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Donnelly Flats Site Descriptions 

This file describes the location of each site sampled within the Donnelly Flats (DF) region 

as a part of the U.S. Geological Survey project Fate of Carbon in Alaskan Landscapes. This region 

is located near Delta Junction, Alaska, which is ~115 miles southeast of Fairbanks, at the 

intersection of the Alaska and Richardson Highways (Alaska state highways 2 and 4, respectively). 

The following text gives general directions to each of our sites and the following data for each 

profile sampled within the site: general location within the site, person(s) who did the sampling, 

sampling date, and dominant vegetation. Additional locations within each site were described and 

not sampled. Similar data for these sites can be found in the Excel (Microsoft, Inc.) file called 

Delta_Transects. 

Tower Control (DFTC) and Tower Burn (DFTB)

From Delta Junction take the Richardson Highway south past Jarvis Creek, the main gate of 

Ft. Greeley, and Pump Station #9. Make a left on Meadows Road. Drive over the pipeline. To get 

to the Tower Control site (DFTC), take a right at the next intersection (which may look like a fork 

as it has a large grassy area in the center). Drive ~2.75 miles. The Tower Control site is located on 

the left at 63° 53.322’ N 145° 44.439’, just before a large grassy area, also on the left. Transects run 

from the eddy covariance tower at 140-180° for 300 m and 90° for 200 m (named south and east 

transects, respectively). The second site, Tower Burn (DFTB), is also off of Meadows Road. 

Instead of veering right at the intersection, go straight. Take a left at the next T-intersection. The 

Tower Burn site will be ~0.5 miles down the road on your right at 63° 55.210’ N, 145° 44.355’ W. 

Transects run from the tower at 180° for 300 m and 90° for 200 m.
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DFTC 1 Donnelly Flats Tower Control Profile 1 is located 300 m south of tower. Described and 

sampled to 44 cm by J. Harden and J. Raymond on 2 Aug 2000. Vegetation: Picea 

mariana, Ledum sp., Hylocomium sp., Dicranum sp. and Vaccinium vitis-idaea. 

DFTC 6 Donnelly Flats Tower Control Profile 6 is located 200 m south of the tower. Described 

and sampled by J. Harden and K.L. Manies on 2 Aug 2000 to 66 cm. Vegetation: Picea 

mariana, Pleurozium sp., Ledum sp., and Vaccinium vitis-idaea. 

DFTC 11 Donnelly Flats Tower Control Profile 11 is located 150 m south of the tower. Described 

and sampled by K.L. Manies on 3 Aug 2000 to 105 cm. Vegetation: Picea mariana, 

Cladina sp., and other lichens. 

DFTC 16 Donnelly Flats Tower Control Profile 16 is located 100 m south of the tower. Described 

and sampled by J. Raymond and J. Harden on 3 Aug 2000 to 90 cm. Vegetation: Picea 

mariana, Ledum sp., and Pleurozium sp.; Cladina sp. nearby. 

DFTC 20 Donnelly Flats Tower Control Profile 20 is located 20 m south of the tower. Described 

by J. Harden and K.L. Manies on 4 Aug 2000 to 17 cm. Vegetation: Picea mariana

and Cladina sp. with some Ledum sp. and Hylocomium sp. nearby. 

DFTC 21 Donnelly Flats Tower Control Profile 21 is located 150 m east of the tower. Described 

and sampled by J. Harden and J. Raymond on 5 Aug 2000 to 65cm. Vegetation: Closed 

canopy of Picea mariana, with Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Ledum sp., Hylocomium sp., and 

Cladina sp. 

DFTC 22 Donnelly Flats Tower Control Profile 22 is located 100 m south of the tower. Described 

and sampled by J. Harden and J. Raymond on 7 Aug 2000. Vegetation: Picea mariana, 

Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Ledum sp., Betula sp., Salix sp., Peltigera sp., and other lichens. 
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DFTC 23 Donnelly Flats Tower Control Profile 23 is located 150 m east of the tower. Described 

and sampled by J. Harden and J. Raymond on 8 Aug 2000. Vegetation: Picea mariana, 

Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Vaccinium uliginosum, and lichens. 

DFTB 1 Donnelly Flats Tower Burn Profile 1 is located 300 meters south of the tower. It was 

described and sampled to 70 cm by J. Raymond on 5 Aug 2000. Vegetation: dead, 

burned Picea mariana with regrowing, sparse Ceratadon sp. and Polytrichum sp. 

DFTB 4 Donnelly Flats Tower Burn Profile 4 is located at 63° 55.082’ N 145° 44.557’ W. 

Described by J. Harden on 5 Aug 2000 to 58 cm. Vegetation: Burned Picea mariana

with re-growing grass. 

