Alaculsy Valley

                               Jacks River

                          

Site Name: Alaculsy Valley

Location: northeast Murray County, GA

District: Cohutta Mountains

Description:  Low, relatively flat valley, with an elevation that ranges from 940’ to 1040’. This area is nestled within the northwestern Cohutta foothills. There are at least fifteen distinct peaks surrounding the valley ranging from 1280’ – 2000’ in elevation (average elevation of 1565’) creating a relief ranging between 340’ – 1060’(average 700’). The narrow valley is approximately 4.8 miles in length, with the majority (3.3 miles) being on the south side of the state line in Murray County, GA, which is our area of study. Another 1.5 miles of the valley continues into Polk County, TN. The width of the valley averages approximately .4 miles with the widest section being about .6 miles wide and the narrowest sections being about .1 miles.

           Alaculsy Valley topo map

The valley is dissected by the Conasauga River. This is more of a meandering shallow gravel/stone strewn mountain river here, whereas before it enters the valley,  is more characteristic of a ravine river that cuts northward through the Cohuttas. The wide river valley creates the opportunity for a more extensive riparian zone to exist. This is an uncommon characteristic in the Cohutta district as most riparian areas are extremely narrow. Here characteristics of floodplain forests can be observed, though this is not identical to bottomland forests in the Great Valley and other districts of Georgia. When the Conasauga does flood it typically drains faster than it would in the lowlands. This is due to the overall velocity of the flow, the lack of deep oxbows/bends in the river, and the steep grades on both ends of the valley that support a more timely drainage. The combination of the river and the valley creates conditions for well-developed forest communities to exist. The upper canopy can vary in age and in species composition. The dense understory of shrubs and saplings can be impenetrable in places. Basic forest types here include the following:

Floodplain & Bottomland - Forests naturally occurring along rivers where tree species adapted to flooding have been established. Some may include American Sycamore, River Birch, Red Maple, Sweetgum, Green Ash, Sugarberry, Boxelder, Silver Maple and some oaks as well. The understory can be comprised of several different species. This forest type is well developed in the valley. The possibility of it increasing in size and reclaiming former areas is dependent on the flooding of the Conasauga River and humans allowing these areas to grow in a natural and unmolested fashion.

    Pictured above is a forest along the Conasauga River in the Alaculsy Valley. This appears to be a young stand of  
    trees(<50 years).  Notice the well-developed understory. Two Swainson's Warblers were observed at this site in June of 
    2018. Both birds were singing on territory.  Other species that breed here in more concentrated numbers include Acadian 
   Flycatcher, Louisiana Waterthrush, Northern Parula, Kentucky & Yellow-throated Warblers.


Low-mid Elevation Oak - Forests naturally occurring on dry to submesic sites. Xeric situations may be dominated by Rock Chestnut Oak or Scarlet Oak, whereas mesic areas can be dominated by species such as Northern Red Oak, Tulip-tree, or Fraser Magnolia. Other species that usually have a strong presence here are Red Maple, Black Gum, White Pine to name a few. The understory can have characteristic shrubs such as Mountain Laurel and rhododendron species, as well as several younger broadleaf trees. These forests are mostly limited to the slopes that border the valley, but can reach into the low areas and in the form of transitional zones.

Cove and Transitional Cove  -  Forests naturally occurring in sheltered north to east-facing slopes. Dominant tree species can be Basswood, Bitternut Hickory, sugar maples, American Beech, deciduous magnolias, Carolina Silverbell and Tulip-tree. This forest can also support an evergreen component and is displayed with the presence of White Pine, Eastern Hemlock and an understory dominated by Mountain Laurel and Great Rhododendron. These forests are mostly limited to surrounding slopes but can also be found in transitional zones.

Pine Stands and Woodlands -  Forests unnaturally occurring on predominately dry sites. This type is a product of man-made disturbances that purposely or accidentally foster woodlands that are dominated by Loblolly, Shortleaf and Virginia Pines. There are presently few of these in the valley.





On the north end of the valley a short distance above the state line is where Jacks River converges with the Conasauga. Jacks is another mountain ravine river that flows northwest from Fannin County through the extreme northeast corner of Murray County. There are also several smaller tributaries that connect with the Conasauga in the valley, Jigger Creek being one of the larger examples.

                                    Jigger Creek 

The landcover here has changed dramatically over the last several centuries. This wilderness area was once vast pristine virgin forests. Some of these areas were farmed by Native Americans, which would have been more like small forest clearings rather than large cultivated fields. With the arrival of European deforesting tools, farming instruments and modern methods, this area was transformed from wilderness into a rural frontier community. This community thrived during the late 1800’s and on into the early 1900’s. There were farms, mills, schools, churches, stores and dozens of homesteads present. Timber companies cleared the forests here during the early 1900's. Homesteaders began to leave the valley after the L&N Railroad was constructed in 1905 west of the valley through other Murray County communities such as Tenga, Cisco, Eton and Chatsworth. Many relocated in these communities to take advantage of opportunities that followed the railroad.  A good portion of the valley is now part of the Chattahoochee National Forest. There are presently no permanent residents in the valley. Where hundreds of people resided here during the last century, there is now no one. Only a couple of houses, a few hunting cabins and a church are the only structures in the valley. Farming has decreased on the privately owned parcels. The majority of the land is being allowed to revert back into a forested natural community, and it is safe to assume that there is a more consistent canopy throughout the valley than what has been here in over a century.

       

                  Alaculsy Valley satellite image (2018)


As the forest reclaims former sites in the valley, this leaves fewer openings. There are no grazing cattle here, so the number of pastures have shrank(<5% of study area). Crop fields have also decreased in size with only a few currently in use(~10% of study area). The U.S. Forest Service maintains a few small wildlife openings in the valley(<5% of study area). These areas are part of management plans to support game & nongame wildlife that need breaks in the forests. Many species have adapted to openings and some require these areas to succeed in foraging, nesting, etc. Historically and presently, these species have depended on natural disturbances to create breaks in the canopy. Wind, disease, insect infestation and fire are some causes that can result in natural openings. During the extreme drought of 2016, Autumn wildfires burned approximately 28,000 acres of surrounding national forest as a result of the Rough Ridge Fire. The Cohuttas were impacted by this event, and the northwestern fire perimeter did abut the Alaculsy Valley. Contrary to popular belief, these fires have a longterm benefit on natural communities. Fire can remove many species of trees and shrubs that are not adapted to such conditions. This helps decrease space competition for fire hardy species that have survived wildfires for centuries. It basically creates a healthier forest. 

      U.S. Forest Service wildlife opening

     The Alaculsy Valley is accessible by public gravel roads and makes for a pleasant trip into a
      portion of the Cohuttas that offer visitors an opportunity to explore this unique area.  

Bibliography 

Edwards, L.,  Ambrose, J.,  and Kirkman, L., K., The Natural Communities of Georgia. The
     University of Georgia Press, 2013.

The Murray County History Committee, Murray County Heritage. WH Wolfe Associates Historical
     Publications Div., 1987.

Rough Ridge Fire. (June 22, 2017). Wildfire Today: Wildfire News and Opinion. Retrieved from                http://wildfiretoday.com/tag/rough-ridge-fire/



Other websites:

https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

https://ebird.org/



Photos by Joshua Spence