Environmental History of Hovey Lake, Southwestern Indiana

Abstract

Studies of pollen stratigraphy in conjunction with avail- able information on floodplain sedimentation and rates of channel migra- tion indicate that Hovey Lake is a recent feature, having originated between 600 and 700 years ago. Land-use practices in the region have had a significant effect on rates of sedimentation in the lake. The pre- 1830 rate was 0.74 crm/year; the post-1830 rate is 2.45 cm/year. Dur- ing the history of the lake the regional forests have been constant in com- position, while shoreline vegetation has changed appreciably. Cypress became abundant on the lakeshore about 150 years ago. in the unglaciated Midwest, cores were taken from Hovey Lake, an oxbow of the Ohio River located in southwestern Indiana. Although subsequent palynological studies have shown that the lake is much too young to provide data on the early postglacial vegetational history of the area, the study has provided information concerning the age of the lake and the environmental changes which have taken place during its developmental history. Hovey Lake is of particular interest because it is an area in which one of the northernmost extensions of floodplain species occurs. The lower Wabash and Ohio River valleys have been included by Kiuchler (1964) as part of the southern floodplain forest because of the presence of bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), pecan (Carya illinoensis), water hickory (C. aquatica) and tupelo gum (Nyssa aquatica). The northernmost occurrence of bald cypress and tupelo gum in the Midwest is 70 km N of Hovey Lake, while the northern limit of water hickory is 5 km N of the lake. Cain (1935) and Lindsey et al. (1961) found that Taxodium distichum was abundant on the lakeshore with Acer saccharinum, Betula nigra, Ulmus fulva and Carya illinoensis on slightly drier ground. Cephalanthus occidentalis, Rhus radicans and Vitis aestivalis were among the common shrubs and vines. The presence of southern floodplain species at or very near their present-day northern limit made Hovey Lake a potentially valuable site for delineating postglacial migrations into the lower Ohio and Wabash River valleys.