DFTB 5 Donnelly Flats Tower Burn Profile 5 is located 300 m south of the tower. Note that this 

profile is at the same location as DFTB 1 but in a different part of the pit. Described and 

sampled by J. Raymond on 5 Aug 2000 to 65 cm. Vegetation: some Lupinus sp. and 

Mentha sp. 

DFTB 7 Donnelly Flats Tower Burn Profile 7 is located 200 m south of the tower. Described 

and sampled by J. Raymond on 7 Aug 2000 to 88 cm. No live vegetation. 

DFTB 18 Donnelly Flats Tower Burn Profile 18 is located 120 meters east of the tower. 

Described and sampled by J. Raymond on 7 Aug 2000 to 67 cm. No live vegetation. 

DFTB DB 1 Donnelly Flats Tower Burn is located at 63° 55.223’ N 145° 44.687’ W. Described 

and sampled by J. Harden and J. Neff on 7 Jul 2000 to 50 cm. Vegetation: None noted. 

Creek Control (DFCC) and Creek Burn (DFCB) 

From Delta Junction, head south on the Richardson Highway. Approximately 5 miles past 

Meadows Road there is a sign indicating a rest stop. Make the next left after this sign. (You will 

just have started driving downhill.) Follow the dirt road ~0.5 miles, past the military activity 
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flagpole and down the hill. To get to Creek Control (DFCB), follow the road as it curves right at 

the bottom of the hill to follow the edge of a large ‘meadow.’ Park approximately 1⁄4 mile down the 

straightaway. Cross the meadow into to the burn. The center of the ‘L’ is approximately 100 feet 

into the forest (63° 50.932’ N, 145° 42.777’ W). Transects run from this point at 210° for 300 m 

and 120° for 100 m. Please note that a walking path has been flagged for the south transect. To 

reach Creek Control you can follow the second road that crosses DFCB into the unburned forest. A 

path, marked by pink and black flagging, leaves this road at the large pit in the road and follows the 

east transect to the center of the L (63° 50.913’ N, 145° 43.150’ W). Transects run from this point 

at 210° for 300 m and 120° for 100 m. Alternatively, as you drive down the hill past the military 

activity flagpole you can park at the grassy road on your right. This road is located along the gravel 

road where it makes a sharp right at the bottom of the hill. Walk along the grassy road and make a 

left at the pink and black flagging (the second left?). Follow the flagging through one more right 

turn (first right?) and into the plot center. 

DFCC 12 Donnelly Flats Creek Control Profile 12 is at 63° 50.012’ N, 145° 43.190’ W. Described 

and sampled by J. Harden on 2 August 2001 to 40 cm. Vegetation: Hylocomium sp. 

and Aulacomnium sp. 

DFCC 13 Donnelly Flats Creek Control Profile 13 is located at moss plot 20 m north. Described 

and sampled by J. Harden, K.L. Manies and E. Langenberg on 4 August 2001 to 36 cm. 

Vegetation: mature Picea mariana, Salix sp., Hylocomium sp., Aulacomnium sp., 

Vaccinium vitis-idaea, and Rosa sp. 

DFCC 14 Donnelly Flats Creek Control Profile 14 is located at 100 m south along the main 

transect. Described and sampled by J. Harden, K.L. Manies and E. Langenberg on 5 

August 2001 to 30 cm. No vegetation noted. 
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DFCC 15 Donnelly Flats Creek Control Profile 15 is located at moss plot 0 m east. Described and 

sampled by J. Harden, K.L. Manies and E. Langenberg on 5 August 2001 to 44 cm. 

Vegetation: Hylocomium sp., Pleurozium sp., Polytrichum sp., and Rhytidium sp. 

DFCC 16 Donnelly Flats Creek Control Profile 16 is located at moss plot 35 m east. Described 

and sampled by J. Harden, K.L. Manies and E. Langenberg on 5 August 2001 to 25 cm. 

Vegetation: Hylocomium sp., Pleurozium sp., Vaccinium vitis-idaea, some Vaccinium

uliginosum, and lichen. 

DFCB 5 Donnelly Flats Creek Burn Profile 5 is located 100 m south of the L-junction. Described 

and sampled by J. Harden, J. Raymond on 8 August 2001 to 90 cm. Vegetation: dead 

Picea mariana, Polytrichum sp., grasses, Vaccinium uliginosum, and Vaccinium vitisidaea. 

DFCB 10 Donnelly Flats Creek Burn Profile 10 is located at 300 m south of the L-junction. 

Described and sampled by J. Raymond on 7 August 2000 to 53 cm. Vegetation: dead 

Picea mariana, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Vaccinium uliginosum, grasses, and Salix sp. 

DFCB 11 Donnelly Flats Creek Burn Profile 11 is located 200 m south of the L-junction. 

Described and sampled by K.L. Manies and E. Langenberg on 8 August 2000 to 15 cm. 

