SE, SW [1:25,000]). Vegetation
of the Washington Impact Area. The Lampkin Range is
was mapped by Benninghoff from August 1948 aerial
used for various shorter-range direct-fire weapon
photos from U.S. Navy Mission BIG. More recently,
systems. Firing points are located on elevated broad
from 1998 to 1999, CRREL and ABR, Inc. (Fairbanks,
flat-topped gravel berms or platforms built on the
Alaska) conducted wildlife, plant, and vegetation
vegetated floodplain along the right bank of the Delta
inventories for the U.S. Army Alaska on Fort Greely
River. Impact areas are to the southwest toward the
(Jorgenson et al. 2001, Racine et al. 2001). Colorado
Mississippi Impact Area, within the active channel
system of the Delta River. For one particular test of 40-
State University also produced an Environmental
mm grenades undertaken by CRTC, a target berm was
Impact Statement for the USARAK for withdrawal of
training lands, including Fort Greely.
constructed on a river gravel bar approximately 100 m
4
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