Vegetation: Picea mariana. 

DFCB 12 Donnelly Flats Creek Burn Profile 12 is located 35 m south of the L- junction, near the 

marked chamber and TDRs. It is tagged with USGS Tag #38. Described and sampled 

by J. Harden and J. Raymond on 7 August 2000 to 93 cm. Vegetation: dead Picea 

mariana, dead Betula sp., and dead Dicranum sp. 
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1956 Burn (DF56) 

From Delta Junction head south on the Richardson Hwy. ~1 mile. Take the left towards the 

Buffalo Drop Zone immediately before Jarvis Creek. Site is on left ~7.5 miles after road passes 

through Drop Zone, just after it crosses a creek bed (which may or may not have water in it). 

Follow pink and black flagging placed just within trees on left side of road to plots. Initially, the 

path is a two-track road, but turns into a game trail around the first aspen clump. Corner of L is at 

63° 56.865’ N, 145° 36.062’ W. Transects run from this point at 180° for 120 m and 90° for 90 m. 

Note: If road through Buffalo Drop Zone is closed one may also reach the site from the opposite 

direction by turning south on Fleet Street. Take 4th “driveway” on left (at curve in road, goes 

down). Always take rights at forks. Stop just before road crosses creek bed as described above. 

DF56 1 Donnelly Flats 1956 Profile 1 is located at moss plot 30 meters north. Described and 

sampled by J. Harden on 3 August 2001 to depth of 35 cm. Vegetation: Picea mariana

regrowth, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Ledum sp., Aulacomnium sp., and Betula sp. 

DF56 2 Donnelly Flats 1956 Profile 2 is located along transect through regrowing Populus 

tremuloides. Described and sampled by J. Harden on 3 August 2001 to depth of 47 cm. 

Vegetation: Populus tremuloides, Ledum sp., and feathermosses. 

1987 Burn (DF87) 

From the Silver Fox Cabins (Mile 1404 along the Alaskan Hwy.) drive several miles 

towards Delta Junction (west). Take the first left after Knight Lane (the road to the Agricultural 

Station). This road also goes to the holding ponds for the drainage project. Approximately 1.1 

miles up this road a large white “X” and a small road will be on your right. Walk down this road 
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~50 m until you reach small trail on left (marked with pink and black flagging). Follow trail south 

to the corner of L. Transects run from this point at 180° for 120 m and 90° for 120 m. 

DF87 1 Donnelly Flats 1987 Profile 1 is located near 50 meters south along the main transect 

and 20 m south on the moss transect. Described and sampled by J. Harden and K. Harris 

on 5 August 2001 to depth of 40 cm. Vegetation: dead Picea mariana, Populus 

tremuloides, Salix sp., grass, Polytrichum sp., and Vaccinium uliginosum

DF87 2 Donnelly Flats 1987 Profile 2 is located at moss plot 20 meters west. Described and 

sampled by J. Harden and K. Harris on 6 August 2001 to depth of 50 cm. Vegetation: 

Populus tremuloides, Vaccinium uliginosum, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Dicranum sp., and

Polytrichum sp. 

1994 Burn (DF94) 

From Delta Junction, drive past the Silver Fox Cabins (Mile 1404 along the Alaskan Hwy.) 

~7 miles east. Turn right onto dirt road. (Tips to knowing it’s the correct right turn: there is also 

road off to the left and you should not be able to see the Tanana Bridge.) You will pass two roads: 

the first is on the left only, the second crosses on both sides. At the third intersection (noted by a 

50-gal. drum and a large vegetated section in the middle of the intersection), take a right. Drive 

~50 m. The plot is ~15 m off the road to your left. The corner of L is at 63° 56.865’ N, 145° 

36.062’ W. Transects run from this point at 180° for 120 m and 90° for 120 m. No sampling 

occurred at this site. 
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DFDC 

Donnelly Flats cores are located at approximately 63° 48.727’ N, 144° 57.070’ W in a 

mature, poorly drained, Picea mariana stand. This site was also studied by J. Ruthford of the U.S. 

Forest Service (site name was Donnelly Flats, Mature Picea mariana site) and by K. O’Neill (at the 

time a student at the University of Michigan). 

D1/9 CORE 1 This core was described and sampled on 6 August 2000 by J. Rutherford to 

54 cm and by J. Harden to a depth of 60 cm. 

D1/9 CORE 2 This core was described and sampled on 6 August 2000 by J. Rutherford to 

35 cm and by J. Harden to a depth of 40 cm. 

D1/9 CORE 3 This core was described and sampled on 6 August 2000 by J. Rutherford to 

43 cm and by J. Harden to a depth of 43 cm. 

D1/9 CORE 5 This core was described and sampled on 6 August 2000 by J. Rutherford to 

46 cm and by J. Harden to a depth of 54 cm.